Miss Forensics – Chapter 28

Heart-to-heart Conversation

Song Yuhang threw the person out of the door, then turned around to see that both of them were looking at her. Lin Ge had a somewhat shocked expression, while Lin Yan, for a moment, couldn’t accurately describe the expression on her face with the right words. It seemed to be a mix of surprise with a hint of happiness, but she controlled it well. Among the people present, apart from Song Yuhang, an expert in reading microexpressions, no one else noticed.

So, helping her out made her happy?

She’s really easily satisfied.

As Song Yuhang thought this, there was another knock on the door. Lin Yan frowned and was about to start scolding when Lin Ge quickly went to meet her. “It’s my mom, my mom.”

The door opened, and Mother Lin, lying on the sickbed with a pale face, didn’t let anyone assist her. She rushed to the bedside in three quick steps, holding her hand, which was connected to an IV, and it was shaking uncontrollably.

“Quick, Lin Ge, what are you still standing there for?! Go call the nurse! What’s going on here? Did that wild girl upset you again?”

Compared to when she left home at eighteen, Mother Lin had aged significantly, with silver hair and wrinkles etched all over her face. However, she dressed modestly, without any extravagant adornments. She looked sharp and capable. Seeing her scolding like this, you could tell that even Lin Yuan had to respect her.

Lin Yan was the kind of person who treated others as they treated her. Faced with her aunt’s concern, she curved her lips and showed a genuine smile.

“No, how could that be? You know my temper. If I don’t beat her up, that’s already being good.”

The nurse came in with a medical cart to change her medicine. Mother Lin finally noticed Song Yuhang standing nearby and her eyes lit up. It was as if a matchmaker had seen a potential bride, and she almost wanted to rush over and hold her hand warmly.

Lin Ge gave a little cough, and Mother Lin stopped, retracting her hand.

“Little Song, what brings you here? It’s been a while since you’ve hung out with Lin Ge, right? How did it go last time when you went out to eat? Did that boy treat you well? If there’s anything lacking, just let me know, I’ll break his legs.”

As she spoke, she leaned towards Song Yuhang, wearing a completely mother-in-law-looking-at-her-daughter-in-law expression. Seeing the wounds on her face, she couldn’t help but worry.

“Oh my, what happened here? This is really wicked, why would someone deliberately target your face like this? Don’t worry, Auntie has several ointments made from ancient recipes that work wonders for scar removal. I’ll have Lin Ge bring them over for you one day.”

The main culprit of this “wicked” act was sitting on the bed, stirring the congee that Song Yuhang had brought with a spoon, with a twitch at the corner of their mouth.

After Mother Lin’s words, she even kicked Lin Ge lightly. “Isn’t that right, Lin Ge?”

Lin Ge grinned awkwardly, “Yes, yes, I’ll bring it over for Miss Song one day.”

Afterward, he exchanged glances with Lin Yan through mouth movements: “My mom is way too enthusiastic.”

Lin Yan gave him a disdainful look: “Well, she is your future mother-in-law.”

However, she didn’t know why, but after saying this sentence, she felt a little uneasy inside. Even the congee that Song Yuhang had brought didn’t taste good anymore.

So she used mouth movements to signal: “Did you see that? Song Yuhang is really violent. Are you still planning to marry her?”

Lin Ge rolled his eyes, too lazy to pay her any attention. He didn’t even bother to consider why someone might resort to violence on her behalf.

Meanwhile, Mother Lin’s gaze moved around the three people in the hospital room. “Why did Little Song bring Yan Yan to the hospital? What’s your relationship with her?”

Song Yuhang glanced over at the hospital bed, and Lin Yan happened to raise her eyes to look at her. When their eyes met, she smoothly replied, “We are… colleagues.”

Mother Lin immediately burst into laughter, unable to close her mouth, and pulled them both to the bedside. She picked up Lin Yan’s unbandaged hand and placed it on top of Song Yuhang’s, patting them gently. “Colleagues? That’s great! Colleagues are wonderful! Getting closer and closer!”

Lin Yan choked on her congee, causing a thunderous coughing fit.

******

After several people inquired about Lin Yan’s condition and learned that it wasn’t too serious, they felt relieved. As for the reason behind the injuries on her face and the concussion, Lin Yan didn’t want to go into detail, and Mother Lin and Lin Ge wisely refrained from pressing further. Lin Yan’s nominal father hadn’t shown up at all during this time.

After sitting for a while longer, Lin Ge received an urgent call from the hospital and prepared to leave. Mother Lin, after watching Lin Yan finish the chicken soup she had brought, left along with her son. She instructed Lin Yan to rest well, call if needed, and promised to bring her more food tomorrow.

Lin Yan could barely hold herself together. She was not used to eating so much and her face had crinkled like a bitter gourd. She couldn’t wait for them to leave and was already planning her discharge for the next day.

Out of respect for Mother Lin being an elder, both in terms of feelings and propriety, Song Yuhang felt she should accompany them for a bit. Unexpectedly, when they left the hospital room, Mother Lin patted Song Yuhang’s hand, her smile warm and friendly. “Alright, there’s no need for you to accompany us. You’ve had a busy day, and we owe you a lot for what happened today. Let Lin Ge treat you to a meal sometime, you must come.”

She found her daughter-in-law more and more pleasing to the eye—well-behaved, graceful, tall, with good manners and humility.

Song Yuhang nodded. “You’re too kind. Lin Yan is my colleague, so helping out was a given.”

Mother Lin didn’t say more, patting her hand before being assisted away by the housekeeper, leaving the two of them alone.

Lin Ge rubbed his nose, and the two of them stood together at the elevator, having become somewhat closer due to the events surrounding Lin Yan. Some things they hadn’t been able to discuss before were now easier to bring up.

“Do you think our family is a bit strange?”

Song Yuhang took a moment to respond. “Yes.”

She grew up in a harmonious family, even though her father passed away early, and her mother didn’t remarry. Her mother single-handedly raised both her and her older brother. After her brother’s death, her sister-in-law, Ji Jingxing, didn’t remarry either. She couldn’t imagine a situation where a family like hers, with no stepmother and step-siblings causing trouble, would suddenly appear in her life.

While waiting for the elevator, Lin Ge smiled wryly and said, “Counting this one with a recognized status, this is the eighth marriage for Uncle Lin over the years, not counting those unofficial relationships outside. These people, to a greater or lesser extent, have caused Lin Yan some suffering.”

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but recall the first year Lin Yan came to their home. “Can you imagine? When she was three years old and came to my house as a guest for the first time, she had never even seen candy before. I gave her a jar of milk candy, and she didn’t even say thank you. She just took the jar and hid in the backyard to eat it secretly until she got diarrhea…”

Lin Ge remembered that scene and couldn’t help but feel both amused and exasperated. After Lin Cheng’s death, she became the sole heir of Lin Yuyuan and enjoyed a lot of sweets, but she never smiled as happily as she did back then.

Taking advantage of the momentary softening in Song Yuhang’s gaze, Lin Ge concealed the fleeting bitterness in his heart. It turned out that even someone as polished and bright as him had a past that was too painful to look back on.

The elevator arrived, and Lin Ge entered. He gave her a slight smile, displaying the carefree demeanor of a big boy.

“Officer Song, although Lin Yan won’t say it, I still want to thank you on her behalf. Despite her current demeanor of making a fuss all day long, being arrogant to the point where I want to smack her, over the years, you’re the only one she’s brought to us and acknowledged as a friend.”

He addressed her as Officer Song instead of Miss Song, showing a sufficient level of respect and sincerity.

“You’re the only one she’s brought to us and acknowledged as a friend.”

It was this sentence that made a slight smile curve Song Yuhang’s lips. She rarely smiled, and her commanding presence now appeared softer.

Lin Ge’s behavior naturally reminded her of her own brother, which brought a sense of nostalgia.

“No need to thank me, it’s what I should do. Lin Yan is fortunate to have a brother like you.”

As more people crowded into the elevator, the two of them waved goodbye. “Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

******

Lin Yan initially thought that Song Yuhang would leave with the others, but to her surprise, less than ten minutes later, Song Yuhang returned. She pulled up a chair beside Lin Yan’s bed, opened her phone to check if there were any new leads from her colleagues.

“Aren’t you leaving?” Lin Yan leaned against the bed and glanced at her.

“If I leave, what will you do?” Song Yuhang didn’t lift her head.

Lin Yan chuckled softly, “I haven’t become so weak that I need someone to take care of me.”

Seeing that Song Yuhang remained unfazed, she muttered, “At the very least, there’s still the butler .”

Song Yuhang put her phone in her pocket and stood up. “Alright, then I’ll leave. Rest well.”

As she turned to leave, a hint of annoyance flashed in Lin Yan’s eyes. She was about to speak but started coughing incessantly instead.

She struggled to control her breathing, but it only escalated. She placed a hand on her chest, attempting to ease her breathing, but it caused the IV stand to wobble.

Song Yuhang hurried over, taking quick steps to steady her and gently pressed her down. At the same time, she poured a glass of warm water from the bedside pitcher.

“You see, if you don’t pretend to be strong, nothing would have happened.”

Why does this phrase sound so familiar? Lin Yan recalled the conflict they had on her first day at the police bureau. She raised her hand as if to strike.

Song Yuhang pressed her hand down again and spoke sternly, “Don’t move. Do you want to get another injection?”

With that said, she squatted down by the bedside and carefully secured the tape on Lin Yan’s hand.

From Lin Yan’s perspective, she could see Song Yuhang’s bright eyes hidden behind her disheveled bangs. She didn’t put much effort into grooming herself; her eyebrows were slightly messy, but it emphasized her three-dimensional and dignified features.

Song Yuhang’s eye color was light, tinged with a shallow brown in the lamplight. Her skin tone was between fair and normal. Without makeup, her lips were much paler than Lin Yan’s. Removing the sharp aura, she appeared much softer, especially with her careful and tender movements. Lin Yan finally began to understand why Mother Lin insisted on her becoming a part of the family.

“What do you think of my brother?”

Song Yuhang didn’t stop her hands as she worked. “What do you mean, didn’t we discuss this the other day?”

Lin Yan pursed her lips. “What we said that day doesn’t count. Tell me again. I want to hear the truth.”

Song Yuhang finished up and tucked her hand under the blanket. She looked up at Lin Yan, a faint smile playing at the corner of her lips.

“Why, do you want me to look out for your brother?”

“I only have this one brother, is that not okay?” Lin Yan spoke firmly, but Song Yuhang’s gaze turned solemn.

“Do you want to hear the truth?”

“Yes,” Lin Yan nodded.

Song Yuhang sat down again. Since their first meeting, they had either argued, exchanged harsh words, or even come to blows. They rarely had the opportunity to sit face to face and have a conversation like this.

This feeling was somewhat novel for both of them.

Perhaps it was the warm lighting of the evening, or maybe it was because of Lin Yan’s illness, but she didn’t appear as dominant as usual. Occasionally, in a few moments, Song Yuhang even found her quite charming.

For example, right now, the way she earnestly leaned in to listen to what Song Yuhang was saying.

So, she became serious as well, looking into her eyes and saying, “He’s good, treats you well, and respects me. I don’t mind further contact between you two, but…”

She seemed somewhat uncertain at this point, pausing as she didn’t know how to continue.

Lin Yan helped her complete the thought, “Do you want to see him?”

Song Yuhang thought for a moment, shaking her head. “I’m too busy, no time to think about it.”

“What about now? You have time now. Do you miss him?”

Song Yuhang followed her words and began to think back. Surprisingly, what came to mind were memories related to Lin Yan and that particular phrase.

“In all these years, you are the only one she has brought into our lives, and you are acknowledged as her friend.”

As for Lin Ge, while he was handsome and had a good sense of humor, she could shower him with plenty of objectively flattering words based on appearance, but he couldn’t measure up to another person who lived vividly in her heart.

As she mentioned Lin Ge’s name, Song Yuhang found herself momentarily breathless. She quickly regained her composure, realizing she couldn’t let Lin Yan take control of the conversation. So, she countered with a question.

“He just left, what is there to miss? And you, is there anyone you especially miss?”

Lin Yan shook her head, feeling that Song Yuhang’s response was more straightforward than a typical straight man’s. However, as she heard the second part of the question, her fingers unconsciously clenched the fabric over her chest, her gaze lowered, and her voice grew soft.

“Yes, someone I miss very, very much.”

“Someone you like?” Song Yuhang observed her expression and didn’t expect her to answer, but Lin Yan hesitated for a moment and softly responded, “Yes.”

“Sort of.”

Song Yuhang suddenly felt a bit sentimental. “It’s nice to have someone you like.”

“Don’t you have anyone?” Lin Yan’s hand relaxed from her clothing, and she turned to look at Song Yuhang.

Song Yuhang shook her head. “No, I don’t. I don’t know what it feels like to like someone. My entire life, your brother was the first man I ever went on a blind date with.”

Lin Yan looked puzzled. “So, how did you spend the first twenty-something years of your life?”

Song Yuhang thought seriously. “Before I started working, I studied, practiced martial arts, and after I started working, I solved cases, practiced martial arts, and that’s about it.”

“…,” Lin Yan’s lips twitched. Your leisure time activities are quite rich.

“It’s not like there was nothing,” Song Yuhang relaxed completely, leaning back in her chair, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

“When I was in college, there was a senior who wanted to pursue me. I told him that if he could defeat me in a fight, then I would consider dating him…”

“And then?” Lin Yan asked curiously.

“And then, in our school gym, in front of hundreds of people, I knocked out two of his front teeth. He never mentioned it again after that.”

Lin Yan was laughing so hard, her tears were about to come out. “Hahaha… Captain Song, you’re really… something else… So, does that mean we’re also acquaintances now? I narrowly won, right? So, Captain Song, are you also thinking of… with me…”

“Talking, loving, dating.”

Before these three words could escape her lips, Song Yuhang’s gaze shifted towards her, and her expression became serious.

She fell straight into those brown pupils, and the rest of her words remained stuck in her throat, leaving behind intriguing and ambiguous thoughts.

Song Yuhang looked at Lin Yan, and Lin Yan looked at Song Yuhang. Neither of them spoke, and Lin Yan’s smile gradually faded.

She sat quietly there, wearing the blue and white hospital gown, her curls cascading softly over her shoulders. For a moment, she gave Song Yuhang the impression that she was waiting for a certain answer.

But it was just an illusion.

Both of them simultaneously shifted their gazes away from each other’s faces.

Song Yuhang’s tone was light. “Forensic Doctor Lin, this joke isn’t funny at all.”

Lin Yan leaned back. “Oh, are you sulking like a little girl? I was just kidding.”

The hint of ambiguity vanished, and they could finally have a normal conversation.

“I’m not sulking. At most, we’re even now. You’re not being objective.”

Lin Yan raised an eyebrow. “Alright, we’ll have a rematch next time.”

As she spoke, Song Yuhang’s phone rang. She took it out and saw that it was a call from Ji Jingxing, labeled as ‘Little Wei’ in her contacts.

Lin Yan glanced at her casually. “Hey, didn’t you just say you didn’t like anyone?”

Song Yuhang couldn’t be bothered to respond and went out to the corridor to answer the call.

Lin Yan grumbled behind her. “Fine, just answer it. You’re acting like we’re having an affair or something.”

The call connected, and the lively, cheerful voice of a child immediately came through. “Auntie, we’re at the playground right now. Mommy asked if you’d like to have dinner together tonight?”

It was then that Lin Yan remembered it was Children’s Day today.

“I’m sorry, Little Wei. Auntie has been really busy lately and couldn’t prepare your gift in advance. How about we make up for it tomorrow?”

“Here, talk to Mommy.” Ji Jingxing held her phone in one hand and carried a bunch of stuff in the other, transferring the child to her other hand.

“What’s this about gifts or no gifts? Haven’t I given Little Wei plenty of gifts over the years? Have you finished work? We just came back from the playground. How about having dinner together?”

Her end was quite noisy, making her voice a bit distorted.

Song Yuhang looked at Lin Yan in the hospital room, feeling a bit conflicted. Just as she hesitated, not knowing how to refuse and why she should refuse, another call came in.

She breathed a sigh of relief. “Sis, I’ve got a new lead in a case here, so I need to go check it out. You and Little Wei go ahead for dinner. If I finish up early, I’ll come pick you both up.”

She said this with the expectation that she would probably be busy for a while.

Ji Jingxing quickly declined, “No need, no need. You go do your work.”

She added four words after a moment’s thought, “Take care of yourself.”

Song Yuhang smiled slightly. “Alright, I’ll make it up to you another day. Treat Little Wei to a nice meal.”

After Ji Jingxing hung up the phone, there was a noticeable trace of disappointment on her face. Little Wei sat on the bench beside her, nibbling on a popsicle, looking innocent. “Mommy, is Auntie not coming?”

Ji Jingxing turned to her and gently rubbed her soft hair. “Auntie has something to do and can’t make it today. But she said she would treat Little Wei to a nice meal another day.”

The child’s eyes lit up at the mention of a nice meal, clearly overshadowing her longing for her aunt.

She knew her aunt never lied. When she said she would take her out for a nice meal, she would definitely do it. The only difference was between today and a few days later.

Ji Jingxing smiled, picked up the various shopping bags of different sizes placed on the bench, which were quite heavy. She held them in both hands and swayed slightly but managed to stabilize herself.

“Come on, Little Wei, hold Mommy’s hand. We’re going to have pizza.”

When Song Yuhang walked back in, she appeared visibly anxious. She didn’t sit down but stood by the bed. “I have to go.”

Lin Yan lazily replied, “Busy with your lover?”

“What nonsense. We found a lead in the murder case, and I need to check it out.”

As soon as she heard it was related to a case, Lin Yan became alert and started to get out of bed. “I’m coming too…”

“Where are you going? Listen to me, you’re not allowed to go. Lie down and rest,” Song Yuhang firmly pushed her back down, tucked her in, gently placed her palm on her forehead, and then heaved a sigh of relief.

Finally, the fever had subsided.

“It was so hard to bring down the fever. Listen to the doctor and stay in bed for another couple of days.”

“Two days? How can I possibly lie here… cough…” She spoke hastily, which led to another bout of coughing, leaving her feeling uncomfortable as she bent over.

Song Yuhang lightly patted her back to help her breathe easier. When seen from behind, it appeared as if she was holding her in an embrace.

Lin Yan grabbed onto her sleeve. “If there are any developments… please tell me…”

“Don’t worry, just rest here for two days peacefully. Who knows, maybe I’ll solve the case in two days.”

Though it was just comforting words, Lin Yan still felt relieved. Her grip on Song Yuhang’s hand loosened, and she was gently laid back onto the bed.

“Goodnight.”

Song Yuhang adjusted the desk lamp to a suitable brightness, then quietly left the room and closed the door behind her.

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