Miss Forensics – Chapter 4

Volume One: First Scroll

Scam Artist

These days someone still dares to assault police?

Three months later.

Monday morning.

Jiangcheng City.

As a prefecture-level city, Jiangcheng hadn’t yet started license plate restrictions, massive traffic flows merged into crowded streets.

Traffic lights flashing.

Groups of electric bikes and bicycles recklessly threading through any gap.

Car horns rose and fell, mixed with traffic police’s sharp whistle sounds, like boiling water poured into a wok causing chaos.

Pedestrians rushed across in swarms during those few seconds when the green light started flashing. In the crowd, someone’s meat bun [肉包子 | ròu bāo zi | steamed bun filled with meat] was squeezed out, rolled to the roadside after being stepped on repeatedly, and was snatched up by a stray dog scavenging near the garbage bin.

The driver’s horn was nearly worn out from pressing, yet pedestrians crossing the road were still endless. As the red light was about to turn green, increasingly impatient newspaper rustling sounds came from the back seat.

He spotted a gap and stepped on the gas.

Lin Yan held a cup of freshly ground coffee prepared before departure, hadn’t even taken a few sips when she heard a huge crash, the car body suddenly jolted, all contributing to her expensive globally limited edition suit.

The young lady’s temple throbbed with popping veins.

The driver turned back, stammering: “Miss, I was driving perfectly fine when suddenly a tricycle rushed out from the blind spot…”

“F*ck, looking to die?”

The intersection was already surrounded by many people. Jiangcheng wasn’t a big place, and those who could afford luxury cars were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns, people pointing and discussing outside the window.

The butler turned back to hand her tissues, then got out to handle the situation.

Song Yuhang helped up the fallen elderly person. The tricycle lay overturned, a basket of fruits and vegetables scattered everywhere on the ground, no longer edible.

Fortunately, she had seen the danger and quickly lifted the elderly person from the tricycle. Her small electric scooter was knocked over, but the elderly person only suffered minor scrapes.

“Are you alright?”

The elderly woman sat on the ground, only shocked, seeing the vegetables scattered everywhere her eyes reddened again, mouth open but unable to cry for a long while.

“Where’s the driver? Know you hit someone? Hurry up and give an explanation.”

“Yeah, think you’re so great driving a Mercedes?”

“Come down, come down quickly.”

“Everyone, we were driving normally, this elderly person suddenly rushed out. If we hadn’t hit the brakes in time, I’m afraid…” the butler said with a smile, unhurried.

“What about driving normally? You still hit someone, you know?”

“How can you have so little sympathy driving such a nice car?”

“That’s right, the poor old grandmother, riding early morning to sell vegetables, now she can’t sell them, what’s wrong with compensating her?”

“By that logic, should I also pay extra to take this grandmother for a checkup, advance her medical expenses, and compensate for her losses today?”

A somewhat deep and hoarse voice suddenly cut in.

The woman’s voice wasn’t particularly pleasant, having a texture like someone who had smoked for years.

Song Yuhang looked up, first seeing a pair of thin-heeled high heels, black wide-leg pants, then that unforgettable face.

She frowned slightly, feeling she had seen it somewhere before, yet suddenly couldn’t remember where.

Lin Yan’s gaze swept over, inconspicuously scanning the elderly person up and down. Forensic injury assessment was the most basic of skills – one glance and she had a general idea.

“Ah, finally someone reasonable, you’re the car owner, right?”

It was still that big man from before – a beautiful woman with a Mercedes was eye-catching enough.

“Are you traffic police?” Lin Yan had her suit jacket draped over her arm, the butler holding an umbrella for her, her face clearly writing four characters: strangers keep away.

“No… no…” the man stammered, stunned by her imposing manner.

“Then why should I listen to you?” Her lips pulled into a mocking smile as she glanced down at her wrist watch.

“Traffic lights change every sixty seconds, it was red three minutes ago. I followed traffic rules, the one who ran the red light was that old lady.”

The elderly person sitting in Song Yuhang’s arms straightened up, wearing tattered clothes, shoes covered in dirt, head full of white hair, lips trembling: “I’m sorry… miss… I… I was rushing to sell vegetables… if I can’t sell them… this whole month’s work will be wasted…”

Seeing the elderly person about to cry, and Lin Yan “playing the victim first” [惡人先告狀 | è rén xiān gào zhuàng | idiom meaning the wrongdoer complains first], the onlookers couldn’t sit still, pointing and commenting at their group.

“Yeah, why are you, driving a Mercedes, picking on an old lady selling vegetables?”

“It’s not easy for her earning money from dawn to dusk!”

“Young people these days, not a bit of sympathy.”

Lin Yan rolled her eyes – so was her money just blown in by the wind [大風刮來 | dà fēng guā lái | sarcastic expression meaning easily obtained]?

“Fine, want compensation, right?” Lin Yan pointed – the bumper was dented in, the car’s front also had scratches.

“My car isn’t expensive, just about two million yuan or so. According to market repair prices, I’ll give you a discount, won’t even count the paint job, capped at ten thousand yuan. Will the old lady pay me, or you, you, you – going to pay?”

Her gaze swept over several of the most aggressive pedestrians, a mocking smile hanging at her lips, presenting a thoroughly superior and overbearing manner.

“And my suit – haute couture [高定 | gāo dìng | high-end custom clothing], no returns, no exchanges, can’t be dry cleaned. Because of that one brake, a cup of coffee spilled all over it, one hundred thousand yuan down the drain. Shouldn’t that be compensated too?”

The old lady was scared pale as earth, nearly struggling out of Song Yuhang’s arms to kowtow [磕頭 | kē tóu | traditional Chinese gesture of deep respect or apology].

“Sorry miss… sorry… it’s really this old woman’s fault… I’m old… eyes aren’t clear anymore… at home it’s just me and my little grandson depending on each other… miss… I won’t ask you to pay… won’t ask you to pay… it’s this old woman’s fault…”

Seeing the old lady crying pitifully, people again turned their criticism toward her.

Back and forth it was just accusing her of being “wealthy but heartless” – so having money means she must help the poor?

Lin Yan listened impatiently: “All of you f*cking shut up, did I hit you or did I hit you? Like a dog catching mice [狗拿耗子 | gǒu ná hào zi | idiom meaning meddling in others’ affairs], minding others’ business.”

That big man from before, seeing her speak so rudely, immediately grew angry, raising his fist and charging forward.

“F*ck your mother, I’ll mind others’ business today!”

Lin Yan’s driver stepped slightly forward to protect her.

Before the fist could land, it was blocked by another person, a young woman in her early thirties, tall but not looking very strong, yet easily deflected his attack, like using four ounces to move a thousand pounds [四兩撥千斤 | sì liǎng bō qiān jīn | martial arts principle of using minimal force], lightly pushing the big man out of the crowd.

Lin Yan lightly raised an eyebrow: “Another busybody?”

Song Yuhang shook her head: “Not busybody business, you were speeding. Both parties share half the responsibility, you need to compensate too. However, beyond the law there’s human sentiment [人情 | rén qíng | meaning: human relationships and obligations], you should pay more.”

Lin Yan nearly choked on her own breath: “No…”

Song Yuhang pointed at the sign above: “City area, speed limit 30.”

Beside the huge billboard in the city area stood a lonely pole with an inconspicuous warning sign, the numbers “30” circled in red paint.

The young lady’s mouth twitched, hovering on the edge of exploding.

Song Yuhang added: “Based on the time you passed through the intersection and calculating the intermediate velocity from the distance, when passing this intersection, you were speeding.”

Her tone was steady and unwavering. Seeing the other’s confused face, she repeated the calculation formula.

Lin Yan listened with a headache: “Alright, alright, stop, enough, you tell me to pay and I just pay? Really…”

Song Yuhang paused, the traffic police hadn’t arrived yet. She instinctively reached for her pocket to take out her police ID, but came up empty.

“I am…” she uncertainly checked her jacket pocket again.

“Are what? A scammer? Extortionist? Or scam artist?” Miss Lin rolled her eyes skyward, gesturing for the butler to give her the wallet, carelessly pulling out a stack of bills without counting, throwing them at the two like shooing away beggars.

“These days scam artists are so dedicated, with this kind of energy what couldn’t you accomplish? This money, consider it my compensation to you, go buy yourself a coffin fund, wasting this lady’s time, hurry up and get lost.”

Having stood in the sun for so long, Miss Lin’s makeup was about to run, mouth dry and parched, she climbed back into the car.

The crowd gradually dispersed. Song Yuhang secured the money and helped the elderly lady to the roadside with several passersby, then returned to the middle of the road to pick up her fallen electric scooter. When she turned back, the butler from the Mercedes was standing beside the elderly person.

“If there are any issues, contact us at this number to resolve them.”

He also handed her a card.

The thin card had several words embossed in gold: Jingtai Group Corporation Limited.

The back had a string of numbers for the Legal Department.

“Hey—” Song Yuhang wanted to return the money: “I really wasn’t…”

The butler was already walking away, shaking his head. The Mercedes slowly drove off, merging into traffic.

“Elder, are you hurting anywhere else? Shall I help you to the hospital?”

“No, no, thank you, young lady, you are a kind person.” The elderly person clutched her hand with tears in her eyes, repeatedly expressing thanks.

The big man she had stopped earlier bought a bottle of water for the elderly lady, also casually offering her one: “Hey miss, you’re quite strong! Usually when I fight I’m not afraid of anyone, but you pushed me lightly and I felt like I lost my footing. In my opinion, you shouldn’t have stopped me – that kind of unreasonable woman deserves a good beating to feel better!”

Song Yuhang smiled slightly, politely declining the mineral water he offered: “Good thing you didn’t fight.”

The driver accompanying that woman, though not tall and of medium build, had broad shoulders and tight muscles. The calluses on his finger backs were characteristic of frequent boxing, his nose bridge was flat with scars indicating combat experience, and most importantly, cauliflower ears [餃子耳 | jiǎo zi ěr | colloquial term for wrestler’s ears] – only those who had been through countless battles would have such marks.

Just a driver yet already at the level of a freestyle fighting gold belt champion – that woman, what kind of background did she have?

“Miss, we’re just letting it go like this?” Halfway through the drive, the driver looked at her through the rearview mirror.

Lin Yan didn’t even raise an eyebrow, continuing to flip through her newspaper.

“What else then, could you beat that woman?”

The driver seemed to choke a bit, still somewhat unwilling to accept: “I…”

“Go to Jiangcheng City Public Security Bureau, it’s already morning, I’m tired,” she said, covering her mouth for a small yawn.

The driver didn’t dare delay, quickly turning the wheel and accelerating toward the Public Security Bureau.

It was already past nine in the morning, just when the bureau was getting busy with people coming and going. Lin Yan’s car squeaked to a stop right at the entrance.

The young lady slammed the car door, adjusted her sunglasses, her high heels swaying gracefully, each step bringing a breeze, making quite a spectacle.

Passing officers whispered: “Hey, isn’t that some rich madam coming to make trouble again?”

The questioned officer had half a sausage in his mouth, carrying several bags of soy milk, fried dough sticks, and steamed buns. His uniform bulged on his frame, he wasn’t tall and wore black-framed glasses, his skin somewhat dark, arms thicker than Lin Yan’s thighs.

The smell of pork and cabbage filling wafted past Lin Yan.

The big fellow turned to look at her, vegetable leaves still stuck in his teeth: “Don’t… don’t know… but she’s pretty… hehe…”

Miss Lin frowned, retching twice, unclear whether from the bun smell or his appearance.

“Come on, come on, hurry up, if Captain Song comes back she’ll scold us again.” Another companion pulled him away quickly.

“F*ck, what kind of monsters and demons…” This place wasn’t unfamiliar to Lin Yan. She looked up at the national emblem hanging high in the bureau’s hall, then plunged in like a hero cutting off his arm [壯士斷腕 | zhuàng shì duàn wàn | idiom meaning making a brave sacrifice].

“Hey, did you hear? Today our technical investigation unit is getting a new forensic expert, that famous Lin… what’s her name again?”

“Lin Yan.” A book titled ‘Binhai Province Civil Service Exam Past Questions and Detailed Solutions’ slid down from the speaker’s nose bridge, revealing a face that was passable among this room of “monsters and demons.”

Though a not-so-proper Japanese cartoon drawing fluttered out from the fallen book. [LP: H*entai manga]

The young man quickly picked it up, kissed it several times, and carefully tucked it back into his chest.

Hands greasy from sausage, comparable to pork trotters, typed “Lin Yan” on the keyboard.

A bunch of search results appeared.

“Hey hey hey, come look.”

Several heads gathered together.

“Lin Yan, thirty-two years old, undergraduate from Fudan University Medical School, one of the ‘Old Six’ [老六 | lǎo liù | nickname for top forensic schools] in forensic medicine, completed master’s and doctorate at Boston University’s Department of Forensic Medicine. To date has performed over five thousand autopsies, setting a record among young scholars…”

The woman in the photo wore a white coat, wavy curls tied up with some loose strands framing her face, upswept brows, upturned eyes, fair skin with dark lips, looking more like a magazine model with refined makeup and defined features than a doctor or forensic expert.

“That’s last year’s report, right? Just passed six thousand autopsies this year.”

Everyone looked toward the voice’s source – the woman sat cross-legged in an armchair, caressing her exquisite manicure.

Several people numbly turned their faces back, the chubby one continued reading: “However, most puzzling is that Miss Lin, despite having an enviable family background as Jingtai Group (Lin Corporation)’s young lady and sole heir, with net worth already exceeding hundred millions, could live worry-free without working. Reportedly, Miss Lin has abandoned her inheritance rights and broken ties with father Lin Youyuan. The Lin Corporation hasn’t released an official statement yet. Unknown if this is true or Miss Lin’s usual publicity stunt?”

“It’s true, I can’t wait for that old thing to die.” Lin Yan found the police station’s chair uncomfortable, squirming around, unable to find a comfortable position, finally sitting up straighter.

Everyone turned their heads in unison.

The chubby one wiped his glasses on his clothes repeatedly: “The Lin Yan who’s labeled as ‘Public Enemy Number One’ by Binhai Provincial Public Security for frequently overturning criminal cases?”

She rested her chin on her hand, nodding slightly, looking quite alluring.

The book-reading young man swallowed, touching the paper in his pocket: “The Lin Yan rumored to have a chaotic private life, dating three boyfriends simultaneously?”

“Huh?” The young lady wiggled her delicate fingers: “It’s four.”

The only female officer in technical investigation, wearing straight bangs and glasses thicker than beer bottle bottoms, manually pushed up her jaw that had dropped in shock.

“The Lin Yan who’s immensely wealthy and spends money like water?”

Miss Lin was too lazy to answer this question, letting out a small yawn.

Stars immediately appeared in the female officer’s eyes – in her eyes, Lin Yan was now a walking RMB and money printer.

“Alright, questions are done, who’ll show me to the changing room, where’s the bathroom?”

Three people pounced forward simultaneously: “Me, me, I’ll do it!”

“What are you doing! Can you even enter the women’s changing room?!”

“Sister, sister, let me carry your bag, this desk is empty, I’ll clean it for you.”

The chubby one said bashfully: “Lin… Forensic Expert Lin, are you hungry… these are my leftover morning buns…”

Lin Yan turned back, smile spreading across her face, beautiful as flowers and moon, bringing radiance to the humble surroundings.

Before the chubby one could bask in this gentleness, her thin lips opened, coldly spitting out the word “scram”.

In the silence, the chubby one’s glass heart shattered. The young man patted his shoulder sympathetically, busying himself with tidying things for Lin Yan.

“Oh my, Captain Song, what happened?” Song Yuhang came out after changing clothes. It wasn’t yet weather for air conditioning, the room still somewhat stuffy, so she only wore a light blue short-sleeve uniform, exposing a large scrape on her arm.

From elbow to forearm, the blood had dried, with dust and grit still embedded inside, looking rather shocking.

These were marks from helping the elderly person earlier.

She casually grabbed a tissue, roughly wiping it, not even frowning: “It’s nothing, just a small injury.”

A concerned colleague came over with wet wipes: “These days people still dare to assault police?”

Assault police?

Song Yuhang recalled that woman’s arrogant and domineering manner, imperceptibly curving her lips: “Wouldn’t dare assault police, just met some crazy woman who hit someone and—”

“Ugh, don’t mention it, your Jiangcheng traffic is really terrible, early morning departure and two crazy people crashed into my car like they had death wishes—”

A somewhat familiar voice came from the doorway.

Everyone turned their heads, looking at Song Yuhang then toward the door.

Criminal investigators were particularly sensitive, and Jiangcheng was just this small a place – instantly their eyes showed eager anticipation.

The “crazy woman” Captain Song mentioned walked in on seven-centimeter heels, ill-fitting police uniform hanging loosely, top button undone revealing snow-white skin and slender collarbones, wearing a small unnamed earring.

The Criminal Investigation Deputy Captain followed behind: “Comrades, let me introduce everyone, this is the new arrival Lin Yan, Forensic Expert Lin, surely her fame thunders in everyone’s ears [如雷貫耳 | rú léi guàn ěr | idiom meaning already well-known].”

Someone nearly lost balance and fell from their chair.

Song Yuhang’s expression flashed a moment of unnaturalness, touching her nose as a young officer nudged her arm: “Hey, Captain Song, that crazy woman you mentioned couldn’t be her, right?”

Lin Yan looked over with a smile playing at her lips, raising an eyebrow: “What a coincidence, scam artist.”

Caught badmouthing someone behind their back, Song Yuhang showed little reaction, the awkwardness coming and going quickly. She even took the initiative to extend her hand.

“Not a scam artist, you were speeding. Hello, Forensic Expert Lin, Criminal Investigation Deputy Captain, Song Yuhang.”

Voluntarily stating one’s name and position was a gesture of goodwill.

Lin Yan had no intention of shaking hands in reconciliation, merely giving a slight nod as acknowledgment.

The scene returned to dead silence. Song Yuhang withdrew her injured arm, seeming accustomed to such situations, walking aside to do other things.

The Criminal Investigation Unit’s chief was a man in his early forties, slightly plump, with a receding hairline, looking more like a slick businessman than a police officer.

He cleared his throat to ease the atmosphere: “Well, let’s all introduce ourselves.”

The chubby one came forward first to shake hands: “Um… Forensic Expert Lin, I’m Zheng Chengrui, computer science graduate, currently a technician in the Cyber Security Squad of the Technical Investigation Section, Jiangcheng City Public Security Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Unit.”

Originally, Technical Investigation and Cyber Security should be two different departments, but their cyber security was understaffed, unable to recruit good talent, so they simply merged into one section, saving an office in the process.

Lin Yan couldn’t even be bothered to raise an eyebrow.

The chubby one took the hint, walking away dejectedly.

Still that same young man, walking up spiritedly with a salute: “Jiangcheng City Public Security Bureau Criminal Investigation Unit Forensic Science Technical Investigation Section intern forensic expert Duan Cheng!”

He delivered this long title in high spirits, while Lin Yan started filing her nails.

Finally, the female officer came up shyly, also saluting: “Technical Investigation Section trace examiner Fang Xin, reporting to you.”

In terms of position, Lin Yan was the chief forensic examiner, so this form of address was correct, but the young lady had always been dismissive of others, lazily raising an eyebrow as acknowledgment.

Others gradually introduced themselves, a room full of various people, but Lin Yan barely remembered any.

Though that woman, titled Deputy Captain, sat in an inconspicuous corner position, quietly living up to her name, like the blue sky and white clouds flowing slowly outside.

If not for witnessing her skills earlier.

“Wait, am I the only forensic expert in Technical Investigation?” Lin Yan’s gaze shifted, looking at the motley crew [歪瓜裂棗 | wāi guā liè zǎo | idiom meaning odd assortment of people] seated around her.

Zhang Jinhai lightly coughed: “There was another chief forensic expert, who recently passed away, and the organization hasn’t yet…”

“…”

Forget it, she shouldn’t have asked. She’d never seen a city-level public security bureau this shabby, looking exactly like an amateur operation hastily put together in some eighteenth-tier town.

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LP: Re-translated on February 20, 2025

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