Pengci
Three months later.
Early Monday morning.
Jiangcheng City.
As a prefecture-level city, Jiangcheng has not yet implemented license plate restrictions. A massive flow of vehicles converged into the crowded streets.
The traffic lights were flashing.
Groups of electric scooters and bicycles recklessly squeeze through gaps as if their lives depend on it.
Horns blared incessantly, mingled with the sharp whistles of traffic police, sounding like boiling water in a hot pan.
Pedestrians rushed to cross the road in the few seconds before the green light started flashing. Amid the crowd, someone’s steamed bun got squeezed out, trampled on, and rolled to the roadside, where a stray dog scavenging near a garbage bin promptly snatched it away.
The drivers honked their horns almost to the point of breaking, but the pedestrians ahead continued to stream across the road. As the red light was about to turn green, the backseat of the car resounded with impatient rustling of newspapers.
Spotting an opening, he stepped on the accelerator.
Lin Yan held a cup of freshly ground coffee prepared before setting off. Before she could take a few sips, she heard a loud bang, and the car suddenly jolted, generously offering itself as a sacrifice to her expensive limited-edition suit.
Miss’s temple throbbed with anger.
The driver turned around, stammering, “Miss, I was driving just fine when suddenly a tricycle came rushing out from the blind spot…”
“Damn it, looking to die?”
A crowd had gathered at the intersection. Jiangcheng wasn’t a big place, and luxury car owners were even rarer. People outside the window were pointing and discussing with excitement.
The butler turned back and handed her a tissue, then got off the car to deal with the situation.
Song Yuhang helped the fallen elderly person up. The tricycle had toppled over, and a basket of fruits and vegetables scattered all over the ground, now unfit for consumption.
Fortunately, she had noticed the danger in time and managed to lift the elderly person off the tricycle. Her own small electric scooter was overturned, but the elderly person only suffered a few scratches.
“Are you alright?”
The old lady sat on the ground, just a little frightened. When she saw the scattered vegetables, her eyes turned red, and she opened her mouth as if to cry, but no sound came out.
“Where’s the driver? Do you know you hit someone? Hurry up and come out to explain yourself.”
“That’s right! Just because you’re driving a Mercedes doesn’t make you above the law.”
“Come down, come down, do it quickly!”
“Everyone, we were driving normally, but this elderly person suddenly rushed out. If we hadn’t applied the brakes in time, I’m afraid…” The butler smiled calmly and said without panic.
“What’s the excuse of driving normally? Even if you were driving normally, you still hit someone, you know?”
“Yeah! The poor old lady, going to sell vegetables early in the morning, and now she can’t sell her produce. Can’t you compensate her with some money?”
“And how come you, driving such a fancy car, don’t have an ounce of sympathy?”
“According to your logic, do I need to pay extra money to send this old lady for a medical check-up, cover her medical expenses, and compensate her for her loss today?”
A somewhat deep and hoarse voice suddenly interjected.
The woman’s voice wasn’t particularly pleasant, carrying a texture that seemed like she had been smoking for years.
Song Yuhang raised her head, and the first thing that caught her eye was a pair of slender high heels and black wide-leg pants, followed by a face that was memorable enough to be unforgettable.
She furrowed her brow, feeling like she had seen this person somewhere before but couldn’t quite recall where.
Lin Yan’s gaze shifted over and subtly swept back and forth over the elderly person. Forensic assessment of injuries was a fundamental skill, and with just one glance, she already had a general idea.
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“Ah, finally someone sensible. Are you the owner of the car?”
It was the burly man who had just spoken. The beauty and the Mercedes were already enough to attract attention.
“Are you a traffic officer?” Lin Yan draped her suit jacket over her arm while the butler held an umbrella for her. Her face clearly conveyed three words: “Keep your distance.”
“N-No… I’m not…” The man, who was stunned by her imposing manner, replied hesitantly.
“Then why should I listen to you?” A mocking smile crept up at the corner of her lips as she glanced down at her wristwatch.
“The traffic light changes every sixty seconds. Three minutes ago, it was a red light. I’m the one obeying traffic rules, and the one running the red light is that old lady.”
The elderly person sitting in Song Yuhang’s arms straightened her back. Her clothes were tattered, and her shoes were covered in mud. She had white hair and her lips trembled as she spoke, “I’m sorry… young lady… I… I’m rushing to sell vegetables… couldn’t sell them all… been working for nothing this past month…”
Seeing the elderly person choking up as if she was about to cry, Lin Yan continued with her “the villain complains first” approach. The onlookers couldn’t stay silent anymore and began pointing and discussing her group.
“That’s right! Why can’t someone driving a Mercedes get along with an old lady selling vegetables?”
“She works hard from dawn till dusk to earn this little money. Isn’t it tough enough?”
“Young people nowadays lack empathy.”
……
Lin Yan rolled her eyes, thinking, “Is my money just blowing in with the wind?”
“Alright, compensation, huh?” Lin Yan pointed her finger, showing the dented bumper and the scratches on the car’s front.
“My car isn’t that expensive, just around two million. I’ll give you a discount based on the market repair price, and I won’t even count the cost of repainting. Ten thousand yuan max. So, who’s going to compensate me, the old lady or you, you, you, who will pay?”
Her gaze swept over the several most aggressive pedestrians causing the commotion, a mocking smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She looked like someone high and mighty, exuding an air of dominance.
“And what about my suit? It’s a high-end one, non-refundable, non-exchangeable, and can’t be dry-cleaned because a cup of coffee spilled all over it during that braking moment. A hundred thousand yuan just went down the drain. Shouldn’t someone compensate me for that too?”
The old lady was so frightened that her face turned pale, and she almost struggled out of Song Yuhang’s arms to kowtow to her.
“I’m sorry, young lady… I’m sorry… It’s all my fault as an old woman… I’m old now… My eyesight is poor… It’s just my grandson and me relying on each other… Young lady… I don’t want you to compensate… I don’t want you to pay… It’s my fault…”
Seeing the pitiful sight of the old lady crying, some people redirected their blame towards her.
They were just going back and forth, accusing her of being “heartless” because apparently, if she have money, she should help the poor?
Lin Yan became impatient with their chatter, “All of you shut the hell up! Did I hit you or not? Mind your own business, busybodies.”
The same burly man from earlier became furious when he heard her impudent remarks and immediately clenched his fist, rushing towards her.
“F*ck you, I’m going to mind my own business today!”
Lin Yan’s driver took a step forward and protected her.
Before the fist could land, someone stopped him. It was another young woman in her thirties, tall in stature but seemingly not very strong. However, she effortlessly neutralized his attack, gently pushing him back as if it were as easy as lifting a feather, pushing the burly man out of the crowd.
Lin Yan raised an eyebrow slightly, “Another busybody meddling, huh?”
Song Yuhang shook her head, “It’s not meddling; you were speeding. Both parties share half of the responsibility, so you also have to compensate. However, beyond legal obligations, there’s also human consideration, so you have to pay a bit more.”
Lin Yan almost choked on her breath, “No…”
Song Yuhang pointed to the sign on her finger, “In the city, the speed limit is 30.”
Next to a huge billboard in the city stood a lonely pole with an inconspicuous warning sign hanging on it, with the numbers “30” circled in red paint.
The young lady’s mouth twitched, teetering on the edge of losing her temper.
Song Yuhang added another sentence, “Based on the time you passed through the intersection just now and calculating the speed during the journey, you were speeding when you passed through this intersection.”
Her tone remained calm and composed, and seeing Lin Yan looking confused, she repeated the calculation formula.
Lin Yan felt a headache coming on, “Okay, okay, enough. If you want me to compensate, I’ll compensate, alright? Really…”
Song Yuhang paused, realizing that her police officer’s badge wasn’t there as the police colleagues hadn’t arrived yet. She instinctively reached into her coat pocket to retrieve the badge but found it empty.
“I am…” She hesitated, then searched through her coat pocket uncertainly again.
“What is it? Fraud? Deception? Or scamming for money?” Miss Lin rolled her eyes to the sky, gesturing for the butler to hand her the wallet. She casually took out a stack of bills without even counting much and tossed it into their arms, dismissing them like beggars.
“These days, even scammers are so dedicated. With this level of dedication, they could accomplish anything. Consider this money as my compensation to you. Go buy a coffin for yourself. Stop wasting my time, and get lost.”
Standing under the sun for so long, Miss Lin’s makeup was starting to smudge. Her mouth felt dry, so she returned to her car.
The crowd gradually dispersed. Song Yuhang collected the money and, along with a few passersby, helped the elderly lady to the roadside. She then went back to the center of the road to pick up her fallen electric scooter. As she turned back, the butler from the Mercedes had come to the old lady’s side.
“If there are any issues, contact us through this phone number to resolve them.”
He handed her a business card.
On the thin card, several large characters were embossed in gold: Jingtai Group Co., Ltd.
On the back were a series of phone numbers for the Legal Department.
“Ai—” Song Yuhang wanted to return the money to them, “I really didn’t mean to…”
The butler shook his head and had already walked away. The Mercedes slowly drove off, merging into the traffic flow.
“Old lady, is there anywhere else that hurts? Shall I help you to the hospital?”
“No, no, thank you, young lady. You are a kind person.” The elderly lady held her hand with gratitude, tears welling up in her eyes as she couldn’t stop expressing her thanks.
The burly man who was stopped by her just now bought a bottle of water for the old lady and also handed her one, saying, “Hey, let me tell you, young lady, you’ve got some strength! Normally, I’m not afraid of anyone in a fight, but when you lightly pushed me, I felt like my feet were unstable. In my opinion, you shouldn’t have stopped me. Women who are unreasonable like that should be given a good beating to let off steam!”
Song Yuhang smiled faintly and politely declined the mineral water he offered, “Luckily, you didn’t get physical.”
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The driver accompanying the woman was not tall, but he had a well-built body with strong muscles, and his fingers had calluses on the back, indicating regular boxing practice. His flat nose had a scar, indicating combat experience. Most importantly, he had “dumpling ears,” a sign left by someone who has been in numerous combat.
Just a driver who has reached the level of a champion with a golden belt in free fighting, what is the background of that woman?
“Miss, are you just going to let 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 and continued flipping through the newspaper in her hand.
“What else can I do? Can you defeat that woman in a fight?”
The driver seemed choked up for a moment and was still somewhat unwilling, “I…”
“Go to the Jiangcheng City Public Security Bureau. I’m already tired this morning,” she said, stifling a small yawn.
The driver didn’t dare to delay and quickly turned the steering wheel, accelerating towards the city’s Public Security Bureau.
By now, it was past nine in the morning, the time when the city bureau started bustling with people coming and going. Lin Yan’s car creaked to a stop right at the entrance.
Miss Lin got out of the car, put on her sunglasses, and with her high heels swaying gracefully, she walked with a commanding presence, drawing attention as she strolled.
Passing police officers whispered to each other, “Hey, is it another young miss or rich lady looking for trouble?”
The police officer who was asked the question had half a sausage in his mouth and was holding several bags of soy milk, fried dough sticks, and steamed buns. His police uniform seemed stretched over his body, and he was not very tall, wearing a pair of black-framed glasses. His skin was a bit tanned, and his arms were thicker than Lin Yan’s thighs.
A scent of pork and cabbage dumplings drifted past Lin Yan.
The chubby officer turned to look at her, with some vegetable leaves stuck in his teeth, “I… I don’t know… but she’s pretty… hehehe…”
Miss Lin frowned, feeling a little nauseous. She couldn’t tell if it was from the smell of the dumplings or from his appearance.
“Alright, alright, let’s go. If Captain Song comes back and sees us, she’ll scold us again.” Another companion pulled him away quickly.
“Damn, what kind of people are these…” This place was not unfamiliar to Lin Yan. She glanced at the national emblem hung high in the lobby of the city bureau and dived in headfirst like a hero cutting off his own arm.
“Hey, have you heard? Today, our Technical Investigation Unit has a new forensic expert, that famous Lin… Lin something…”
“Lin Yan.” A book titled “Solving Past Years’ Real Exam Questions for Civil Servants in the Coastal Province” slipped down from the speaker’s nose, revealing the face of a male student who could pass as decent among the “people” in the room.
However, a less serious Japanese cartoon drawing fluttered out of that fallen book.
The male student quickly picked it up, kissed it a few times with caution, and carefully stuffed it back into his pocket.
After finishing the greasy sausage that could rival pig’s trotters, the hands typed “Lin Yan” on the keyboard.
A bunch of search results popped up.
“Hey, come and take a look.”
Several heads gathered together.
“Lin Yan, 32 years old, graduated from Fudan University’s Medical School, known as one of the “Big Six Institutes” in forensic medicine. She pursued her master’s and Ph.D. degrees in the Department of Forensic Medicine at Boston University. Up to now, she has dissected over five thousand bodies, setting a record among young scholars…”
The woman in the photo was wearing a white lab coat, with her wavy hair tied up in small curls. She had a few wisps of hair at the cheeks to complement her face shape, with her eyebrows slightly arched and eyes displaying a hint of playfulness. Her fair skin and deep lip color made her look more like a model with exquisite makeup and well-defined features from a magazine rather than a doctor or a forensic expert.
“This is last year’s report. Recently, she has dissected over six thousand bodies.”
Following the sound, the crowd glanced over to see the woman sitting with her legs crossed on a sofa, gently touching her exquisite manicure.
A few people turned their faces back numbly, and the chubby guy continued reading, “But the most puzzling thing is that Miss Lin has an enviable family background. As the heiress of the Jingtai Group (Lin Family), she is the sole inheritor and worth billions. Even if she doesn’t work, she could live a worry-free life. It’s said that Miss Lin has given up her inheritance rights and severed ties with her father, Lin Youyuan. The Lin Family Group has not officially issued a statement yet, so we don’t know if it’s true or just Miss Lin’s usual publicity stunt.”
“It’s true. I wish that old man would die sooner.” Lin Yan found the chairs in the police station uncomfortable, so she kept fidgeting and had to sit up straighter.
The crowd turned around in unison.
The chubby guy wiped his glasses on his clothes repeatedly. “Isn’t she Lin Yan, the one who is often defending criminals and is listed as the ‘number one public enemy’ by the Binhai Public Security Department?”
The other person propped up his chin and nodded slightly, giving her a glance that was still full of charm.
The guy who was reading the book earlier swallowed hard and touched the piece of paper in his pocket. “I heard her personal life is chaotic, and she’s dating three boyfriends at the same time?”
“Oh?” Miss Lin extended her slender fingers and shook them playfully. “It’s four.”
The only female detective in the technical investigation unit had straight bangs and wore glasses thicker than the bottom of a beer bottle. She manually adjusted her jaw, which had dropped due to surprise.
“Lin Yan, the one with immense wealth, spending money like dirt?”
Miss Lin couldn’t be bothered to answer such a question and let out a small yawn.
A gleam of admiration appeared in the detective’s eyes. In her eyes, Lin Yan was like a walking stack of money and a money printing machine.
“Alright, enough with the questions. Can someone show me to the changing room and tell me where the restroom is?”
The three of them rushed forward simultaneously: “I-I-I’ll do it!”
“What do you mean, ‘you’ll do it’? Can you enter the women’s changing room?”
“Sis, sis, then let me carry your bag. This table is empty, let me clean it for you.”
The chubby guy looked hesitant: “Lin… Forensic Doctor Lin, are you hungry? This is the leftover bun I didn’t finish this morning…”
Lin Yan turned around, a smile spreading across her face, radiant and beautiful like a blooming flower in the moonlight.
Before the chubby guy could immerse himself in such tenderness, she lightly opened her thin lips and coldly uttered a “get lost.”
In the silence, the chubby guy’s fragile heart shattered into pieces on the ground. The male student patted his shoulder sympathetically and hurried to help Lin Yan pack her things.
“Hey, Captain Song, what happened?” Song Yuhang changed her clothes and came out. It wasn’t yet time to turn on the air conditioning, so the room still felt a bit stuffy. She was wearing a light blue short-sleeved uniform, revealing a large abrasion on her arm.
The bloodstains had dried from her elbow down to her entire forearm, and there were still some dust and gravel embedded in it, making it look rather disturbing.
Those were the injuries she sustained while rescuing the elderly person on the ground just now.
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She casually took a tissue and wiped it hastily, not even furrowing her brows, “It’s nothing, just a minor injury.”
Her concerned colleagues gathered around and handed her a wet towel, “Who dares to attack a police officer these days?”
Attack a police officer?
Song Yuhang recalled the woman’s arrogant and overbearing attitude and subtly bit her lip, “Attacking a police officer, well, they didn’t dare to do that. But I did encounter a crazy woman who deliberately crashed into someone—”
“Ah, don’t even mention it. Jiangcheng is really congested. Early in the morning, I set out, and on the way, I encountered two lunatics who seemed to have a death wish, ramming into my car recklessly—”
A somewhat familiar voice came from the entrance.
Everyone turned their heads, taking a glance at Song Yuhang before returning their gaze to the entrance.
Those in the Criminal Investigation Unit were particularly sensitive, and Jiangcheng was just a small place, so their eyes lit up with anticipation.
They saw the so-called “crazy” woman mentioned by Captain Song, walking in on seven-centimeter high heels. The ill-fitting police uniform hung loosely on her, with the top button undone, revealing her fair skin and slender collarbone. A small, unnamed earring adorned her ear.
The Deputy Captain of the Criminal Investigation Unit followed behind her. “Comrades, let me introduce you. This is the new arrival, Lin Yan, Forensic Doctor Lin. I believe her name is already well-known to all of you.”
Someone almost couldn’t sit still and almost fell off the chair.
A momentary hint of awkwardness flashed across Song Yuhang’s expression as she touched her nose. A young officer poked her arm and said, “Hey, Deputy Captain Song, could that crazy woman you mentioned be her?”
Lin Yan’s lips curled up in a smile as she raised an eyebrow and looked over. “What a coincidence, the one who pulls scams.”
Caught red-handed gossiping about someone behind their back, Song Yuhang didn’t show much reaction. Awkwardness came and went quickly, and she even took the initiative to step forward and extend her hand.
“It’s not a scam, it’s your speeding. Hello, Forensic Doctor Lin Yan, I am the Deputy Captain of the Criminal Investigation Unit, Song Yuhang.”
Taking the initiative to introduce themselves and their positions was an attempt to ease the tension.
However, Lin Yan had no intention of shaking hands and making peace, so she simply nodded.
The atmosphere returned to silence once again, and Song Yuhang withdrew her injured arm as if she was accustomed to such situations, proceeding to engage in other tasks.
The Captain of the Criminal Investigation Unit at the City Bureau was a man in his forties, slightly overweight, with a receding hairline that seemed to resemble a smooth-talking businessman more than a police officer.
At this moment, he cleared his throat to alleviate the tension and said, “Well, let’s all do some self-introductions.”
The chubby guy was the first to step forward for a handshake. “Um… Dr. Lin, I’m Zheng Chengrui. I graduated in Computer Science and currently serve as a technician in the Cybersecurity Division of the Criminal Investigation Unit’s Technical Investigation Department at the Jiangcheng City Public Security Bureau.”
Originally, Technical Investigation and Cybersecurity were supposed to be two different departments, but they were merged because the Cybersecurity team was understaffed and couldn’t recruit enough qualified personnel. It also helped save office space.
Lin Yan didn’t even bother raising an eyebrow at him.
The chubby guy got the hint, lowered his head in disappointment, and walked away.
Next up was the young man who appeared spirited as he stepped forward and saluted, “I’m Duan Cheng, an intern forensic scientist from the Criminal Science and Technology Investigation Department of the Criminal Investigation Unit at the Jiangcheng City Public Security Bureau!”
He went on and on with his lengthy introduction while Lin Yan started filing her nails.
Finally, the female police officer walked up hesitantly and also saluted, “I’m Fang Xin, a forensic examiner from the Technical Investigation Department, reporting to you.”
In terms of positions, Lin Yan was the Chief Forensic Examiner, so it was correct for her to be addressed that way. However, she had always been indifferent to others, and she lazily raised an eyebrow in response.
Others also introduced themselves one by one, a room full of various people, but Lin Yan didn’t bother remembering many of them.
It was the woman named Deputy Captain who caught her attention. Despite her title, she sat in a inconspicuous corner, quiet as her name implied, like the serene blue sky and white clouds flowing slowly outside the window.
If she hadn’t witnessed her skills before.
“Wait, I’m the only forensic examiner in the Technical Investigation Unit?” Lin Yan’s gaze shifted as she looked at the motley crew sitting around her.
Zhang Jinhai cleared his throat, “There was another Chief Forensic Examiner, but he passed away not long ago, and the organization is still in the process of…”
“…”
Never mind, she shouldn’t have asked. She had never seen a city-level public security bureau so shabby, looking more like an impromptu makeshift team from a remote rural township.