Miss Forensics – Chapter 53

Eat Vinegar

Lin Yan cried enough.

When Song Yuhang’s shoulder was also grazed, and she tasted a hint of the metallic tang of blood, Lin Yan let go.

Sensitive to her change, Song Yuhang gently patted her back. “It hurts a bit; I’ll switch sides for you to bite.”

Lin Yan refused to show weakness, pulling at Song Yuhang’s uniform collar and biting down, but this time, she didn’t apply any force.

It was more like grinding her teeth or licking her wound.

A little wolf cub.

Be kind to her, and she might just bite you back. Even if she realizes she’s wrong, she won’t admit it openly. Instead, she’ll use her eloquence to dodge the issue, like a sly tiger smelling roses.

Song Yuhang’s throat churned, and this tender action of Lin Yan’s gave rise to a faint trace of intimacy. Her fingers lightly stroked her nape, kneading the two cervical vertebrae as if to soothe her emotions. Her voice was husky.

“Go back.”

Back in her room, Lin Yan still felt somewhat embarrassed, tears staining her face. She let her undo the gauze on her hand and rewrap it for her, but she avoided making eye contact.

Song Yuhang knew that this person was feeling embarrassed after just holding her and crying for that long, appearing fearless on the surface but having a very thin skin.

With just a little teasing, she was like an irritated cat, but that was also easy to comfort.

As she applied medication to her hand, Lin Yan flinched slightly. She grabbed her wrist and wrapped it in gauze to prevent her from moving. “Thank goodness it didn’t damage any nerves. If you can’t hold a scalpel in the future, let’s see if you’ll cry.”

“Who’s crying?! Who…” Lin Yan instinctively retorted, and Song Yuhang patted her shoulder and tugged at her clothes in front, being honest.

“The clothes got wet.”

Lin Yan wiped away a tear at the corner of her eye and grabbed a pillow to throw at Song Yuhang.

Song Yuhang caught it with one hand, took a step forward, and sat on the bed to restrain her. “Enough, don’t act up. The medical conditions here are too poor. When you get back to Jiangcheng, you need to have your hand properly examined.”

She didn’t mention this before, but once she did, Lin Yan felt even more uneasy, especially when she looked at the bandage on her head. She turned her face away and said awkwardly, “I’m fine. I’m doing well. But you…”

“Don’t listen to Duan Cheng’s nonsense. It’s just a bullet graze…”

Song Yuhang tried to reassure her, but Lin Yan suddenly crumpled the bedsheet with her hand, and her body tensed for a moment.

“You don’t have to…” You don’t have to wade into this muddy water, risking your life.

“I always keep my word,” she began to say but was interrupted.

Song Yuhang carefully wrapped the bandage for her and then applied adhesive tape.

Lin Yan looked at her with her fluffy head leaning in front of her for a moment, lips slightly curved, and then quickly returned to her usual indifference.

“This time, I’ll allow you to change your mind. I don’t want you to make a hasty decision out of pity for me…”

Song Yuhang chuckled, and it stung her eyes, making Lin Yan grit her teeth.

“What are you laughing at?”

But the person reached out and pinched her nose, urging her to relax. The posture and gesture were so intimate that Lin Yan didn’t react at first.

When she did, she had quietly blushed.

“I’m laughing because you think too highly of me. I’m helping you, and seeking justice is the duty of every detective. No matter how many years pass, as long as the perpetrator isn’t brought to justice, I won’t stop pursuing them for a day. That’s only fair.”

She paused and looked into her eyes. “Yu Qing, I want to help you, simply because I want to help you, without any reason.”

Lin Yan’s eyes welled up, and she bit her lip, lowering her head. “Justice delayed is justice denied.”

She repeated in a low voice, “Delayed justice is no longer justice. Sometimes, I don’t even know if what I’m doing still makes any sense…”

Song Yuhang shifted and pressed her head against her chest. Strangely, she was becoming more and more skilled at handling these situations.

Lin Yan didn’t resist her touch, so she gently stroked her hair.

“You know, they say a person dies three times in their life. The first time is when their breath and heartbeat stop, and they’re declared biologically dead. The second time is when people attend their funeral, and a priest declares their passing, and they cease to exist in society. The third time is when the last person in the world who remembers them forgets, and only then do they truly die, with no connection to the entire universe.”

“Lin Yan, remember, that’s the greatest meaning.”

Perhaps she was too gentle, or maybe she herself was too fragile.

Lin Yan clenched her clothing and wiped away her tears.

From elementary school through graduate studies, she received the most elite education, but no one ever taught her how to truly face death, including after she started her profession, when her heart was filled with intense resentment when faced with the bodies of the deceased.

Song Yuhang was different, both gentle and sharp, serving as both a sharpening stone and a hidden-edge blade. She quietly struck at the softest corners of her heart.

The previous crying had been an emotional release from pent-up feelings, and now, her tears flowed freely with nostalgia and reminiscence for an old friend.

Song Yuhang gently cradled her face, using her thumb to wipe away the tears. Accustomed to her arrogant and domineering demeanor, seeing her in such a tearful state was an extremely rare sight, and it made her all the more heartbroken.

“Lin Yan, if one day I…”

Will you also remember me like this?

Before she could finish her sentence, Lin Yan covered her mouth and shook her head, signaling her to stop.

Song Yuhang understood, and with a slight smile, she held Lin Yan’s hand and placed it in her own palm.

Lin Yan was momentarily surprised, with tear streaks still on her face, but she had already forgotten about crying. Her hand remained on her own face, wiping away the remaining tear stains for her.

Song Yuhang’s fingertips were calloused, and there was a faint scent of gunpowder. When she gently touched her skin, there was a strange shiver of sensation.

Her hand moved downward, settling on her lips, stroking the soft lip petals back and forth until they gradually grew warm.

Lin Yan’s originally pale lips gradually gained a rosy tint, becoming plump and inviting.

Song Yuhang’s gaze darkened slightly, and she cleared her throat.

Lin Yan tugged at the hand held tightly by Song Yuhang, but she didn’t pull it back. There was a hint of urgency in her expression.

“Song—”

Song Yuhang’s index finger gently pressed down to signal her to be quiet, but the finger on her lips intensified.

Lin Yan’s lips throbbed with a fiery sensation, and her eyes still held a lingering watery gleam.

When she didn’t wear makeup, she had a different kind of natural and transparent beauty, like an innocent elf in the depths of the dark forest.

Song Yuhang was like a knight who had strayed from the path, lured step by step by her, sinking into the swamp of desire.

They silently locked eyes, as if they had exchanged glances a long time ago. The atmosphere grew warmer, and Lin Yan unconsciously swallowed saliva following her movements.

Whether it was the fingertip pressing on her lips or the fact that both of them were unconsciously breathing heavily, the ambiguous atmosphere expanded infinitely in the dark of the night.

Once addicted to her nape, it now seemed like there was something new added to it.

She felt somewhat lost, her mind a jumble, her body light and floaty, and her hands not following her commands, resembling an addict.

No, this shouldn’t be happening.

As Song Yuhang despised herself internally, she slowly moved closer to her.

Lin Yan’s head tilted slightly under her touch, her red lips slightly parted, as if inviting someone to pluck them.

The narrow single bed in the hotel couldn’t bear the weight of two people and emitted a faint creaking sound.

Lin Yan suddenly clenched the sheets beneath her.

Their breaths were now almost within reach of each other.

A knocking on the door interrupted them, as if awakening two dreamers.

Fang Xin: “Captain Song, Captain Song, are you there? I’ve come to pick something up.”

Lin Yan pushed her away and sat up to straighten her clothes.

Song Yuhang was taken by surprise and had a twitching corner of her mouth, reluctantly going to answer the door.

“Yes, yes, what is it?”

“It’s nothing, I’m staying in a single room tonight, just coming to get some toiletries.”

Fang Xin replied as she entered. She immediately spotted Lin Yan and her eyes lit up. “Oh, hehe, hehe, Forensic Doctor Lin is here too, that’s great, that’s great…”

“……”

“……”

She had a feeling that Lin Yan would get angry in the next moment, but seeing an opportunity to exit gracefully, she grabbed her bag and left.

“You two continue, continue, I won’t disturb your…reunion.”

Once she left the room, Fang Xin took out her phone and sent a message in their group chat: “I told you, didn’t I? Hurry, hurry, get the snacks!!!”

Duan Cheng sent a crying emoji pounding the ground, while Zheng Chengrui had a look of realization.

In a short while, the red envelope arrived, and Fang Xin’s face lit up with joy.

Song Yuhang closed the door, shaking her head with an expression of helplessness, and then returned.

Lin Yan packed up her things and got off the bed. “I…I’m going back.”

“Don’t go, where are you going in the middle of the night?” Song Yuhang stopped her, but Lin Yan kept her lips tightly sealed, her gaze wandering, avoiding eye contact.

“Alright, it’s rare to see you being hesitant about something like this. We have two beds, let’s sleep separately. Are you reassured now?” Song Yuhang reached out to take her bag and placed it on Fang Xin’s bed. She also attempted to pinch Lin Yan’s nose again, but Lin Yan dodged.

“Have you been sleeping with Fang Xin these past two days?”

Song Yuhang was puzzled and didn’t see what was wrong. “Yes, of course. It’s just the two of us female colleagues, after all. When we’re on a business trip, we should take care of each other.”

Lin Yan ground her teeth. “Aren’t there single rooms?”

Song Yuhang made her bed, knowing that Lin Yan preferred cleanliness, and she shook and fluffed the bedding, changing the sheets and covers with new ones.

“We have limited budget for the case, no money to waste.”

The logic chain was so perfectly flawless.

Lin Yan wanted to get angry, but there was nowhere to vent her frustration. She pointed her finger inside the room. “I want to sleep on your bed!”

“……” Well, she set it up for nothing again.

Song Yuhang resignedly took the bed apart once more. Lin Yan threw her bag onto it and lay down, turning her back to Song Yuhang.

Suddenly, Song Yuhang had an epiphany. Could it be… jealousy?!

As she thought of this, she couldn’t contain the smile at the corner of her lips, and even her steps became much lighter.

“Hey, are you feeling—”

Before she could reach Lin Yan’s bed, a pillow came flying through the air and hit her.

“Get out!”

“……” Song Yuhang obediently returned with the pillow in her arms.

Inside the room, there was a rustling sound as if someone was searching for something.

Lin Yan quietly perked up her ears, and after a while, someone nudged her shoulder. Song Yuhang presented a ornate box before her, complete with exaggerated sound effects.

“Ding, ding, ding – Open it up and take a look.”

Lin Yan was slightly surprised and sat up. “This is…”

“Go ahead, take a look,” Song Yuhang encouraged her. When Lin Yan hesitated to accept it, Song Yuhang stuffed the box into her lap and then turned on the bedside lamp.

Lin Yan, puzzled, opened the ornate box at Song Yuhang’s urging. She was immediately stunned, a warm feeling welling up in her heart, causing a slight tingling in her nose.

“This is…”

It was the retractable mechanical baton she had thrown away, the one with the bent shaft, now picked up and returned to her.

The shaft had likely been reforged, as it had been restored to its original condition. It had also been freshly painted, and it glistened with a glossy, metallic finish under the dim bedside light.

Song Yuhang seemed a bit proud. “How do you like it? Not bad, right? Although it’s an imported product, I have an old classmate who works in the defense industry. He has some knowledge of blueprints, so I took it back and studied it for several months.”

She pointed to the mechanical baton. “See, I even wrapped the handle for you with a comfortable and non-slip cushion. Most importantly, you mentioned it’s called ‘Sentry’, right? I had the name engraved for you as well.”

Lin Yan touched the rough lettering on the back of the mechanical baton. The inscription was messy and not particularly neat. She gradually tightened her lips and gripped the baton.

Song Yuhang observed Lin Yan’s expression. “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”

Lin Yan lowered her head and didn’t look at her. Her voice was somewhat muffled. “Why did you bring it back?”

Song Yuhang scratched her head. “Oh, I saw you always carried it with you everywhere. You used it when we sparred, so I guessed…”

She looked at Lin Yan with a slightly tentative expression. “It should be important to you, right? Losing it… would be a shame.”

What she didn’t say was that this personally carried item was most likely given to Lin Yan by Chu Nan. She didn’t want Lin Yan to lose this one remaining connection.

Unexpectedly, when Lin Yan heard this, she burst into laughter with a chuckle. There were even tears in her eyes, but her lips carried a strong, genuine smile.

“You got the nickname right. I carried it with me because it’s handy, there’s no other significance. It’s just an ordinary mechanical baton, not… not as important as you.”

The last two words were mumbled by Lin Yan as they passed.

After she finished speaking, Song Yuhang let out a loud “Ah,” her face expressing shock.

Lin Yan curled her lips slightly, feeling a bit warm. “But now, it has something more.”

Song Yuhang was taken aback, and a soft smile appeared at the corners of her lips. She instinctively reached out to ruffle Lin Yan’s head.

Lin Yan dodged the gesture, and the mechanical baton in her hand was already drawn from its sheath, making a distinct “swish” as it pointed toward Song Yuhang’s throat.

She maintained precise control, raised an eyebrow slightly, and looked down on her from a higher position. “Don’t move. I’m going to take a shower and sleep now. It’s best for you to behave tonight and keep your hands to yourself.”

Song Yuhang raised an eyebrow and used her hand to push the tip of the baton away. “Miss Lin, I’ve repaired your beloved item and saved your life multiple times. Isn’t it unfair to return kindness with enmity?”

As Lin Yan’s baton moved with her hand, Song Yuhang gradually retracted the mechanical baton. With her movements, the distance between the two of them became closer and closer.

“What do you want then?” Lin Yan took a step back, meeting Song Yuhang’s intense gaze. Sitting on the bed, Song Yuhang held her mechanical baton and suddenly pulled it.

She stumbled forward and heard her whisper in her ear, “Shouldn’t there be some reward?”

“Song Yuhang, you’ve gone too far!” She finally shouted Song Yuhang’s full name in anger, released the mechanical baton, and pushed her on the bed. Then, she stepped back a few paces and rushed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Song Yuhang lay on the bed, grumbling to herself as she watched Lin Yan’s retreating figure. “Hey, Lin Yan, can you be reasonable? Who’s the one going too far…”

She muttered quietly, “I’ve saved you so many times. In ancient times, I would have already offered myself to you, you know?”

The response she got was the sound of angry running water from the bathroom.

Later on, some philanthropic entrepreneur donated a significant sum of money to the Jiangcheng City Police Department, specifically designated for the travel and case expenses of the detectives. From then on, the detectives of Jiangcheng City could enjoy the luxury of having their own separate rooms when traveling for cases.

But that’s a story for another day.

As for this night, Lin Yan slept soundly. She placed the mechanical baton by her pillow, finding comfort in knowing it was within her reach.

Before turning off the lights, Song Yuhang walked to Lin Yan’s bedside and squatted down, tucking her in tightly. “Sleep well. Don’t think about anything. When you wake up tomorrow, you’ll still see me.”

Whether it was her words or not, Lin Yan didn’t need any sleeping pills that night, nor did she use intimacy with others to exhaust herself. She simply lay in the dark, gazing into Song Yuhang’s eyes for a while. Then, both of them drifted off to sleep.

Once Lin Yan was in a deep slumber, Song Yuhang got up and returned to her own bed. She stared at the ceiling’s patterns, counting imaginary sheep. But it seemed Lin Yan had a good night’s sleep, while Song Yuhang was the one experiencing insomnia.

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LP: Cutting this chapter into 2 parts would make “eating vinegar” lose its effects. So, eat vinegar with me.

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