Miss Forensics – Chapter 71

Volume One: First Scroll

Trust

That gaze was also fierce and vicious, as if it wanted to eat her.

When Song Yuhang climbed into the room, the doctor had just left. She rushed to the bedside in a few quick strides, her hand trembling as she reached out to touch Lin Yan’s pale face.

Lin Yan lay quietly, her face as pale as paper. Because she had grown even thinner, her neck looked overly slender and pale, and faint blue veins were visible.

Gauze was wrapped around her shoulder, an IV needle was connected to the back of her hand, and electrode pads for monitoring her basic vital signs were stuck all over the clothes on her chest.

If it weren’t for the mist forming in the oxygen mask and the flickering numbers on the vital signs monitor, she would have almost thought this person was about to leave her.

Song Yuhang pressed her forehead against hers, kneeling on the floor, feeling her faint breath. The stinging in her nose, which she had been trying to suppress from the start, welled up again.

She had always been one to bleed rather than cry, yet in front of Lin Yan, she had exposed her vulnerability time and time again.

Song Yuhang wiped her face, intending to leave, but then she saw Lin Yan’s eyelashes flutter slightly.

Song Yuhang was both nervous and overjoyed, hardly daring to breathe. “Lin Yan, Lin Yan…”

She called out softly, gripping Lin Yan’s hand tightly. She didn’t expect her to wake up, but if her body was reacting, did that mean Lin Yan could feel everything she was doing and saying right now?

Lin Yan felt as if she had been in a very long dream, her body sunk in a mire, unable to break free no matter how she struggled.

Until a familiar voice pierced through the chaos, leading her towards the light.

Lin Yan desperately clung to that sliver of warmth, swimming upwards.

Seeing Lin Yan grip her fingers tightly, Song Yuhang was almost moved to tears of joy.

“Lin Yan…” She pressed her forehead against hers again, sighing out her name.

Lin Yan slowly opened her eyes. So… it wasn’t a dream.

She blinked a few times, looking at the familiar face, and tears began to stream down without warning.

Song Yuhang couldn’t bear to see her cry. The moment Lin Yan cried, it felt as if hardened steel had melted into soft tenderness¹, and her own insides twisted with an agonizing pain².

“Don’t… don’t cry… Where does it hurt… Lin Yan… don’t cry… please don’t cry…” She clumsily³ wiped away Lin Yan’s tears, a little flustered like an inexperienced young lad.

Lin Yan wanted to smile, managing a slight curve of her lips before burying her head in Song Yuhang’s shoulder.

Song Yuhang turned to the side, holding her tightly. “It’s okay… it’s okay… It’s good that you’re awake… It’s good… You’ll get better… You’ll get better.”

She patted her gently, now and then, her voice soft. She kissed her forehead again, and when she felt hot tears fall into the crook of her neck, her own eyes grew warm.

She almost wanted to take her away immediately, right then and there, and never be separated again.

Song Yuhang gritted her teeth, barely managing to suppress the impulse surging up from the depths of her blood.

“What you went through fourteen years ago, I don’t mind making you go through it again.”

After the brief joy of their reunion, Lin Yan thought of Lin Youyuan’s words, and her blood ran cold.

Her lips trembled. She moved away from Song Yuhang’s embrace, laboriously raised her hand, pushed against Song Yuhang’s shoulder, and shook her head, urging her to leave.

Song Yuhang shook her head too, lunging forward to hug her tightly again. “I’m not leaving. I won’t leave. I told you, even if you hit me or yell at me, I won’t leave. Only death can take me away from you.”

Lin Yan became agitated, panting slightly. Mist formed on her oxygen mask. Her eyes were red, but her gaze was fierce and vicious.

She couldn’t speak, only kept pushing Song Yuhang away, struggling. As their clothes rubbed, the gauze on her shoulder began to seep blood again, and the IV needle in the back of her hand loosened, blood slowly backing up into the tube.

Song Yuhang’s eyes instantly reddened. She let out a low growl and pressed Lin Yan down firmly. “Don’t move!”

That gaze was also fierce and vicious, as if wanting to devour her.

Lin Yan froze. Before she could react, the pressure on her face eased; the oxygen mask had been pulled off.

Her pupils constricted. Song Yuhang’s face slowly loomed larger.

“Mmph…”

If their last encounter in the abandoned hospital was consensual, then this time it was purely Song Yuhang’s one-sided domination and punishment.

It was too aggressive and invasive.

Lin Yan was completely powerless to resist.

She was taking advantage of Lin Yan’s weakness.

Straining with all her might, Lin Yan finally found an opening and bit down hard.

Song Yuhang winced in pain but still didn’t let go. Only when Lin Yan was truly about to lose her breath did Song Yuhang release her head and pull back.

Both were panting heavily, especially Lin Yan. The corners of her eyes were red, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, looking as if she wanted to kill Song Yuhang.

Her paper-pale face was now tinged with color, especially her lips, which Song Yuhang had made vibrantly alluring⁴ and incredibly beautiful.

Song Yuhang, thoroughly satisfied, wiped the moisture from the corner of her own lips with the back of her hand, and also gently wiped away the trail of saliva from Lin Yan’s.

Lin Yan was mortified and furious. She forced the words out through clenched teeth, “I’ll… kill… you.”

Song Yuhang chuckled. She raised her hand, and Lin Yan instinctively closed her eyes, turned her head away, and tensed up.

“What are you dodging for? I’m just covering you with the blanket.”

She tucked the blanket in for her and lowered the hand where the IV had back-flowed.

“…” If she weren’t so weak and still hooked up to machines, Lin Yan would have jumped up and bashed her head in.

“Angry?” Song Yuhang was well-versed in the art of taking advantage and then playing innocent. She gently cupped Lin Yan’s face, making her look at her.

Lin Yan held her breath, stubbornly refusing to look.

Song Yuhang chuckled, her gaze falling on Lin Yan’s lips again, still savoring the thrill that their intimate contact had given her.

In that instant, it felt as if her very soul had been shaken.

The police officer’s eyes darkened slightly. Knowing she shouldn’t torment her like this, she still couldn’t resist pressing her fingertips to Lin Yan’s lips, caressing them back and forth.

“I heard everything.”

Lin Yan’s whole body trembled. She wanted to slap Song Yuhang’s hand away but was also preoccupied with her words. By the time she came to her senses, Song Yuhang had already pinned her hand down, holding it firmly.

Lin Yan gritted her teeth. “If you heard, then get the hell out.”

“If I leave, what will happen to you?” Song Yuhang sighed, pleased to see the color return to Lin Yan’s lips under her touch.

“When you were unconscious, I came every day. Someone, you know, would even cry in her sleep.”

Lin Yan remembered the button Song Yuhang had placed in her palm, and the little things she had subsequently found by her pillow.

She always had Butler Lin secretly hide them.

A warmth spread through Lin Yan’s heart, but her words were still sharp. “None of your damn business. I could be crying over any random cat or dog, not you.”

“Oh? Then why didn’t you delete my fingerprint? Did you leave it intentionally for me to trespass and have a secret rendezvous with my lover?”

She deliberately emphasized the latter half of the sentence.

Lin Yan’s face flushed crimson. She opened her mouth and bit down, her teeth grinding lightly against Song Yuhang’s knuckles, creating a strangely pleasant sensation instead.

She wanted revenge; Song Yuhang’s thoughts weren’t so simple.

She was constantly challenging Lin Yan’s limits, not even sparing her when she was seriously ill.

What just happened had almost made her lose control. Her much-vaunted self-control was utterly worthless in front of Lin Yan.

Did Lin Yan even understand what this meant?

Of course, Lin Yan understood. She was doing it on purpose.

Song Yuhang felt like her lungs were about to explode with anger. Her Adam’s apple bobbed as she cursed under her breath, “F#ck.”

She almost roughly seized back control.

A spark finally returned to Lin Yan’s eyes. A triumphant curve appeared on her lips, and she tilted her chin up slightly, looking at Song Yuhang.

Song Yuhang gritted her teeth. “You just wait. Once you’re better, you’re dead meat.”

“We’ll see who’s dead meat.”

Lin Yan didn’t back down. Song Yuhang didn’t bother arguing with her. She poured a glass of warm water from the thermos on the bedside table for Lin Yan to moisten her throat.

She slightly raised the head of the bed so Lin Yan could lie more comfortably.

Song Yuhang held the cup for her, watching her take small sips, and then said, “Lin Yan, do you trust me?”

Lin Yan stiffened and turned her face away, indicating she didn’t want to drink anymore.

Song Yuhang placed the cup on the table and returned to cup Lin Yan’s face.

Their eyes met, each reflecting the other’s image in their pupils.

“My name is Song Yuhang, not Chen Chunan…” If it weren’t absolutely necessary, she wouldn’t want to mention this name again, tearing open her already scabbed-over wounds.

Lin Yan’s lips trembled. She looked away, her eyes glistening.

Song Yuhang didn’t let go, still holding her face, making her look at her.

“I can protect myself. I don’t need you to do things ‘for my own good.’ You just need to take care of yourself and get well as soon as possible. Leave the rest to me. I will get you out of here, I promise.”

It was called recuperating, but others weren’t allowed near her, and her phone had been confiscated, completely cutting her off from the outside world. It was, in fact, a form of house arrest.

Every time Song Yuhang thought of this, she couldn’t muster a shred of goodwill towards Lin Yan’s nominal father.

Even though he was Lin Yan’s father.

Seeing Lin Yan didn’t answer, she forced a lighthearted smile and gently patted her cheek.

“Be good. Don’t overthink. Just focus on getting better. The day you can walk on your own will be the day I take you out of here.”

“I…” That wasn’t what Lin Yan was worried about. She was about to speak when Song Yuhang cut her off.

“I know, you’re worried about me. You’ve fought me before. Do you think a few petty thieves could even get close to me? I can protect myself, and I can protect you. Besides, even if your father holds a high position and great power, with connections in both political and business circles, I’m still a director-level official at the Municipal Public Security Bureau. Openly, he can’t find any fault with me. Secretly, it’s even more impossible for him to find a chance to make a move against me. On the contrary, do you know what businessmen fear the most?”

Police, city inspectors⁵, public security, patrol officers, fire safety inspections… showing up every other day for checks. It’d be endlessly annoying.

Lin Yan gritted her teeth. “Gotten smarter, huh? Weren’t you the one who used to disdain these kinds of tricks⁶ the most?”

Lin Yan, being Lin Yan, besides this point, also sensitively picked up on another key detail in her words.

“How did you suddenly get promoted by half a rank?”

Song Yuhang paused, the smile on her face fading slightly, but she concealed it extremely well, not letting Lin Yan see anything amiss.

Now was not the time to tell her about Zhang Jinhai’s sacrifice. After all, Lin Yan had told them to leave first, and Song Yuhang was afraid she would feel guilty.

“Isn’t it because the case was solved and we performed meritorious service? The Tech Recon⁷ unit got a collective Third-Class Merit, you got one too, and an Advanced Individual⁸ award. I’ll bring you the medal later.”

“Forget it, I don’t want it.”

Behind every medal of merit lies countless stories of blood and tears, and lives that could never be saved.

Seeing her looking dejected, Song Yuhang lowered the bed again and kissed her forehead. She should leave now, and let Lin Yan rest properly.

Lin Yan’s fingers hooked onto her clothes.

Song Yuhang chuckled, finding it rare to see her act like a petulant young woman. She leaned down slightly and shared another tender moment with her.

“Alright, you should sleep now.”

Lin Yan bit her lower lip. “You…”

“I’ll come again, and I’ll be careful.”

Song Yuhang knew what she wanted to say and preemptively soothed her emotions, tucking her in.

“Give me your hand.”

Song Yuhang didn’t understand but obediently extended her hand.

Lin Yan looked around. She didn’t know if the room was equipped with surveillance cameras or listening devices, so she chose the safest method.

She wrote a phone number in Song Yuhang’s palm, stroke by stroke.

Lin Yan closed Song Yuhang’s palm. “Did you memorize it?”

Song Yuhang nodded, then took Lin Yan’s hand with her other hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

“Don’t worry.”

“If you encounter danger, or need help, go find him. He will help you.”

Song Yuhang knew this person wasn’t Butler Lin, not Lin Ge, not anyone from the Lin family, but Lin Yan’s own true confidant.

What Lin Yan had given her was unreserved trust.

A warm current surged into Song Yuhang’s chest. She pulled Lin Yan into her arms again. She truly couldn’t bear to leave her for even a second. She kissed her cheek, nuzzling her again and again.

Her fluffy hair brushing against Song Yuhang’s face and neck really resembled some kind of large canine.

Lin Yan chuckled and gently pushed her away. “Hurry up and go.”

Song Yuhang reluctantly got up. “See you tomorrow.”

Lin Yan nodded. “Mm, see you tomorrow.”

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On the large screen in the surveillance room, someone was shown skillfully bypassing security and climbing over the perimeter wall.

Just a few days ago, she was still crawling through a dog hole.

Lin Youyuan sneered, taking a sip of tea. The enamel lid of his cup clinked faintly against the rim.

His secretary bowed obsequiously. “Boss Lin, should we send someone to teach her a lesson…”

“Teach her what? She’s the second-in-command of the municipal bureau, a favorite of the Provincial Public Security Department. Trying to catch the fox only to end up reeking of it⁹.”

“Then… just let her go in and out of the young miss’s room like this…”

Lin Youyuan picked up his teacup, drained it, and slammed the cup down on the table. The remaining water spilled out, wetting the tablecloth.

“She has some skill, but she’s still a bit too green. We’ll just wait and see.”

---

The next day, Lin Yan started to eat on her own initiative.

The attending doctor was somewhat incredulous. “It’s a miracle that Miss Lin woke up, and she’s recovering quite quickly. I’ll go tell Professor Wang and the Old Master. They’ll be very happy to hear this.”

Lin Yan smiled indifferently. She could still only eat liquid food, so she sipped the milk in her bowl mouthful by mouthful to get more nutrition.

Whether she ate on her own or cooperated with treatment, it was never for Lin Youyuan, but for another person who genuinely cared for her.

During her recovery, the others in Tech Recon hadn’t been idle either. They were all pushing themselves to improve their physical fitness, spending all their spare time at the training base.

Duan Cheng had transformed from an unskilled young man with mediocre aptitude and average physical fitness into a skilled practitioner who could occasionally exchange a few moves with Song Yuhang—though he always got beaten badly.

Fang Xin went from initially missing the target with five shots and hitting the outer rings with five, to hitting the target with all ten shots. Although she couldn’t hit the bullseye every time, everyone believed it was just a matter of time.

Even Zheng Chengrui had made remarkable progress with his diet and weight loss, transforming from a fat guy into a not-so-fat guy.

“Alright, that’s it for today.” As the referee blew the whistle, Song Yuhang released him, took off her boxing gloves, and stepped over the ropes to leave.

Duan Cheng grimaced as he climbed up from the ground, rubbing his sore jaw and wiping off sweat as he walked down.

Fang Xin handed him a bottle of mineral water. Duan Cheng plopped down beside her, unscrewed the cap, and gulped down the water. A white towel hung around his neck, water droplets trickling down his jaw. His muscle lines were faintly visible under his taekwondo uniform, giving him a bit of a manly air.

“Thanks.”

Duan Cheng downed half the bottle in one go. Turning back, he saw her still looking at him and casually handed the water bottle back.

“Here, you drink.”

Fang Xin fumed, grabbing the towel and throwing it at him. “Who wants to drink water you’ve already drunk from!”

“Hey, no, why were you looking at me then? You kept staring at me, I felt too embarrassed to drink it all, so of course I had to offer it to you. Ladies first, right?”

Hearing the noisy chatter from that direction, Song Yuhang took her things from the locker, slung her backpack over one shoulder, and casually walked over.

“I’m leaving first.”

“Captain Song is going to see Lin-jie again…”

Duan Cheng stood up but was pulled back down by someone. “Will you die if you don’t speak?!”

Song Yuhang shook her head, a faint smile playing on her lips. She left the training base, got her car, and drove straight home.

She bought vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, and other things at the convenience store downstairs. As she was about to free a hand to open the door, it opened from the inside.

Mother Song welcomed her in. “Why did you buy so many groceries again?”

Song Yuhang smiled, changed into slippers, put her keys down in the entryway, and carried the groceries into the kitchen, placing two large, full bags on the counter.

“Didn’t we agree you’d teach me how to cook?”

Mother Song beamed. Although she was diligent, she was usually busy with work and rarely had time to cook. It was rare for Song Yuhang to show an interest in cooking, so of course, she had to teach her well.

“Alright, alright, then go wash your hands quickly. You bought crucian carp today, so we’ll make crucian carp and tofu soup later.”

Song Yuhang came out after washing her hands, her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, an apron tied around her waist, looking somewhat the part.

“Cut it here, yes, yes, that way the fish won’t have a fishy smell. Scoring it like that helps the flavors absorb better. Marinate it with cooking wine and ginger.”

Mother Song instructed from the side, and Song Yuhang followed step by step.

Just as she had seared the fish skin until it was slightly crispy, the doorbell rang.

Mother Song ran to open the door. Song Yuhang peeked out halfway from the kitchen.

Ji Jingxing came in, pulling little Xiao Wei along. “Quick, say hello to Grandma.”

Xiao Wei said in a child-like, sweet voice, “Hello, Grandma~”

Mother Song was overjoyed, hurriedly stuffing a few candies into her pocket. “Good, good, why did you come over today? Usually, you don’t even come when I invite you for dinner.”

Ji Jingxing smiled. Her gaze met Song Yuhang’s, and Song Yuhang nodded slightly. “Jie.”

A sense of relief washed over Ji Jingxing, and the smile on her face softened.

“It’s Xiao Wei. She was crying and fussing, saying she missed Grandma and wanted Auntie to play with her. Honestly, I think she just didn’t want to do her homework again.”

Mother Song pulled the child into her arms affectionately. “Aiyo, anyway, tomorrow is the weekend. If she doesn’t want to do it today, then don’t. She can do it tomorrow.”

“Quick, sit down, sit down. Better late than never, as they say. Guess who’s cooking today?”

Ji Jingxing’s gaze shifted to Song Yuhang, who was wearing an apron, her shirt sleeves rolled up to her elbows, looking quite dashing and capable. She was currently tasting the soup with a spoon to check the seasoning.

“Yuhang, I suppose.”

“Isn’t that right! It’s a once-in-a-blue-moon sight. Xiao Wei, you’re in for a treat today~”

Song Yuhang shook her head. She hadn’t expected them to come. She had planned to save this fish soup for Lin Yan as an extra meal. It seemed she would be visiting Lin Yan later tonight.

Ji Jingxing sat in the living room. Seeing Song Yuhang shake her head, she thought the soup wasn’t good, so she put down her phone, rolled up her sleeves, and walked over.

“What’s wrong? Is it too salty or too bland? Let me try—”

Before Song Yuhang could stop her, Ji Jingxing took a light sip from the very spot on the spoon Song Yuhang had just used. In the past, Song Yuhang wouldn’t have thought much of it, but ever since becoming intimate¹⁰ with Lin Yan, it was as if a whole new world had opened up, and Song Yuhang was much more sensitive to such things.

However, that wasn’t the most critical part. The most critical part was—

It was hot.

Ji Jingxing’s face flushed red. She coughed, lightly sticking out her tongue. Song Yuhang quickly put down the spoon and poured her a glass of cold water from the counter.

“Aiya, Jie, what are you doing?”

She appropriately maintained a subtle distance from her, not too far, not too close. She handed her the water glass but didn’t place her hand on her back to pat it gently.

Not long ago, when Ji Jingxing had choked on her food, Song Yuhang had carefully patted her back to soothe her.

Since when had the two of them become so distant?

She avoided her like the plague, unwilling to even touch her.

Ji Jingxing forced a smile, took the glass from her, sipped it, and put it down. “It’s nothing. Let me help you.”

“No need, Jie. Go play with Xiao Wei.”

Song Yuhang saw the fleeting disappointment in her eyes and lowered her head to wash vegetables.

Mother Song came in upon hearing the commotion. “What’s wrong? Did someone get burned?”

Ji Jingxing pushed her out. “It’s nothing, Mom. Go watch TV with Xiao Wei. Yuhang and I can manage in the kitchen. It’s too crowded with more people.”

“Alright, alright, then you two be careful. Don’t hurt yourselves.”

The sound of cartoons came from the living room, where one old and one young were engrossed.

Song Yuhang and Ji Jingxing were busy with their own tasks. Song Yuhang didn’t know what to say, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

It was Ji Jingxing who spoke first. “Why the sudden urge to learn how to cook?”

Song Yuhang added water to the soup pot. “I can’t always come home and just wait for meals to be served. I want Mom to rest a bit.”

Ji Jingxing smiled. “When your brother was courting me, he also learned to cook first. He claimed it was so I could eat better, but actually, his cooking wasn’t all that great.”

Song Yuhang knew when Song Yichen was pursuing her; she had even given him the idea. Who knows which melodramatic¹¹ TV show or book he’d seen, but he’d slapped his forehead and come up with the terrible idea: ‘The way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach.’

Song Yichen was clumsy and nearly set the kitchen on fire. But fortunately, with sheer sincerity, he managed to stand out among her many suitors.

The day they officially got together, Song Yuhang had only one thought: Good heavens, I finally don’t have to be a guinea pig¹² anymore.

Thinking of the past, a natural smile appeared on Song Yuhang’s lips. “Really? Then why didn’t you reject him?”

“Your brother, well, he’s quite silly.” Ji Jingxing said, turning to look at her while chopping vegetables. “Others would send gifts and flowers every few days, ask me out for dinner and movies. Only he would wait downstairs at my company, rain or shine. He’d bring me medicine when I was sick, walk me home late at night, and even fought off a few hooligans who tried to harass me. He was genuinely good to me, this point…”

She paused. “Just like you.”

Song Yuhang pressed her lips together, not knowing how to respond. Fortunately, the soup was ready.

She turned off the heat, put on oven mitts, and picked it up. “The soup is ready. I’ll take it out first.”

She ate this meal somewhat distractedly, partly worried about Lin Yan, and partly suspicious of Ji Jingxing’s ambiguous attitude.

She found it hard to understand this sister-in-law who had always been gentle and approachable.

Including now.

“Yuhang, I’ll clean up. You should take your Jie home. It’s getting late, and it’s not safe to take a taxi.”

Ji Jingxing smiled, tying Xiao Wei’s scarf. “It’s okay, Mom. I was happy to have a few drinks with you today. Otherwise, I would have driven home myself. Taking the bus is fine too, it’s not cold yet.”

Song Yuhang frowned slightly. Wasn’t Ji Jingxing a teetotaler¹³?

“Aiyo, how can that be? I can’t bear to let my precious granddaughter suffer by squeezing onto a bus. Anyway, it’s not far, just let Yuhang drive you.”

Song Yuhang tried to decline. “Mom, I still have to—”

“Didn’t you say you weren’t working overtime tonight? Hurry up, go and come back quickly.”

Mother Song had already tied a scarf around her neck, placed the car keys in her hand, and ushered the group out the door.

“Your brother isn’t here anymore, so you’re the designated escort¹⁴. Hurry up, don’t dawdle.”

Ji Jingxing stood outside the door, smiling at her.

Song Yuhang had no choice but to take Xiao Wei’s hand and lead the way down the stairs, with Ji Jingxing following behind.

“Xiao Wei, fasten your seatbelt.” Song Yuhang glanced back. Ji Jingxing had already opened the passenger door and sat down.

“Okay, Auntie.”

Hearing the crisp click of the seatbelt, Song Yuhang started the car.

The city lights flowed past her eyes, illuminating her face, making her features appear even more well-defined and sharp.

She and Song Yichen truly were siblings; even the curve of their lips seemed to be cast from the same mold.

Ji Jingxing looked at her with a complicated expression.

“Yuhang, I feel like you haven’t been as close to me and Xiao Wei lately.”

Song Yuhang, of course, noticed her gaze. She turned the steering wheel without looking at her.

“Busy.”

“You were busy before too, but you wouldn’t deliberately keep your distance from me. Yuhang—”

Ji Jingxing wanted to say more, but Song Yuhang had already stepped on the brake, unbuckled her seatbelt, and pushed open the door to get out.

“We’re here, Saozi.”

She had reverted to this form of address.

Ji Jingxing’s heart tightened. “When no one’s around, you can call me Jie.”

Xiao Wei had already fallen asleep in the back seat. Song Yuhang reached in, lifted her out, and said softly, “You are my Saozi, and Xiao Wei is my biological niece. You are both my closest family. This will never change.”

Ji Jingxing felt a mix of sourness and bitterness in her heart as she followed her upstairs. “Then what about her? Who is she?”

Song Yuhang didn’t answer the question directly. When they reached the apartment door, she simply said, “Open the door.”

Ji Jingxing opened the door. Song Yuhang carried Xiao Wei inside, placed her on the bed, took off her shoes, and covered her with a blanket before heading out again.

Just as she was about to leave, Ji Jingxing grabbed her arm and asked that question again.

“Then what about her? Who is she?”

Song Yuhang remained silent.

Ji Jingxing couldn’t sit still. “You know I work at a law firm and occasionally have contact with your public security department. Do you know… do you know what they say about you?”

Song Yuhang looked up at her. “What others say has nothing to do with me, does it?”

“Song Yuhang!” Ji Jingxing suddenly raised her voice. “It’s one thing for you to be ambiguously involved with a woman, but with a woman whose private life is so… so improper…”

Song Yuhang clenched her fists, her throat tightening. “Don’t talk about her like that. She’s not.”

“Fine, even if she’s not, have you thought about Mom’s feelings?” Ji Jingxing pressed on relentlessly. “How sad would she be if she knew you were like this?”

Song Yuhang shook off her hand and walked towards the door without looking back. “As long as you don’t say anything, Mom won’t know.”

“Song Yuhang!” Ji Jingxing’s voice suddenly became shrill. Then, an arm wrapped tightly around Song Yuhang’s waist from behind.

Her softness pressed against Song Yuhang’s back.

Ji Jingxing trembled slightly, her voice choked with emotion. “Your brother is gone. I only have you by my side now, Yuhang. Don’t leave us. Don’t forget the oath you once made. You said you would protect me and Xiao Wei for a lifetime, be good to us for a lifetime. Does that still count?”

Ji Jingxing placed her hand over Song Yuhang’s on her arm, tightening her grip. She hadn’t hugged anyone, nor been hugged, for a long time. Her cheeks felt slightly warm as she felt Song Yuhang’s body heat, her softness, the sunny scent on her clothes. The words slipped out naturally.

“Yuhang, since you like women, then… why can’t it be me?”

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LP: Re-translated on May 28, 2025

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