Miss Forensics – Chapter 76

Volume One: First Scroll

Rupture

It has your scent.

“Hello, please help me mail this here.” Lin Yan pulled an express delivery slip from the counter, imitated Wei Lihong’s handwriting to fill it out, and then handed it to the clerk.

Song Yuhang passed the packaged items over to be weighed.

“Miss, that will be 48 yuan in total. It’s going to the postal express point in Wuli Town, is that correct?”

Lin Yan nodded in confirmation. After watching the other person tear off a receipt for her, she walked out with Song Yuhang.

The sky had already darkened, and the city lights were just beginning to glow. The road was bustling with traffic. Song Yuhang took her hand and tucked it into her own pocket to warm it. The words they spoke turned into puffs of white mist that quickly dissipated into the air.

“I asked Wei Lihong. It turns out she wasn’t the one sending those winter quilts and clothes to Auntie Yu all these years.”

“Yeah. Li Yang died, Yu Jing also died, and Wei Lihong is in jail. Only Auntie Yu knows nothing. She always thought Wei Lihong was a good woman who was living well in the city with her child, and even frequently helped her out by sending her things. She never imagined that from beginning to end, the only one thinking of her was a murderer.”

Lin Yan felt a little wistful, unsure how to evaluate Li Yang as a person. She fumbled a cigarette out of her bag with one hand and stuck it between her lips. With a click, she lit the lighter. Before she could take two puffs, it was snatched away by someone who then put it to their own lips, not minding that she had just had it.

Lin Yan “tsked,” rolled her eyes, and was about to fish out another one when the entire pack was confiscated.

The two were waiting for the traffic light at a crosswalk. Song Yuhang hugged her from behind. Being tall and long-limbed, her oversized motorcycle jacket enveloped Lin Yan perfectly. With the cigarette dangling from her lips, looking somewhat effortlessly cool and unrestrained, she blew a smoke ring to the side.

“The doctor said your condition is most vulnerable to lung infections. Smoke less.”

Lin Yan struggled. The light was still red, so Song Yuhang pulled her back a few steps.

“If you want to smoke yourself, just say so. I wonder who it was that used to say, over and over, that they don’t smoke women’s cigarettes.”

Song Yuhang smiled, stubbed out the cigarette on the nearby trash can, and threw it in. Her breath, tinged with a refreshing minty scent, brushed against Lin Yan’s ear.

“I like it now. It has your scent.”

“…”

These corny pickup lines, one after another.

Remembering the ambiguous and clingy moments in bed last night, Lin Yan’s face flushed red, and she swung her handbag at Song Yuhang.

“Shut up, you.”

Song Yuhang dodged. Seeing the green light was about to turn red again, she quickly pulled Lin Yan and dashed across the road.

“It’s finally over. This client had so many demands.”

A few men and women in suits walked out of the law firm opposite them. Ji Jingxing stopped in her tracks, watching the two people playfully interacting by the roadside.

A colleague poked her arm. “Ji-jie, Ji-jie, aren’t you leaving? What are you looking at?”

Ji Jingxing snapped back to reality and forced a smile. “Nothing, I wasn’t looking at anything. You guys go ahead. I suddenly remembered I left something behind.”

“Okay, goodbye then, Ji-jie.”

Her colleagues waved goodbye to her.

Ji Jingxing smiled. “Goodbye, be careful on your way.”

After everyone had left, Ji Jingxing walked to a secluded spot and made a phone call.

“Hello? Yuhang?”

Seeing that name light up on her phone screen, Song Yuhang instinctively frowned and wanted to hang up.

However, Lin Yan stopped walking and looked at her with a thoughtful expression. Song Yuhang had no choice but to answer, her voice cold and businesslike.

“What is it?”

“I’m still in a meeting at the company,” Ji Jingxing said, glancing at her watch and lowering her voice in a pleading tone.

“It’ll probably end around eleven or twelve. Could you please pick up Xiao Wei first? I’m afraid she’ll get anxious if she stays at the cram school too long. I’ll see if I can finish up early here. If I do, I’ll come find you guys immediately.”

Song Yuhang opened her mouth, glanced at Lin Yan’s expression. Lin Yan nonchalantly raised an eyebrow, walked to the side, and gestured for her to do as she pleased.

“Alright, give me the address.”

After hanging up, Song Yuhang pocketed her phone and went over to Lin Yan.

“Um, Lin Yan…”

Lin Yan walked two steps forward without turning back. “You go ahead. I’ll take a taxi home myself.”

Song Yuhang chased after her, clasping Lin Yan’s hand in her own. “We’ll go together.”

After Ji Jingxing hung up the phone, a faint smile appeared on her lips. She walked into a nearby coffee shop, ordered a latte, sat down, and waited until she estimated the time was about right before heading towards the cram school.

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“Hello, I’m here to pick up Ji Weiyi.”

Song Yuhang knocked on the glass door of the cram school. Only Xiao Wei was left in the lobby, playing with toys. Hearing a familiar voice, she immediately dropped the building blocks in her hand and ran over to hug Song Yuhang’s leg.

“Auntie!”

Song Yuhang scooped her up. “Xiao Wei, say goodbye to your teacher.”

“Goodbye, teacher.”

The three of them walked out together. Xiao Wei looked curiously at Lin Yan. “Auntie, why isn’t my mom with you?”

Song Yuhang smiled, put the hood of Xiao Wei’s down jacket up for her, and pushed open the mall door.

“Your mom is still working. Xiao Wei, call her Auntie.”

Once out of the mall, Song Yuhang put Xiao Wei down. The exquisitely adorable¹ little girl held her hand, blinking her big eyes as she looked at the pretty auntie beside her own aunt.

Lin Yan felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze and turned her face away. Unexpectedly, her palm was grasped by a soft, chubby little hand.

Xiao Wei swung her hand, saying in a cutesy, childish voice², “Hello, Auntie. Thank you for coming to pick me up with Auntie so late.”

A critical hit of cuteness.

Lin Yan felt as if struck by lightning. She had intended to be angry, after all, a rare leisurely date had been suddenly interrupted. But seeing this soft, adorable, dumpling-like little girl, she couldn’t bring herself to be angry. She awkwardly pulled her fingers out of the child’s grasp.

“It’s… it’s nothing.”

Song Yuhang saw her predicament and couldn’t help but smile. Holding the child’s hand with one hand and putting an arm around Lin Yan with the other, she led them out.

“Xiao Wei, did you bring the house keys?”

Ji Weiyi shook her head. “No, Auntie. Mom said she would pick me up on time today.”

Her voice trailed off at the end, and she hung her head, looking a little dejected.

Song Yuhang crouched down and adjusted her scarf and clothes. “Mommy is busy with work, Xiao Wei, be a good girl.”

She glanced behind Xiao Wei and saw a McDonald’s across the street. She stood up.

“You’ve been in class all afternoon, you haven’t eaten yet, right? Auntie will take you to get something to eat, and then we can eat while we wait for Mommy, okay?”

Xiao Wei’s face lit up again, and she nodded vigorously. “Okay!”

With that, she held one of their hands in each of hers and skipped across the road.

“Auntie, Auntie, I want to eat McDonald’s! I want an ice cream cone, fries, and a burger!”

“Okay, okay, okay.” Song Yuhang agreed to everything, then went to queue up and order, entrusting Xiao Wei to Lin Yan. She gently squeezed Lin Yan’s hand.

“You two find a seat first. We’ll leave when her mom arrives.”

A sarcastic smile touched Lin Yan’s lips as she looked at her. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll sell her?”

While Xiao Wei was bouncing around near the counter, Song Yuhang turned back and pinched Lin Yan’s nose. “You wouldn’t.”

Lin Yan dodged backward, rolled her eyes, and pulled Xiao Wei away. “Keep your hands to yourself! Watch your behavior in front of the child!”

Xiao Wei skipped along with her. “Auntie, what were you and Auntie talking about just now?”

“N-nothing. Sit here.”

Song Yuhang watched their retreating backs, shook her head, and smiled helplessly. While waiting for the food, she recalled Xiao Wei’s words: “Mom said she would pick me up on time today.”

She understood Ji Jingxing just as Ji Jingxing understood her. Generally speaking, Ji Jingxing was a very punctual person. Firstly, her profession demanded it; if a court hearing was at ten, being even one minute late was still late. Secondly, she would never lie to her child.

Song Yuhang frowned slightly and took out her phone to call the reception at their law firm.

“Looking for Lawyer Ji?” The young lady at the front desk looked at the empty office space in confusion.

“She left work a while ago.”

“About what time?”

The receptionist glanced at her watch. “Over an hour ago, I think.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Song Yuhang hung up, increasingly unable to understand what Ji Jingxing was trying to do.

“Miss, your ice cream cones are ready.” The server handed over two cones. Song Yuhang snapped back to attention, nodded her thanks, and walked towards their table, giving one to each of them.

“Xiao Wei, if you can’t finish it, just throw it away. Don’t eat too much cold stuff.”

Song Yuhang patted her head, then turned to Lin Yan. “You too.”

Lin Yan scoffed. “What a waste of money. I didn’t say I wanted to eat it.”

Song Yuhang smiled, propped her hands on the table, and leaned in close to Lin Yan’s ear. “I was afraid if I didn’t buy you one, someone would get jealous.”

Lin Yan ground her teeth. “What’s there for me to be jealous about? Why would I be jealous of a child?”

As they were talking and laughing, her order number was called. Song Yuhang got up to get the burgers but was pulled back.

Lin Yan stretched out her arm. “Here, you can have the first bite.”

Song Yuhang didn’t refuse, leaned over, licked it, and then pushed it back to her. “You eat it.”

Xiao Wei, licking her ice cream, watched their series of actions thoughtfully. “Auntie, my mommy also saves the first bite of food for me. She says it’s a way of showing love for someone.”

“Ahem…” Lin Yan choked on her own saliva.

She knows quite a lot for such a young age.

“Hurry up and eat, don’t talk. We’ll go home early after we finish eating.” Lin Yan pretended to be annoyed and handed her the drink.

Xiao Wei grinned, revealing her white teeth, her eyes nearly narrowed into slits. Children don’t really distinguish between good and evil; she just thought Lin Yan was pretty, and although she sounded fierce, she was still very good to her.

Plus, she was her auntie’s friend, so there was a natural sense of closeness.

Thus, she looked eagerly at the ice cream in Lin Yan’s hand. “Auntie, I want to eat yours too.”

Song Yuhang had let Xiao Wei choose when she first brought them over. She didn’t expect the child to be eyeing what was in another’s bowl while still eating from her own³.

Lin Yan chuckled and handed it over. “Alright, you can have this one too.”

Ji Jingxing pushed open the door and entered, just in time to see Lin Yan handing the ice cream with a missing corner to Xiao Wei. Instantly, an inexplicable rage surged to her head⁴. She rushed over in a flash, snatched it from Lin Yan’s hand, and threw it on the ground.

“What are you eating?! Can you eat something unclean?!”

Lin Yan’s expression changed, and she shot up from her seat.

Xiao Wei was also scared pale, clinging to her mother’s hand. “Mommy, Mommy, I didn’t eat it, don’t be angry…”

A sarcastic smile touched Lin Yan’s lips. She scanned Ji Jingxing from head to toe with a disdainful and arrogant gaze.

The child was present; she didn’t want to start shouting abuse or even get into a physical fight.

However, Ji Jingxing was infuriated by her gaze. Thinking about how Song Yuhang had promised to pick up Xiao Wei herself but had let this woman accompany the child, her anger flared up even more⁵, mixed with grievance and fury.

“Eating cold things on such a cold day is one thing, but giving a child something you’ve already eaten, aren’t you disgusting? Where’s Yuhang? Why are you the one with Xiao Wei…” Seeing the child trembling slightly in her arms, Ji Jingxing hugged her tighter.

“What are you trying to do to Xiao Wei? If it weren’t… if I hadn’t arrived in time…” She glanced at the snacks and drinks on the table. “Who knows what’s in these? Lin Yan, it’s bad enough that you’re unclean yourself, don’t try to target a child!”

One “disgusting” after another, one “unclean” after another. Her voice wasn’t too loud or too soft, but it attracted the attention of people around them.

“Love rivals?”

“The mistress and the legal wife?”

“Or is it the ex-wife and stepmother fighting over the child?”

A wave of whispers.

She rattled off this long tirade, but Lin Yan just lowered her head, a cold smile touching her lips.

Her principle for handling things: if it can be solved with fists, never use words.

“You… what are you smiling about?”

“I’m smiling because…” Lin Yan’s hand touched the drink cup. “The person who keeps calling others disgusting and unclean, well, they aren’t so clean themselves, are they?”

It happened in an instant. As soon as her words fell, Lin Yan fiercely flung her hand.

Ji Jingxing, holding the child, cried out “Ah!” and squeezed her eyes shut.

“Lin Yan, stop!” A dark figure rushed over. The burgers on the tray scattered on the floor. Song Yuhang shielded them, getting drenched head to toe with cola, her hair dripping wet.

Lin Yan’s lips trembled. She looked at Song Yuhang’s face, then at the mother and daughter behind her. She grabbed her bag from the seat, turned on her high heels, and walked away.

Song Yuhang threw the tray aside and chased after her. “Lin Yan, Lin Yan, listen to me…”

Lin Yan spun around. Seeing Song Yuhang’s miserable state, her anger flared up, yet she couldn’t articulate the reason, a kind of unventable fury.

She shoved Song Yuhang backward. “Say what? Say what? You f#cking shut up for Lao Niang!⁶ Go accompany that mother and daughter!”

Song Yuhang still wanted to pursue her. Lin Yan casually grabbed the cup of coffee from the table of the people who had just been gossiping about her⁷ and threw it at her.

A chorus of gasps rang out.

Lin Yan smashed the coffee cup against her. “Get lost!”

With that, her high heels clattered with an earth-shattering sound as she stormed out, slamming the door.

By the time Song Yuhang chased out after her, Lin Yan had already gotten into a taxi, which sped out of her sight in a flash.

“F#ck!” Song Yuhang wiped the mixture of coffee and cola from her face, unsure who she was cursing.

Ji Jingxing, holding her child, looked at her with trepidation. “Yuhang…”

Song Yuhang shot a fierce glance at her, her eyes bloodshot.

Ji Jingxing took a step back. Song Yuhang strode over, pulled Xiao Wei by the hand, and started walking. Ji Jingxing chased after them.

Her car was parked nearby.

Song Yuhang directly put Xiao Wei into the car. The child was so scared her eyes were filled with tears. Song Yuhang patted her head.

“Don’t be afraid. Auntie needs to talk to Mommy about something. You stay in the car by yourself for a bit.”

Xiao Wei nodded lightly, tears in her eyes. “Mm.”

Song Yuhang closed the car door. Ji Jingxing had also anxiously followed. Seeing Song Yuhang lock Xiao Wei in the car, she raised her voice slightly, yelling at her.

“You… what are you going to do to Xiao Wei? Is that woman really that important?!”

Song Yuhang silently grabbed her sleeve and walked away, continuing until they reached a secluded spot where she was sure Xiao Wei couldn’t hear before speaking.

“What could I do to her?! I’m her aunt! And what could Lin Yan do to her?! Did you have to find fault with her without saying a word?!”

“Isn’t it disgusting enough that she gave Xiao Wei something she had already eaten? Who knows what a woman like her, so unclean, might have…”

“Shut up!” Song Yuhang’s eyes reddened. She interrupted her, grabbing Ji Jingxing and pinning her against the wall.

“I was the one who ate that ice cream, Lin Yan didn’t even take a bite! Why don’t you ask Xiao Wei if she was the one who asked Lin Yan for it?! If Lin Yan hadn’t given it to her, would you then say she was bullying the child?!”

In Ji Jingxing’s memory, Song Yuhang had never lost her temper with her. That night when she had initiated a hug was one instance, but even in rejection, Song Yuhang had been gentle yet firm, prying her hands away, pushing her away bit by bit, telling her:

“This person has to be Lin Yan, no one else will do.”

Not like now, grabbing her by the collar, roaring like a madwoman.

Ji Jingxing’s tears instantly fell. She choked out, “I just wanted to protect my child. Was I wrong?”

Song Yuhang closed her eyes for a moment, trying hard to calm her breathing. She let go of Ji Jingxing and took a step back.

“Then was Lin Yan wrong? Letting you call her disgusting and unclean over and over again?! If you truly have any awareness as a mother, what kind of mother would endlessly verbally abuse another woman, insult her character, in front of her own child!”

“What kind of mother would abandon her own child, letting her wait in the cold wind for over an hour, just to use her to meet someone she wants to see!”

Song Yuhang’s words were like pearls⁸, each one sharp. She felt a fire pent up in her chest, needing to be vented.

“Yes, after my brother passed away, you didn’t remarry. You raised Xiao Wei alone. You were devoted, you’re amazing! But she just chose a completely different lifestyle from yours. When she was single, who she dated, who she slept with, that was her freedom! Standing on a moral high ground and wantonly pointing fingers at other people’s lifestyles is what’s truly disgusting!”

Song Yuhang said it all in one breath, watching Ji Jingxing’s face turn pale then flush, watching her tears stream down, watching her squat down and cry. Her own heart didn’t feel good either.

She still felt sorry for Lin Yan. Because of the side effects of the medication she took for bipolar disorder, she had to choose a particular lifestyle. But no one tried to understand the story behind her, and all of this became reasons for the whole world to attack her.

She felt even more disheartened by Ji Jingxing’s actions.

How… how did it come to this?

Years ago, she too was a gentle and kind good girl. Song Yuhang called her “Saozi,” and after her brother passed away, she called her “Jie.” She saw her as family, took care of her during her postpartum confinement, bustled about helping her, looked after Xiao Wei without complaint. Even the Ji family home had been a refuge for her when she was sad and grieving.

Standing on the street corner on a late December winter night, Song Yuhang desperately wished she could return to that spring evening.

When nothing had yet begun.

And Ji Jingxing wouldn’t have become this resentful woman.

Song Yuhang didn’t want to look anymore. She turned and walked away.

Ji Jingxing took two steps after her, her voice, clenching her teeth, was somewhat chilling. “Yes, I am envious, I am jealous of her! I said those things on purpose! I just wanted to humiliate her! Why, after you’ve accompanied me and Xiao Wei for so many years, does she just appear out of nowhere and steal all your care and affection!”

Song Yuhang stopped but didn’t turn back. Seeing her stop, Ji Jingxing sniffled, caught up to her, and tugged at the corner of her clothes.

“Yuhang, turn around and look at me. Look at me carefully. I’m not as young as her, but I know how to take care of people. And Xiao Wei… Xiao Wei can be your child too… Your brother is gone… We can be a family of three. We can still be like before…”

Song Yuhang clenched her fists, her knuckles cracking. Words squeezed out from between her teeth: “You. Don’t. Mention. My. Brother.”

Ji Jingxing froze, already pushed away. The two faced each other coldly across the darkness of the night.

Song Yuhang had calmed down, which was even more terrifying than when she was angry. Ji Jingxing felt a bone-chilling despair emanating from her.

She had completely given up on her.

Ji Jingxing stumbled back two steps in disbelief.

Song Yuhang spoke: “Do you know why I shielded you just now? It was only because of Xiao Wei. Whatever parents do, the child is innocent. It was the same with things in the past. I helped you, took care of you, only because you were my brother’s widow, Xiao Wei’s mother. Without that identity, you are nothing.”

“But you used the child, used the child as a shield. This is intolerable⁹. If there’s a next time, I won’t help again. Don’t mention my brother again. You’re not worthy.”

A hint of pity flickered in her eyes as she looked at her. “Also, I advise you not to provoke Lin Yan again. Otherwise, you won’t even know how you died. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Ji Jingxing’s nails dug deep into her flesh. Biting her lip, tears streaming down her face, she looked at Song Yuhang. “I admit, I didn’t think things through today. I didn’t expect her to be with you. But, Yuhang, I’m still your sister-in-law. Are you… are you going to be so heartless, to completely sever ties with me?”

“The one who wants to sever ties is you. Since you brought up relationships, I feel it’s necessary to reiterate: Lin Yan is my girlfriend, my future wife, the person I will spend my life with. My relationship with you, and with Xiao Wei, no matter how close, can never supersede that.”

Song Yuhang finished speaking calmly and didn’t look back again, letting Ji Jingxing cry and shout behind her as she walked straight to the car.

Seeing her take the child out of the car, Ji Jingxing finally wiped her tears and ran over, snatching Xiao Wei into her arms.

Xiao Wei wiped her tears. “Mommy, why are you crying?”

Ji Jingxing smiled through her tears, squeezed her hand, and kissed it. “Mommy’s fine.”

Song Yuhang stood up. “I’ll call a cab for you. Go back on your own.”

Xiao Wei timidly looked up at her from her mother’s embrace. “Auntie, aren’t you going to take us home?”

Only then did a slight smile return to Song Yuhang’s face. “No, Auntie has something else to do, so I’ll leave first. See you another day.”

Xiao Wei waved at her through the car window. “Goodbye, Auntie.”

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Song Yuhang sped towards Lin Yan’s house while calling her. The first call went unanswered; the second went straight to a powered-off phone.

Song Yuhang tossed her phone onto the passenger seat, cursing under her breath, “What the hell is with tonight!” while stepping on the accelerator, increasing her speed.

Just as the car stopped at the villa gate, before Song Yuhang could even get out, her phone rang.

She fumbled frantically to pick it up from the floor mat under the passenger seat. “Lin…”

“Captain Song, it’s me. The wanted home invasion burglar from a few days ago has been caught. He’s being interrogated now.”

Song Yuhang rubbed her temples. “Has he confessed?”

“Not yet. He won’t talk no matter how we ask.”

She glanced at the lit-up windows of the villa, gritted her teeth, reversed the car, and turned the steering wheel.

“Got it. I’ll be there in a bit.”

Lin Yan watched through the curtains as Song Yuhang arrived and then left. Instantly, she flew into a rage¹⁰, swished the curtains shut with a shua sound, threw herself onto the bed, and yelled at the ceiling.

“Song Yuhang, f#ck your mom!!!”

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Outside the KTV private room, the music was deafening. Inside, however, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

A man picked up a cigarette from the table. With a click, he lit his lighter. The flame flickered briefly, and smoke curled upwards.

He took a deep, somewhat intoxicated drag.

The man kneeling before him saw this and, with a pleading look on his face, kowtowed deeply, pressing his palms together.

His voice was tearful when he spoke.

“I’m begging you, please save me! The police are already onto me. If I hadn’t avoided going home these past few days, I probably would’ve been caught long ago. I just wanted to try a young girl, to have a taste of something new¹¹, who knew, who knew…”

His voice suddenly became shrill. “She actually committed suicide! And it got linked to that ‘White Whale’ case, so the police definitely won’t let me off! Also, also…”

He crawled forward on his knees again and hugged the man’s leg.

“My… my family also went bankrupt… Was it that…” He glanced at the man’s expression and swallowed hard.

“Lin… Lin Yan who did it? I… I really have no way out now. The whole city is searching for me. I really have nowhere else to go, Ge!”

As he spoke, he kowtowed again, banging his head on the floor with loud thuds, his forehead quickly bruising.

The man ignored him, finished his cigarette, then lit some tinfoil and sniffed it, until a patch of bloodstains appeared on the floor.

The person kneeling on the ground was swaying precariously.

The man pressed his foot on his head and finally spoke, “You can go back.”

The man with a small ponytail was overjoyed. “Ge, Ge, does this mean you’re willing to help me?!”

The man released him and leaned back on the sofa. “Scram. Someone will take you out.”

“Eh, okay, okay, thank you, thank you, Ge.” He said, scrambling up from the floor, his clothes tattered. He looked at the exquisite fruit platter in front of him, reached out for an apple, and chuckled.

“Haven’t eaten in three days.”

The man frowned in disgust. “Get lost.”

The man with the ponytail nodded and bowed obsequiously¹² as he backed out. His last glimpse was of the man leaning back on the sofa, blue smoke rising before him, an expression of intoxication on his face.

The man swallowed. Damn, that looked like good stuff.

“Follow me.” Someone approached from the darkness.

The man finally snapped back to his senses. “Okay, okay, brother, where are we going?”

The black-clothed man walking in front revealed a strange smile. “You’ll know when we get there.”

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LP: Re-translated on June 02, 2025

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