Miss Forensics – Chapter 76.1

Rupture

“Hello, help me send it here.” Lin Yan pulled out a courier slip from the counter and filled it out in imitation of Wei Lihong’s handwriting. After completing it, she handed it back to the counter staff.

Song Yuhang handed over the packaged items for weighing.

“Miss, the total is 48 yuan. Is it going to the postal express point in Wuli Town?”

Lin Yan nodded to confirm and watched as the other person tore off the receipt and handed it to her. Only then did she walk out together with Song Yuhang.

The sky had already darkened, with the city lights starting to illuminate the streets. The road was bustling with traffic. Lin Yan held Song Yuhang’s hand and tucked it into her pocket to keep it warm. The words spoken between the two of them turned into a white mist that quickly dissipated into the air.

“I asked Wei Lihong, and it turns out that all those winter quilts and clothing sent to Aunt Yu every year were not sent by her.”

“Yeah, Li Yang died, Yu Jing also died, and Wei Lihong is in prison. Only Aunt Yu doesn’t know anything. She always thought Wei Lihong was a good woman, living well in the city with her child. Wei Lihong often helped her and sent her things. But little did she know that the only person who had her in mind from beginning to end was a murderer.”

Lin Yan sighed slightly, not knowing how to evaluate Li Yang. She reached into her bag with one hand and took out a cigarette. With a flick, she lit the lighter. Before taking a few puffs, someone snatched it from her without hesitation and didn’t mind taking a drag.

Lin Yan clicked her tongue, rolled her eyes, and planned to find another cigarette. But someone confiscated the whole pack.

The two of them stood by the zebra crossing, waiting for the traffic light. Song Yuhang hugged her from behind. With long arms and long legs, the oversized motorcycle jacket enveloped her. With a cigarette in her mouth, she had a somewhat carefree and unrestrained appearance, blowing smoke rings to the side.

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

Lin Yan struggled, but the traffic light ahead was still red, and Song Yuhang pulled her back a few steps.

“If you want to smoke, just say it. I wonder who it was that used to insist on not smoking ladies’ cigarettes.”

Song Yuhang laughed, extinguished the cigarette on the nearby trash can, and threw it in. The slightly refreshing mint scent lingered in the air and reached her ears.

“Now I like it. It has your scent.”

“…”

These cheesy love words are just so predictable.

Thinking about the ambiguous and sticky moments in bed last night, Lin Yan’s face turned red, and she swung her shoulder bag at her.

“Shut up.”

Song Yuhang dodged, seeing that the traffic light was about to turn red again. She quickly pulled her and they rushed across the road in a flash.

“Finally, it’s over. This client had quite a lot of demands.”

A few men and women in suits walked out of the opposite law firm. Ji Jingxing stopped in her tracks, watching the two people playing around on the side of the road.

A colleague nudged her arm. “Sister Ji, Sister Ji, aren’t you leaving? What are you looking at?”

Ji Jingxing snapped back to reality and forced a smile. “It’s nothing, didn’t see anything. You guys go ahead. I suddenly remembered that I have something else to pick up.”

“Alright, see you later, Sister Ji.”

A few colleagues waved goodbye to her.

Ji Jingxing smiled, “Goodbye, take care on the way.”

After everyone left, Ji Jingxing walked to a quiet place and made a phone call.

“Hello? Yuhang?”

When Song Yuhang saw the name lighting up on the phone screen, she instinctively frowned, considering hanging up.

However, Lin Yan stopped in her tracks and looked at her with a pensive expression. Song Yuhang had no choice but to reluctantly answer the call.

Her voice was cold and businesslike.

“What’s the matter?”

“I’m still in a meeting at the office now.” Ji Jingxing glanced at the time, lowered her voice, and pleaded, “It’s probably going to last until around 11 or 12. Could you please do me a favor and pick up Xiao Wei first? I’m worried she’ll get anxious waiting at her cram school. I’ll see if I can wrap things up here earlier. If I finish, I’ll come find you guys immediately.”

Song Yuhang opened her mouth, observing Lin Yan’s expression. Lin Yan casually raised an eyebrow and walked to the side, gesturing for her to do as she pleased.

“Alright, give me the address.”

After hanging up the phone, Song Yuhang put her mobile phone in her pocket and approached her.

“Um, Lin Yan…”

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

Song Yuhang caught up with her and clasped her hand in her own palm. “Let’s go together.”

After ending the call, Ji Jingxing’s lips curled into a slight smile. She walked into the nearby café, ordered a latte, and sat down. Checking the time, she realized it was about time. She then headed towards the direction of 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. In the lobby, only Ji Weiyi was left playing with toys. Upon hearing the familiar voice, she immediately dropped the building blocks in her hands and ran over, hugging Song Yuhang’s leg.

“Auntie!”

Song Yuhang lifted the child up in her arms. “Weiyi, say goodbye to your teacher.”

“Goodbye, Teacher.”

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

Song Yuhang smiled and put on Weiyi’s down jacket hood, then pushed open the door of the shopping mall.

“Your mom is still working, Weiyi. Call her Auntie.”

Once they were out of the mall, Song Yuhang put Weiyi down. The delicate little girl held her hand and blinked her big eyes, looking at the beautiful lady beside her aunt.

Lin Yan felt slightly uncomfortable under her gaze and turned her face away. Unexpectedly, her palm was grabbed by the soft meat dumpling.

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

An adorable strike.

Lin Yan felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She had initially wanted to be angry since their rare leisure time together had been unexpectedly disrupted. However, upon seeing this soft and cute little girl, she couldn’t bring herself to be angry. Awkwardly, she withdrew her fingers from the child’s palm.

“It’s… It’s nothing.”

Seeing her discomfort, Song Yuhang couldn’t help but suppress a laugh. She held the child with one hand and pulled Lin Yan with the other as they walked away.

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

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

As she spoke, she hung her head with a hint of disappointment.

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

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

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

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

With that, they held hands, one on each side, and skipped across the street.

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

“Alright, alright,” Song Yuhang nodded in agreement. She went to join the queue to place the order while leaving Xiao Wei in the care of Lin Yan. She gently squeezed Lin Yan’s hand.

“You two go ahead and sit. We’ll leave when her mom arrives.”

Lin Yan’s lips curled up in a smirk as she looked at Song Yuhang. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll sell her?”

Song Yuhang turned around and pinched her nose while Xiao Wei was happily bouncing near the counter. “You wouldn’t.”

Lin Yan dodged backward, rolled her eyes, and pulled Xiao Wei along. “Stop fooling around. Behave in front of the child!”

Xiao Wei followed along, hopping and skipping. “Auntie, what were you and Auntie talking about just now?”

“It’s, it’s nothing. Let’s sit here.”

Song Yuhang watched their backs, shaking her head with a helpless smile. While waiting for their food, she thought about Xiao Wei’s words, “Mom said she would come to pick me up on time.”

She understood Ji Jingxing just as Ji Jingxing understood her. In ordinary circumstances, she was a very punctual person. First, her profession demanded it. If she said the court hearing would start at ten o’clock, being even a minute late would still be considered late. Second, when it came to her child, she would never lie.

Song Yuhang frowned and took out her phone to call the receptionist at her law firm.

“Looking for Lawyer Ji?” The receptionist looked puzzled, glancing at the empty office space.

“It’s almost time to get off work.”

“When will she be off work?”

The receptionist checked her watch. “It’s been over an hour.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Song Yuhang ended the call, becoming increasingly unable to understand what Ji Jingxing was up to.

“Miss, here are your ice cream cones.” The server handed over two cones. Song Yuhang snapped back to reality, nodded in gratitude, and walked back to their seats, giving one cone to Xiao Wei.

“Xiao Wei, if you can’t finish it, remember to throw it away. Don’t eat too much when it’s cold.”

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

Lin Yan made a clicking sound with her tongue. “What a waste of money. I never said I wanted to eat.”

Song Yuhang smiled, propping her hand on the table and leaning closer to Lin Yan’s ear. “I’m afraid if I don’t buy it, someone will get jealous.”

Lin Yan gritted her teeth. “Why would I be jealous? Why would I be jealous of a child?”

Amidst their laughter, Lin Yan’s order number was called. Song Yuhang stood up to get the burger but was pulled back by Lin Yan.

Extending her arm, Lin Yan said, “Here, have the first bite.”

Song Yuhang didn’t refuse and leaned over to take a lick before pushing it back to her. “You eat.”

Xiao Wei licked her ice cream and observed their interactions thoughtfully. “Auntie, my mom also saves the first bite for me. She says it’s a way to show love for someone.”

Cough cough… Lin Yan was choked by her own saliva.

She knew quite a lot at such a young age.

“Quick, eat. Stop talking. Let’s finish eating and go home early,” Lin Yan pretended to be grumpy and handed her the drink.

Xiao Wei laughed, revealing her big white teeth. Her eyes were almost squinted into slits. Children didn’t really distinguish between good and evil. She simply thought that Lin Yan looked pretty and despite her tough exterior, she was actually very kind to her.

Once again, it was her aunt’s friend, naturally creating a sense of closeness.

So, with longing eyes, she looked at the ice cream in Lin Yan’s hand and said, “Auntie, I also want to eat yours.”

When Song Yuhang had just brought it over, she let Xiao Wei choose, but she didn’t expect the child to still be eating from her bowl while eyeing the one in the pot.

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

Ji Jingxing entered through the door and happened to see Lin Yan handing over the ice cream with a missing corner to Xiao Wei. Suddenly, an inexplicable anger surged through her, and she rushed over in a single stride, snatched it from Lin Yan’s hand, and threw it on the ground.

“What are you eating?! Can you eat something that’s not clean?!”

Lin Yan’s expression changed, and she quickly stood up.

Xiao Wei also paled in fear and clung to her mother’s hand, saying, “Mommy, mommy, I didn’t eat it. Please don’t be angry…”

A faint smirk appeared at the corner of Lin Yan’s lips as she looked at Ji Jingxing from head to toe with a disdainful and arrogant gaze.

With the child present, she didn’t want to engage in a heated argument or even resort to physical violence.

However, Ji Jingxing was infuriated by that look. The thought of Song Yuhang repeatedly promising to come and pick her up but leaving this woman to accompany the child made her even more frustrated and angry, feeling both wronged and indignant.

“Eating something cold in such cold weather is one thing, but giving the child something you’ve already eaten? Are you disgusting or what? And where is Yuhang? Why are you the one accompanying Xiao Wei…” Ji Jingxing held the trembling child in her arms more tightly as she spoke.

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

With every word, she emphasized “disgusting” and “unclean,” her voice neither loud nor soft, attracting the attention of those around them.

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LP: This is beyond expectations!

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