Miss Forensics – Chapter 99.2

Awakening

“Sorry, I brought the wrong thing. It’s meant for my granddaughter.”

The fat man’s vision went dark, and he nearly passed out from shock; he truly was cunning and sly.

Feng Jianguo walked out with a notebook tucked under his arm. His expression was stern as he ordered, “Take him to the compulsory rehabilitation center. No one is permitted to meet or interrogate him without my handwritten signature, not even if the governor comes. Do you understand?!”

“Understood!” The crowd raised their hands to their temples and responded in unison.

The Deputy Captain of the Criminal Investigation Team, Xue Rui, temporarily took over Song Yuhang’s duties to oversee the escort, tucking his gun into its holster in preparation to depart.

A colleague nudged his arm and said, “We’ve never seen Director Feng this angry before, locking the door and interrogating someone by himself. If this were happening in our Supervision and Complaints Department, someone would have stepped in long ago.”

Another colleague, also arming himself, replied, “It can’t be helped, who would have expected something to involve Captain Song and… let’s not mention Forensic Doctor Lin for now. Have you heard? Director Zhao is about to retire, and among the popular candidates for his position in the various municipal cities is Director Feng. Our Jiangcheng City Bureau has the highest homicide case clearance rate in the province this year, all thanks to Captain Song’s genuine hard work and life-threatening efforts.”

“If Director Feng gets promoted, who knows…” He paused midsentence, implying more.

“But just at this crucial juncture, Director Zhao’s favorite pupil, the face of our city bureau, gets into trouble. How could he not be furious?”

Xue Rui frowned and cut the conversation short: “Enough, let’s not talk about this anymore. The mission is the priority, let’s move out.”

The colleagues looked at each other, touched their noses, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and hurriedly followed.

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The last winter snow of 2009 had ceased.

When the first tender shoots emerged from the withered green plant on the windowsill, Mother Song was discharged from the hospital after her recovery.

Ji Jingxing drove her and Xiaowei back home, passing by the large screen at the city center square.

While waiting for the traffic light, Mother Song stared out the window and spaced out.

“The report has learned that Lin Yan, the daughter of Jingtai Group’s CEO, tragically sacrificed her life at the young age of 33 while on duty to save the life of a colleague. The memorial service is scheduled to take place this afternoon at 2 pm at the Jiangcheng City Funeral Home. Not only will business figures attend, but police representatives will also be present…”

Subsequently, a senior executive from Jingtai was interviewed and confirmed the news.

Some informants, who preferred to remain anonymous, also spoke with the media. They mentioned how beautiful Lin Yan was, how stunningly talented, and how exceptionally gifted she was in the field of forensic science…

It’s hard to imagine that just a year ago, she was denounced across the internet as a “heartless forensic doctor,” a “callous surgeon,” a fickle and promiscuous “heartbreaker,” with funeral wreaths laid at the courthouse door.

In the blink of an eye, she became a “martyr” who everyone spoke highly of.

It is only when you’re gone that people start to miss you.

How truly ironic the ways of the world are.

Mother Song turned her face and said, “Jingxing…”

Ji Jingxing understood, turning the steering wheel to the left and merging into the flow of traffic.

Jiangcheng City Funeral Home.

“Sorry, without an invitation, entry is prohibited.”

The Lin family’s bodyguards stood at the door, dressed in black suits with white flowers pinned to their chests, politely declining their request to offer condolences.

The entire venue was under strict control that day; not only were the Lin family’s people on guard, but a significant police presence was also arranged.

Mother Song’s silver hair was disheveled by the wind, her eyes reddened slightly. She opened her mouth as if to say something but ultimately swallowed her words.

Ji Jingxing supported her as they left: “Let’s go, Mom.”

Xiaowei was holding her grandmother’s hand, not as smiley as before. Her eyes were filled with pure innocence and a stark cruelty.

“What happened to Auntie Lin?”

Mother Song stroked her head affectionately, “Like your aunt, she has fallen asleep.”

Back at home, Ji Jingxing was busy packing their things.

“Mom, why don’t you move in with us? It’ll give her company, and I’ll feel more at ease. I can also take better care of you, so I won’t have to keep running back and forth.”

Mother Song, as if she hadn’t heard, walked shakily into Song Yuhang’s room, took a photo frame out of the drawer, and wiped the dust from its surface with her hand.

It was a picture taken by Song Yuhang, of a snowy night where Lin Yan stood under the streetlamp in the courtyard, blowing snow all around, her smile blooming like flowers.

“A perfectly healthy child, gone just like that. Everyone has a human heart; how devastated her parents must be…”

As Mother Song murmured, she staggered out, placing the photo frame beside Song Yuhang’s brother.

Ji Jingxing came out of the kitchen to see her lighting three sticks of incense.

“Mom, this isn’t right…”

The old lady took a jade bracelet from her sleeve. Judging by the color and texture, it matched the one on her wrist, a pair. She slowly placed it in front of the photo frame.

“This bracelet was given to me by my mother when I married Yichen’s father. I intended to give one to you and save the other for Yuhang when she got married. There’s nothing inappropriate about it.”

“Yanyan was… a member of the Song family.”

Ji Jingxing felt a pang of heartache hearing this, and forced a smile: “Mom—”

Mother Song came back to reality: “Oh, what did you just say?”

Since she was discharged from the hospital, her spirits had not been what they once were; she moved slowly and had also begun to go deaf.

Ji Jingxing’s eyes warmed: “I was saying that you should move in and live with us.”

Mother Song waved her hands: “No, no, that won’t do. I can still get around, and if I moved in, the in-laws would have opinions.”

Ji Jingxing’s parents had been unhappy about her insistence on giving birth to the posthumous child years ago, and since then, they had seldom visited their granddaughter, with even the care for Ji Jingxing herself dwindling.

After the Song family’s incident, Ji Jingxing’s parents did visit once or twice, suggesting she take the child and return home. Mother Song was aware of this, and naturally, she didn’t want to be a burden to her any longer.

“Mom, do you not consider me a part of the Song family?” Ji Jingxing softened her voice, pleading, “Look at Xiaowei…”

Following her gaze, the child sat on the sofa playing with building blocks, indifferent to everything happening around when she did not want to speak. She didn’t laugh anymore, wasn’t lively, and wasn’t easy to embrace anymore.

Even Ji Jingxing had to be careful and gentle when she wanted to hold or get close to her.

“With Xiaowei like this, how can she take a plane? How can I be at ease taking her back to the Ji family’s home? You’ve watched her grow up from a baby; even if not for my sake, for the child’s sake, please move in and live with us.”

Ji Jingxing, of course, understood her thoughts, strong for so long, she finally seemed a bit broken, choking up with emotion.

“What burden or not, even if it’s a burden, stay with me. Let’s keep each other company.”

Tears welled up in Mother Song’s cloudy eyes, and mother and daughter hugged and wept bitterly together.

“Good child, Mom will stay with you.”

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Song Yuhang had a long dream.

In the dream, she found herself floating in the deep sea, a place so dark she couldn’t see her own hands when she reached out.

Someone parted the darkness and swam towards her, gently lifting her body.

Her fingers reached through her soft hair and grasped at nothing.

Song Yuhang felt a twinge of anxiety: “Who are you?”

The woman turned her head and whispered in her ear, “My name is Lin Yan.”

Lin Yan, Lin Yan, Yanyan…

She pondered over this name, and suddenly her vision brightened: My fiancee.

She excitedly grabbed the other person’s arm, babbling incessantly: “Lin Yan, Yanyan, I bought a ring. Can I give it to you now? I want to take wedding photos with you, the kind where we’re wearing police uniforms. And I’ve got my eye on a set of apartments in the city center. If you like it, I’ll pay the deposit. And let’s adopt a child, someone sweet and smart like Xiaowei, well-behaved and obedient…”

No matter what she said, the woman just smiled, slowly pulling her upwards as they swam.

Daylight broke through.

Lin Yan released her hand: “Song Yuhang.”

“Hmm?” She was still too excited to extricate herself.

The woman tugged at her collar, pulling her close, and planted a kiss on her forehead.

Along with her words, tears also fell.

“I’m leaving, goodbye.”

Song Yuhang was startled, “Where are you going? Weren’t you coming for me?”

As she spoke, Lin Yan’s body had already sunk into a bright white light, becoming more and more transparent.

“Lin Yan?!” She cried out in alarm, reaching out to grasp, but found only emptiness, stumbling forward.

“Lin Yan…” Song Yuhang, with a tube in her throat, struggled to articulate, as a thin sweat formed on her forehead.

After a long silence, the brain waves finally showed fluctuations, and all the vital signs were steadily rising.

Ji Jingxing watched her eyelids flutter, her fingers feebly clutching at the bedsheet, she wept for joy and rushed out to call the doctor.

A throng of medical staff surged into the narrow single patient room as a lengthy tube was slowly removed from her throat.

Song Yuhang awoke.

Having lain in bed for over a month, her hair had grown long, hanging down to obscure her eyes, her lips chapped and pale from prolonged dehydration. Those light brown eyes had lost their luster, bloodshot, staring blankly at the ceiling.

“Yuhang…” Mother Song, holding her hand, cried tears of joy, repeatedly calling her name.

Ji Jingxing, holding Xiaowei, covered her mouth with her hand: “Xiaowei, call her auntie.”

Xiaowei’s face timidly emerged: “Auntie…”

Under the continuous calls of her family, Song Yuhang’s unfocused gaze finally found direction.

Looking at Mother Song’s face, she slightly bent her lips, causing the cracked skin to start bleeding.

The doctor was also deeply moved: “This is wonderful, it’s simply a miracle in the history of medicine. It’s fortunate she didn’t spend too much time under the sea and that cardiopulmonary resuscitation was administered promptly, otherwise the degree of brain damage could have been severe.”

Mother Song moistened a cotton swab to moisten her lips.

Song Yuhang turned her head, as if she wanted to speak.

Her mother understood and leaned in close.

Song Yuhang’s voice was hoarse, and she couldn’t speak yet. She barely lifted her finger and started to write with a stroke in her palm.

“Lin Yan.”

Tears welled up in Mother Song’s eyes.

Ji Jingxing helped her to the side: “Mom, go back and rest. I’ll keep watch tonight.”

Song Yuhang’s pleading gaze turned to her again, her lips trembling, tears swirling in her eyes.

Ji Jingxing tucked her hands under the blanket, not daring to look again. She turned her back to pour her some water, forcing a smile as she did so.

“Lin Yan is also injured and can’t get out of bed for now. She said that once she’s better, she’ll come to see you.”

In her impression, Ji Jingxing never lied or deceived.

A smile suddenly appeared on Song Yuhang’s lips. Her body was wrapped in bandages, including her chin. The smile looked utterly stiff but also foolish and silly.

Yet she seemed inexplicably happy, a kind of happiness that even an observer could feel.

Unable to hold back anymore, Mother Song turned around and took Xiaowei out of the room.

Sitting down on the bench outside, Xiaowei leaned against her knees: “Grandma, why are you crying?”

Song Yuhang had her fill of laughter, then seemed to remember something, becoming somewhat anxious. She opened her mouth, trying to speak but only uttering a “heh heh” without making any coherent words.

Ji Jingxing supported her: “What’s wrong, are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?”

Song Yuhang wrote on the bedsheet: Ring.

Her entire fortune, the betrothal gift she had not yet had the chance to give, couldn’t just be lost like this.

Ji Jingxing turned back and fetched it for her from the drawer in the bedside table.

It had been taken from her pocket during the emergency rescue by the medical staff. She had hidden it deeply, not satisfied with just locking the zipper pocket inside her jacket close to her chest, she had also sewn it shut with crooked and twisted stitches.

The medical staff had to cut for a long time before they managed to open it, and when they handed the ring box to the family, it was still wet. The blood had seeped into the velvet and could not be washed out.

Ji Jingxing placed it beside her hand, and Song Yuhang immediately grasped it tightly in her palm, her lips curving into a smile, and stars suddenly lit up in her dull eyes.

Seeing this, Ji Jingxing felt a profound sadness, she helped her adjust the covers: “Sleep now.”

If she stayed any longer, she would not be able to bear it.

Song Yuhang closed her eyes contentedly, allowing sleepiness to engulf her.

She thought, she will come, Lin Yan will definitely come to see her. At that time, she would slip the ring onto her ring finger.

She would never be able to escape in this lifetime.

But until her injuries healed and she was able to walk, Lin Yan never came again.

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LP: NO I WON’T BELIEVE IT ლ(ಥ益ಥლ)

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