Qiao Pengju’s Jeep blew a tire halfway through their journey. Changing a tire should have been simple, but since he was borrowing the car, he only discovered the spare was flat and lifeless once he took it out. Now there was real trouble. Qiao Pengju had no choice but to call for roadside assistance. By the time the tow arrived, patched the tire, and they were back on the road, over an hour had been lost, pushing the time past three in the afternoon.

Zhang Yang received another call from Chunhuan. Qin Huan’s voice sounded weak and listless; the child hadn't eaten anything since morning. He whined pitifully, "Dad, my mom isn't back yet…"

Zhang Yang frowned. Qin Mengmeng was being completely irresponsible, leaving the child alone for this long. He comforted Huan, "Little Huan, don't worry. I'll be there immediately. When I arrive, I’ll take you out for a feast!"

Chunhuan agreed with a weak "Mm," but his spirit was clearly depleted.

Zhang Yang hung up, and Qiao Pengju chuckled, "Didn't realize you already had a son!"

Zhang Yang laughed back, "Godson…" As he spoke, he called Qin Mengmeng, but her phone was already switched off. Zhang Yang started to feel that something was seriously wrong. He turned to Qiao Pengju, "Can you drive faster? I really have something urgent."

Qiao Pengju nodded. "Relax, we’ll be there in just over an hour, no matter what…"

Qin Zhendong’s body had been discovered just over an hour prior. The landlord came to collect the rent, knocked without an answer, and used the spare key, only to open the door to a scene of gruesome bloodshed. The landlord, a middle-aged woman, screamed in terror, quickly alerting the neighborhood residents. Within ten minutes, personnel from the local police sub-bureau were already on the scene.

Qin Zhendong’s identification—his ID card and officer's credentials—were on his body, and a handgun was found at the scene. Establishing his identity was not difficult. Bureau Chief Cheng Zhiwei, upon learning the deceased was the eldest son of Commander Qin, immediately grasped the severity of the situation and rushed to the homicide scene with all of the sub-bureau's elite forces.

Deputy Bureau Chief Liang Lianhe had arrived earlier. Preliminary investigations confirmed that Qin Zhendong was murdered, killed by his own service pistol, which was covered in fingerprints. The forensics team had already collected the prints. A basket of vegetables was also found, along with some strands of a woman's hair on the floor. In the bedroom, numerous photographs were discovered, all featuring Qin Mengmeng and Qin Huan. Judging by the camera angles, many of these photos appeared to be taken secretly, some even using a telephoto lens aimed directly across the way.

Liang Lianhe pulled Cheng Zhiwei aside and whispered, "Chief Cheng, the deceased is Qin Zhendong, Commander Qin Hongjiang's eldest son."

Cheng Zhiwei looked helpless. "This is a huge mess. Once the military gets involved in anything, it becomes complicated…"

Liang Lianhe continued, "From my initial survey, Qin Zhendong has been renting this apartment for some time. The pictures were taken from the second floor directly across the way. The woman in the photos is Qin Mengmeng, his full sister. We still haven't figured out this child's identity…"

Cheng Zhiwei peered out the window toward the opposite building and murmured, "Have you sent anyone over there to investigate?"

Liang Lianhe replied, "I have people securing the situation, but I dare not act rashly yet. This involves Commander Qin's family matters, so I waited for you before making a decision."

Cheng Zhiwei felt equally stumped. "What decision can I make?" He then lowered his voice again. "Tell me honestly, based on the current evidence, who is the biggest suspect…"

Liang Lianhe pursed his lips, then cautiously stated after a pause, "Neighbors saw the deceased arguing with Qin Mengmeng downstairs; they seemed to exchange a few heated words. Afterward, they entered this building together. We don't know what happened next."

Cheng Zhiwei ordered, "Bring Qin Mengmeng in immediately. I need to question her alone."

Liang Lianhe suggested, "Perhaps we should check her apartment first."

Cheng Zhiwei nodded. "Let’s go together…"

Cheng Zhiwei and Liang Lianhe knocked for a long time, but no one answered the door.

Qin Huan heard the knocking and the rising sound of police sirens outside. He grew frightened, but his mother still hadn't returned. A deep, muffled male voice sounded from outside: "Is anyone home? We are the police!"

Qin Huan nervously clenched his fists, his palms slick with sweat. He ran to the phone, intending to call Zhang Yang. Just as he reached the phone, it began to ring. Qin Huan snatched it up. "Dad…"

But the voice on the other end was Qin Mengmeng’s, sobbing uncontrollably.

Hearing his mother cry, Qin Huan froze. "Mom! Mom, what’s wrong? Who bullied you? Tell me…"

Qin Mengmeng managed to stifle her cries on the other end. She fought to control her emotions. "Little Huan, stay put. Don't open the door for anyone who knocks—unless it's your Godfather. Don't trust anyone else…"

"Mom, why aren't you coming home? I miss you so much… I’m okay…"

Hearing his son's young, desolate voice felt like a knife twisting in her heart. Mengmeng called out tearfully, "Little Huan, Mom… Mom is so sorry…"

"Mom, I just want you to come home!"

Mengmeng choked out, "I will, I will, definitely…" Unable to bear speaking to her son any longer, she quickly hung up, covered her mouth, and burst into fresh tears. While crying, she dialed Zhang Yang's number.

Zhang Yang's return trip was disastrously slow, caught in a massive traffic jam as soon as he hit the Third Ring Road. Qin Mengmeng had called him from a payphone, so Zhang Yang wasn't expecting her call. Qin Mengmeng managed only one word—"Brother..."—before breaking down, unable to speak through her sobs.

Zhang Yang recognized Qin Mengmeng’s voice. He’d been ready to chastise her for a barrage of previous unreturned calls, but hearing her cry instantly signaled something was terribly wrong. He lowered his voice. "Mengmeng, calm down. What is it? What happened?"

Qin Mengmeng wiped her tears. "Brother, you have to take good care of Little Huan…"

Zhang Yang froze. That statement sounded entirely wrong. His heart instantly tightened. "Mengmeng, what’s wrong? Where are you? I’ll come get you right now."

Qin Mengmeng pleaded, "Brother, there is no one else in this world I can trust. Promise me you will look after Little Huan, and don't let anyone bully him!"

"Mengmeng!"

"Promise me…" Qin Mengmeng shrieked hysterically.

Zhang Yang flinched in shock; even Qiao Pengju, who was driving, heard the outburst. He glanced at Zhang Yang, uncertain what was happening, then continued drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, staring ahead at the gridlocked traffic.

Mengmeng wept, "Brother… promise me. Little Huan is all alone in this world… I’m afraid no one will look after him; I’m afraid someone will hurt him…" Zhang Yang replied firmly, "I promise you. No one in this world dares bully him. If anyone tries, even the Jade Emperor himself, I’ll make them pay!" He continued softly, "Mengmeng, where are you? What on earth happened? Don't be afraid, I’m here…"

Mengmeng answered through her tears, "Brother, I can never repay your kindness in this life. In the next, I vow to return the favor tenfold…" With that, she hung up.

Zhang Yang sat motionless, clutching his phone. He realized a catastrophe had struck. He turned to Qiao Pengju. "Drive…"

Qiao Pengju gestured toward the stationary cars ahead. "We can’t move an inch…"

Zhang Yang wrenched the car door open and bolted out, not even bothering to say goodbye to Qiao Pengju. He flagged down a battered, beat-up Tianba scooter sputtering past him, ripped open his handbag, shoved all two thousand yuan at the driver, "Here’s the money, give me the bike!" Before the driver could react, Zhang Yang snatched the scooter and sped off.

The driver was clearly stunned, staring at the two thousand yuan in his hand before chasing after Zhang Yang yelling, "Damn it! I have a package of jade in my bag too! This is robbery, you bastard…"

Qiao Pengju, catching up from behind, slapped the man on the shoulder. "Buddy, how much? I’ll buy it off you…"

Five military Jeeps entered the complex in single file. Qin Zhenyuan and Qin Zhentang, brothers, stepped out alongside their mother, Chang Yujie, who was weeping inconsolably. Twenty armed soldiers also disembarked from the Jeeps.

Someone immediately reported this development to Bureau Chief Cheng Zhiwei, who hurried over. He knew the Qin family's second son, Zhenyuan, and moved to block the family’s path. "Zhenyuan, we are currently processing the scene upstairs. You cannot go up yet…"

Chang Yujie shrieked, "Why not? My son is dead! I must see him with my own eyes! I must see him…"

Seeing how hysterical Chang Yujie was, Cheng Zhiwei looked uncomfortably at Qin Zhenyuan. "Zhenyuan, perhaps you should go up alone. Your mother is too emotional; she might not handle the shock…"

Although grief-stricken, Qin Zhenyuan had not lost his reason. He nodded. "I’ll go up with you…" He instructed his younger brother, "Third Brother, stay here with Mom. Don't act rashly…"

Qin Zhentang nodded.

Qin Zhenyuan followed Cheng Zhiwei upstairs. Cheng Zhiwei walked to the body bag, pulled back the zipper, revealing Qin Zhendong's pale face. Upon seeing his eldest brother's expression, Qin Zhenyuan sobbed uncontrollably and lunged forward. "Big Brother… Big Brother…"

Cheng Zhiwei quickly restrained him. "Zhenyuan, you must calm down! You have to stay composed…"

Qin Zhenyuan asked through tears, "Zhiwei, who killed my Big Brother? Who…"

Cheng Zhiwei explained, "Currently, we can only confirm it was homicide. He was killed by his own service weapon. The fingerprint analysis on the gun has returned…" He paused, then whispered quietly, "The fingerprints on the pistol belong to Qin Mengmeng…"

Qin Zhenyuan could hardly believe his ears. His eyes widened. "Impossible. Mengmeng is my sister… It’s impossible…"

Cheng Zhiwei clarified, "It only proves her prints are on the gun; it doesn't prove she fired the fatal shot…"

Qin Zhenyuan insisted, "You must have made a mistake…"

Cheng Zhiwei pressed, "Qin Mengmeng lives on the second floor directly across the way. You should know that…"

Qin Zhenyuan shook his head. He didn't know; his sister had a terrible relationship with the family, and he hadn't been aware she was living here.

Cheng Zhiwei sighed. "Zhenyuan, I know this is agonizing for all of you, but since the tragedy has occurred, you must maintain composure. I hope you trust our Public Security Bureau and cooperate with our work. I promise we will solve this case in the shortest time possible…"

Tearfully, Qin Zhenyuan returned downstairs.

When his mother, Chang Yujie, saw the utter despair on her son’s face, the last shred of hope she held was completely extinguished. She wailed, "Zhendong… My child… Oh, my poor son…"

Qin Zhentang and Qin Zhenyuan helped steady their weeping mother, and the soldiers who accompanied them also wore expressions of profound sorrow.

Chang Yujie cried out, "How did your brother die? How did he die?"

Qin Zhenyuan shook his head. "I don't know… The police said the gun had Mengmeng's prints on it… and that Big Brother came looking for Mengmeng today. It turns out Mengmeng has been living here all along… Big Brother rented a room here… Mom… was Big Brother trying to persuade Mengmeng to come home?" Qin Zhenyuan noticed his mother’s gaze fixed intently on the second floor across the way.

On the balcony, a small child clutching a teddy bear watched the commotion below in terror. When his eyes met Chang Yujie’s, he became instantly flustered; the teddy bear slipped from his grasp, and he spun around, running back inside.

Chang Yujie spoke each word deliberately. "That is Qin Mengmeng's son… Go! Go! Bring him to me right now!"

The Qin brothers both stiffened; they had seen Qin Huan before. Chang Yujie shrieked, "Hurry!"

Qin Huan heard the knocking and frantically searched for a place to hide, finally scrambling under the bed, sobbing silently.

The knocking grew louder, eventually becoming heavy battering. The door finally couldn't withstand the assault and was kicked open from the outside. Qin Zhentang and his escorting men stormed in.

They found Qin Huan under the bed without much difficulty. Qin Zhentang reached out to drag him out, but Qin Huan bit down hard on his arm. Qin Zhentang grunted in pain. Two soldiers accompanying him lifted the bed with combined effort. Qin Zhentang hoisted Qin Huan up, who struggled violently, screaming, "Help! Help!" The soldiers forcefully carrying a child out of the apartment naturally drew attention. Even Cheng Zhiwei felt their actions were excessive and approached to offer a quiet word of caution. Chang Yujie, her eyes red and blazing, screamed back, "He is my grandson! What is wrong with me taking my Qin family child? I’d like to see who dares interfere!"