Tao Jiahao’s corpse instantly caught fire, and the blaze was quite fierce. I took one look, then stripped off my jacket to beat it out. Lan Jinxuan, after finishing her calls to Xiao Cuo and her colleagues at the precinct, immediately came to help me. But in the end, the result was that we sacrificed our jackets and managed only to save a charred body.

The charred remains were handed over to the forensics team for examination, while Lan Jinxuan and I were still thoroughly shaken, especially Lan Jinxuan, whose eyes looked unusually vacant; she must have been deeply terrified.

After completing the tiresome, standard procedures, Lan Jinxuan and I were finally released from the precinct, and it was already nearing half-past two. We both headed to the garage to retrieve the Land Rover that Master Jiang had provided for us. However, the entire way, Lan Jinxuan wouldn't let go of my hand, appearing extremely nervous.

Influenced by her, walking through the garage felt like treading the path to the gates of hell, dampening any desire I had to caress her slender, delicate hand.

Finally managing to get the car and drive onto the wide, deserted avenue, our hearts began to settle down.

“Besides Tao Jiahao, did you see anything else just now?” I asked Lan Jinxuan involuntarily; that dark shadow still lingered in my mind.

Lan Jinxuan remained silent, and I couldn't tell if she had recovered at all.

“Actually, just before Tao Jiahao’s body ignited, I noticed a dark shadow trailing us the whole time.” I wasn't sure if saying this aloud would scare her again.

Lan Jinxuan still didn't speak. Just as I was preparing to change the topic to ease the tension, she turned her head to look at me and said, “That dark shadow had been following us since we started tracking Tao Jiahao’s body.”

Suddenly slamming on the brakes, my heart instantly accelerated; the elements of unease and terror in the air grew rampant, devouring my Lan Jinxuan.

The dim streetlights cast an inexpressibly strange glow onto the road ahead.

The wind was strong tonight. Sometime later, another gust picked up, and pale purple petals drifted onto the car window. Turning my head, I realized I had driven onto Changqing Avenue without knowing it, stopping exactly in front of the flower shop from earlier in the day. Although the shop was closed now, I felt an overwhelming urge to go in and investigate.

After being lost in a daze for a while, I snapped back to reality and continued driving. Lan Jinxuan didn't speak again for the rest of the drive, perhaps sensing the awkward atmosphere. Maybe listening to the radio would ease this eerie mood. Thinking this, I reached out and switched on the broadcast.

“She carried a rotting human head, sewing it onto the headless corpse that was still warm, muttering incessantly…”

Hearing that deep, terrifying voice, every hair on my body stood on end. I quickly turned the radio off. What bad luck; I forgot it was midnight horror hour. I glanced back at Lan Jinxuan; her face was ashen as she stared at me, looking as if she wanted to devour me whole.

I managed a stiff smile and ultimately decided to concentrate on driving.

I watched Lan Jinxuan walk into her apartment complex before I drove away. By the time I got back to my rental, it was nearly four in the morning. Having been busy all night, the moment I hit the bed, I was out. Even if the King of Heaven himself came to wake me, I needed sleep first.

No one disturbed me. Waking up naturally in the morning is one of life's greatest pleasures. I stretched lazily, finally waking up completely. Checking the time, it was only past eight; I thought it must have been closer to eleven. My stomach was growling fiercely.

After satisfying my hunger, I headed back to the precinct. Xiao Cuo and the others had naturally learned about last night’s events through Lan Jinxuan’s phone call while they were still asleep. As soon as I arrived, all the relevant data was compiled.

“The forensic report confirms the charred body belonged to Tao Jiahao, and the composition of the pus that leaked from his body after death is identical to the pus from Wang Dong’s orifices.” Lan Jinxuan held the report; clearly, she hadn't slept well, as her eyes were swollen like two large walnuts.

“Did it also contain chitin?” That was all I needed to know.

“It did, and the composition accounted for nearly twenty percent, second only to the content of protein and fat,” Lan Jinxuan replied with more precision.

“What about Xiao Cuo and Jiawei’s findings?” I looked towards the smirking Xiao Cuo.

“Tao Jiahao and Fan Yan were practically model couple at school, both key faculty members, and deeply loved by the students. Tao Jiahao was the homeroom teacher for Class 2, Grade 9 at No. 19 Middle School, and Fan Yan also taught in that class.” That was about all Xiao Cuo managed to dig up.

“And you?” I looked at Gao Jianning.

“Brother Lei, I think you owe me a meal now,” the boy looked at me with excitement and a knowing look.

“Oh? How so?” This sounded potentially interesting.

“You went to see Mu Anmian yesterday, right?” Gao Jianning suddenly asked, and after I nodded, he continued, “Mu Anmian’s husband is named Ouyang Min, thirty-seven years old, and he has a fifteen-year-old daughter named Ouyang Yinqiu who studies in Class 2, Grade 9 at No. 19 Middle School. Her homeroom teacher was Tao Jiahao.”

“You mean Mu Anmian and Ouyang Min’s daughter was Tao Jiahao’s student?” I could hardly believe my ears.

“Wrong! Ouyang Min’s daughter is Tao Jiahao’s student; Mu Anmian is only Ouyang Yinqiu’s stepmother.” Gao Jianning corrected me seriously.

“Damn, must it be this complicated!” I couldn't help but curse, truly stunned inside.

Are there really this many coincidences in the world? Wang Dong died, and the person closest to him before his death was his client, Mu Anmian. Now, Tao Jiahao died in the same manner as Wang Dong, and Tao Jiahao's student is the daughter of Mu Anmian's husband. If these are all coincidences, they are insulting my intelligence. There must be something fishy going on. If I can find the hidden thread connecting all these people, all the problems might be solved.

“Well? Isn't this scoop explosive enough?” Gao Jianning chuckled maliciously.

“Regardless, I need to pay Mu Anmian another visit.” I ignored Gao Jianning and addressed Lan Jinxuan and the others. “I’ll go alone this time. Jinxuan, you should rest a bit first. If others see how you look, they might think I did something to you last night.”

A faint blush crept onto Lan Jinxuan’s slightly haggard face; she was still beautiful.

“Can you handle it alone?” Zhang Jiewei asked with some concern.

“Don't worry, brother. Who do you think I am? Besides, it’s just visiting someone and asking a few questions, not walking through fire and wading through water. Don’t make it so dramatic, you’d think I was going to my execution,” I joked, and everyone laughed along, though Zhang Jiewei kept his somber expression.

If Wang Dong was the starting point, and Tao Jiahao was the endpoint, then Mu Anmian’s family was the line connecting that start and end. I didn't know if this direction was correct, but Mu Anmian's family was the only lead I had right now, and I couldn't let it slip away.

When leaving the precinct, I deliberately avoided driving and took a public bus instead. I got off at the stop closest to Chang'an West Street and chose to walk. Perhaps this way, I could gain a deeper understanding of this place, its people, and the secrets hidden behind them.

A purple petal drifted onto my hand, and without realizing it, I found myself standing before the flower shop again. Peering inside, I saw a figure busy at work. Seeing it was still early, I went in.

“Hello, sir, what can I help you with?” The owner of that graceful figure greeted me.

“Heh heh, nothing much, just looking around,” I smiled and began to survey the flower shop. The décor wasn't luxurious, but it felt very warm, much like the smile of the woman beside me.

“If you’re looking to pick flowers, please come further inside. The gentians are blooming beautifully today, perfect for a girlfriend,” the beautiful woman said, bowing slightly to invite me in, her voice full of gentleness.

“Gentian—what is its flower language?” I admitted I didn’t know much about these things.

“It means eternal unchanging love,” the woman smiled sweetly, her eyes lingering on a cluster of purple flowers, and she couldn't help but reach out to touch the delicate petals.

I said nothing, but I thought the language of the gentian was quite lovely, definitely an excellent choice to “honor” a girlfriend.

I wandered around the shop. Jay Chou’s latest song, "No Matter If I Love You," was playing; the familiar voice soothed my eardrums, creating a very pleasant atmosphere.

“I just saw a tree full of purple flowers from outside; did you plant that?” From the outside, the tree covered in bluish-purple blossoms should have been in the shop’s courtyard.

“A tree full of purple flowers?” The young woman paused for a moment, then seemed to realize what I meant. “Oh, sir, that’s a Jacaranda! I did plant it.”

Receiving confirmation, I nodded slightly, then asked immediately, “So this flower is called Jacaranda. It’s truly beautiful, but does it have any special meaning?”

“The beauty of the Jacaranda is known only to those who truly appreciate it,” the beautiful woman murmured, lost in thought, as if sighing about something. “Waiting for love in despair—that is its flower language.”

Waiting for love in despair, hope within hopelessness; it was serene and profound, yet melancholic and sentimental, truly evocative. I nodded again and looked around casually.

“Wrap up a bouquet of gentians for me, please. I’ll pick them up later.” After some thought, the flower language of the gentian was better suited.

“Certainly, sir. Take care on your way out.” Amidst that perfect voice, I had already stepped out of the flower shop, heading toward my real destination for this trip.

The wind carried a strong scent of jasmine, yet it wasn't cloying like pure jasmine. I sniffed carefully; the fragrance seemed to be coming from myself.

With a slight sense of disbelief, I hesitated slightly before taking another step, yet I couldn't resist looking back at the flower shop one last time. Only after turning a corner did the shop finally disappear from my sight.

Mu Anmian was alone at home again, showing no surprise at my arrival, as if she had expected me to come back to her.

“What? Is this still about Mr. Wang Dong?” Mu Anmian, seated across from me, asked the question before I could.

“No,” I replied affirmatively.

“Oh?” Mu Anmian was clearly a bit surprised, then continued, “Then what business does Officer Wang have coming to see me?”

“It’s about Tao Jiahao,” I stated plainly.

“Tao Jiahao? I don’t know this person,” Mu Anmian answered promptly, clearly a reflexive response.

“Then Ouyang Yinqiu? You must know her, surely?” As I spoke, I took an impolite gulp of the intensely fragrant tea.

“Of course, she is my husband’s daughter,” Mu Anmian replied calmly, without asking why I mentioned Ouyang Yinqiu.

Husband’s daughter—I felt that phrase sounded strange, but it was others' family matters, and I didn't have the right or qualification to pry too deeply.

“Tao Jiahao was Ouyang Yinqiu’s homeroom teacher. He was found dead in his home yesterday, and the manner of his death is strikingly similar to Wang Dong’s earlier demise. I think I forgot to mention, Wang Dong was also found dead at home the morning before yesterday, but we don’t consider it a case of natural death. Now, we suspect this is a serial case.” I had no intention of hiding the news of Tao Jiahao’s death. After all, Mu Anmian, and the Ouyang family, were extremely important threads now. Perhaps I could gain some unexpected insights from them.

Mu Anmian’s brow furrowed slightly, though I couldn't tell if it was surprise or worry regarding the matter, but her expression quickly returned to normal. Regrettably for her, I still caught it.

“And so?” Mu Anmian asked faintly, as if these events were nothing more than newspaper reports unrelated to her.

“Wang Dong was the landscape architect you hired, and Tao Jiahao was your husband's daughter’s homeroom teacher. Don't you find there’s a connection between these two cases?” My questioning was quite pointed.

“Does Officer Wang think I am connected to these two cases? Or do you think I am the killer in these two cases?” Mu Anmian threw out these two questions without any attempt to conceal them, yet I could still detect the faint worry lingering in her eyes.

“I don’t mean that. I just believe there must be a link between these two cases, and I suspect the most significant and useful connection involves you and Mr. Ouyang Min.” I shared my thoughts with Mu Anmian. For some reason, even though her demeanor was somewhat unusual, I truly didn't suspect her of being the killer. In that sense, perhaps I wasn't as completely distrustful of her as she imagined.

“Is that so?” A smile flickered across Mu Anmian’s lips. Although it was a strained, unconvincing smile, it still held a charm capable of making men lose their minds.

“That’s the situation.” I didn't want to prolong this unproductive conversation and continued, “To solve the case quickly, so that the deceased, Wang Dong and Tao Jiahao, can rest in peace, I hope you will tell us everything you know.”

“That’s all I know. I already told you everything about Mr. Wang when you visited last time; we only had an employer-employee relationship. As for Tao Jiahao, I truly didn't know he was Ouyang Yinqiu’s homeroom teacher. If Officer Wang wants to know more, you should be asking Ouyang Yinqiu or my husband,” Mu Anmian finished in one breath, leaving me no room to argue.

“You are correct. Then, when your husband returns, please ask him to come to the precinct.” Since Mu Anmian wasn't being polite to me, why should I bother being polite to them? It would only waste my energy.

“He’s on a business trip and returns tomorrow. Liu Ma, see the guest out.” Mu Anmian clearly didn't want me to stay any longer, which was quite different from her behavior last time. Could it be as simple as not wanting to be associated with a murder case?

Regarding Mu Anmian’s radically different performance this time, I concluded there must be some hidden story that required deeper investigation.