I really don't care; no matter how much Wang Xuyang’s little chicken legs might tremble, he won't dare to put on airs in front of me. Since Elder Jiang has already agreed, I have nothing more to say, though it’s tough luck for my little cousin.

At that moment, Zhang Jiewei added, “I’ve assigned him to investigate the case with Bao Qiang; you should focus on the rental building case.” I replied, “Fine. Let him have an intimate encounter with the ‘Grim Reaper.’ Perhaps that will stop his little chicken legs from trembling.” Just as I was about to hang up, Zhang Jiewei unexpectedly said from the other end, “I hope so.” This was the first time Zhang Jiewei had revealed any personal likes or dislikes to me.

It seemed that Wang Xuyang was going to have a tough time at the Special Operations Office. Back in the office, I intentionally lavished praise on Wang Xuyang, praising him so much that he became thoroughly nervous, sitting there as if needles were pricking him, and for a while, he had no mind to tease Feng Siyan.

Soon, Zhang Jiewei’s call came to the office, laying out Wang Xuyang’s assignment and telling him to call Xiao Cuo so the two of them could work the case together. When Wang Xuyang left the office, Gao Jianning let out a long sigh of relief.

I glanced at Feng Siyan and deliberately said, “Cousin, don’t you think Wang Xuyang is annoying? He acts like putty around beautiful women.

You must not let yourself be led astray.” Gao Jianning froze, unsure how to respond. I added, “You can ask the person next to you for advice on these matters; she’s a real beauty.” Feng Siyan heard herself being mentioned, and since there were only three people in the office, she couldn't ignore it.

She looked up and said, “Can we not talk about this while we’re working?” I smiled and said, “Did you hear that? We can talk about it after work.” Feng Siyan didn't object; she just tapped away at her keyboard, but I could tell her typing rhythm was erratic.

From this, I concluded: this girl really has a small crush on Gao Jianning. It’s just that my observation of human details is too sharp, and her usual high self-regard prevents her from admitting it first.

This will require Gao Jianning to employ the relentless pursuit of a ‘Wang Xuyang’ to naturally reach a happy ending. Having reached a conclusion, I said no more, lest I expose the poor girl’s face, which would cause trouble.

I composed myself and said to Gao Jianning, “Aren’t you going to get back to work seriously!” After work, I went to Chen Yujia’s clinic to tell him about today’s interrogation of You Qiaolin and express my confidence that he could explain that eerie smile. Chen Yujia listened quietly, nodding occasionally, sometimes jotting down a few key words with his pen.

Finally, I reached the end, describing how I questioned him about the feeling of eating his wife's rotting flesh, You Qiaolin’s romantic response, and the fatal blow... followed by that final, chilling smile.

The clinic was utterly silent. Chen Yujia lightly tapped his pen against the paper, making a muffled sound.

The rhythm was very regular, as orderly and precise as his thoughts. “He has already grasped your weakness; it will be difficult for you to defeat him.” Chen Yujia’s words were undoubtedly a death sentence, yet I believed him completely, because that was the truth of the matter.

“What should I do?” Chen Yujia didn't answer my question directly, instead asking in return, “Wang Lei, can you tell me the real reason you sought him out?” Without thinking, I blurted out, “Because I don’t believe Xiao Xuan was murdered by him.” “Then why did you ask him for Lan Jinxuan’s body?” Chen Yujia’s phrasing was impeccable; he didn't directly say ‘Xiao Xuan’s head’ but used ‘body’ instead, showing friendship and respect. “Because, because…” My thoughts were growing confused.

Chen Yujia then began his physician-like discourse: “It’s because you fundamentally don’t know the truth. You believe what you suspect, and simultaneously suspect what you believe.” His words were peculiar, but I understood them immediately, as this perfectly described my current state.

“The situation isn't that complicated. You just need to find Lan Jinxuan’s body through other channels, and then the truth will naturally emerge.” Chen Yujia’s words were like sunlight breaking through the clouds, instantly dispelling the confusion that had plagued me.

I looked at him with gratitude and said, “Meeting you has been the greatest stroke of luck in my life.” Chen Yujia teased me in return, “Don't be so sentimental.” We shared a knowing smile; no further words were necessary. Next, I recounted the general details of the You Qiaolin case, including that story, hoping Chen Yujia could find a flaw in it that might lead to the recovery of Xiao Xuan’s body intact.

I believed that if anyone in this world could defeat You Qiaolin, it would be Chen Yujia. “He has completely extinguished his humanity,” Chen Yujia stated his judgment on You Qiaolin, then added, “With people like that, their actions cannot be judged by common sense.

You said just now that he killed the woman he loved out of twisted love, then consumed her decaying flesh, and kept this flesh in his office, weaving it all into a story that he made sure you knew, only to end up imprisoned himself. Every single one of these actions defies common logic.” I nodded.

“That guy is completely insane.” Chen Yujia’s expression was calm, like the sea on a still day—capable of encompassing everything but never losing its way due to the clouds in the sky. He said smoothly, “Then Lan Jinxuan’s body might be kept in an illogical place.” My heart skipped a beat, and I asked with some difficulty, “Do you know where?” Chen Yujia glanced at me and sighed.

“I am not a god; this is merely a deduction.” I gave an awkward smile and said, “Continue with the deduction.” “First, we need to understand why he did this; there must be an illogical reason.” An illogical reason—this concept felt deeply contradictory to my own thinking, yet my mind involuntarily began to revolve around those seven words. In the Ou Jinglan series of cases, You Qiaolin’s motive was that he hated the women he was drawn to, so he wanted to make them like his wife.

Xiao Xuan was different; he kidnapped her as leverage because he feared exposure, and when everything was revealed, he cruelly killed her. So, why did he sever Xiao Xuan’s head?

This defies common sense! But for You Qiaolin, it was entirely normal.

I suddenly realized with a jolt: You Qiaolin was the killer of Xiao Xuan! The rotation continued: If I were You Qiaolin, after the affair was exposed and I had to kill Xiao Xuan in haste, I would certainly prepare to flee immediately, never wasting time to decapitate her and then racking my brains to hide the head somewhere unknown.

But You Qiaolin would do it, because his actions are illogical. So, where would he hide it?

At this point, Chen Yujia said softly, “Since he knew about your relationship with Lan Jinxuan, he also knew that you would be the one most desperate to find her body. Therefore, he most likely did this specifically targeting you.

He would hide her body somewhere you couldn't possibly imagine.” Yes, that must be it! I almost shouted, but immediately fell silent, because if it was a place I couldn't imagine, how could I ever find it?

“You can start by listing all the places you can imagine, and then search outside of those.” I shook my head. “My colleagues at the precinct have already searched many places, including places I couldn’t imagine, but found nothing.” “Everyone’s thought process is different.

You Qiaolin has figured you out, but that doesn't mean he understands everyone. There must be someone else.” My gaze fell upon Chen Yujia, but this time he demurred: “I don't know You Qiaolin well enough, so I can’t help.” Although he refused me, his words brought me a sudden epiphany.

No wonder the precinct colleagues couldn't find it; even though they frequently dealt with You Qiaolin, that wasn't the real You Qiaolin. And the only person who truly understood You Qiaolin was one person: Zhang Hemei!

My heart began to race wildly, causing my face to flush. Chen Yujia frowned slightly.

“What did you think of?” I stood up and said to him, “Thank you. I think I won’t make a mistake this time.

I’ll thank you properly later.” I then quickly excused myself and left. When I left the clinic, the sky was already darkening, but I rushed to the Lan Guiren Bar.

After several requests, Zhao Shiya finally managed to call Zhang Hemei. Forty minutes later, I met Zhang Hemei in a private room.

Recalling the past, every meeting with Zhang Hemei had been fraught with ambiguity, but this one was undoubtedly the friendliest. I said to her very politely, “I was too impulsive last time.

What would you like to drink? My treat.” Zhang Hemei seemed to have stepped out of You Qiaolin’s shadow, and the atmosphere here was exactly to her liking.

Combined with my sincere apology, she cast aside the initial wariness she felt upon meeting me. She cheerfully ordered a bottle of red wine and then said, “Officer Wang, you’re treating me today, so I won’t be polite.” I laughed heartily.

“No problem, at worst, you can pick up the tab next time.” “You’re quite stingy, but as long as you keep me happy with drinks today, it doesn't matter who pays.” It seemed this bold woman was about to let loose; I felt like a hired companion, but today, my job was precisely to keep her happy, at least to smooth over the previous unpleasantness, before I could ask for her help. At that moment, Zhao Shiya squeezed into the room, exchanged a few jokes with us, and then said, “You two chat; I won’t be the third wheel.” The atmosphere during this drink was much more harmonious, without the suspicion and strangeness of before.

I finally understood that the barriers between us in the past were entirely due to my own excessive suspicion. Women who love to drink often have their hearts deeply wounded, and then become carefree after being steeped in alcohol.

Thus, Zhang Hemei paid no mind to past events and, after a few glasses, even brought them up as a way to tease me. I knew now was the time to ask her for a favor.

I raised my glass with her and then said very seriously, “Miss Zhang, I need to ask you for a favor, would you?” She glanced at me, her voice soft and melancholic. “With you looking like this, can I refuse?” I managed a strained smile.

“Thank you.” After gently clinking glasses, I said, “Please help me find my girlfriend’s head.” Zhang Hemei froze abruptly, her expression tightening. Uneasy shadows began to drift through the enclosed air.

I quickly interjected, “Don’t misunderstand. What I mean is, You Qiaolin hid her head, and I want to ask you to think about where he might have hidden it.” Zhang Hemei let out a breath, took a sip of wine, and then said, “You scared me.

I thought you were going to act like last time.” I smiled sheepishly. “I was wrong last time, but only you can help me with this favor, because you understand You Qiaolin best; you must be able to find it.” Zhang Hemei thought for a while and shook her head.

“I can’t think of anything. His actions have a certain pattern; I truly can’t imagine an illogical approach for him.” I felt a wave of disappointment, but still urged, “Think more carefully.

Even if you can’t recall it now, it’s fine; just let me know when you do.” “I definitely will. It can be considered a form of atonement,” Zhang Hemei’s voice lowered slightly.

“You have no sin. Time will let you forget all this.” When I left Lan Guiren, I had drunk quite a bit, but my spirits were high.

Although I hadn't gotten the answer I wanted, at least I had cast off a shadow. It was late by the time I got home.

Outside, everything was silent, save for the soft sweep of the night wind and the crisp sound of wind chimes echoing from a distance, which suddenly reminded me of You Qiaolin’s iron shackles. That sinister, smiling face flashed before my eyes.

You Qiaolin’s face was deathly pale, bloodless, but his eyes were filled with malice and savagery, like a hungry wolf staring intensely at me. The moment I showed the slightest weakness, he would pounce, and just as he had done to those other women, he would tear apart all my flesh and bone.

I startled awake, a fine sheen of sweat covering my forehead. I drank a few sips of tea to suppress my unease.

But too much had happened today; I found it impossible to sleep. I decided to retrieve the hard drive containing the footage from Wanxiang Street, connect it to the computer, and watch it to distract myself.

He Shuhua appeared on the screen again, but this time she didn't backtrack, nor did she look at me. I kept watching until the man in the checkered shirt appeared.

I paused the frame, zoomed in, and examined him carefully several times. Because the man wore a hat and it was nighttime, it was extremely difficult to identify him, which was why the Fourth Criminal Investigation Team still hadn't found him.

I clicked the mouse, and the plaid-shirt man flashed by; time continued to advance. For the next nearly three minutes, there was no one.

By this point, the victim should have been close to Jiang Bo’s house. If the plaid-shirt man wasn't the killer, then the killer must have intercepted the victim from the other direction.

My thoughts marched forward in sync with the time display on the screen. Unconsciously, almost ten minutes had passed.

Suddenly, a figure flashed across the screen, jolting me upright. I stared blankly at the monitor.

Impossible! How could I appear on the screen?

I stared dumbly at the ‘me’ on the screen, unable to believe my eyes. Was this another hallucination?

I pinched my leg; it hurt. I walked to the apartment door and opened it.

The hallway was empty. I was standing right there at the doorway, solid and real, with no sense of being in an illusion.

What was going on? I went back to the screen.

The figure frozen in the frame looked almost identical to me in physique. Although the features were unclear, I had looked at ‘myself’ in the mirror countless times growing up; how could I be mistaken?

Suddenly, I laughed and muttered to myself, “It must be that network engineer, or maybe I have an unknown twin brother.” There are no two identical leaves in the world, but there are leaves that are indistinguishable from one another, just like people. Some people can look more alike than identical twins, even sharing the exact same expression and tone of voice.

This person was an ‘unrecognized twin brother’ in the vast sea of humanity. There was no need to make a fuss; perhaps there were more like him across the globe.

Currently, the main focus of the rental building murder case was searching for the man in the checkered shirt. According to reports from the Fourth Team, they had collaborated with the local police station to conduct a sweep search of Wanxiang Street and the surrounding areas.

However, the footage was too blurry, and the subject wore a hat, which presented huge difficulties for the search efforts. So far, there was no news.

To solve the case sooner, I decided to go over there myself. If I placed all my hope in the Fourth Team, who knew how long I’d have to wait.

The police siren wailed as I sped down the wide streets of Anyin City. As I passed the bustling Feili Avenue, I suddenly slowed down and turned the wheel, pulling the car over within the marked lines.

After getting out, I looked at a small shop not far ahead, and a wave of emotion washed over me. This was a place Xiao Xuan and I had visited before, where we cracked a strange case involving poison murder.

It was still a flower shop, but just looking from the outside, I could sense it was different from before. I remembered that in the past, the shop front was lined with various kinds of greenhouse flowers, but now it was clean, and the storefront had changed slightly, decorated with fresh ornaments, like a well-bred young lady.

I slowly walked over and stood at the entrance, peering inside. At that moment, a young girl stepped out.

“Welcome, sir. What kind of flowers are you looking for?

We have roses, lilies, peonies…” The girl’s Mandarin was very standard; she looked like she hadn't been out of school for long. I nodded.

“Just looking.” The girl moved slightly toward the door and said politely, “Please come in, sir!” I entered the flower shop. Inside, it was a tapestry of blossoms.

An older woman was inside tending to the leaves and petals; she looked like the owner. I looked around, feeling that something essential was missing—the mysterious aura.

But then again, isn't this just a normal flower shop? So why did I feel like something was missing?

Right, what was truly missing was the hostess, the woman named Qi Wan.