Chapter 15

Yang Zi worked overtime the night before and missed the last subway train, so she went to Zhen Yi's apartment to stay. Early in the morning, passing by Zhen Yi's room, she saw that Zhen Yi had already finished grooming and was getting dressed  in front of the mirror.

Yang Zi leaned against the doorframe and asked, "So early, where are you off to?"

"Investigating the case," Zhen Yi replied briefly.

Yan Ge noticed that the hospital registration form stated that Wu Zhe's sister was the one who admitted him, but her contact information had not been provided. Additionally, in Wu Zhe's luggage, there was  a tablet containing a horror movie titled "Screams of Horror," starring Song Yi. The eeriest part of it all was the fact that there was a scene in the movie that had Song Yi falling from the rooftop onto a sharp edge on the 31st floor, with the same empty wall, dark hole, and black numbers.

Yan Ge mentioned that this was one of the reasons the police suspected Song Yi, but it was too strange, so it wasn't brought up earlier.

Was it Song Yi who admitted Wu Zhe to the psychiatric hospital?

For some inexplicable reason, Zhen Yi's thoughts turned to Tang Shang's sister, Tang Yu. Upon reflection, it dawned on her that Tang Yu too could have a motive for murder. With this realization, Zhen Yi resolved to seek out Tang Yu, while Yan Ge also hoped to glean more details about Wu Zhe's background and establish contact with his family through her.

Yang Zi asked, "I heard the price of Song Yi legal fees have increased. Those people who were talking about you before must be fuming."

Zhen Yi was feeling  generous, "Once this case is over, I'll buy you some beautiful clothes, deal." She kissed Yang Zi in the mirror.

Yang Zi pouted playfully, "How is everything going lately? The news is about to explode. I heard it's turning into a criminal case. More and more people suspect that Song Yi is related to Lin Ziyi's murder."

"Well, what does the news say about what Song Yi has been doing lately?" Zhen Yi asked while applying bright lipstick in front of the mirror, her voice muffled.

"Calmly filming in the central district. She looks confident and unaffected by the shadows."

"Hmm." Zhen Yi had suggested that Song Yi continue working calmly, saying it boosts morale.

Yang Zi was messing with her hair, "There's a rumor that she's not as innocent as she appears. They say she introduced Tang Shang to the world of escorts and has some unclear relationship with Lin Ziyi. Filming might not be as stable as it seems."

Zhen Yi didn't pay much attention, her hand reaching into her clothes to adjust her chest. After struggling for a while, she sighed, "Even shapewear can't squeeze out a cleavage." Then she stared at Yang Zi's chest like a dog eyeing a bun, "Ah Zi, give me some meat."

Yang Zi burst into laughter, observing Zhen Yi.

In a Chanel black and white tight-fitting suit, with neatly elegant office-style hair and a black British-style small hat. She was often slovenly in private, but every time she dressed up, she looked like a polished diamond—exquisite and radiant. She was like a mannequin in a top-notch store display.

Yang Zi secretly envied Zhen Yi's innate sense of fashion. This kind of content was not taught in books, and she didn't know where to start.

"Yi, you're overdressed today. Who are you trying to seduce?" Yang Zi teased.

Zhen Yi's heart skipped a beat, and she smiled, "No, I've always been low-key and unsophisticated."

Despite saying this, in her heart, she considered that, given her standards for men, the only one who truly caught her eye at the moment was Yan Ge. Adding to that, their conversation in the psychiatric hospital was also quite smooth on a psychological level. If that's the case, if she doesn't make a move, can she still be called Zhen Yi?

Dressed with meticulous care, with every strand of her hair delicately styled, she stood by the roadside, awaiting Yang Zi to pick her up. As the car pulled over, he, in his habitual gentlemanly manner, got out and opened the door for her. However, he didn't linger an extra second, not even taking a moment to appreciate her exceptional beauty today. Or perhaps, he didn't notice any difference in her at all.

She didn't know that in his impression, she had always been vibrant, colorful, and full of life.

Despite his lack of appreciation, Zhen Yi remained undeterred. Dressing up was a boost for her own mood! While the saying suggests, "A woman should beautify herself to please others," she believed it should be, "A woman should beautify herself while pleasing herself." Even if she didn't boast outstanding beauty like Yang Zi, she was determined to present herself beautifully every day.

Tang Yu resided in an urban village. To fund the lawsuit, she sold her mortgaged house and relocated there. As the living conditions drastically declined, the car came to a halt upon nearing the outskirts.

Yan Ge and Zhen Yi decided to walk. The roads in the urban village were narrow, and the old buildings on the roadside were crowded together. Clotheslines in mid-air cut the sky into irregular small pieces. Strings of clothes were hung up to dry, and women's bras and men's trousers fluttered in the wind.

As the breakfast cart pushing fried food passed by, Zhen Yi leaned out of the way and touched Yan Ge lightly.

Without glancing away, he lowered his gaze to look at her. Amidst the noisy slums of the morning, she truly shone today. Striding in high heels on the makeshift runway, she radiated brilliance. It inexplicably reminded him of a painting—a delicate ballerina standing gracefully amidst the ruins.

He wasn't blind; he could understand.

She caught his gaze, grinned, and playfully remarked, "Like what you see?"

He remained composed, "Is this how you dress for work?"

"Dr. Yan, are you complimenting me?" she countered with an even bigger smile.

"Are you flirting?" he inquired.

"You wish," Zhen Yi raised her eyebrows, lifted her chin, and walked ahead.

Though Yan Ge's demeanor remained calm, a subtle softness flickered in his eyes.

"Thanks for letting me follow you," Zhen Yi looked back from time to time. "You arranged to meet Tang Yu to learn about Wu Zhe's family background, and she cooperated. If I had said I was here to investigate, she would have avoided me. She has an intense personality, not like Tang Shang at all." She paused, lowered her voice, "But in some ways, she's similar."

Yan Ge followed her, "Law firms usually have psychotherapists?"

"Yeah, our boss is one. He's very professional."

"Have you consulted with him?"

"I'm perfectly fine. Why would I need counseling?" She seemed resistant.

Yan Ge stopped asking.

They quickly found Tang Yu's residence, a seven-story small property room, with countless small rooms on each floor. The hallway was filled with the smell of cooking.

Tang Yu's room was a single room, with a rice cooker, a simple wardrobe, and a bed all squeezed together. It was hard to imagine where the three million went. Tang Yu had only arranged to meet Yan Ge, so seeing Zhen Yi was unexpected.

She had to go to work at 9:30 and had no time for pleasantries.

Yan Ge held a form and inquired about Wu Zhe's family situation, the whereabouts of his parents, and their contact information.

"Why are you still living here?" Zhen Yi asked casually.

Tang Yu's expression turned sour, "Was the money Tang Shang exchanged her life for meant for my enjoyment?"

Zhen Yi looked around. The room was small, but everything was neatly organized. It was clean. A few potted flowers on the windowsill were in full bloom. Stuffed animals were tucked under the bed, and a photo of her and her sister Tang Shang stood on the bedside table. The wall was covered with various photos of her, embracing different men and women. This wasn't surprising; she worked as a fitness coach at a gym in HK City.

"I remember your work is every other day, and you finish at 10:30 at night. It must be tiring," Zhen Yi said seemingly casually.

"Yeah."

"Today is an even-numbered day. Hmm, the day of the incident was also a Saturday, an even-numbered day. You finish work at 10:30, and Lin Ziyi, who is a two-hour drive away, dies at 11:00."

There was no sound behind her. Zhen Yi didn't even turn around, "Oh, it seems you took a day off that day and weren't at the gym."

Tang Yu's tone was cold, "I've been sick and resting at home. Neighbors should have seen me."

"You should have taken your leave in the evening; otherwise, the people who saw you here won't be able to provide an alibi,"  Zhen Yi stared at the photo wall for a long time, pinched one photo between two fingers, and turned slowly. "Ah, I've seen this man, the manager of the Ecstasy Club, named Suo Lei."

In the photo, the two in tight sportswear had their shoulders together, standing next to a treadmill.

"A coach and a student, what's so special?" Tang Yu said.

"Indeed, nothing special." Zhen Yi put the photo back on the wall. Among the students, there were more intimate physical contacts than with Tang Yu.

"We've already received compensation, why kill him?"

Zhen Yi: "I remember you said all that money was for your parents' retirement, and now, it seems you're indeed acting accordingly, It seems like you're settling your affairs."

"The police didn't question me. So why are you suspecting me?" Tang Yu's face darkened completely. "With so much free time to investigate me, wouldn't it be better to worry more about your client, Song Yi? The trial hasn't even started, and the online attacks have already begun. Shouldn't you be putting more effort into helping her out of this predicament? What if Song Yi can't bear the rumors and..." Her anger escalated as she spoke, almost reproachful, "As a lawyer, have you protected your client well? Or is it that if they can't bear the burden and resort to suicide, you won't be too troubled?"

Zhen Yi didn't feel too uncomfortable, but being scolded in front of Yan Ge made her somewhat awkward.

Yan Ge collected the forms and said to Tang Yu, "No problem, thank you." His tone was so indifferent that it seemed like he hadn't heard the confrontation between the two women.

Tang Yu, becoming more polite, said, "You're welcome. Dr. Yan, please take care of Wu Zhe."

Zhen Yi and Yan Ge went downstairs.

Around 9 o'clock, the urban village was lively. Small vendors crowded the alleys, and unsupervised children were running around. A few kids, chasing each other, dashed past Zhen Yi's feet. Walking on the brick road in high heels, she swayed a bit.

The next second, her wrist was grabbed, a warm and powerful grip.

Yet, she still collided with him, her forehead brushing against his collar, and in an instant, her heart raced to her throat. She held her breath, looking up at him, her gaze blank.

He remained composed, letting go of her hand in an instant. However, the warm and slightly cool touch of his fingertips seemed to be imprinted on Zhen Yi's wrist, and her heart seemed stuck in her throat.

Blushing, she took a deep breath.

The two walked in silence for a while. He asked, "What are you thinking? Just now, you looked really happy."

"Oh, I just realized that Tang Yu was lying."