Even the slums had commercial buildings—older shopping malls with heavy foot traffic. The second person, Shao Yuansheng, had rented a storefront on the first floor of such a mall. It was farther from Zhao Feier’s home but still within a few kilometers.
Shao Yuansheng ran a pet shop and was a half-baked veterinarian. Without a professional license, he was essentially a barefoot doctor.
When You Mingxu and Yin Feng pushed open the door to the pet shop, several dogs inside immediately started barking. You Mingxu first scanned the environment: the floor was somewhat dirty, and pet cages were stacked against the wall, crammed together in various sizes. Rows of shelves were nailed to the walls, filled with pet food and supplies of all brands.
Yin Feng crouched down to look at the dogs, leaving everything to You Mingxu since he had nothing to do anyway.
The two shared a tacit understanding. You Mingxu ignored him and took a few steps inside. At the very back was a desk, and a tall, thin man in a white coat stood up from behind the cluttered surface. "Welcome, how can I help you?"
Shao Yuansheng had a sharp, weasel-like face, wore glasses, and smiled ingratiatingly. In the brief moment they made eye contact, his narrow eyes swept over You Mingxu, unable to hide his admiration.
The gaze was quite unpleasant. You Mingxu’s expression turned cold, and she instinctively glanced back. Yin Feng was still fully engrossed in playing with the dogs. Good—otherwise, someone might have gotten sulky again.
Shao Yuansheng was a suspect not only because he fit some of the profile’s conditions but also because of his record: he had been involved in a dispute after sexually harassing a female neighbor. However, the matter was settled privately after they went to the police station. Now, seeing him in person, it was clear he was indeed untrustworthy.
You Mingxu had no time for small talk with anyone and opted for a direct approach to probe him. She flashed her police badge, and Shao Yuansheng’s expression immediately changed, the lecherous look vanishing entirely.
"What’s this about?" he asked warily.
You Mingxu simply stated it was for assistance in an investigation and that she had a few questions. He reluctantly nodded.
"Where were you last night?"
Shao Yuansheng paused. "Last night... I was at home."
"The whole time?"
"The whole time."
"Did you go anywhere else?"
"No!"
"What did you do?"
"What could I do? Slept."
"Was anyone else at home with you?"
"No! Of course not!"
You Mingxu observed his serious expression and asked, "Do you own a car?"
"Yes."
"What kind?"
"A Buick Excelle."
"What color?"
"Black."
"When did you buy it?"
"...Two years ago."
The more questions she asked, the worse Shao Yuansheng’s expression became. Finally, after finishing her notes, You Mingxu took out the fingerprinting kit. Shao Yuansheng’s face changed again. "What are you doing?"
Her tone was calm. "Just taking your fingerprints. Standard procedure, nothing serious."
By then, Yin Feng had finished interacting with the dogs and stood by You Mingxu’s side. Seeing how frightened Shao Yuansheng was, he suppressed a smile.
But Shao Yuansheng refused, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Officer, what have I done wrong that you need to take my fingerprints? This isn’t appropriate, is it? Do you have an arrest warrant? Any documentation? If not, isn’t this a violation of my rights? I won’t do it."
You Mingxu looked at him for a moment, then put her things away. "Fine. But I have the authority to ask a citizen to come to the station for up to 24 hours to assist in an investigation. Pack your things and let’s go."Shao Yuansheng’s expression darkened further as he muttered a string of curses under his breath. You Mingxu had no time to waste on him any longer. She called one of Han Feng’s subordinates to take Shao Yuansheng away for a thorough interrogation, then continued with Yin Feng to search for the third person.
The night had deepened, approaching midnight. You Mingxu drove, navigating through the cramped, dirty, and chaotic streets of the old city with Yin Feng.
Yin Feng said, “A Xu, Shao Yuansheng is lying. He wasn’t at home last night.”
You Mingxu nodded. “I noticed that too. Do you think he could be the one?”
Yin Feng thought for a moment and replied, “A Criminal Psychological Profile only provides a more likely inference, not an absolute one. So, a few inconsistencies in his behavior don’t completely rule him out. From our conversation just now, it’s clear he’s hiding something. My expertise in psychology and imagination is for bold hypotheses; your investigative skills are for careful verification. Whether he’s guilty or not is up to you to decide.”
You Mingxu, who had been weighed down by her thoughts, smiled at his words, feeling a bit lighter.
“Are you saying… we make a good team?” she asked.
He didn’t respond.
She glanced over and saw that his face had turned red, and he was staring at her. You Mingxu silently scolded herself for being so careless—knowing he was already emotionally invested, why did she have to tease him?
“If A Xu thinks we’re a good match, then we are. If A Xu doesn’t think so, as a man, I’ll keep trying,” he said.
You Mingxu hadn’t expected him to say something like that, and her heart skipped a beat. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel, not letting any emotion show on her face.
The vegetable market was already empty and pitch-dark. The ground was littered with muddy water and vegetable scraps, and the air carried the cold night breeze mixed with the stench of rotting produce and fish.
The third person, Fu Wenxiu, had a rather refined name but was a fishmonger. He lived in a single-story house behind the market, where many vendors resided.
Passing through the market, they reached the row of single-story houses. You Mingxu scanned the area—the only surveillance camera in the entire market was at the entrance, and it looked old.
Fu Wenxiu’s home was in a low, small house with tightly shut doors and windows. A faint light glowed inside, accompanied by muffled sounds.
You Mingxu approached the door and pressed her ear against it. Yin Feng, seeing this, did the same. Their eyes met silently in the darkness.
The surroundings were cold and eerily quiet, devoid of any signs of life, and no backup had arrived yet. It was just the two of them, possibly facing a criminal hiding inside. They had been in such situations countless times before. You Mingxu remained focused, her eyes filled with vigilance. Yin Feng, however, suddenly realized how much he cherished this feeling. Despite the exhaustion, hunger, and constant danger—even a life of hardship and uncertainty—he and she were inseparable. They relied on each other, trusted each other, and moved in perfect sync. No matter what kind of villain or peril they faced, she would always hold his hand, and he, in turn, could gently embrace her from behind in moments of silence or when she was sad, without her pushing him away.
You in me, and I in you.
Every moment, day and night.
As these thoughts crossed Yin Feng’s mind, his eyes grew moist. You Mingxu, who was intently listening, suddenly noticed the person in front of her gazing at her with Bambi-like admiration. Startled, she reached out and silently tapped his head, frowning to signal him to focus. Had his mind wandered off again?Yin Feng obediently lowered his head, revealing only a ruggedly masculine and sturdy nape.
You Mingxu had no time to indulge his lingering thoughts. Her eyes suddenly snapped wide open.
Because the low, muffled "scrape-scrape" sound she heard was all too familiar—it sounded like the grinding of a knife.
Yin Feng heard it too, instantly returning to normal. His eyes clear as water, he whispered, "Sharpening a knife in the dead of night. How thrilling."
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