You Mingxu suddenly recalled something Yin Feng had once said:
It always feels like there's someone there, watching me, staring at me, threatening me...
Like a dark cloud, constantly chasing after me...
She walked back to the guesthouse entrance, stubbed out her cigarette butt on the trash can lid, her face wearing only a cold smile.
What, coming for her now?
She was afraid it wouldn't come. If it didn't, how could she uncover the demons and monsters around Yin Feng?
She made up her mind—once the current case was resolved, she would thoroughly investigate Yin Feng's past.
If there was filth, she would sweep it clean for him.
You Mingxu arrived at Yin Feng's room door and had only knocked twice when it swung open.
You Mingxu's brow twitched slightly.
The room's air conditioning was on. Yin Feng wore only a black undershirt and black trousers. Ignoring his face, from the neck down, every line of his physique was sharply defined. Broad shoulders, firm yet well-proportioned chest muscles, a narrow waist, tapering down to the firm, perky buttocks she had grown accustomed to. His bare feet in slippers exuded a mature masculinity.
You Mingxu's gaze returned to his face, unsurprisingly met with a radiant, bunny-like smile. Instantly losing her appetite, she walked straight in without glancing sideways.
Chen Feng and their family chef were also there. Somehow they had dragged in a long table laden with dishes. The chef was a handsome middle-aged man, properly dressed in a tall white hat and white uniform, as if a Michelin executive chef had descended upon the shabby guesthouse.
Over-the-top, utterly over-the-top, You Mingxu thought. She needed to find an opportunity to correct the flamboyant habits left by Chen Feng and Yin Feng's past self—they couldn't be allowed to corrupt Yin Feng.
Seeing her enter, Chen Feng immediately retreated with the chef. Yin Feng took You Mingxu's hand and led her toward the bed. "I want to show you something."
But You Mingxu looked up at the window—empty—and asked, "Did you notice anything suspicious just now?"
Yin Feng was taken aback, then mimicked her, gazing out the window.
They stood quietly like that for a while before You Mingxu asked curiously, "What are you looking at now?"
He replied, "I don't know."
A vein twitched at You Mingxu's temple. For some reason, she found herself lately prone to small emotional fluctuations around Yin Feng, easily irritated.
She composed herself and changed the subject. "What did you want to show me earlier?"
He pointed.
Beside the bed was a new 20-inch black suitcase, inside—crammed with one of his wooden mannequins. The doll's joints were flexible, and the one he had placed inside had a build similar to the victim's. But being made of wood, it was somewhat stiff; forcibly stuffed in, nearly half of it remained outside.
You Mingxu asked, "What are you doing with this?"
Yin Feng crouched down, his butt slightly raised, staring at the suitcase with profound seriousness. "Imitating his behavior, speculating on his psychology.""
You Mingxu felt her irritation flare up again. Just as she was about to stand, he grabbed her hand. "A Xu, do me a favor."
"What?"
"Try lying in it."
You Mingxu was silent for a moment, then tilted her chin in indication. Having been her subordinate for days, Yin Feng had grown quicker on the uptake; he immediately removed the wooden doll. You Mingxu climbed into the suitcase, finding it extremely cramped. Recalling the victim's photos, she imitated the posture and lay down. Though flexible, she wasn't short; after much contorting, her lower legs still stuck out.
"This is the best I can do," she said.The woman lay curled up in a small box in a surrendering posture, looking up at him with clear, bright eyes and a soft voice.
Yin Feng had initially been resting his chin on his hand, observing her body posture, but as he watched longer, his focus unconsciously drifted. His gaze lingered on her well-defined jawline, then moved to her chest, waist, and legs. For some inexplicable reason, his throat felt slightly dry.
He wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do, but his body had already moved on its own. Both hands pressed against the edges of the box as he leaned down to look at her.
You Mingxu looked back at him.
With Yin Feng backlit, his powerfully built masculine frame loomed over her, easily trapping her within the circle of his arms. He wasn't smiling, and at this moment he didn't seem foolish at all—his eyes were clear and focused, as if examining something of utmost importance.
"A Xu..." he murmured, "you look so small like this."
You Mingxu's throat also felt somewhat dry. For a fleeting moment, a sense of déjà vu and impulse surged through her heart. Yes, just as he said, she had never appeared so low, so small before him, trapped between his arms...
What the hell am I thinking?
Almost simultaneously, she noticed from her peripheral vision that Yin Feng's fingers gripping the box edge tightened slightly.
You Mingxu lifted her leg and planted her foot squarely on his handsome face. Even though his eyes and nose were being stepped on, his mouth curved into a smile. No one knew what he found so amusing.
That restless, irritable feeling surged through You Mingxu again, so she delivered another kick, sending him stumbling aside, then climbed out of the box.
From behind her, she heard him ask: "What did I do wrong to deserve being kicked?" His voice remained calm and measured.
You Mingxu coldly replied: "I kick when I feel like it. Do I need a reason?"
He was silent for a moment before responding, "Oh."
When she turned to look, she saw him rubbing his nose and shoulder, both hands busy as he hung his head with a somewhat wronged expression. You Mingxu felt satisfied internally, thinking: Yes, this is how he should be. How dare he exude that masculine aggressiveness earlier—utterly unacceptable. He must be restored to his original form.
Just then, You Mingxu's phone rang—a video call from an unknown number. Seeing it was from the United States, she quickly smoothed her hair and adjusted her clothing before answering.
A woman in her fifties with graying hair appeared on the screen. This was likely Ding Xiongwei's "old classmate," the renowned criminal psychologist Fan Shuhua. Professor Fan had kind features but carried an air of sharp intelligence in her eyes and demeanor, immediately earning You Mingxu's respect.
"Hello, Xiao You. I'm your Captain Ding's classmate, Fan Shuhua."
"Hello, Professor Fan!"
Professor Fan seemed to study her through the screen for a moment before showing an approving smile. "You look like a capable young woman. I might be overstepping by involving myself in the case you're currently investigating, but Xiongwei showed me the materials, and I found it quite interesting. So I'd like to offer some thoughts for your reference."
You Mingxu said: "You're too modest, Professor Fan. It's my good fortune to receive your guidance."
Professor Fan's smile deepened as she nodded and said: "Based on the currently available evidence, we can create a preliminary criminal psychological profile of the perpetrator:"He is between 25 and 40 years old, a local residing within a 5-kilometer radius of the two victims. Coming from a humble background, he has a low level of education and modest financial means. He works as a craftsman in a trade requiring manual skills, such as a veterinarian, butcher, carpenter, blacksmith, or hospital orderly.
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