This was a spacious, clean warehouse, not far from the guesthouse where Yin Feng lived. Yin Feng had no idea where Chen Feng had found such a place. In fact, the more time he spent with Chen Feng, the more he sensed the extraordinary capabilities of his assistant. Not only did Chen Feng attend to him meticulously and thoughtfully, ensuring his comfort, but he also handled high-level relationships with the police department, publishing houses, and film companies on his behalf. Moreover, Chen Feng seemed to possess some mysterious methods, always delivering the results Yin Feng wanted without delving too much into the reasons.
Additionally, Chen Feng was fiercely loyal. Yin Feng had occasionally checked the accounts of his company in secret and found no issues whatsoever. Chen Feng was clean and devoted entirely to him.
Now, Chen Feng and he were sitting on crates in the warehouse, facing five individuals Chen Feng had gathered for him.
Yin Feng glanced at them one by one, his tone dripping with disdain: "Is this all?"
Chen Feng, ever the epitome of an elite—appearing even more refined and intellectual than his master—adjusted his glasses and said, "Teacher Yin, they've all been with you for many years. They're very reliable."
Yin Feng remained silent.
They were all familiar faces, people who had been under his nose since his "rebirth":
The driver, perpetually silent yet undeniably formidable, tall and robust. Just from his appearance, Yin Feng could sense that his self-control wasn't strong, yet he remained dutifully in his role as a driver.
The gardener, whom Yin Feng had only seen two or three times. But the first time Yin Feng laid eyes on the Van Gogh-inspired floral arrangement in the garden and observed the gardener's gaunt, gloomy features, he knew this man carried many untold stories.
Then there was the elderly servant at home, whose body language and subtle mannerisms bore the indelible marks of a prison past. To outsiders, he appeared as a simple, cheerful old man who spent his days tending to plants.
Even the illustrator and his favorite chef were among them. Both were gentle, good-looking young men. But standing alongside the others now, they too seemed to take on a certain collective aura.
Yin Feng turned to Chen Feng and said, "Did I used to specialize in taking in psychologically troubled individuals? Stuffing them everywhere?"
Perhaps caught off guard by his remark, the five of them looked at Chen Feng. Chen Feng merely smiled and said, "No, they're all people you've saved at some point, which is why they're so devoted to you. Isn't that true for me as well? I even attempted over ten different ways to die—do you see me slacking off now? In the past, there were many things you wanted to do but couldn't handle directly, so you entrusted them to these people. You can still rely on them in the future."
The five of them simply smiled, the air growing quiet. Yin Feng's heart suddenly felt heavy, a vague and indescribable sensation. It was somewhat irritating, yet something seemed to tempt him—a familiar feeling of indulging in recklessness. And he didn't dislike it.
After a moment's thought, he said, "Alright then, I need to find someone. I have his Criminal Psychological Profile. If you can locate him, I'll believe you're reliable and useful."
Meanwhile, You Mingxu and the others had plunged headfirst into the case, investigating along traditional lines. The Criminal Psychological Profile provided by Yin Feng and Fan Shuhua was only treated as a reference. And by "reference," it meant they'd glance at it, treat it with some seriousness, and then set it aside.The detectives couldn't spare anyone else to investigate this lead, so Yin Feng decided to look into it himself. Now he had finally managed to assemble a "team."
As Yin Feng stepped out of the warehouse, his phone rang. He immediately stopped in his tracks, and the six subordinates behind him halted as well. Yin Feng quickly turned around and made a shushing gesture before answering, "Hey, A Xu."
"Have you eaten?" You Mingxu seemed to be in a noisy environment; Yin Feng could almost smell the bustling atmosphere around her.
He replied instantly, "Not yet."
Her voice carried a hint of laughter, "Come over. I'll send you the address. I just found a great place to eat."
After hanging up, Yin Feng strode to the car and got in, with the driver quickly following suit. Chen Feng and the others remained standing where they were, watching him drive away.
The gardener lifted his eyelids and asked, "Still going strong?"
The illustrator smiled and said, "Yeah, and she's actually a policewoman."
The old servant remarked, "When will he ever return to normal? To think he's gone this crazy."
Chen Feng said calmly, "Focus on carrying out Teacher Yin's tasks. And don't ever try sending women to his bed again. At least for now, he and You Mingxu are serious. If you keep messing around, when will Teacher Yin ever get what he wants?"
—
Huai City presented a very typical small-town atmosphere. If you ventured just a little deeper into the city, you'd be surrounded by the vibrancy of everyday life. Yin Feng's Bentley turned into a narrow street lined with shops and bustling crowds. Arriving at the restaurant You Mingxu had mentioned, Yin Feng glanced up at the sign: "Zhou's Cured Pork Knuckle Hot Pot." He had no idea what kind of dish it was, but if You Mingxu had chosen it, it must be good—even if the storefront looked a bit shabby and dirty.
The driver said, "Teacher Yin, it's hard to park here. I'll go find a—"
Yin Feng waved him off, "No need. You can go. Hurry and find the person I asked for. After dinner, A Xu and I will walk back."
The usually stern driver smiled at this and drove off as instructed.
The small, rundown restaurant turned out to have three floors inside. Yin Feng climbed a few flights of shabby, somewhat unsanitary-looking stairs to reach the private rooms upstairs. He found the room You Mingxu had mentioned, pushed the door open, and saw her sitting by the window smoking. The room had white tiled walls and an old wooden table covered with a disposable plastic tablecloth. A steaming hot pot sat on the table, emitting a unique aroma.
You Mingxu only glanced at him, her phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, and continued blowing smoke rings.
It was a small round table that could seat four. Yin Feng walked over and sat down beside her, then—like an agile puppy—snatched the cigarette from her hand and tossed it into the ashtray.
You Mingxu shot him a glare.
He said, "Even if the case isn't solved, you can't smoke nonstop. Be careful or you'll end up with yellow teeth."
You Mingxu shuddered at the thought and finally gave up on smoking. She asked, "Where did you run off to this morning? Your room was empty first thing."
Yin Feng answered matter-of-factly, "I went to investigate the case."
You Mingxu watched as Teacher Yin, who had once never lifted a finger for household chores, now expertly picked up the teapot to rinse their disposable tableware for both of them after having eaten with her at small restaurants several times. He then took out the disposable chopsticks, smoothed out the rough edges, rinsed them with hot water, and placed them in front of her.
She let him take care of her without protest. Soon, all the dishes were served. She said, "Han Feng recommended this place. I've been wanting to try it for a while. Let's see how it is. He's always reliable, though."Yin Feng lowered his head, picked up a morsel with his chopsticks, and said nothing.
You Mingxu asked, "How's your investigation going on your end?"
Yin Feng replied, "The population density in that area is too high, with even more transient residents. No leads for now."
You Mingxu nodded—that was to be expected. Which was why she always felt criminal psychology sounded straightforward in theory but proved difficult to apply practically.
She took a bite. The rich aroma instantly filled her senses, the texture perfectly tender. On this gradually chilling day, the steaming cured meat warmed her right down to the core.
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