She had found a more outstanding, charming, and likable boyfriend. She believed she would surely fall madly in love with Cen Ye, sinking so deeply that she couldn’t extricate herself. There would be passion that ignited at a touch, romance, and the worldly satisfaction of achievement. Yet, even in the midst of infatuation, she would cling to the man’s body, enthralled and moved, savoring the taste of tobacco on his lips.
"Do you seem to like the smell of smoke?"
No.
She just liked that person.
She already had such a wonderful present, so why did she still think of those chaotic and entangled past memories?
Return to Tengcheng.
Either go back and sink into it again, or go back and make a clean break.
Miao Jing thought it over repeatedly, simulated it again and again, and hypothesized about the direction of the story. For this purpose, she specifically paid someone to look into his information—he was still in Tengcheng, with no marriage record.
Stepping off the train and onto the soil of Tengcheng, the familiar scent of the city and the humid heat instantly transported her back to those years of calm, numbness, and pain she had endured on this land.
Returning to her former home, prying open that door, Miao Jing had already envisioned every possible outcome.
Digging out her old belongings in her room, she held them tightly and wept for a long time.
"You're back?"
"Would you like some chicken soup? Let me serve you a bowl."
She smiled softly.
Chapter 42: The Train Leaves Tengcheng (End of Main Text)
Miao Jing called Bo Zai and asked him to come keep Chen Yi company. Chen Yi was staying in a single hospital room, and for safety reasons, he needed close supervision—someone had to be with him at all times.
Chen Yi had been moved from the ICU to a regular ward, and Miao Jing had been taking care of him personally. Now that Bo Zai was taking over, she gave a few instructions, picked up her bag decisively, and left without even a glance in Chen Yi’s direction.
Leaving just like that after sleeping with him?
Chen Yi lay lazily on the bed, his hospital gown casually fastened with just one button. Bo Zai glanced at him once, then again, suddenly nervous: "Yi Ge, was there an assassin?"
"Assassin your ass!"
The fruit knife stained with blood lay by the bed. He had several cuts on his body, the blood already dried into scabs. His hair was disheveled, his clothes messy—a rather disheveled sight, yet his eyes and demeanor exuded a sense of lazy satisfaction.
"Then what happened to these injuries?" Bo Zai had been questioned by Zhou Kang'an quite a bit lately and was starting to develop a bit of paranoia.
"It's nothing," Chen Yi brushed it off. "Just accidentally cut myself while eating an apple. Get me a couple of band-aids, that’s all."
The half-peeled apple on the bedside table lay completely untouched, without a single bite mark. When Bo Zai voiced his doubts again, Chen Yi shot him a glare, telling him to shut up and go sit in the corner to scroll through his phone.
Chen Yi didn’t have the energy to dwell on his injuries, the burned-down billiards hall, or Zhou Kang'an’s theories about revenge. What he couldn’t figure out was Miao Jing—Miao Jing had never known about his affairs, and he hadn’t breathed a word of it to her. Yet she had produced this recording, speculating about Zhai Fengmao and his dealings. What was she up to with all these tricks?
—
Miao Jing walked out of the hospital entrance, stood under a roadside tree for a long time, lost in thought, and eventually went to the police station to find Zhou Kang'an.
Her body language was polite and amiable, her red lips pressed tightly as she addressed him, "Officer Zhou." Before even exchanging pleasantries, she replayed the recording for him right there in the reception room.
She clearly meant business."Officer Zhou, I remember you've helped me several times before. When I couldn't reach Chen Yi and came to you to file a report, I still remember your response to this day. You said you had conducted investigations and visits, counseling me that everything was normal and nothing had happened. But hearing this recording, it's clear that you lied to me back then and concealed many things from me."
Her delicate face was serious and earnest, her voice calm and cool, slightly suppressing sharpness and accusation.
With such a straightforward conversation, Zhou Kang'an hadn't even figured out how to explain himself. His expression shifted from gentle to surprised, then to stammering and struggling for words, somewhat unable to grasp her meaning. He rubbed his hands: "Miao Jing... this matter..."
It was a long story, and it involved a sensitive case. Actually, everyone had their own difficulties, but this young woman—when she visited the hospital, she was still polite, looking quite pale and distressed. How could she have the foresight to record and eavesdrop? She wasn't an ordinary person either.
"This recording of yours..."
"I was just worried about Chen Yi. He refuses to tell me anything and never lets me know."
Miao Jing hadn't considered so many sensitive issues. The billiards hall arson case hadn't been solved yet, and she didn't plan to ask too many questions. After a moment of silence, she first bowed to Zhou Kang'an: "First, I want to thank you for your concern for me and for taking care of my brother all these years."
"You're too kind, not at all, not at all."
Actually, speaking of it, Zhou Kang'an was the one who knew best the relationship between these two siblings. In the past, Chen Yi's biggest worry was implicating Miao Jing. When she went to university, Chen Yi couldn't help but privately boast to Zhou Kang'an several times.
Miao Jing didn't waste words. After deep thought, she cautiously spoke: "Officer Zhou, I have a few questions. Would it be convenient to ask you? If they involve sensitive matters, you can simply answer yes or no."
"Go ahead and ask."
"Chen Yi isn't a public official, not a police officer. He holds no position at all, right, Officer Zhou?"
"Right."
"Will he be detained, arrested, prosecuted, or have his personal freedom and activity rights restricted because of certain actions up to now?"
"Of course not." Zhou Kang'an stated decisively, "We still need to thank him."
In fact, Chen Yi's billiards hall was his reward for being an informant. He made money from gambling on games, and as long as it wasn't excessive, Zhou Kang'an turned a blind eye to it.
"Then regarding the matters in Yunnan you mentioned, does Chen Yi still need to be involved? Or will he need to testify in court in the future?"
"Theoretically, no." Zhou Kang'an pondered, "This falls within our work scope..."
Miao Jing asked her final question: "Can he freely live the life he wants? Can he do anything he wants? Can he leave Tengcheng?"
Zhou Kang'an was taken aback: "Of course he can."
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