The room fell silent.

 

Xu Yu had a bad feeling, looking at Brother Huang, trying to figure out his next step through eye contact.

 

Captain Zhang also waited for his reaction.

 

Brother Huang ran a hand through his hair and, in a steady voice devoid of any emotion, made the best decision for the moment: "Is He Chuan Zhou in the station right now?"

 

After receiving confirmation, Captain Zhang instructed, "Xu Yu, get someone to check Wang Yifei's phone records, and verify the surveillance footage to see if we can spot him time, place, clothing."

Only a day had passed, and He Chuan Zhou found herself once again listed as a suspect.

 

It was the same room as before, but the atmosphere and attitudes had completely shifted.

 

Brother Huang stared at his computer screen, his mind drifting as he rehearsed potential questions, none of which seemed quite right. Realizing he wasn't fit to play the bad cop, he nodded to Captain Zhang, signaling for him to take charge of the interrogation.

 

Captain Zhang initially thought the internal team might want to coax her gently, but seeing no such intention, he opened the folder and coldly called her name, "He Chuan Zhou."

 

He Chuan Zhou sat there, composed, her posture revealing no sign of panic. Her hands and legs were perfectly placed. She calmly turned her eyes to look at him, waiting for his next words.

 

Her gaze was clear, but Captain Zhang saw a hint of gravity in her seemingly casual demeanor.

 

Having worked together a few times, they weren’t close but had a fair understanding of each other. Captain Zhang didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "What’s your relationship with Wang Yifei?"

 

Even though she had a vague suspicion, hearing that name felt like a bucket of ice water was dumped on her head.

 

The moment the shoe dropped, the worry lodged in her chest exploded, an indescribable fear racing through her limbs. Outwardly, she maintained her calm, answering, "We're friends."

 

Captain Zhang's tone was meaningful, "Just friends? You reported him missing after just one day. Is that reasonable?"

 

"A very good friend. His father was in prison, and my father helped take care of him." He Chuan Zhou spoke frankly, "He’s like a family member to me."

 

Unimpressed, Captain Zhang lightly slapped the table, stating his view, "So you used him to help you commit murder."

 

His eyes were fixed on He Chuan Zhou's face, scrutinizing her every reaction.

 

She slightly lifted her chin, meeting his gaze without flinching. Despite sitting, she exuded an air of condescension.

 

He Chuan Zhou replied calmly, "If you want to talk, I'll cooperate as much as possible. But there's no need for such manipulative language. I don’t appreciate it."

 

"This isn't about what you like or dislike. Do you think we’d mention this name without reason?" Captain Zhang's tone hardened, "Without your guidance or suggestion, Wang Yifei had no motive to kill Han Songshan."

 

"Then the killer isn’t him," He Chuan Zhou declared firmly. "Wang Yifei wouldn’t kill anyone."

 

"What makes you say that?" Captain Zhang sneered, "Your subjective intuition?"

 

Provoked by his aggressive questioning, He Chuan Zhou's eyes narrowed, "Based on my experience and intuition as a detective! Wang Yifei couldn't kill someone and then appear before me without any sign of guilt. No normal person could do that."

 

Captain Zhang looked down at the file, his finger landing on a line of text, "We checked. Wang Yifei’s father, Wang Gaozhan, was a murderer who got out of prison last year. Wang Yifei grew up in a broken family, with no relatives willing to care for him, leading to an unstable environment."

 

Pretending to ponder seriously, he continued, "From my experience, kids raised in such environments tend to develop skewed mindsets. They usually have strong self-esteem, lack tolerance, and are easily unsettled. Moreover, according to his relatives, Wang Yifei was difficult to manage fighting, swearing, a real troublemaker. He ran off after high school with no stable job or social security. Who knows what kind of person he is now..."

 

His cutting remarks elicited the desired reaction—He Chuan Zhou’s usually serene face showed intense emotion.

 

Her eyes seemed to burn, not with anger at being exposed but with the fury of hearing an insult she couldn't tolerate.

 

If not for her professional restraint, she might have already retaliated.

 

"You helped him before. This time, you brought him back from D City to use your past relationship to get him to kill for you." Captain Zhang analyzed methodically. "Maybe you didn't intend to, but because Han Songshan incited Tao Ruiming to spread slanderous videos, disrupting your life, you vented to Wang Yifei. Out of gratitude to you and your father, Wang Yifei impulsively decided to kill."

 

The natural authority He Chuan Zhou carried now had a chilling edge as her attitude sharpened, warning, "This baseless speculation is pointless. I expected more sophisticated methods from the city’s elites. Why waste everyone’s time with such poor tactics? I’m very busy."

 

Captain Zhang responded, "Unfortunately, we have evidence."

 

He pulled out a piece of paper from under the files, holding it where He Chuan Zhou could see the drawing clearly.

 

"This is a sketch drawn by a witness. She saw Wang Yifei at the crime scene on the night of the 16th." He didn’t hold it up for long, quickly setting it down. "How long has Wang Yifei been away? About seven years? The witness only frequents the suburbs and school. If she hadn't really seen him, she couldn't describe his appearance."

 

He Chuan Zhou’s eyes darkened, her posture remained rigid, unmoving.

 

She stared at the table in front of her for a long time before persistently asking, "Have you verified her statement?"

 

Captain Zhang replied, "Do you think Jiang Pingxin has any reason to frame him? She probably hasn't even met him before, right?"

 

He Chuan Zhou felt her mind teetering between perfect clarity and total breakdown, unable to distinguish which. The more she spoke, the calmer she became, pulling a thread of logic from her chaotic thoughts to defend Wang Yifei, "I don't know what Jiang Pingxin said, but she didn't report anything on the day Han Songshan died. That means she didn't see the killer. Wang Yifei’s presence nearby doesn’t make him the murderer."

 

Captain Zhang slammed the table in anger, "What capacity are you in to make such a judgment? As a detective, I hope you don't let personal feelings cloud your professional integrity!"

 

His severe words and the loud thud left the room in a tense silence, even the sound of breathing felt confrontational.

 

He Chuan Zhou suddenly laughed, "Sitting across from you now, I'm not a detective. As a basic human being, can't I show trust in my friend?"

 

Brother Huang coughed to break the tension, trying to ease the atmosphere, "I know He Chuan Zhou well. From the time she joined, I've known her. Without bias, Wang Yifei's actions shouldn’t be connected to her. I don’t believe she would incite him to murder. But Wang Yifei came to City A and sought her out first, indicating a deep bond. He Chuan Zhou, think carefully. Is there any critical information you might have overlooked? Where might he be now?"

 

He Chuan Zhou repeated firmly, "Wang Yifei couldn't have committed murder. He lacks the ability and the motive. His father just got out of prison, and he’s eager to start a new life. Moreover, he doesn’t know Han Songshan, so how could he possibly be aware of Han Songshan’s whereabouts and lure him out in the middle of the night?"

 

Brother Huang spoke patiently, "You haven't seen him in a long time. Maybe he's changed more than you think. I understand it's hard for you emotionally, but the current evidence..."

 

Before he could finish, Xu Yu knocked and entered, nodding at them before handing over some documents. She avoided eye contact with He Chuan Zhou and quickly exited.

 

Captain Zhang skimmed through the documents, his expression growing serious. He pulled out his phone, typing in some key terms based on the information provided.

 

He Chuan Zhou asked, "What is it?"

 

Brother Huang was also absorbed in the documents and didn’t respond.

 

They seemed to be reading a long article until Brother Huang increased the volume, revealing it was a video. 

 

Brother Huang paused the video, then looked at He Chuan Zhou with an expression that suggested he had something difficult to say.

 

He Chuan Zhou frowned, feeling the suppressed panic inside her about to burst forth. She wanted to ask but held her tongue.

 

"Wang Yifei has confessed to being the murderer," Captain Zhang said, standing up and turning the phone toward He Chuan Zhou. His previously harsh expression softened, and his tone became gentler.

 

"The technicians found his Douyin and WeChat accounts. Take a look for yourself."

 

The screen dimmed.

 

He Chuan Zhou touched it, bringing the information into clearer view.

 

The account name was "Radiant Glory," with a personal bio that read: "A wanderer in the new era." He had over 600,000 followers and had posted hundreds of videos.

 

Most of the video thumbnails were real-life snapshots, indicating various cities and different seasons. Some were sketches.

 

Before He Xu passed away, Wang Yifei had been doing quite well academically, at least with a stronger foundation than Zhou Tuoxing. Unfortunately, after He Chuan Zhou went to university, he remained in A City, leading a muddled life.

 

He had never studied art professionally, considering it a hobby. He Chuan Zhou always thought he had talent but never imagined he would rely on illustrations to make a living. He used to say that when He Chuan Zhou became a boss, he would work as her secretary.

 

Captain Zhang stood to her right, his tall figure blocking the light from above. He lowered his gaze and reminded her, "You might want to check the second row, the video with the most likes."

 

He Chuan Zhou clicked on it.

 

Wang Yifei was probably sitting by a flower bed. The camera’s angle was tilted towards the road, capturing his black backpack on the ground and his outstretched legs. Different colored cars passed by, and amidst the bustling background, the long shadows of pedestrians moved slowly.

 

Despite the lively scene, Wang Yifei's careful tone brought a sense of loneliness.

 

He spoke with deliberate consideration, "I have a friend."