On a drizzly autumn evening, the southern city of Nanming still clung to the stubborn, lingering heat of summer. Combined with the falling rain, the air turned stiflingly muggy. The roadside food stalls didn’t pack up despite the weather. Instead, the owners ordered their staff to prop up rain canopies.
“Fix the one over by table five in the back. Don’t let the rain spray in if the wind picks up.”
“Got it.”
Xiang Ling stood on a stool, securing the canopy with clips before hopping down. She casually wiped her footprint off the stool with her hand and tucked the chair back under the table.
She glanced at her coworker, who was busy with the charcoal. It looked like she’d have to handle the rest herself. Grabbing another canopy and a chair from under table five, she climbed up to start again.
“Xiao Xiang, finish up and come help me skewer the meat.”
Hearing the instruction from behind, Xiang Ling called out an affirmation. Suddenly, her body plummeted. Before she could brace herself, she slammed into the ground.
Aside from the sound of the fall, she didn’t make a peep. She looked at her right elbow. The skin had been scraped against the rough asphalt, leaving a raw, bloody patch.
It hurt, but it wasn’t unbearable.
Brushing the dirt off her clothes, she stood up. It turned out the chair had broken. The stall’s furniture was old. Not only was it rusted, but the screws had rattled loose, causing the whole thing to fall apart.
“You okay?” the boss asked, turning around at the noise.
“I’m fine. Just the chair broke,” Xiang Ling replied, gathering the wreckage and setting it aside.
“If it’s broken, it’s broken. If you’re okay, get over here and skewer the meat!”
Xiang Ling turned on the tap. She pulled up her right sleeve and rinsed the wound with cold water. She gave it a cursory wipe with a paper towel and went to help the boss.
Because of the rain, there was only one table of customers. They were a group finishing off a few plates of meat and beer. Hearing the rustle of the canopy being lifted behind her, she said mechanically, “Welcome!”
“Hello, we are…”
Xiang Ling didn’t look up to greet them. She kept her head down, her hands covered in marinade as she threaded meat onto bamboo skewers with practiced speed. She didn’t really listen to what the newcomers were saying until, a moment later, she heard her own name. Turning around, she saw a man and a woman standing before her.
The woman flashed an ID. “I’m Officer Yu. I have a few questions for you.”
Sensing that something might have happened, Xiang Ling said, “Let me wash my hands.” She turned on the tap, scrubbing the marinade off. Seeing that her elbow was still oozing blood, she gave it another quick rinse.
The three of them moved to the edge of the stall to talk.
Yu Shi took out her phone and showed Xiang Ling a photo. “Do you know him?”
Xiang Ling glanced at it. It was a subordinate of Tu Dou named Zhang Hao. “I know him. That’s Zhang Hao. He comes here for barbecue often.”
Yu Shi put the phone away and continued, “Do you remember last Saturday, September 9th? Between 8:00 and 10:00 PM, was Zhang Hao here eating barbecue?”
Xiang Ling figured Zhang Hao must have landed himself in some trouble. She remembered that night. Tu Dou and several others had been there, but Zhang Hao hadn’t arrived until they were halfway through. He had looked a bit disheveled.
“Yes. He came with the others.”
Yu Shi’s brow furrowed imperceptibly. “Was he here the whole time? From eight to ten, the full two hours?” She caught a flicker of doubt on the girl’s face, but it vanished instantly, making her wonder if she’d imagined it.
Xiang Ling looked Yu Shi straight in the eye and answered firmly, “Yes. He arrived around seven-thirty or eight and stayed until they all left at ten. I don’t know what happened, but if you need me to go to the station for a statement or testify in court, I can.”
Yu Shi sighed inwardly. This was going to be difficult. Just as she thanked her and turned to leave, she caught sight of the blood on the girl’s elbow. She pulled a Band-Aid from her pocket. It was something she always carried. She tore it open and, under Xiang Ling’s surprised gaze, pressed it onto the wound. Because the scrape was large, she applied several.
“By the way, if you remember anything else, call me. This is my number.” Yu Shi handed her a small slip of paper and left with her partner.
Watching the sky show no sign of clearing, Yu Shi let out a frustrated sigh. Her partner, Li Yu, asked, “Is Zhang Hao really not the killer? That guy Tu Dou and this stall worker both confirmed his alibi.”
“Li Yu, humans are creatures that lie. I suspect this Xiang Ling has a close relationship with Tu Dou. It’s entirely possible they coordinated their stories to clear Zhang Hao.” She glanced back at the hazy silhouette behind the rain canopy. “For the sake of the Band-Aids I gave her, I hope she tells me the truth. Regardless, we need to keep an eye on her.”
Xiang Ling watched the two blurred figures outside. A deep look crossed her eyes. She’d need to find Tu Dou later to get the details. Once the two officers left, she tucked Yu Shi’s note into her pocket as the boss called her to settle a bill.
As the night deepened, the streets emptied. The last customers left as the rain finally stopped. By the time the stall was packed up, it was nearly 2:00 AM. Xiang Ling said goodbye to the boss, shouldered her backpack, and pedaled her bicycle home.
She lived in a very old apartment building on a secluded street. As she rounded the corner, she saw a yellow luxury car parked in front of her building from a distance. The headlights were on, and a man was sitting on the hood. When he saw her, he stood up. Xiang Ling slowed down and stopped beside the car.
“Working this late?” Tu Dou asked. Hands in his pockets, he glanced at the cluster of Band-Aids on her elbow.
“It rained. The customers stayed late.” Noticing his gaze fixed on her injury, she added, “I tripped. It’s nothing.”
Tu Dou nodded. He didn’t hide his reason for coming. “Did the police come to the stall in the last day or two?”
“They came today. Asking about Zhang Hao.” Seeing that Tu Dou wasn’t surprised, Xiang Ling realized he already knew. “I told them he was with you guys during that time.”
Tu Dou bit his lip. “I should have told you earlier. If the police ask, you should say you don’t know anything.”
“You’d better tell me what kind of mess Zhang Hao got himself into first.”
Tu Dou rubbed his temples and leaned back against the car. “He screwed up big time. Remember Hao’s girlfriend?”
Xiang Ling thought back. Zhang Hao had brought a girl to the stall once. She recalled that she was a student from the nearby university. She was quiet, sweet-looking, and a complete mismatch for someone like Zhang Hao.
Tu Dou continued frustratedly, “Her father has a history of domestic abuse. Hao caught him in the act. He went after the guy when he was alone and… took him out. He didn’t clean up the aftermath properly.”
“Is he brainless? He could get the death penalty for that!” Though Xiang Ling had braced herself, she hadn’t expected it to be this severe.
“That’s why I gave him an alibi. I didn’t want to involve you, but I’ve been so busy with his mess these past few days. I didn’t have time to find you.”
Xiang Ling put on a look of grievance. “What now? If the police find evidence that Zhang Hao is the killer, you and I could both end up in prison for perjury.”
“There’s still time to fix it. When the police officially invite you to the station for a statement, just say there were too many customers that night, and you can’t recall if Zhang Hao was there or not. Just stick to ‘I’m not sure’. This has nothing to do with you. I’ll handle the rest.” Tu Dou had known Xiang Ling for years and genuinely didn’t want to drag her down.
Deep down, he knew she wasn’t like them.
“Don’t worry. Given Zhang Hao’s motive, I’ll help you…” Xiang Ling’s voice trailed off, her eyes dimming as if something was weighing on her.
Tu Dou noticed, of course. He said casually, “Anyway, stay out of our business. Take care of yourself first…” He pointed at her elbow.
Xiang Ling glanced down and said seriously, “This really has nothing to do with that. I fell while standing on a chair today. The chair was old. The screws came loose, so it fell apart. See? These are the Band-Aids the lady cop gave me.”
“Just stay out of it. If the police come again, you don’t remember anything.”
Tu Dou turned around. He reached through his open car window and pulled out a bag. “For you.”
Xiang Ling saw the brand name on the bag. “Mine still works. I’m in no rush to replace it. Besides, I have money to buy my own.” She didn’t reach for it.
“I already bought it. If you don’t want it, throw it away. I’m leaving. Take care of yourself, and call me if you need anything.”
Tu Dou hung the bag on her handlebars and got into the car. The engine roared, loud enough to wake the neighborhood. He sped off until only his red taillights remained in the dark.
Xiang Ling looked at the bag and let out a helpless smile.
…
A few days passed, and Zhang Hao’s case remained at a standstill. There wasn’t enough evidence to get a search warrant. Based on motive alone, Zhang Hao was the perfect suspect. But with a solid alibi, the police were stuck.
Yu Shi figured that since Tu Dou was dead-set on claiming Zhang Hao was with him, the only breakthrough was the stall worker, Xiang Ling.
She visited the barbecue stall twice in two days. But the boss said Xiang Ling was on sick leave. Yu Shi got her address, intending to find her in person.
Following the address, Yu Shi surveyed the neighborhood. It was filthy and cluttered. The buildings were ancient, looking as if they might collapse at any moment. Because of the poor location, it wasn’t even on developers’ radars.
As Yu Shi and Li Yu pulled up outside Xiang Ling’s apartment, they saw her walking out wearing a gray jacket.
“Li Yu, wait here. I’ll talk to her myself.” Yu Shi opened the car door.
Li Yu started to say something, but the sound of the door slamming cut him off. He sighed as he watched her cross the street. Yu Shi was his senior, but only by two years. Yet her style was that of a ten-year veteran. She’s sometimes a bit too independent. Standing next to that stall worker, she didn’t even look much older than the girl.
“Hi!” Yu Shi gave a polite smile.
Xiang Ling, who had been expressionless, didn’t return the smile when she saw the officer. She just said coldly, “I don’t recall calling you.”
“You didn’t, but I still have some things I’d like to ask you. In more detail…”
There was a sharp glint in Yu Shi’s eyes. She was sure the girl understood her intent.
“If it’s the same questions, my answers are the same.” Xiang Ling didn’t linger. She simply kept walking.
Not deterred, Yu Shi waved for Li Yu to stay put and caught up to Xiang Ling in a few strides. As they walked side by side, she asked an unexpected question: “Why haven’t you been at work these past two days?”
Xiang Ling blinked, surprised by the change in topic, but quickly recovered. “I was sick, so I took leave.”
“You look much better now. Are you going in today?”
Yu Shi pointedly checked the girl’s right elbow. The wound had scabbed over. The Band-Aids had clearly been tossed during a shower that first night.
“Yes.” Xiang Ling’s answers were clipped. She clearly wasn’t interested in chatting.
“Why are you protecting Zhang Hao?” Yu Shi’s sudden pivot to the core issue made Xiang Ling stop in her tracks.
An inexplicable surge of anger rose in Xiang Ling. Her face went cold as she shot back, “Why are you so determined to catch Zhang Hao?”
Yu Shi opened her hands, her expression solemn. “It’s simple. Because he killed a man, and my job is to arrest criminals.”
“Since you’re so sure he’s the killer, you must know the motive.” Xiang Ling stepped closer, her voice devoid of warmth. “Knowing the motive, what right does that man have to make people go to prison for him, or make people run around trying to find the ‘truth’ of his death?”
It was a heavy question. Many people in this world did terrible things, yet lived more comfortably than others. They could laugh in the sunlight and flourish in a crowd. As long as there was no evidence, they weren’t criminals.
Yet many buried grievances and truths were waiting to be excavated. In every corner of human existence, some had done nothing wrong but lived more miserably than the villains.
“Being human. That is his right.”
No matter what he had done, his life shouldn’t have been taken at a whim, nor should he be buried in the dark earth for insects to gnaw at and plants to drain of his last bits of nourishment.
Xiang Ling let out a cold laugh and turned to walk away.
It happened suddenly. Before she could react, a speeding bicycle slammed into her. Xiang Ling fell hard on her backside, and the cyclist wiped out, too. But the rider scrambled up immediately, muttered a quick “Sorry,” and pedaled away.
By the time Yu Shi snapped out of her shock, the perpetrator was gone, though she recognized the uniform of a nearby high school. “That brat! Didn’t even check on her. Just wait until I find you at your school!”
She saw Xiang Ling still sitting on the ground and moved to help her up. Xiang Ling angrily brushed her hand away and stood up with difficulty, leaning against a wall.
Yu Shi assumed it was just a minor tumble. At most, some bruising or a scrape. But when she saw beads of sweat forming on the girl’s forehead and her face turning several shades paler, she rushed to check on her. “Did that bike give you internal injuries?”
“I’m fine. You can go. Asking me again won’t change anything.” Xiang Ling leaned against the wall, her breathing ragged as a sharp pain flared in her abdomen.
Yu Shi could tell something was wrong. Ignoring Xiang Ling’s protests, she grabbed the girl’s arm and dragged her toward the car.
Li Yu, who hadn’t taken his eyes off them, panicked when he saw Yu Shi hauling the girl over. He worried his partner was about to resort to some “enhanced interrogation”.
Xiang Ling was too weak from the abdominal pain to resist. Despite being a woman, the officer had incredible strength, hauling her into the back seat and squeezing in beside her.
“Li Yu, don’t look.” Li Yu didn’t know what his partner was doing, but sensing her foul mood, he squeezed his eyes shut.
When Xiang Ling realized the officer was reaching for her clothes, she grabbed them tight, stammering, “What are you doing? We aren’t that close. Don’t touch my clothes…”
Li Yu froze. He desperately wanted to look but feared a beatdown from Yu Shi later, so he settled for listening intently.
Despite the struggle, Yu Shi lifted the shirt. When she saw the massive, purplish-red hematoma on Xiang Ling’s abdomen, she didn’t ask questions. She pulled the shirt back down, forced Xiang Ling to buckle her seatbelt, and slapped the back of Li Yu’s seat. “Li Yu, hospital. Now.”
“Huh? Oh… right!” Li Yu hit the gas, heading for the nearest hospital.
“Turns out you’re more delicate than you look. A simple bike hit can cause a bruise like that? You need a doctor.”
Yu Shi looked straight ahead, ignoring Xiang Ling’s alternatingly pale and flushed face. She couldn’t tell if the girl was in pain or just fuming.
“Then go back and arrest the kid who hit me. I wouldn’t want the ‘truth’ to be buried,” Xiang Ling spat, wishing she had the courage to jump out of the car. If a cop could just snatch people without a warrant, she’d be filing a formal complaint the moment this was over.
“Ye Feiyang from Yiyang High School. I’ll get him later.” Yu Shi’s eyesight was excellent. Despite the initial shock, she had caught the name tag on the boy’s uniform.
Xiang Ling rolled her eyes. The die was cast. She was being abducted to the hospital. She had no way out. The woman next to her was clearly trained to restrain her the moment she made a move.
Trapped, Xiang Ling was flanked by the two officers and forced to see a doctor. After the examination, the doctor scribbled a prescription in flowing script.
“Pay the bill, please. I didn’t ask to come here,” Xiang Ling said, grabbing the script and heading for the exit.
“Li Yu, go pay. I’ll pay you back,” Yu Shi instructed. She stayed in the consulting room and asked the female doctor in gold-rimmed glasses, “Doctor, how did she get those injuries?”
“During the exam, I found several similar bruises on her body. Most are in places covered by clothing. Some are almost healed, others are recent. The abdominal injury, based on the color, happened a couple of days ago. Normally, a bicycle collision wouldn’t be this severe…”
Li Yu paid the bill, but Xiang Ling left without a backward glance. Yu Shi hadn’t told him to detain her. She had no legal grounds to keep her there anyway. Shortly after the girl left, Yu Shi walked out of the consulting room.
“What were you talking to the doctor about for so long?” Li Yu handed Yu Shi the receipt as they walked to the parking lot.
“Nothing. Let’s head back. See if Forensics has anything new.” Yu Shi tucked the receipt away, looking thoughtful.
As soon as they returned to the station, Yu Shi was called into the captain’s office. “We received a complaint call today. Guess who it’s about?” Captain Gao sipped his coffee casually, his tone unreadable.
“Me, I assume.” Yu Shi hadn’t expected the girl to actually do it.
“Complaining about harassment and abduction.” Captain Gao rested his face in his hand, watching Yu Shi’s stoic expression.
“Captain, it wasn’t abduction. She was injured. I was being a good citizen by taking her to the hospital.” Yu Shi felt wronged. Was being taken to the doctor considered kidnapping now?
“She said she didn’t want to go. You used force to take her. Therefore, abduction.”
“Force? At most, I used… internal power? No, wait, what am I saying… Regardless, that’s not abduction.” Yu Shi was speechless.
“The party was unwilling. You used coercion. That is abduction. To be precise, it’s kidnapping. It’s on the record now.” Captain Gao sat with his arms crossed, looking stern. He was a meticulous captain who never shielded his subordinates from their mistakes.
“Tch.” Yu Shi walked out of the office, annoyed.
She pulled the hospital receipt from her pocket. It felt like an eyesore now, so she threw it into her drawer and slammed it shut. But the doctor’s words kept echoing in her mind.
Seeing Yu Shi dazed, Li Yu forwarded a message he’d just received. Yu Shi pulled out her phone and saw an address and a time.
Li Yu said, “It’s for Zhou Chengxin’s funeral.”
“Right. We’ll go together…”
Zhou Chengxin was the father of Zhou Jiaqian, the victim in their case.
The crime scene was located in a suburban area that wasn’t particularly remote. The body was buried not far from a walking trail. If the first discoverer hadn’t changed their dog-walking route that day, the body might not have been found so early. Coincidentally, the surveillance cameras in that area were under maintenance, so no useful footage was captured.
Based on the wound analysis, the murder weapon was a military dagger with a serrated spine. The fatal wound was a stab from the back into the heart area, killing the victim instantly. The murder weapon was not found at the scene. Due to continuous rain over the past few days, any remaining traces at the burial site had been completely washed away. With insufficient evidence, they couldn’t apply for a search warrant for Zhang Hao’s residence, causing the investigation to stall.
Should she continue to seek out Xiang Ling? But the other party seemed like they would keep filing complaints against her. Complaints would be recorded and could affect future promotions. Moreover, given the other party’s resolute attitude, she likely wouldn’t get any different answers even if she kept asking.
She had a suspicion in her mind. Perhaps that was the reason Xiang Ling wasn’t telling the truth. For now, she hadn’t figured out a way to make the other party reveal the truth.
Soon, the day of Zhou Chengxin’s funeral arrived. Yu Shi and a few team members, dressed in black and white, prepared to attend the memorial service. Just as they stepped out of the police station, an idea suddenly popped into her mind. Although not particularly reliable, if luck was on their side, it might just lead to a breakthrough in the case. Without further ado, she told her team members to go ahead first and that she would catch up later.
Yu Shi arrived at the building where Xiang Ling lived. She parked her car. She knew which floor Xiang Ling was on. The old apartment building had no elevator and was eight stories high. She confirmed that Xiang Ling lived on the fourth floor.
As Yu Shi reached the third floor, she heard a man shouting from the fourth floor. Before she could make out what he was saying, there was the sound of someone tumbling down the stairs. She rushed up two steps at a time and found Xiang Ling curled up at the turn of the staircase.
“What the hell, who did this?” Yu Shi glanced at the spot where Xiang Ling had fallen. A man shot her an extremely disgusted look before slamming the door shut with force.
Xiang Ling, focusing on the painful parts of her body, sat up. Fortunately, the stairs weren’t too high, or she might have been seriously injured. With Yu Shi’s help, she stood up.
“What happened? Was that your dad? Did he push you?” Yu Shi fired off three questions in a row, while also checking the other person for injuries and brushing the dust off her clothes.
“Why are you here again? Didn’t the complaint satisfy you? Want me to make another call?” Xiang Ling shot back with three questions of her own, ignoring the other person and heading downstairs. She just wanted to get away from this awful place as soon as possible.
“Are you really okay? Maybe you should go to the hospital for a check-up. I’ll take you. Falling down the stairs is no joke.” Yu Shi, concerned, tried to support Xiang Ling but was subtly avoided.
Xiang Ling didn’t want to get too involved with this person. For now, they weren’t on the same side, and their relationship wasn’t close enough for small talk. “I can walk and jump around. I don’t look hurt, so don’t worry about it.”
“You’re smart enough to know why I’m here again.”
Not insisting on helping, Yu Shi observed the other’s gait. She seemed genuinely fine. There would likely be some bruises from the fall, but nothing serious.
Xiang Ling pressed her lips into a thin line and said nothing.
“Could you come with me somewhere?” Yu Shi ventured to ask. Seeing the other person remain silent, neither agreeing nor refusing, she added, “If nothing unexpected happens after we go, we likely won’t ever see each other again.”
Xiang Ling stopped in her tracks. That last sentence sounded quite appealing. Yu Shi reached out and tugged at the corner of her clothes, pointing toward her car parked not far away. Then, like a dog following its owner, Xiang Ling was led over.
What kind of comparison was that?! Xiang Ling smacked her forehead, trying to shake off the strange thought. This gesture happened to be caught by Yu Shi, who pressed the remote control. The car emitted an unlocking sound. Without any forceful words or actions, Yu Shi simply got into the car on her own. Xiang Ling, of course, didn’t miss the other’s half-smiling expression. She rolled her eyes and got into the passenger seat.
On the way to the funeral, Yu Shi noticed that Xiang Ling’s white jacket was dirty. It was likely from tumbling down the stairs earlier. While waiting at a red light, she rummaged through the back seat and pulled out a black jacket, handing it to Xiang Ling to change into.
Xiang Ling stared blankly at the black jacket in her hands before tossing it back into the back seat. It was only after Yu Shi mentioned they were heading to a funeral that she retrieved the black jacket again.
She didn’t ask whose funeral it was. She wasn’t foolish enough to need everything spelled out. At a time like this, a little thought made it clear: Yu Shi wouldn’t bring her to the funeral of someone unrelated.
Yu Shi swallowed hard and brought up the earlier incident again: “About what happened earlier… do you need me to help you handle it?”
“No,” Xiang Ling replied, gazing out the window as the scenery sped past.
Yu Shi wondered how long Xiang Ling had been living like this, and how much longer she could endure it. She wanted to pull her out of it, but it was clear Xiang Ling had no interest in her lifeline. Yu Shi wasn’t one to meddle in others’ affairs. But if she didn’t intervene, there was no telling what might happen to the other person.
Without the testimony of a domestic violence victim, the perpetrator would never face punishment.
The car arrived at their destination. Yu Shi led Xiang Ling out of the car and into the funeral hall. Small groups of people stood around, speaking in hushed tones, their faces etched with grief. Suddenly, a heart-wrenching wail shattered the quiet murmurings. The two looked toward the source of the sound: the deceased’s family members stood beside the coffin, weeping uncontrollably.
“The older one is Zhou Chengxin’s wife. The one next to her is his daughter, Zhang Hao’s girlfriend,” Yu Shi whispered. Spotting her partner in the distance about to approach, she subtly waved a hand, signaling them to stay back.
Xiang Ling watched the two grief-stricken women. She knew their emotions weren’t feigned. They were genuinely mourning Zhou Chengxin’s death. All the things he had once done to them, mother and daughter, suddenly seemed insignificant in the face of death, as if they had never happened at all. A sense of disgust, indescribable and unsettling, welled up inside her. It felt as though someone had dug out the festering flesh hidden in her wounds and laid it bare for all to see.
Throughout it all, Yu Shi observed every shift in Xiang Ling’s emotions. She seemed to be holding something back, her expression grim. Before Yu Shi could suggest leaving, Xiang Ling turned away and started walking off on her own. Yu Shi hurried after her, catching up beside the car.
“Leaving already?” Yu Shi asked, feigning ignorance.
Xiang Ling knocked on the car window and said, “Unlock it. I need to get my jacket.”
Ignoring her, Yu Shi asked, “Don’t you have anything you want to ask me?”
“No.” Yes, she had questions, but she thought it was better not to ask.
Seeing that the other still had no intention of unlocking the door to let her retrieve her jacket, Xiang Ling took off the black jacket that didn’t belong to her and stuffed it into the other’s arms. She decided to leave her own behind as well. She quickly walked out of the parking lot.
Yu Shi had initially thought the other would really just walk away like that. But then Xiang Ling suddenly turned sideways and asked, “Why were they sad?”
Yu Shi couldn’t make out the look in the other’s eyes. She had already anticipated this question and replied, “Because there was still love left in their hearts.”
Xiang Ling didn’t know if she had heard the answer she wanted, but at least her question had been answered.
After Xiang Ling turned away, Yu Shi suddenly snapped back to reality and hurriedly asked, “Was Zhang Hao there that night?”
After a long pause, the other finally replied, “No.”
Later, Yu Shi naturally didn’t use Xiang Ling’s testimony, because Zhang Hao had turned himself in at the police station with the murder weapon. It was his first time killing someone. He was filled with panic and guilt, unable to bear living in fear every day, so he confessed his crime.
Tu Dou, for providing false testimony and intentionally covering up Zhang Hao’s criminal actions, was sentenced to six months of detention.
Author’s Note:
The story takes place in a fictional world, with some knowledge and regulations referencing reality, but also being fabricated. Please don’t take it too seriously, dear readers. Of course, if there are any professionals, feel free to share your expertise.
This story is fully drafted. The pacing of the investigation is fast, while the romance develops slowly, but there are plenty of subtle, sweet moments hidden throughout. Feel free to look for them.
My writing isn’t the best, but I’ve put a lot of heart into it. If you enjoy it, please leave a trace so I know someone is reading. If you’re not satisfied, please be gentle. I’m begging for mercy from harsh criticism.
If you enjoy my works and would like to support me, you can buy me a coffee on Ko-fi. Thank you for your support.
