In Xiaotong Guan’s laboratory, forensic scientists are busy coming and going.
A few hours later, Chen Sheng came out with the report. Yuan Ye quickly stood up and heard Chen Sheng say with certainty, “You were right. The bottle of cardamom oil in Ruan Xiaodie’s room contains a large amount of cinnabar! You could almost say it’s cardamom oil made from cinnabar!”
Yuan Ye clapped his hands with his fist: “Finally, I solved a difficult problem.”
Gu Fangfei, who had been dragged by Yuan Ye from the restaurant to the Governor’s Mansion and then to Xiaotong Guan, finally understood. “Oh, so you were in such a hurry because you figured out how the Governor was poisoned?”
“Yes. The butler said that even if Ruan Xiaodie made something herself, there would be people watching, so how could she have put the poison in under everyone’s watch? Nail polish—how are we men supposed to know that women’s nail polish comes off so easily? Just a light rub with the fingertips, and the cinnabar sticks to the finger. Ruan Xiaodie took advantage of this. Whether it was cooking, pouring tea, serving dishes, or even lighting a cigarette and adding opium, all of these were methods of poisoning. Plus, as a pipa girl, her fingers are the most flexible, and if she covered them slightly, no one would notice.”
Gu Fangfei was very surprised by such a circuitous yet sophisticated killing method, but she changed her mind and thought, “But this only confirms the identity of Ruan Xiaodie as a murderer, which is useless for tracking her whereabouts.”
Chen Sheng was anxious to submit the report to the investigation team. After hearing Gu Fangfei’s question, he smiled and said, “Who said it’s useless? With this solid evidence, at least the case can be closed and everyone can rest!”
Yuan Ye sat on a bench nearby and rubbed his eyes. As soon as Chen Sheng left, he said to Gu Fangfei, “Thank goodness you gave me inspiration today. It seems that you are really my lucky star.”
Gu Fangfei didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “Anyway, I’m completely confused, but since I was able to help you, I’ll take credit for it.”
She looked at Yuan Ye’s face carefully, which made Yuan Ye a little surprised: “What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”
“No, I just think you are very attentive. The detective team is busy running around, but they are not as sharp-eyed as you.”
“En, I also think they’ve lost out without me.”
The two looked at each other and burst into laughter.
The two of them were rejoicing over the progress in the case, but they didn’t know that on the other side, the senior members of the investigation team who had received the latest report received the latest instructions when they handed the document over to the Military Control Commissioner.
In the Military Control Commissioner’s room, Yuan Sen’s face was as gloomy as mist, and the lights were not on. Only a little light came in through the window, making him look particularly creepy.
“Close the case immediately. The murderer is Ruan Xiaodie. Once that’s confirmed, we can seal the case and put an end to it.”
The unquestionable order made everyone nervous for a moment. The investigation team looked at each other in bewilderment: “This… Commander Duan was still out…”
He slammed the table hard, his voice as loud as a bell: “Just take advantage of him when he’s out! Stupid!”
“Yes, yes! I’ll do it right away!”
A group of people filed out, not daring to delay for a moment. In the darkness of the room, Yuan Sen stared at the golden hairpin on the desk with a fierce and vicious look.
Some things should stay in the dark and never see the light of day.
————
There is another incident that cannot be made public, but it happened to another person.
It was late at night again, Cong Lin was in the room. He quietly took a bath and sat upright on the bed, as if he was going to bed.
However, he just sat there and didn’t lie down until the door was pushed open.
Here it comes. He thought to himself.
Without waiting for the man to move, he removed his shirt first, knowing that if he didn’t, the torn fabric might cause abrasions on his skin later.
Sure enough, the man jumped onto the bed like a beast, grabbed his neck, opened his mouth, and bit Cong Lin’s shoulder, and blood spurted out.
You can’t get used to pain, but you can hone your endurance. At least now, Cong Lin can bite his lower lip tightly to prevent himself from making any sound.
Because he knew that more pain was yet to come.
In the past, he always felt like a pot of boiling water, the heat teasing every inch of his skin. It was still the same today, and the frequent collisions even made him lose his mind.
His waist and back were shaking violently, like a pulse, and his whole body was tense. Sometimes he felt like sitting on clouds, and sometimes he felt like falling into a frying pan, with heat and pain alternating.
Cong Lin knows every next step.
Blood will flow down his legs, the world in front of his eyes will begin to shake, he will sweat, his breathing will become rapid, and he will clutch the sheets under the bed tightly, until finally, he will feel the molten lava irrigating his body, and then he will escape from death.
He whispered, “Zhangzhou… finish it quickly…”
The result was that he was pressed to the ground, and the fragments cut him into various wounds. Then he felt a sharp pain, and his hair was pulled back, forcing him to lift his chin.
“Let… go…” He couldn’t even speak clearly.
As the voice ended, his ear was bitten hard. Cong Lin saw the small bamboo forest outside the half-open door. There were water droplets on the bamboo poles in the spring night, making the whole bamboo look wet, just like the two of them.
“Zhangzhou… hurt…”
The bamboo stems swayed violently in the wind, and droplets of water fell in clusters, moistening the soil and making it damp. However, the bamboo, now imbued with spirit, paid no attention to the land’s nourishment. It uprooted itself, pulling out a circle of soil, then plunged back in, burrowing deep into the ground and sending a shiver through the earth.
From the intense pain, a small bud emerged, and a faint sense of joy was forced out. Cong Lin’s head tilted first to the left, then to the right, unable to find any comfort, so he could only shiver. Yet, with each movement, he was compelled to open up further.
The bamboo outside the door stands strong and stubborn, its roots firmly embedded in the soil, trembling with excitement from their deep connection. The bamboo leaves rustle and quiver, performing a dance of passion.
Cong Lin couldn’t help but close his eyes. But the next moment, an unceremonious slap with a whistling murderous aura hit his face, waking him up violently!
Finally, panic set in, and his struggles grew more frantic. He even began to scratch at his chest with his nails. Of course, his arms were mercilessly twisted behind his back, causing him great pain. Then, a harsh slap landed on the other side of his face!
If his throat could make clear sounds like a normal person’s, then a shrill scream would definitely be heard at this moment.
The result of helplessness is compromise, and it is like this every time. Because in the face of overwhelming desire and rampaging bodies, he is a defeated general, and the only result is to be crushed into slag.
Resistance is futile, so he just closes his eyes.
When he opened his eyes again, it was already dawn.
The bright light made Cong Lin close his eyes. He was still the only one in the room, with no one else. The floor was a mess, and his body was covered with new wounds.
While he was cleaning up naked, he noticed a book had fallen off the bookshelf. It was a collection of poems by Bai Juyi, and he turned to one of the pages.
The flower is not a flower, the fog is not a fog.
It comes at midnight and leaves at dawn.
It comes like a spring dream and goes like morning clouds, nowhere to be found.
He forced a faint smile.
It was really appropriate ah.
