DF Chapter 24
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Zhen Yi was as generous as ever. “When this case is over, I’ll buy you some fancy clothes, okay?” she said, blowing a kiss to Yang Zi through the mirror.
Yang Zi playfully puckered her lips. “How are things going lately? The news says it’s turning into a criminal case. More and more people are starting to suspect Song Yi.”
“What’s Song Yi up to in the news?” Zhen Yi asked, her voice muffled as she applied a bold red lipstick in front of the mirror.
“She’s calmly shooting her scenes downtown. Looks like she’s got nothing to hide.”
“Uh-huh.” Zhen Yi had advised Song Yi to stay calm and keep working, saying it was all about maintaining morale.
Yang Zi tugged at her hair. “I’ve heard rumors that she’s not as innocent as she seems. People are saying she introduced Tang Shang to escorting and had some shady relationship with Lin Ziyi.”
Zhen Yi wasn’t really listening as she struggled with her bra, trying to create cleavage. After a while, she sighed. “Even with shaping underwear, I still can’t get a line.” She glanced over at Yang Zi’s chest, eyeing her like a dog eyeing a juicy bun. “Ah Zi, give me some of your meat, will you?”
Yang Zi burst out laughing, taking a moment to eye Zhen Yi in return.
Dressed in a sleek black-and-white fitted dress, with a tidy and elegant updo and a small black hat, Zhen Yi looked impeccable. Normally a bit of a mess in private, she was like a polished diamond when fully dressed, dazzling and flawless—like a mannequin in a top-tier boutique display.
Yang Zi secretly envied Zhen Yi’s natural sense of fashion. It wasn’t something you could learn from a book, and she had no idea where to even begin.
“Yi, you’re dressed way over the top today. Who are you trying to seduce?”
Zhen Yi’s heart skipped a beat, but she laughed. “Nah, I’m always tacky and low-class.” Despite her words, her heart fluttered slightly.
Fully dressed, Zhen Yi stood by the roadside, waiting for Yan Ge to pick her up. His car pulled up, and, as usual, he got out to open the door for her—a gentleman through and through. But he didn’t glance at her for even a second longer, despite her extra effort to look stunning today. Maybe he didn’t even notice. She wasn’t sure, but in his mind, she was always colorful and full of life.
Even if he didn’t appreciate it, Zhen Yi wasn’t discouraged. After all, she was dressing for herself, to feel good. It was never about dressing to please others—certainly not just for men. She believed women should dress for their own enjoyment.
Tang Yu lived in a migrant worker’s village. After spending money on a lawsuit, she had sold her mortgaged apartment and moved here, where the living conditions had dropped significantly. Once they reached the outskirts, the car couldn’t go any further. Zhen Yi and Yan Ge walked the rest of the way. The narrow streets were crowded, and the old buildings leaned together. Lines of laundry crisscrossed overhead, turning the sky into a patchwork of small irregular squares, with women’s bras and men’s underwear fluttering in the wind.
As a breakfast cart selling fried snacks passed by, Zhen Yi stepped aside and lightly brushed against Yan Ge.
He glanced down at her. Today, she was undeniably dazzling. While the morning bustle of the slums filled the air, she strode along in her high heels, walking as if on a runway, radiant and shining. He was reminded of a painting—of a graceful ballerina standing tall amidst ruins.
He wasn’t blind; he could appreciate the scene.
She caught him watching and grinned, teasing him with a playful glint in her eyes. “Beautiful, huh?”
He remained calm. “Do you always dress like this for work?”
“Doctor Yan, are you complimenting me?” she asked, deflecting with a bigger smile.
“Are you flirting with me?”
“In your dreams.” Zhen Yi raised her eyebrow and strutted ahead, chin up.
Yan Ge’s expression remained composed, but a faint softness flashed in his eyes.
“Thanks for letting me tag along,” Zhen Yi said, turning her head occasionally. “You arranged this meeting with Tang Yu to gather background information on Wu Zhe’s family. That’s the only reason she’s cooperating. If I said I was here for an investigation, she would’ve avoided me. She’s pretty intense, unlike Tang Shang.” She paused, her voice lowering slightly, “In some ways, though, they’re quite similar.”
Yan Ge followed behind her. “Do law firms usually have in-house therapists?”
“Yeah, our boss is one. He’s quite good.”
“Have you ever consulted him?”
“I’m doing just fine. Why would I need therapy?” Her tone was defensive, clearly uncomfortable with the topic.
Yan Ge didn’t push further.
They soon found Tang Yu’s place, a small room in a seven-story building with numerous cramped units. The stairwell was thick with the smell of cooking. Tang Yu’s room was a tiny studio, with a rice cooker, a simple wardrobe, and a bed all crammed together. It wasn’t clear where the 3 million she’d gotten had gone.
Tang Yu had only expected Yan Ge, so she was surprised to see Zhen Yi.
She had to leave for work at 9:30, so there wasn’t much time for pleasantries. Yan Ge held a form and began asking for information about Wu Zhe’s family—where his parents lived and their contact information.
“Why are you still living here?” Zhen Yi asked casually.
Tang Yu’s expression darkened. “Is the money Tang Shang died for supposed to be for my enjoyment?”
Zhen Yi looked around. The room was small and crowded but meticulously tidy. There were several blooming potted flowers on the windowsill, stuffed toys under the bed, and a framed photo of Tang Shang on the nightstand. The walls were covered with various photos of Tang Yu with different people, arms around each other.
It wasn’t strange, considering Tang Yu worked as a fitness coach at a gym in K City.
“I remember your work schedule—every other day, and you get off at 10:30 PM. That sounds exhausting,” Zhen Yi commented offhandedly.
“Yeah.”
“Today’s an even-numbered day. Hmm, the day of the murder was a Saturday, also an even-numbered day. You finished work at 10:30, but Lin Ziyi was dead by 11, two hours away by car.” The silence was thick, but Zhen Yi didn’t need to look back. “It seems you took the day off, so you weren’t at the gym.”
Tang Yu’s voice turned cold. “I was sick and resting at home. Neighbors saw me.”
“You must’ve taken the leave in the evening. The people who saw you earlier wouldn’t be able to confirm your alibi for later.” Zhen Yi stared at the wall of photos for a long time, her fingers slowly plucking one photo off the wall. She turned around, holding it up. “I’ve met this man before. Suo Lei, the manager at Ecstasy.”
In the photo, both Tang Yu and Suo Lei were dressed in workout clothes, standing shoulder to shoulder near a treadmill. “He’s one of your trainees?”
“So what?”
“Nothing strange about that.” Zhen Yi put the photo back on the wall, noticing others with even more intimate contact between Tang Yu and her trainees.
“We’ve already received compensation. What would be the point of killing him?”
“I remember you saying that the money was for your parents’ retirement. It seems you’re sticking to that promise, almost like you’re preparing for something final.”
“The police haven’t questioned me. What are you even suspicious of?” Tang Yu’s face turned dark. “If you’ve got so much time to investigate me, why not worry about your client, Song Yi? The trial hasn’t even started, and the internet’s already tearing her apart. Shouldn’t you be focusing on getting her out of trouble? What if she can’t take the pressure and…?” Her voice rose with anger, nearly shouting. “As her lawyer, have you done your job protecting your client? Or do you only care once they’re dead, like Tang Shang?”
Zhen Yi didn’t feel uncomfortable, though the fact that Tang Yu had shouted at her in front of Yan Ge was slightly embarrassing.
Yan Ge calmly tucked the forms away and said to Tang Yu, “That’s all we needed. Thank you.” His tone was so calm that it was as if he hadn’t even heard the argument. Tang Yu’s attitude softened. “It’s nothing. Wu Zhe was a friend of mine too, but I didn’t know he’d been sent to a psychiatric hospital.”
Zhen Yi and Yan Ge made their way back downstairs.
It was just past 9 AM, and the migrant village was buzzing with activity. Small vendors filled the alleyways, and unattended children ran wild. A group of kids darted past Zhen Yi, nearly knocking her over as she teetered on her high heels along the uneven brick path.
In the next moment, a warm hand grabbed her wrist, strong and steady.
But she still ended up stumbling into him, her forehead brushing against his collar. For a fleeting moment, her heart raced up into her throat. She held her breath, looking up at him, her gaze unfocused and unsure.