As soon as You Mingxu returned to Xiangcheng, she was buried in an avalanche of work.

The aftermath of this case involved extensive follow-up work that would take one or two months. With their unit understaffed, she had to help with many other cases too. For the first week, she pushed everything else to the back of her mind, barely able to catch her breath. By the time night fell and she could finally rest, she thought of Yin Feng, but checking the time, knew he would already be asleep.

You Mingxu wasn’t the clingy type; even when she was with Yu Yingjun, he was the one constantly pursuing her. So she didn’t send mushy messages either.

The current Yin Feng had a similar disposition.

By Saturday night, finally able to sleep in the next day, she realized a week had passed without any contact between them—Yin Feng hadn’t even sent her a single message.

Even bedridden, this wasn’t normal.

You Mingxu recalled his awkward behavior when she left Guizhou. She couldn’t figure out what was bothering him. After much thought, she wondered if it was guilt over Old Nine’s sacrifice, that made him reluctant to face her.

In the deep of night, You Mingxu leaned against her headboard, thought for a while, and smiled.

She decided to let him work it out himself.

“If you ever leave, I don’t know what I might do.”

That statement gave her peace of mind.

Two weeks later, You Mingxu’s workload finally lightened. With some free time, she decided to investigate a certain case.

A case from nineteen years ago, when she was eight years old.

After careful consideration, You Mingxu decided to first invite Ding Xiongwei for a drink. She had always known he was her mother’s former colleague.

After work that day, they entered a private room at a restaurant. You Mingxu handed the menu to Ding Xiongwei who, true to his assertive nature, didn’t hesitate to order several dishes. You Mingxu poured him some tea.

Ding Xiongwei drank a few sips naturally and said, “This one’s on me, consider it a reward.”

You Mingxu wasn’t one to argue about money and readily agreed, “Alright.”

Ding Xiongwei smiled and said, “What made you think to treat me to dinner? As they say, ‘When you get a wife, you forget your mother’—everyone in our unit’s like that.”

You Mingxu held her cup, speaking deliberately, “Even with a wife, I haven’t forgotten you. Haven’t bonded with you in a while, what’s wrong with having a meal?”

Ding Xiongwei said, “Out with it.”

You Mingxu smiled briefly before turning serious. “Old Ding, I want to know… about my mother.”

Ding Xiongwei took another sip of tea, showing no surprise.

You Mingxu had included everything Yin Chen said during her captivity in her report, without omitting a single detail. After submitting the report, there had been no response from above.

Ding Xiongwei sighed and asked, “What specifically do you want to know?”

You Mingxu said, “Her relationship with Xing Jifu and Yin Chen. And the serial case where she died in the line of duty.”

Ding Xiongwei said, “Aren’t you wondering why, if she had connections with those two criminals, she could still be a police officer, and why you could still be one?”

You Mingxu remained silent, her cold, clear eyes fixed on him.

Understanding her gaze, Ding Xiongwei smiled and nodded, his voice softening, “You’re right. Your mother didn’t do anything wrong. She was an excellent police officer, from beginning to end.”

You Mingxu’s heart instantly relaxed.

Ding Xiongwei fell into contemplation and said, “Actually, I only know the broad strokes of what happened back then. But this is the first I’ve heard about Yin Chen’s involvement.”

It had been many years ago.

At that time, Ding Xiongwei was barely in his twenties, a rookie officer like You Mingxu’s mother—Yu Ruixue. They were in the same unit and got along well.

Ding Xiongwei remembered that Yu Ruixue’s personality wasn’t as bold as You Mingxu’s. She was calm and gentle, but also clever, with the same inner pride as You Mingxu. Her appearance was even sweeter than You Mingxu’s.

Naturally, many at the bureau pursued such a female officer. Even Ding Xiongwei had considered it but didn’t dare. However, Yu Ruixue had high standards, politely refusing even the bureau’s most eligible bachelor—a handsome deputy team leader. So lesser mortals like Ding Xiongwei quietly gave up.

A team at the bureau began cracking down on local criminal activities. Back then, before Kaiyang Group existed, several criminal gangs had caught the police’s attention.

Yu Ruixue joined the task force.

Ding Xiongwei wasn’t part of it, so what happened after was all hearsay.

Reportedly, Yu Ruixue initially dated someone unrelated to the case—an American-educated scholar from a merchant family, refined and handsome. They had a good relationship.

Meanwhile, the bureau’s crackdown continued steadily.

Later, for a period, Ding Xiongwei occasionally noticed Yu Ruixue looking unwell. Once during a group dinner, she suddenly retched, looking terrible. Everyone exchanged glances.

A few days later, a superior called Yu Ruixue into the office. They talked for an hour before she emerged. The next day, she was transferred from the anti-gang task force back to regular criminal investigations.

Though there were various rumors at the time, it was already the ’90s, and people’s minds were more open. They gossiped a bit behind her back, but that was all.

Ding Xiongwei heard that Yu Ruixue’s boyfriend had urgent business in America, leaving her behind. Some said she was abandoned, others that she was deceived. But Ding Xiongwei, considering himself clear-eyed and impartial, had secretly observed that the visibly pregnant Yu Ruixue maintained a peaceful expression with light in her eyes. He concluded that she and her boyfriend were probably still together, likely delayed by something preventing his return.

Since Yu Ruixue was a goddess in the eyes of rookie officers like Ding Xiongwei, he naturally hoped for her happiness.

But even when Yu Ruixue took leave supposedly to give birth, that man never returned.

Ding Xiongwei didn’t see Yu Ruixue again until two years later.

At a small local police station.

He heard she had requested the transfer herself.

But when he saw her again, Ding Xiongwei found her unchanged. Despite being a top police academy graduate from a police family, transferred from the prestigious major crimes unit to an obscure station, she still appeared as quiet and gentle as ever, her pride contained within. Only her features seemed softened by new motherhood.

Ding Xiongwei exchanged a few words with her on official business, then heard her receive what seemed to be a call from home.