Li Weiyi and Zhang Jingchan arrived back in Chen City in the afternoon.

The two met with a criminal police officer at a café.

Officer Liu Xinhui was one of the investigators who had participated in Zhang Moyun’s case back then. He also had another identity—he was Ding Chenmo’s disciple.

Zhang Jingchan was a family member of the victim, and the case had been closed for many years, so Officer Liu had no reservations and answered every question.

On the evening of July 25, 2014, Zhang Moyun attended a drinking party that ended after 9 PM. He had drunk too much and didn’t go home. Instead, Liu Ying drove him to that small villa.

According to Liu Ying’s confession, whenever Zhang Moyun had certain needs, he would go there. Other executives in the company, including Xu Yi, all claimed they knew nothing about this.

The villa’s entrance security camera captured Liu Ying supporting Zhang Moyun as they entered the house. Looking back three months, the two had been there twice before, staying overnight each time and leaving early the next morning.

There was no surveillance inside the house, but the evidence at the scene and the autopsy results all matched Liu Ying’s confession: Zhang Moyun went to sleep as soon as he entered, and Liu Ying joined him after showering. At 1 AM, Zhang Moyun woke up and took an excessive amount of performance-enhancing drugs on his own. During their intimacy, Zhang Moyun, who already had minor heart problems, suffered sudden heart failure and died.

Only Zhang Moyun’s fingerprints were found on the medication and the water glass. Online purchase records showed his card was used.

Liu Ying immediately called 120, but it was already too late. The police arrived shortly after.

Zhang Jingchan and his mother saw Zhang Moyun at the morgue the next day.

……

Zhang Jingchan of this life had long known these details. But having just returned from 2014, hearing Officer Liu recount the details from back then gave him different insights.

“The surveillance, fingerprints, credit card records…” Zhang Jingchan said slowly, “These actually don’t rule out the possibility that my father was murdered, do they?”

Officer Liu nodded: “But there was also no evidence pointing to murder. Plus, the family refused an autopsy at the time and demanded a quick conclusion to the case. The matter also had a particularly bad influence, so the higher-ups… demanded it be suppressed. In the end, it naturally followed its course and was definitively concluded.”

Li Weiyi understood the meaning of “bad influence”—Zhang Moyun had been carrying massive debts at the time, involving several major banks and some businesses. His death was like dropping a bomb in the business world, which is why it was required to be handled discreetly.

“Was there really not a single suspicious point?” Zhang Jingchan asked.

Officer Liu looked at him with surprise.

There actually were suspicious points. But Officer Liu clearly remembered that back then, the teenage Zhang Jingchan had been full of hostility, following behind his mother. Both mother and son’s faces showed only shame and grief, without delving deeply into the case details.

When the family was like that, with pressure from leadership and his master’s unexpected death, and without conclusive evidence, Officer Liu, who was still a young officer at the time, swallowed down the doubts in his heart.

“Half a month before the incident, your father’s car nearly had an accident,” Officer Liu answered. “That day he was driving himself. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and crashed into the roadside barrier, suffering only minor injuries. When the car was sent to the shop for inspection, they found brake failure. But your father was too busy at the time and didn’t investigate further. Later, my master looked into this matter, but by then all evidence and traces were long gone.”

Zhang Jingchan frowned.

Li Weiyi’s heart trembled.

“How did Ding Chenmo die?” Zhang Jingchan asked.

Officer Liu’s expression became gloomy, with some reluctance: “That day there was heavy rain, the road surface was slippery, the car was going too fast, and it fell off a cliff.”

Zhang Jingchan: “Was it really like that?”

Officer Liu’s lips moved before he said: “My master was an extremely bold and meticulous person who never exceeded the speed limit. Unless that night, there was a reason he had no choice but to speed.”

As they parted, Officer Liu said: “President Zhang, I know you have suspicions, but after so many years, both witness and physical evidence are even more incomplete. This case appears ironclad. Overturning it is almost impossible.”

Zhang Jingchan nodded: “I’m not trying to overturn the case.”

“Then what are you trying to do?”

Zhang Jingchan didn’t speak.

Li Weiyi interjected quietly: “He wants to overturn heaven itself.”

Zhang Jingchan glanced at her, maintaining a faint smile as he saw Officer Liu off. His hand habitually rose to tap the back of her head, but stopped halfway.

Li Weiyi noticed too.

He lowered his hand.

Li Weiyi made a soft “tsk” sound, but her heart felt sour and uncomfortable.

As dusk fell, the two came to Zhang Moyun’s death location—the secluded small villa in the suburbs, situated in a very remote part of the residential area.

The two-story building had a rusty iron gate, with weeds growing wild in the small courtyard, everything in decay. Zhang Jingchan took out a key to open the door. Li Weiyi thought about it and understood—this had been an asset under his father’s name. Whether or not his father had known about it, he naturally could have a key.

Inside the house was dark and dilapidated, filled with thick dust and a putrid smell.

Zhang Jingchan said: “Should you stay outside?”

“Why?”

The key spun once between his fingers, then was stuffed back into his pocket as he said: “It’s too dirty inside.”

Li Weiyi made a “tsk” sound and said: “Children of the jianghu, who cares about such things!” She stepped through the door first.

Zhang Jingchan looked at her retreating figure and silently followed her in.

They indeed found nothing. Taking this trip, they hadn’t expected to uncover the truth anyway, but at least becoming familiar with the environment might help when they traveled back in time.

However, seeing Zhang Jingchan standing before the master bedroom bed, Li Weiyi wanted very much to comfort him but couldn’t find the words.

Yet Li Weiyi, the child of the jianghu, was quickly proven wrong.

In a corner of the pitch-black room, something darted past with a whoosh. Li Weiyi let out a shriek and hastily grabbed Zhang Jingchan. In the darkness, her sense of touch was infinitely magnified. His arm was warm, his bones firm. Her face collided with his coat, and he reached out to press her head against his chest. Li Weiyi’s heart gave a sudden thump, and the dizzy, trembling feeling she had when he kissed her instantly flooded her entire body.

A cat meowed.

Li Weiyi awkwardly released his arm and gently pushed against his chest. At the same time, she felt his five fingers slowly release the back of her head.

In the darkness, neither spoke again.

——

By the time they finished, it was already 9 PM. Zhang Jingchan said: “Let’s find a hotel to stay in and return to Xiang City early tomorrow morning.”

Li Weiyi: “So we’re not trying to go back tonight?”

“The first time was delayed by one day, the second time by six days. That person probably won’t appear today. Don’t overthink it, get some good rest.”

However, this location was remote, with only a few inns. The good hotels were all in the city center. Li Weiyi said: “Why don’t we just stay at an inn? Otherwise, we’ll hit morning rush hour leaving the city tomorrow.”

“Alright.”

The two found what seemed like a relatively clean inn in the nearby town and took two rooms.

The rooms were quite small, furnished very simply, and had no air conditioning. Li Weiyi quickly took a shower and was just about to wrap herself in the blanket and get into bed when someone knocked on the door.

“Who is it?”

“Me.”

Li Weiyi threw on her coat and opened the door. Zhang Jingchan had already removed his suit jacket and was wearing a black, soft-textured thin sweater. At first glance, he looked even more refined and fair. He was holding a blanket and said: “I got you an extra one. It’ll be cold in the middle of the night.”

“Thank you.” Li Weiyi was about to take it when he passed by her without changing expression, walked in, reached the bed, and shook out the blanket in a few movements, covering it over the quilt.

Li Weiyi had no choice but to follow him over and say again: “Thank you.”