Long Yunxiao wheeled Yan Qing to a white, ornately carved door. It was not locked, and swung open at a light push.

As the door opened, the acrid smell of formalin hit them immediately.

Many people know that formalin is a preservative, but few know what it is actually made of. In construction, formaldehyde contamination is a frequent concern — and formalin is simply a diluted aqueous solution of formaldehyde.

Yan Qing had grown accustomed to the smell of formalin from her years in the laboratory, and felt no discomfort from it. But when she saw the enormous glass container inside the room, she still instinctively furrowed her brow.

The glass container was filled with formalin, and inside it floated a body — a woman, slender in build, with fine, delicate features. A cascade of long dark hair drifted around her in the liquid. The prolonged immersion had altered her coloring and caused her skin to shrivel; it was very difficult now to make out what she had looked like in life.

Long Yunxiao came to stand before the glass tank and gazed quietly at the female corpse, his eyes heavy with unreadable depths.

“The paintings along the corridor were created by this woman, weren’t they?” Yan Qing asked softly.

Long Yunxiao looked over at her. “How did you know?”

“Look at her right hand — the fingers and palm are somewhat roughened, the result of prolonged use of a particular tool, while her left hand remains quite smooth. And on the joints of her index and middle fingers, there are traces of color that have accumulated over many years — too deep to be washed out. This tells us the deceased engaged in work involving pigments during her lifetime. Combined with the paintings on Mr. Long’s walls, the connection is not difficult to draw.”

“Miss Yan is quite right. Her name was Shu Banxue — an unrecognized painter.”

“Shu Banxue — what a refined name.”

“Then Miss Yan might as well guess at the nature of our relationship.”

“Given her age, she cannot have been Mr. Long’s mother. And Mr. Long has only one younger brother — no sisters. That leaves only one possibility: she was Mr. Long’s former lover.”

Long Yunxiao nodded. “Can Miss Yan determine the cause of death?”

“There are no visible external injuries on the body. To determine the cause of death, an autopsy would be necessary.”

“I thought Miss Yan could deduce the cause of death from a single glance.”

“Mr. Long, you overestimate me. I am only a person. In circumstances such as these, I cannot offer you any reliable opinion.”

Long Yunxiao was silent for a moment.

“If Mr. Long has doubts about the manner of Miss Shu’s death, why not file a report with the military police headquarters?”

“I don’t trust them.”

“Mr. Long would do well to remember — I am also affiliated with the military police headquarters.”

“You are only a forensic consultant, without official rank. Strictly speaking, you are not one of them.”

“Does that distinction matter?”

Long Yunxiao said: “I will not hand Banxue’s body over to others — to let them casually cut her open and put her on display. She was a meticulous and reserved person in life. Being exposed to so many eyes would cause her distress and anxiety.”

“But in order to determine the cause of Miss Shu’s death, an autopsy is the only way.” Yan Qing said with gravity: “Mr. Long, you may not be fully familiar with the field of forensic medicine. For those of us in this profession, even when a victim’s throat has been cut and the cause of death is apparent, we are still required to perform an autopsy for the sake of rigor. A responsible forensic examiner will never simply look at the surface of a body and guarantee a cause of death — because there are far too many uncertain factors that can be concealed beneath the surface.”

Long Yunxiao stared heavily at the glass vessel and said nothing.

“A body is the only voice the deceased still has in this world. However, if Mr. Long refuses to consent to an autopsy, there is nothing I can do to help.” Yan Qing raised her wrist and glanced at her watch. “Am I free to leave now?”

At that moment, a commotion broke out outside. A man in black hurried in and murmured a few words in Long Yunxiao’s ear.

“I understand.” Long Yunxiao said: “I’ll go out now.”

Yan Qing looked up at him with a small smile. “The people who came to collect me have arrived?”

“Director Shi’s devotion to Miss Yan is truly deep. You have barely been away a moment, and he has already lost his patience.”

Yan Qing pressed her lips together in a quiet smile. “Mr. Long, I do have one word of advice for you.”

“Advice?”

“Has Mr. Long been experiencing loss of appetite, blurred vision, or trembling in your hands recently?”

Long Yunxiao started. “How did Miss Yan know?”

“Mr. Long is surely aware that formalin solution is toxic. When it evaporates and is inhaled, it causes chronic poisoning. I’ve noticed that Mr. Long occasionally sounds hoarse and is prone to coughing — these are all signs of formaldehyde poisoning. If Mr. Long continues to disregard this, it won’t be long before you can go and keep Miss Shu company.”

Yan Qing glanced at her watch again. “Another minute has already passed. I imagine his patience is wearing thin.”

Long Yunxiao pushed Yan Qing’s wheelchair out through the door, and came face to face with a standoff: two forces squared off against each other outside — black-clad men on one side, uniformed military police on the other, both sides positioned just a few meters apart, coiled and ready.

“Director Shi brings quite the entourage. Does he fear I’ve eaten Miss Yan?” Long Yunxiao quirked the corner of his mouth.

Yan Qing saw Shi Ting and felt a surge of relief. He stood there — perfectly upright, his presence commanding and absolute, like a general commanding ten thousand men.

Shi Ting saw Yan Qing in the same instant. His expression darkened, and he strode forward on long legs.

The black-clad men before him moved to stop him — but his air of authority made them involuntarily fall back two steps.

He walked directly to Yan Qing and bent down, lifting her from the wheelchair into his arms. He took two steps, then suddenly slowed to a halt and spoke in a low, measured voice: “If Mr. Long has need of my future wife’s assistance, I ask that he notify me first. This time I can speak to Mr. Long civilly. But the next time — what speaks for me may not be so courteous. I trust Mr. Long takes my meaning.”

Long Yunxiao knew he had crossed a line with Shi Ting this time — but for Banxue’s sake, he had no regrets.

Shi Ting carried Yan Qing to the car. One of the officers brought the wheelchair and secured it. The military police contingent came and went in haste, and within moments had disappeared entirely from view.

“I’m all right.” Yan Qing said reassuringly. “He only asked me for help with something.”

Shi Ting wrapped his arms around her and pressed a light kiss to her forehead. He knew Long Yunxiao would not dare do anything to Yan Qing — but Long Yunxiao’s forceful method of bringing her here still made him furious. As repayment, he would make sure Long Yunxiao received a lesson — one that would teach him some things are not done without consequences.

“Help with what?”

“Long Yunxiao has a body preserved in formalin in his basement. Her name was Shu Banxue — an unrecognized painter. He says she was his former lover.”

“He keeps a body submerged in formalin?” Shi Ting frowned.

“He didn’t explain the full circumstances, but he suspects Miss Shu’s death was not straightforward.”

“Then why not report it to the military police headquarters?”

“He doesn’t want Miss Shu’s body put on display. He feels that would be a desecration.”

“So you’ve agreed to help him?”

Yan Qing shook her head. “He doesn’t seem willing to authorize an autopsy. Even if I wanted to help, he might not cooperate. He believes this is a way of respecting Shu Banxue — but those who die wrongful deaths need justice. The only voice they have left in this world is their body.”

“Then there’s no need to help him. He doesn’t deserve your help.”

Yan Qing looked at him with a laugh. “Why do you sound sour about it?”

“Do I? Not at all.”

“If you say so. But this Long Yunxiao — he’s quite devoted, isn’t he? Who would have thought that someone with such wealth and standing, such a commanding figure in the underworld, could still be capable of…” The rest of Yan Qing’s words were cut off. A sudden warmth pressed against her mouth — his lips.

She immediately turned to look at the driver, Old Zhao, and shoved at the mountain of a man before her with considerable force: “What are you doing? We’re still in the car!”

Shi Ting leaned against the side of the car, one arm braced beside her, a slight furrow between his brows — looking, rather convincingly, a little put out. “Is this Long Yunxiao really so admirable?”

Yan Qing blinked first in surprise, then burst out laughing. When her laughter subsided, she reached out and gave his cheek an affectionate pinch. “Well, well — jealous, are we?”

“Not at all.” He still denied it.

“All right, all right — we won’t talk about him.” Seeing that his brow had still not smoothed, Yan Qing raised her voice a notch: “This Long Yunxiao — running opium dens, dance halls, gambling houses — he’s nothing but a plague on society. I have always held that sort of person in contempt. Nothing like our Director Shi — righteous and upstanding, completely above board. A man who could coast by on his looks alone, yet insists on making his way with talent…”

“Looks? What do you mean?”

“His appearance, obviously.” Yan Qing gave his cheek a light touch. “I’m saying Director Shi is handsome enough to conquer the world on looks alone — and yet he also has a whole arsenal of talent. A man like Director Shi is truly one in ten thousand, a once-in-a-millennium rarity…”

Shi Ting’s eyes narrowed into a smile, and even Old Zhao in the front seat couldn’t hold back — his shoulders gave a quiet, telltale tremor.

“Director, just around the bend is the Liu Mansion. Would you like to stop in?” Old Zhao asked.

“We may as well.” Shi Ting took Yan Qing’s hand. “Third Sister was asking about you just a while ago — said you hadn’t visited in some time.”

“That works well. If Mr. Liu is at home, I can also ask him about the non-woven fabric.”

The car made a turn and pulled up smoothly in front of the Liu Mansion. A servant came forward to meet them at the gate and helped Shi Ting take Yan Qing’s wheelchair out of the car.

The last time Yan Qing had visited the Liu Mansion, they had gone boating to admire the lotus flowers. Those lotuses had long since faded, the seedpods grown in their place, and now that stretch of lake was likely nothing but yellowed, withered leaves.

The servant led both of them through to the rear courtyard. Not far ahead, voices drifted from Shi Xin’s study.

Shi Ting seemed to recognize one of them, and his brow furrowed slightly. “Is Second Brother here as well?”

The servant replied: “Second Young Master has only just arrived.”

Shi Ting stepped forward and knocked at the door. Shi Xin’s voice came from within: “Please come in.”

When Shi Xin saw Shi Ting and Yan Qing step through the door, her face lit up with delight. She hurried over to meet them: “What brought you two here? You should have sent word first.”

“What a coincidence — Second Brother is here as well.” Shi Ting gave a light nod in the direction of where Shi Guang was seated.

Shi Guang had clearly not expected to encounter Shi Ting and Yan Qing here — and the sight of Yan Qing in particular left him with an indescribable feeling of bitterness.

Yan Qing’s expression remained perfectly composed as she greeted both Shi Xin and Shi Guang.

“Yan Qing, it’s been so long — I’ve missed you terribly.” Shi Xin reached out and took Yan Qing’s hand. “How have you been?”

“Thank you for asking, Third Sister. Everything is well.” Yan Qing glanced at Shi Xin’s noticeably rounded belly and asked with a smile: “Is the baby starting to kick?”

Shi Xin placed a hand on her abdomen, her face suffused with joy. “Such a little troublemaker — always kicking me.”

“That’s very normal at this stage. Third Sister should be even more careful going forward.”

“I’ll take good care. Oh — how are the wedding preparations going? Let me know if you need help with anything.”

At the mention of the wedding, Shi Guang’s expression flickered, and his hand tightened instinctively around the cup he was holding.

—