Zhao Gang and his men hadn’t been waiting long when Chief Li came to inform them that they could take the person now.

The road from Tai Shan back to Shun Cheng was rough and uneven, winding through towns and villages of all sizes. The journey typically took two to three days, and without a guide it was easy to get lost, so no one would choose to go by car. The train was currently the most convenient and fastest mode of transport.

Li Haotian had handcuffs on, though they were covered by his overcoat and not visible from the outside. He had been well looked after during his two days in the holding cell and, apart from looking somewhat thinner, was otherwise unchanged.

After Zhao Gang signed the transfer agreement with Chief Li, he took his men and left with Li Haotian.

Once they had gone, Shi Ting asked Chief Li, “The five people from Yanque Tower — how did their interrogations go?”

“They’ve all been questioned, and they all have alibis.” Chief Li seemed a little deflated. “Director Shi, can we release them now? The madam at Yanque Tower has sent people over several times already. She says the place is about to get busy and with all the attendants detained, business is suffering.”

“If business is suffering, they can close their doors.” Shi Ting frowned. “Our precinct may not normally concern itself with their sort of operation, but if we really wanted to make trouble for them, could they hold up under a full investigation?”

“Yes, yes, of course. I’ll go deal with those people right away.”

Shi Ting rose and headed further inside. “I’ll go and see these five people myself.”

The five were all attendants from Yanque Tower who handled odd jobs and errands for the establishment. Because drunken brawls were common at Yanque Tower, someone always had to be on hand to keep order, so all five had some degree of fighting ability.

Shi Ting took the interrogation records from Chief Li. They contained detailed accounts of the questioning process, and according to the records, all five had alibis.

Based on the coroner’s report and the timeframe provided by Tongfa, Mo Xiangrong’s time of death was between 1 and 3 in the morning on the 22nd.

During those hours, all five men had been on duty at Yanque Tower.

Chief Li said, “We’ve verified it — on the early morning of the 22nd, all five of them were indeed at Yanque Tower. The suspect is unlikely to be among them.”

Shi Ting’s gaze landed on a few lines in the file. “These two — Baofu and Zhuzhi — they alibi each other?”

“That’s right. Baofu and Zhuzhi were responsible that night for tending the furnace and the underfloor heating.”

Shi Ting’s finger tapped lightly on the document. “Zhuzhi says that Baofu stepped away for about ten minutes to use the toilet?”

“Yes. Baofu did step away, but ten minutes is far too short. Just running from Yanque Tower to Darunfa and back would take thirty minutes. Add in the time to kill Mo Xiangrong and move the body, and you’d need well over an hour. The timing simply doesn’t work.”

Shi Ting thought for a moment. “Bring Zhuzhi out first. I want to go take a look at Yanque Tower.”

“Yes, sir.” Chief Li immediately instructed a subordinate to bring the man out.

Shi Ting and Bai Jin had only just arrived at Yanque Tower with Zhuzhi when someone from the precinct came hurrying after them.

“Director Shi, something’s wrong — Li Haotian has run off.”

At the news, Shi Ting’s expression didn’t change, though his voice rose almost imperceptibly at the end. “He ran?”

“Officer Zhao’s men were taking Li Haotian to the train station. While buying the tickets, Li Haotian struck the two men guarding him and slipped into the crowd.”

“Ah.” Shi Ting remained unruffled. “Then have Chief Li phone Director Xie and let him know that his subordinates lost our key suspect. He can figure out who’s responsible for that.”

The subordinate noticed that Shi Ting showed not the slightest hint of urgency. He turned the situation over in his mind for a moment, quickly surmising that there was more to this than met the eye, and immediately acknowledged the order before heading back to find Chief Li.

A burst of laughter escaped Bai Jin. “I’d like to see how that Xie Zhiming handles this one. Losing the prime suspect — not only does he have nothing to say to the Military Police, he has no way to answer to Commander Li either. This is quite a burden. Let’s see if he can carry it.”

“Did you take care of everything on your end?”

“Rest assured, Seventh Brother. There won’t be the slightest hitch.”

Li Haotian was not somewhere else at that moment — he was at the Wen household.

In a side room in the rear courtyard of the Wen residence, Li Haotian accepted the cup of tea Jin Shan handed him. As he did, his handcuffs clinked and rattled.

Those handcuffs could only be unlocked with a key held by the precinct, so for the time being they couldn’t be removed.

Li Haotian’s earlier edge had left him. He had watched the shifting winds of these past two days with clear eyes — he was no fool. Commander Li had still not come forward, clearly adopting an attitude of letting him fend for himself. His life was now entirely in Shi Ting’s hands.

So when Shi Ting told him to seize the opportunity to escape and promised to have someone cover for him, he had agreed without hesitation. Because going to Shun Cheng meant leaving his home territory — and there, the odds would be far worse.

Li Haotian took a steadying sip of the calming tea and exhaled slowly.

At that moment, a soft sound of wheelchair wheels drifted in from outside. Yan Qing had come.

Jin Shan said, “Young Master Li, this is our Miss Yan — the Young Master’s fiancée.”

Li Haotian gave Yan Qing a nod. He had encountered no small number of women in his time, and while Yan Qing was not the most beautiful he had ever seen, the quality she carried — that air of transcendent grace — was the kind one did not easily forget.

The only imperfection was the wheelchair.

“The kitchen is already preparing a meal.” Yan Qing smiled gently. “Whatever else you need, Young Master Li, please just let Jin Shan know.”

Li Haotian thanked her and, in a rare moment of consideration for others, said, “Miss Yan, this is the Wen residence, isn’t it? I’m a suspect at the moment. Won’t sheltering me bring trouble to the household?”

If it came to it, that would be the crime of harboring a fugitive.

Yan Qing shook her head. “Please don’t worry, Young Master Li. Shi Ting will certainly clear your name.”

Hearing those words, Li Haotian felt his eyes grow unexpectedly warm with tears. Only those who have faced true despair can truly understand the feeling.

When his father had turned his back on him, he had known that his situation might be beyond saving. A murder charge, once formally brought down, could mean execution by firing squad.

“Thank you. Thank you, Director Shi.”

“For now, please stay here. If there’s any news, I’ll have Jin Shan let you know. As for the handcuffs — I’m afraid they’ll have to stay on for the time being. Please understand.”

“It’s fine.” Li Haotian didn’t mind. “After all, I’m still a suspect.”

Yan Qing knew he wouldn’t try to run. Even if he fled back to Li Yongqi, Li Yongqi would likely send him right back. No one understood his father better than his own son did.

Yan Qing gave Jin Shan a few more instructions, then said to Li Haotian, “Actually, your father is not indifferent to your situation. He invited Shi Ting to visit the military camp just a couple of days ago.”

“Did he… did he mention anything about me?” Li Haotian’s face lit up.

Yan Qing smiled. “Once you’ve been cleared, go back and ask him yourself.”

Li Haotian watched Yan Qing’s retreating figure, momentarily lost in thought. Then, all at once, he buried his face in the table and wept aloud. Jin Shan, seeing this, quietly stepped out and closed the door.

Everyone needs the chance to grow. Li Haotian was no different. Perhaps this was, in the end, the reason Li Yongqi had been willing to let go and take the gamble.

Yan Qing emerged from the courtyard. Jing Zhi stepped forward and said, “Director Shi has gone to Yanque Tower. Someone from the precinct just came to notify us.”

If Shi Ting had gone to Yanque Tower, he must have thought of something suspicious. She looked out at the dark, heavy sky in the distance. It looked as though another great snowfall was imminent. She wondered whether, before that snow began to fall, Shi Ting would be able to root out the killer.

Shi Ting and Bai Jin entered Yanque Tower. As it was not yet the peak hour for business, there were hardly any customers.

The ground floor was laid out with a number of tables draped in bright red satin tablecloths, with various fruits and pastries arranged on top. Several young women dressed as maids moved back and forth among them.

“My, my — two distinguished officers. What an honor.” The madam came forward to meet them, waving her handkerchief, her face heavily powdered and reeking of perfume.

Bai Jin instinctively took a step back.

“Officers,” the madam went on, “as you can see, we’re about to open for business. When can my attendants be returned? You can’t really expect my girls to handle the rough work, can you? Just look — there’s no one to tend the furnaces. It’s freezing in here — people could catch their death.”

She then caught sight of Zhuzhi standing behind the two of them and her eyes brightened. “Oh, has one of them been released?”

Shi Ting had no interest in her chatter. He asked Zhuzhi, “Where’s the place where you tend the furnaces?”

Zhuzhi answered honestly. “I’ll take the two officers there.”

He nodded briefly toward the madam as he led the way.

The madam let out a dissatisfied sound but had no recourse.

Zhuzhi led the two of them through the main hall and out through a back door into a row of tile-roofed outbuildings connected to Yanque Tower, used for stoking the furnaces and storing various equipment.

Inside one dimly lit room was a massive furnace connected to a network of pipes — the underfloor heating of Yanque Tower originated here, its warmth distributed to every room.

The furnace was burning at present, but no one was tending it. Clearly they really were short-staffed.

“On the early morning of the 22nd, Baofu and I were right here tending the furnace,” Zhuzhi said.

“Did all of you know about Li Haotian’s apartment in Nianyu Lane?”

“The work we do is all mixed together, and we’re close with the girls in the building. Xianglan used to flaunt things in front of us constantly, trading on the favor she had from Young Master Li — saying the apartment in Nianyu Lane was one he had bought for her. Though that was just something she told herself. I personally saw Young Master Li getting cozy with Hongyu and Cuijuan.”

Shi Ting walked around the room. His gaze settled on a wall clock covered in a thick layer of black soot. Despite the grime, it was keeping perfect time — he checked it against his own watch and found it not a second off.

He then looked toward a corner of the room, where a row of empty liquor bottles stood neatly arranged.

“You said that in the early hours of the 22nd, Baofu stepped away to use the toilet and then the two of you stayed together the rest of the time — is that correct?”

“Baofu had an upset stomach that night. He went to the toilet at some point. I don’t remember exactly how long. Zhuzhi said ten minutes, so it was probably ten minutes.”

“And you were timing him while he was in the toilet?”

Zhuzhi shook his head sheepishly. “When he went, he asked me what time it was. I glanced at the clock — it was exactly 1:10. When he came back, I looked at the clock again. It was 1:20.”

Shi Ting listened, then frowned and looked at him. “After Baofu left, did you start to feel drowsy and doze off for a bit?”

Zhuzhi stared at him in astonishment. “Officer, how… how did you know that?”

—