The examination supervisor, upon seeing Du Tonghuai arrive, immediately recounted what had just transpired.

Du Tonghuai first looked at the so-called “cheat sheet,” then picked up Yan Qing’s examination paper. His originally calm gaze gradually began to shift, and in the end, he could not suppress his excitement.

“These — did you answer all of these yourself?” He looked at Yan Qing, his eyes flickering with exhilaration.

“Yes,” Yan Qing answered respectfully.

“Extraordinary. Truly extraordinary.” Du Tonghuai shook his head repeatedly. “These answers even I had never thought of. How did you…”

He had read extensively through both Chinese and foreign medical texts, yet had never encountered such knowledge.

“Your name is…” Du Tonghuai looked at the signature on the examination paper. “Yan Qing?”

He thought carefully for a moment. “Do you remember Forensic Examiner Yuan?”

“Forensic Examiner Yuan from Taishan County?”

“Forensic Examiner Yuan was once a student of mine. He later went abroad, and some time ago he wrote me a letter saying he had encountered a remarkable person. If I remember correctly, the name he mentioned was Yan Qing.” Du Tonghuai looked over with excitement. “Is that you?”

“Remarkable would be too strong a word.” Yan Qing smiled. “I never expected that Forensic Examiner Yuan and Mr. Du were teacher and student.”

“Then it all makes sense.” Du Tonghuai gathered the examination paper. “Since you have already finished, come with me to the office. I have some matters I would like to discuss with you.”

“Certainly.”

Yan Qing was about to leave when Shi Yutong immediately called out: “She cheated on the exam, and she’s just walking away like that — shouldn’t her examination results be disqualified?”

Du Tonghuai glanced at her with impatience. “With Classmate Yan Qing’s level of ability, she would never stoop to using such a crude cheat sheet. Have you ever seen an engineer capable of building a grand tower go and copy blueprints meant for an outhouse?”

Then, with a meaningful tone, he added: “Speaking of which — you are seated in front of Classmate Yan Qing. How exactly did you see her cheating? Surely you are aware that looking around during an examination is prohibited?”

“I…” Shi Yutong was momentarily speechless, and her face flushed a deep red.

“All right, continue with the examination.” Du Tonghuai cast a glance at Shi Yutong. “Put your energy into your studies and leave the underhanded tactics behind.”

Everyone understood what Du Tonghuai meant — the accusation of Yan Qing cheating was false; someone had deliberately framed her.

And so, the way people looked at Shi Yutong became rather strange. The high-and-mighty young miss, who had never endured such humiliation and gossip, could only swallow her fury, while her gaze toward Yan Qing was filled with pure venom.

Although Du Tonghuai had implied that Shi Yutong was behind the scheme, a single slip of paper was not enough to prove it, so in the end the matter had to be dropped. The examination continued, and Yan Qing followed Du Tonghuai to his office.

“I remember now.” Du Tonghuai pulled out a chair for Yan Qing. “You are Director Shi’s wife — the forensic consultant who has helped the Military Police Directorate crack one extraordinary case after another. I must apologize for my earlier lack of proper regard.”

Yan Qing smiled. “You are too kind, Mr. Du. At the moment, I am simply a student who has yet to graduate.”

“Yan Qing, your talent has truly given me a new appreciation of you.” Du Tonghuai sighed, his eyes gradually brightening. “I asked you here because there is something I wanted to discuss.”

“Please go ahead, Mr. Du.”

“Outside of teaching evening classes at the nursing school, I also serve as the vice president of the Medical College at Shun Cheng University. From the day I took on that role, I have wanted to establish a forensic medicine program — but I never managed to realize it due to a lack of good teachers and proper teaching materials. Meeting you today, Yan Qing, has suddenly revived that long-suppressed idea of mine. So I wanted to talk it over with you and see whether it might actually be feasible.”

Hearing this, Yan Qing could not conceal her own excitement. For a long time now, she had wanted to use the knowledge she carried with her to develop the forensic medicine field in Xin Guo — she wanted every branch of the Military Police Directorate to have a capable forensic examiner at its disposal.

The prerequisite for making that wish a reality was the existence of a professional training or educational institution. If it were the Medical College at Shun Cheng University, nothing could be more fitting.

Yan Qing felt an instant sense of kinship with Du Tonghuai. This Mr. Du, somewhere past fifty, not only practiced medicine at a hospital but also taught at two schools — diligent and devoted, his students now spread throughout the land. He was a man who had given everything for the advancement of Xin Guo’s medical field.

“Mr. Du, I very much support your idea. In terms of faculty, Forensic Examiner E from the Military Police Directorate and I can join. As for teaching materials, we can revise and adapt the existing texts.” Yan Qing said with excitement. “I will ask Director Shi to submit a request to the Commander-in-Chief for the government to provide its full cooperation and support.”

“That would be wonderful!” Du Tonghuai rose to his feet with excitement. “Yan Qing, this is a great undertaking for the revitalization of Xin Guo. I feel my blood stirring even now.”

Yan Qing could not help but laugh. “Mr. Du, please don’t get too carried away just yet. Since this is a major undertaking, it must be planned step by step — it cannot happen all at once.”

“Yes, yes, of course.” Du Tonghuai laughed heartily. “I will immediately begin drafting a proposal, and then we can discuss it together.”

He glanced at his watch. “The next examination will be starting soon — I won’t keep you any longer.”

There were four subjects in total for today’s examination — two in the morning and two in the afternoon.

By the time the second subject began, Yan Qing noticed that the seat in front of her had been taken by a different student. A classmate behind her cheerfully informed her that Shi Yutong had been moved to a different examination hall by Mr. Du.

Yan Qing understood that this was Mr. Du’s quiet way of protecting her, and she silently offered him a word of thanks in her heart.

At three o’clock in the afternoon, all the examinations were finished. After answering the flurry of questions from her chattering classmates, Yan Qing walked out of the examination hall — and was met with an unexpected sight. Leaning against the window at the end of the corridor was a figure.

He was dressed in a well-fitted uniform, carrying an air of languid ease. Although his expression appeared calm, he radiated a cool aloofness that kept others at a distance.

Every female student who passed by could not help but steal a glance, their eyes full of admiration.

“Who is that? He’s so handsome.”

“He looks like Director Shi from the Military Police Directorate. Didn’t our school have that ghost murder case last year? He came several times.”

“Don’t tell me there’s another case?”

While everyone was whispering among themselves, the man leaning by the window suddenly straightened up and strode in great steps toward the doorway.

—