After saying those words, Jiang Chengyi quickly sealed off the exits and balcony, then gathered everyone, including Mr. and Mrs. Ding, in the living room.

“I apologize,” he said while making a phone call, his gaze sweeping quickly over the crowd. “To find the culprit as soon as possible and ensure everyone’s safety, from now on, no one can leave my line of sight.”

His words caused an immediate stir among the crowd.

Everyone understood Jiang Chengyi’s meaning clearly—all guests who had come to pay their respects at the Ding household today were suspects, and the killer was likely among them.

Struck by overwhelming fear, Mrs. Ding grabbed her husband’s arm, both frightened and confused: “What’s going on? Our Jingjing just passed away, and now—”

Seeing his wife about to collapse, Mr. Ding quickly helped her to the sofa, fearing she wouldn’t be able to endure.

A woman in the crowd let out a sharp scream. Everyone turned to see it was the popular actress Zheng Xiaowen. Despite her alarmed and angry expression, she maintained her composure: “Officer Jiang, I can guarantee I’m not the killer. I’m giving you three minutes—use whatever method you need, but please quickly clear my name. I don’t want to stay in the same room as a murderer.”

Jiang Chengyi ignored her words and walked aside to take his phone call.

While he was on the phone, Lu Yan remained by Liu Yulie’s side.

Liu Yulie’s breathing was becoming increasingly shallow. Without naloxone or other emergency medication on hand, within seconds, even her lip mucosa showed signs of cyanosis. Watching this, Lu Yan grew increasingly anxious. With a life at stake, she had to set aside all other concerns. She quickly supported Liu Yulie’s jaw and performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to help her breathe.

Jiang Chengyi’s phone call proved effective—the 120 emergency vehicle arrived shortly after, and about twenty minutes later, Old Qin and his team also arrived.

The First Affiliated Hospital was responsible for all emergency care and transfer in the Anshan district, so Lu Yan recognized the emergency department colleagues as soon as they entered.

As her colleagues moved Liu Yulie, she shared her assessment: “It’s likely morphine overdose poisoning. Besides establishing life support quickly, it’s best to use naloxone or similar antagonists early.”

Her colleagues knew that as an anesthesiologist, Lu Yan had a precise judgment of opioid poisoning symptoms. This saved precious time in on-site diagnosis, so while establishing intravenous access for Liu Yulie, they nodded: “Alright, Xiao Lu.” They then rushed to transport Liu Yulie away.

Old Qin’s team split into three groups. One team, led by Xiao Zhou, immediately put on gloves and began detailed searches of the balcony, kitchen, and bathrooms. Another team, led by Old Qin, took guests to the study for brief statements and searches. The remaining officers stayed in the living room, both preventing the killer from making any moves and protecting the scene.

Lu Yan was the third person called to the study to give a statement.

Perhaps to avoid suspicion, Jiang Chengyi wasn’t in the room. Old Qin and another middle-aged officer were in charge of questioning.

She carefully recalled the earlier details, accurately recounting her conversation with Liu Yulie. To provide additional context, she also explained Ding Jing’s strange words that she had mentioned to Jiang Chengyi a few days ago.

After finishing her statement and leaving, she passed through the hallway just as Officer Xiao Zhou was speaking with Jiang Chengyi: “We’ve searched the entire house but haven’t found anything like syringes or needles.”

Jiang Chengyi: “Check the bushes and garbage area below the balcony, and ask the security guards to pull up the surveillance footage from the past half hour to see which guests left the Ding residence during that time.”

Lu Yan didn’t have time to listen further before being led to the reception room by an officer.

Several guests who had already given statements sat in the reception room, including Tang Jie. Although Tang Jie seemed to have something to say as soon as she saw Lu Yan, the officer’s rule against guests talking to each other meant she could only sit across from Lu Yan and stare.

By eleven o’clock that night, Tang Jie and others were allowed to leave, but Lu Yan and the few guests who had last seen Liu Yulie were asked to provide additional statements about the study.

Seeing that Lu Yan wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon, Tang Jie made a phone gesture and indicated she would wait in the parking lot before departing.

Zheng Xiaowen had already reached the door but, remembering the earlier scene, clicked back in her high heels to stand before Jiang Chengyi. Looking up at him, she said furiously: “Officer Jiang, do you know I need to wake up at five tomorrow morning for a scene? What grounds do you have to suspect me as the killer? Under what authority are you detaining all of us? I heard you graduated top of your class in criminal investigation at B University, but based on your performance tonight, I’m not only starting to doubt your abilities, but I’m going to call the Anshan District Bureau to complain about your abuse of power!”

Jiang Chengyi looked down at her without responding, but his forceful and cold attitude was clear.

“Xiaowen.” The handsome middle-aged director Zhang Dashan called out sharply.

“Let it go, Xiaowen.” Her makeup artist David was frightened.

Zheng Xiaowen faltered, calming somewhat, and after some gentle persuasion from Yu Baifeng and David, she finally backed down, leaving surrounded by her entourage of stars big and small.

After another half hour, once Old Qin had repeatedly confirmed the last time Liu Yulie was seen by everyone, Lu Yan was finally told she could leave the Ding residence.

Not long after Lu Yan came out, Old Qin and his team appeared to be heading back to the station and also came to the living room.

Most of the Ding family’s guests had left, with only Mr. and Mrs. Ding and a few investigating officers remaining at the door.

Seeing Lu Yan emerge, Jiang Chengyi gestured for Old Qin and the others to leave first, said a few words to Mr. and Mrs. Ding, and then left with Lu Yan.

When they reached the parking lot and Lu Yan had just opened her car door, she remembered Tang Jie’s words and stood by the car looking around for her. Soon, she saw the headlights flash on a black SUV in the opposite parking space.

It was Tang Jie.

Seeing that Lu Yan had noticed her, Tang Jie unbuckled her seatbelt and walked over.

“Jiang Chengyi,” she said, her face still showing traces of fear, “how is it going? Have you found the killer?”

Jiang Chengyi looked behind her, and seeing she was alone, said in an admonishing tone: “It’s so late, it’s not safe to be alone in the parking lot. You should head home.”

Tang Jie shuddered at the memory of earlier events but stubbornly said: “I remembered some things I wanted to tell Lu Yan, and I was afraid I’d forget tomorrow once things get busy, that’s why I waited here.”

Lu Yan anxiously urged her: “Say what you need to say and hurry home. With so many things happening lately, you should avoid wandering around outside. If you must go out, make sure Da Zhong accompanies you.”

“I know, I know.” Tang Jie touched her cooling neck and decided to keep it brief. “When we first arrived at the Ding house tonight, Liu Yulie was receiving us, remember? Later, when Jiang Chengyi’s mother led Lu Yan inside, I was next to Liu Yulie and accidentally noticed her staring at Lu Yan’s back like she wanted to take a bite out of you. Then I suddenly remembered something from high school.”

Lu Yan and Jiang Chengyi remained silent. Liu Yulie had harbored feelings for Jiang Chengyi since high school, but she had kept it so secret that few classmates knew about it—even her best friend Ding Jing had been completely in the dark.

Lu Yan had only found out by chance back then.

She remembered once, taking advantage of an empty classroom after school, she went to Class 3 to help Jiang Chengyi clean his desk. Among the dusty pile of letters, she discovered Liu Yulie’s love letter to Jiang Chengyi.

Several pages, nearly ten thousand characters, every word brimming with shy affection, her girlish heart fully exposed. Among all the love letters, Liu Yulie’s was the most passionate and sincere.

Lu Yan had quietly put the letters back after reading them and later showed a bit of jealousy in front of Jiang Chengyi. After he coaxed her out of it, she never mentioned it to anyone else.

Tang Jie was unaware of this history and continued: “When I saw Liu Yulie’s expression earlier, I felt that kind of hateful gaze was familiar. After thinking for a long while, I remembered that Deng Man had looked at others the same way, and she was looking at Liu Yulie and Ding Jing. That vicious look, as if she had some deep grudge against them. Lu Yan, you know how good-natured Deng Man is, when has she ever gotten angry with anyone? I found it strange at the time, but no matter how much I asked her, she wouldn’t say anything.”

Lu Yan remained silent. Although she had caught some hints of this matter, she had been focused on college entrance exams and Jiang Chengyi at the time and hadn’t paid much attention to her close friends. By the time she wanted to investigate further, the best opportunity had already passed.

“Ever since you started dating Jiang Chengyi, Deng Man became more and more off.” Tang Jie looked thoughtful. “Not only did her grades plummet, but she was distracted all the time. Someone as careful as her left her diary in the classroom once. I thought it was just an ordinary notebook at the time—how could I know it was her diary? When I opened it, the first page read: ‘My love can only be buried here, he can never belong to me.’ Below that was another passage: ‘No, I can’t betray friendship, I shouldn’t be so selfish.’ I was reading in confusion when Deng Man came back and snatched the diary away, her face completely pale. Oh right, Lu Yan, didn’t I tell you about this back then?”

Hearing this, Jiang Chengyi’s face darkened. After a few seconds of silence, as if suddenly remembering something extremely unpleasant, he yanked off his tie and threw it forcefully out the window.

Lu Yan caught this in her peripheral vision, maintaining a calm expression even as her nails nearly dug into her palms.

Tang Jie was startled and quickly walked over to pick up the tie: “Come on, Jiang Chengyi, what’s with this young master’s temper? It’s a Hermès tie, do you have to be so impulsive?”

Jiang Chengyi maintained his cold expression without responding.

Tang Jie stood confused in front of the car, looking strangely between Lu Yan and Jiang Chengyi. Suddenly, as if struck by inspiration, she seemed to understand something. Lowering her eyes, she thought for a moment, then unhurriedly handed Jiang Chengyi’s tie to Lu Yan. With a serious expression, she said: “Anyway, I only have a few more things to say. Back then, besides that incident, there was something else strange. Even though Deng Man wasn’t a member of the choir, she always hung around the music hall. I remember Ding Jing was the lead singer of the choir then, and I found it odd—Deng Man seemed to dislike Ding Jing, so why did she keep going to the choir? But thinking about it these past few years, I feel Deng Man must have fallen for someone in the choir.”

Lu Yan tucked away Jiang Chengyi’s tie and, composing herself, asked: “Do you remember who was in the choir back then? I went to the school last year to look for the Class of ’09 choir list but couldn’t find it.”

“Why did you go looking for the choir list?” Tang Jie looked at Lu Yan puzzled. “But come to think of it, our school focused all its energy on the basketball team and other arts programs back then. The choir was just organized by students themselves, the school didn’t pay attention to it, so it’s not surprising you couldn’t find the list from back then.”

She thought for a moment and continued: “I think Ding Jing’s death was too sudden. These past couple of days, I’ve been carefully reconsidering things that seemed unimportant before. I’ve been wanting to talk to you about it, but then Liu Yulie’s incident happened tonight. Well, now that I’ve said it, I feel better. It’s late, I should go.”

After speaking, she gave Jiang Chengyi a sly look and moved closer to Lu Yan, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear: “You two can keep sulking, but let me tell you something—between you two, nothing needs to be said. You know better than anyone how much Jiang Chengyi likes you. When you get home, don’t waste time talking, just go straight to bed. After a few good nights’ sleep, no matter how angry he is, it’ll all blow over.”

She winked at Lu Yan and, with an air of “no thanks necessary,” turned and floated away.