Seeing Crime Scenes in My Sleep

Next to him lay Guo Tianqi’s diary. Jiang Li picked it up and saw Ruan Zhixia’s words written in a blank space.

[I’m sorry. I thought I could survive, too. I could accept myself in this broken state, but I can’t accept him leaving me.

If you can, please bury us together. Thank you.]

Jiang Li looked at Ruan Zhixia’s final words, then at her and Guo Tianqi’s clasped hands.

"Officer Ji, this is Ruan Zhixia’s last wish," Jiang Li said, handing the diary to Ji Qinghe.

Ji Qinghe’s grip tightened as he looked at the diary.

"Officer Ji, you can leave this to me," Jiang Li said, giving Ji Qinghe a smile before turning to leave.

After leaving, Jiang Li sat by the river for half an hour before taking out her phone to call Wu Ming.

"Hey, Wu Ming. Could you help me pick an auspicious time for Guo Tianqi and Ruan Zhixia’s funeral? I’m going to go buy something first."

"Oh, alright. I’ll see you at the station later, then."

Jiang Li hung up and went to a nearby bridal shop. She looked at a qipao and a Zhongshan suit, then bought a set in what she estimated were their sizes.

When she got back to the station, Wu Ming and the others were already there, waiting.

Wu Ming stood up, walked over, and took the bags from her hands. "I’ll take it from here. I’m the best at this sort of thing."

Carrying the clothes, Wu Ming went inside.

He didn’t come out until an hour later. "Alright, it’s done."

Jiang Li went in to look. The two of them had been changed and were lying flat. Somehow, Wu Ming had managed to cover all of Ruan Zhixia’s injuries, even restoring her former appearance.

"Wu Ming, thank you."

"Don’t mention it. It was the right thing to do."

The hearse arrived at the station entrance. The two bodies were loaded into the vehicle, and Lu Xingye accompanied them to the funeral home.

The burial was held at the time Wu Ming had chosen. By the time everything was finished, it was already evening. Jiang Li looked at their gravestone. ’I hope they can be together in peace in their next life.’

Jiang Li turned and left.

CAW, CAW CAW—

She stopped, looking up at a crow perched on a tree not far away. ’I wonder if it’s the same one I saw that other night.’

"Things won’t be busy for a while. You should get some rest," Lu Xingye said, turning his head to look at Jiang Li.

"Alright." Jiang Li got in the car to go home.

...

Shi Xingchao looked at the man before him. "Since Jiang Li is so capable, let’s send a few ’surprises’ her way.

I’d like to see for myself whether the rumors about her are true or not."

"Boss, Wu Jianzhang said Jiang Li has split personality syndrome. She’s had the condition for more than a decade.

I’m guessing her so-called ’dreams’ are nothing more than her second personality at work. That type of personality is usually unhinged, so it’s normal for them to be more perceptive than the average person."

Shi Xingchao listened, rubbing the wine glass in his hand. ’But for some reason, I don’t think that’s it. It feels like a real ability of hers.’

"No matter. We have plenty of time. Stick to the plan for now. If Jiang Li isn’t eliminated, she’ll be a source of endless trouble."

Shi Xingchao thought back to seeing Jiang Li at the station. She was shrouded in an air of mystery that made him all the more interested.

"How are things at the compound?"

"Boss, ever since you told everyone to lay low, our supply has been drastically cut. The amount of money we’re bringing in has plummeted."

Shi Xingchao frowned in annoyance. ’With one case after another making headlines, if they don’t lay low, they’ll all end up in jail.’

"Auction it off. Highest bidder wins," Shi Xingchao said, putting down the photograph of Jiang Li he was holding.

"Tell Jiang Sheng to lay low. If he gets exposed again, I’ll go and kill him myself."

Shi Xingchao strode out. He had to go back to the compound for a few days; he didn’t have time to watch over them constantly.

「One month later.」

Jiang Li ran into Du Xueqing again. Du Xueqing came up and greeted her warmly.

"Sister Jiang, you’re out shopping, too?"

Jiang Li nodded, her gaze flicking to Du Wenhua and Liu Liping trailing behind Du Xueqing. Their hands were full of shopping bags, all of which appeared to have been bought for Du Xueqing.

Jiang Li raised an eyebrow in surprise. ’Faster than I thought.’

"Mm-hmm."

Du Xueqing looked back at Du Wenhua and Liu Liping with a smile on her face.

’She hadn’t expected it either. Her parents had so many secrets. They’d traded her for a million yuan, and they were damn well going to spit that money back out.’

"Well, we won’t disturb you then," Jiang Li said with a smile, leaving with Wu Ming.

Du Xueqing turned back to Du Wenhua and Liu Liping. "I’m heading back to school. The holiday starts in two days, so I need to focus on my studies."

Liu Liping grabbed her. "Xueqing, I heard from your classmates that you’ve been getting close with Liang Huka since you went back. Are you two..."

Du Xueqing scoffed. ’So now the college entrance exams aren’t so important, huh?’

"It’s none of your business." Du Xueqing got in a car and headed for school. During her hospital stay, she’d started using a burner account to cultivate an online romance with Liang Huka, alternating between being incredibly attentive and completely distant.

For the past month at school, she had occasionally displayed behaviors and interests identical to those of his online love.

She’d even dropped hints that they went to the same school.

’By now, he should be on the verge of figuring it out.’

Du Xueqing took out her phone. On it was a long series of messages from Liang Huka, all asking where she was and offering words of comfort.

After getting out of the car, Du Xueqing took a picture of the school gate with her phone. [Thanks for worrying. I’m here now.]

Liang Huka, who had been leaning against a railing and smoking, immediately straightened up when he saw the picture she sent. He stubbed out his cigarette and ran toward the school gate.

’She really is at my school! This is amazing!’

Seeing Liang Huka appear, Du Xueqing put her phone away with a blissful smile on her face and walked right past him, feigning ignorance.

A familiar scent of gardenia drifted past. Liang Huka’s hands trembled with excitement. ’I picked out this perfume for her myself. There’s no way I’d get it wrong.’

’He’d started to suspect it was Du Xueqing two weeks ago. In the cafeteria, he’d seen her eating the exact same meal his online girlfriend had sent him a picture of. Then there was that identical photo from the basketball court. But by the time he’d gone to look for her, she was always gone.’

’He had genuinely liked Du Xueqing when he first met her, but her head was always buried in her books. He never imagined that his muse, the girl he’d been chatting with online for nearly two years, was one and the same person!’

’This was the best news ever! It seemed he and Du Xueqing were destined to be together.’

Liang Huka stared, transfixed, at Du Xueqing’s retreating figure. ’Looks like she doesn’t know it’s me.’

’She studies so hard... to think she’s such a cute little dummy.’

Liang Huka’s heart ached for Du Xueqing. ’If I had known earlier, I definitely wouldn’t have teamed up with Jiang Shuran and the others to go after her.’

Du Xueqing saw Liang Huka’s reflection in the glass as he followed her. She walked into the cafeteria. "Auntie, I’m here to help."

Liang Huka watched her bustling about inside. ’So this is why she often doesn’t reply to my messages. She’s such a kind person.’

Ever since he found out his online girlfriend was Du Xueqing, Liang Huka couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Du Xueqing smiled. ’Jiang Shuran has a crush on Liang Huka. I wonder what would happen if she found out he’d fallen for me, the very person she looks down on the most...’

[The weather’s getting cold. I’d like to knit you a scarf, if that’s okay?]

Du Xueqing watched the excited Liang Huka from a window above. ’Rich kids are so predictable, getting all worked up over some worthless handmade junk.’

[Of course!] Liang Huka stared at his phone, ecstatic. ’A scarf made with love!’

’No, I have to knit one for her, too... But I don’t know how.’

At ten o’clock that night, the police station received a call from No. 1 High School. A student had been found dead in one of the bathrooms.