I See Murders Before They Happen

Chapter 144: Chapter 142: Keeping It From Her

The weather was getting warmer, and the sun was rising earlier and earlier.

It was just past six in the morning.

The door to Zhuang Yanzheng’s bedroom was pushed open from the outside by Liu Liu.

He entered the bedroom.

Liu Liu first trotted a lap around the bed, then went to the foot of it and started tugging at the cuff of Zhuang Yanzheng’s pajama pants.

Zhuang Yanzheng’s bent leg was pulled straight.

But the man didn’t stir in the slightest.

Liu Liu got a little annoyed and let out a soft whine.

Zhuang Yanzheng still didn’t move.

Liu Liu padded over to the side of the bed and pulled the comforter onto the floor.

Zhuang Yanzheng still didn’t react.

Liu Liu barked once.

Zhuang Yanzheng didn’t move.

Liu Liu hopped onto the bed and put his nose close to Zhuang Yanzheng’s.

Zhuang Yanzheng rolled over, wrapped his arms around the dog, and wrestled him down. ”Are you trying to check if I’m still breathing, or are you trying to get your drool in my mouth for revenge?”

Liu Liu barked twice, trying to fight back.

But Zhuang Yanzheng was very strong.

Early in the morning, the man and his dog engaged in a full-on wrestling match on the bed.

In the end, Captain Zhuang rose from the bed like a victor and went into the bathroom.

Liu Liu, on the other hand, was left tangled in the sheets, struggling to worm his way out.

After breakfast, Zhuang Yanzheng got ready to leave for work.

The moment he opened the car door, Liu Liu jumped inside.

”Get out,” Zhuang Yanzheng said.

Liu Liu scurried into the back seat and lay down.

”I’m going to work,” Zhuang Yanzheng said.

Ever since he’d seen Su Miaoyi that one time, he kept trying to follow him to work every few days.

This had never happened before.

Liu Liu just looked at him.

Seeing that the dog wasn’t moving, Zhuang Yanzheng shouted toward the villa, ”Mom!”

Yan Zhiqing didn’t come out, but Zhuang Yihao peered out from the third-floor balcony. ”Mom, Mom, Mom, what are you yelling about so early in the morning! What, is your dad just a decoration?”

”Dad, good morning to you.” Zhuang Yanzheng stood outside with his hands on his hips, nodding his head in greeting as he spoke.

Zhuang Yihao picked up a ball Liu Liu often played with and threw it straight down from the third floor.

When Liu Liu saw the ball, he jumped out of the car to go get it.

Zhuang Yanzheng got in the car, closed the door, started the engine, and drove out of the yard.

Liu Liu chased him to the gate, watching the rear of his car and barking furiously.

Zhuang Yanzheng watched in the rearview mirror and chuckled.

Before he could finish laughing, his phone rang.

He glanced at the caller ID.

He pulled the car over to the side of the road, cleared his throat, and then answered the call. ”Minister Qin.”

Qin Chengyuan said from the other end of the line, ”It’s not working hours. No need to be so formal.”

”Uncle Qin.” Zhuang Yanzheng assumed it was official business. ”Is there something you need?”

Qin Chengyuan said, ”That consultant for the criminal investigation team, Su Miaoyi, how’s her work?”

”She’s a very serious worker with a great attitude and outstanding abilities. Whenever there’s a case, she works tirelessly and without complaint, pulling all-nighters right alongside us,” Zhuang Yanzheng said.

Qin Chengyuan chuckled. ”You never have anything bad to say about anyone on your team.”

”Of course not. I wouldn’t put anyone who wasn’t good on my team,” Zhuang Yanzheng said.

Qin Chengyuan laughed. ”Her situation is rather special, and her hiring was specially approved by the higher-ups. I originally wanted to meet her before the new year, but I was too busy, and the matter was delayed.”

Zhuang Yanzheng’s hand was resting on the steering wheel, and he tapped a finger against it.

’He must have figured it out.’

’After Professor Shen met Su Miaoyi, he must have gone home and told him.’

”The Jinghai University case is closed now. This afternoon, I’d like to meet her,” Qin Chengyuan said.

”Okay,” Zhuang Yanzheng said. ”I’ll let her know.”

”Mm,” Qin Chengyuan said.

”Two-thirty this afternoon. I have half an hour,” Qin Chengyuan said.

”Okay.”

After hanging up, Zhuang Yanzheng found Su Miaoyi’s phone number.

He was about to call her but then thought better of it. It was still too early; she was probably catching up on sleep.

So he sent her a text message instead.

...

Meanwhile, Su Miaoyi was in her dreams, waging war against bread people.

Red bean paste ones, cream-filled ones, strawberry-flavored ones, chocolate ones.

She was very hungry, but also very sleepy.

So she slept, hungry, until after ten.

Finally, the hunger became too much to bear. She got out of bed, went to the bathroom, and then, while washing up, she pulled out her phone, planning to order some food.

But the moment she unlocked it, the first thing she saw was a message from Zhuang Yanzheng.

She was wide awake in an instant.

Anxiety shot straight to her head.

’Meeting a superior.’

’Meeting such a high-ranking superior.’

Suddenly, she didn’t even feel hungry anymore.

She quickly finished washing up, changed her clothes, and headed out the door, planning to see if Shen Yanzhou was around.

He was his aunt’s husband, after all.

He would definitely know him well.

’Know your opponent, and you can handle any situation.’

But as she was walking toward his apartment, she heard the elevator doors open on her floor.

Only the two of them lived on this floor.

She assumed it was Shen Yanzhou, so she walked toward the elevator.

But the person she saw was Shen Shilan.

When Shen Shilan saw her, she froze on the spot.

Su Miaoyi also paused.

The two women looked at each other. Neither spoke.

Shen Shilan hadn’t been idle the past two days; she’d been looking into Su Miaoyi’s background.

She had a feeling that Shen Yanzhou knew something.

Shen Yanzhou and Zhuang Yanzheng had been thick as thieves since they were kids. She was sure he must have met Su Miaoyi before.

So, she had gone to Shen Yanzhou’s residence first thing this morning.

But the housekeeper there told her that Shen Yanzhou hadn’t lived at home for a long time; he’d been staying at Weiyang Palace.

’Something fishy was going on.’

So she came straight to Weiyang Palace.

And sure enough!

She’d found the source of his strange behavior.

Almost half a minute passed. Still, no one spoke or moved.

Su Miaoyi felt like she was playing a game of freeze tag.

She raised a hand and scratched her head. ”Professor Shen, are you looking for Shen Yanzhou?”

Shen Shilan snapped back to reality and looked at her. ”I... you live here too.”

”I...” Su Miaoyi rubbed the back of her neck. ”I’m renting Shen Yanzhou’s apartment.”

Shen Shilan smiled and nodded.

But inside, she was thinking: ’Since when does Shen Yanzhou rent out his properties?’

’So he’s hiding it from me.’

’They’re all hiding it from me, are they?’

’Fine, fine, fine.’

’For the sake of him being my own nephew, I can whip him with a willow branch that hasn’t been soaked in saltwater.’

”He lives over there,” Su Miaoyi said, pointing.

Shen Shilan glanced over. ”Could I perhaps sit and wait in your apartment?”

”Of course.” Su Miaoyi walked with her toward her own place.

Shen Shilan’s eyes never left her.

As they entered, Su Miaoyi glanced at the two pairs of slippers by the shoe rack. ”Please, come right in.”

”These are...” Shen Shilan said, her gaze falling on the pair of men’s slippers.

”Shen Yanzhou’s,” Su Miaoyi said.

”I’ll wear his,” Shen Shilan said. ”Otherwise, you’ll have to clean up after I leave.”

”It’s no trouble, I was going to mop anyway...” Su Miaoyi said without batting an eye as she gathered up a few articles of clothing that had been tossed on the sofa. ”I got back a little late yesterday and just threw them here.”

Shen Shilan smiled, looked around the room, and sat down on the sofa.

Su Miaoyi went to the kitchen and rummaged around. Luckily, whenever Shen Yanzhou came here for tea, he always brought his own and left it behind.

She picked out a Pu’er tea and carried the tea set to the living room.

Shen Shilan watched her. ”Don’t go to any trouble.”

”It’s no problem,” Su Miaoyi said with a smile. ”Shen Yanzhou left this tea here, too. It’s very good.”

Shen Shilan smiled, nodded, and looked at the cake of tea.

All the tea Shen Yanzhou left here was the kind Le Yan used to like to drink.

This only strengthened Shen Shilan’s conviction that Shen Yanzhou knew something he wasn’t telling her...