I See Murders Before They Happen

Chapter 231: Chapter 229: I Saw...

Once inside, Su Miaoyi poured drinks for her two guests.

”We didn’t have anything special planned. It’s just, I saw Zhuang Yanzheng’s mother today, and she told me his eyes were injured.” Shen Shilan said, touching the ends of Su Miaoyi’s hair and noticing how dry it was. ”When Qin Chengyuan got home from work, I mentioned it to him, and he said you were there at the scene. It’s been two days, and I’m only just finding out. He said you were fine, but I was still a little worried, so I wanted to come and see for myself. He happened to get off work early today with nothing else to do, so we came over together.”

”I’m fine, I wasn’t hurt,” Su Miaoyi said. ”Zhuang Yanzheng had chili powder thrown at him. His eyes will need a few days to recover.”

”That’s why you always have to be careful. Never let your guard down,” Shen Shilan advised.

”Okay.”

Qin Chengyuan took a sip of water from his cup. Staring at the water, he thought, ’When will I get some tea?’

”Your voice isn’t hoarse anymore. Which medicine was more effective?” Shen Shilan asked.

”The one you dissolve in water,” Su Miaoyi said. ”It’s sweet and sour. Tastes good and works well.”

Shen Shilan made a mental note. ”I’ll get you some more, then. It’s good for soothing inflammation. You can share it with your colleagues. Let me know when you run out.”

”Okay.”

The three of them sat in the living room, chatting about this and that. An hour passed before they knew it.

”Oh my, we lost track of time chatting. It’s gotten so late. You should get some rest. We’re heading back,” Shen Shilan said. ”We bought some things for you and Yanzhou on the way over. They’re at his place.”

”Let Yanzhou know we’re leaving, too,” Qin Chengyuan said. ”So he isn’t kept waiting.”

”Okay.”

The three of them went out the door, and Shen Shilan headed toward Shen Yanzhou’s place.

”Your health is your most important asset. Don’t overwork yourself,” Qin Chengyuan said to Su Miaoyi.

Su Miaoyi nodded. ”I’m okay, not tired. Just a little anxious.”

”Just be patient a while longer,” Qin Chengyuan said. ”Lin Yue is very experienced in this area.”

”Mm.”

Shen Shilan was talking with Shen Yanzhou.

Qin Chengyuan and Su Miaoyi started walking over toward them.

But after just a few steps, Qin Chengyuan noticed Su Miaoyi had suddenly frozen in place.

He turned his head to look at her.

He sensed something was wrong.

”M-Miao...” Qin Chengyuan opened his mouth, but his tongue felt tied. Nothing he could call her felt quite right. He gently took her arm. ”What’s wrong?”

Su Miaoyi didn’t respond.

Shen Shilan and Shen Yanzhou walked over, still talking. Seeing the two of them standing there, she said, ”Alright, let’s go.”

Qin Chengyuan held up a hand toward them.

Shen Shilan immediately fell silent. She walked to his side, glanced at Su Miaoyi, then looked at Qin Chengyuan and whispered, ”What’s happening?”

”She must be seeing something,” Shen Yanzhou whispered.

Shen Shilan watched Su Miaoyi for a long moment before asking, ”Is there anything we need to do?”

”We just have to wait,” Shen Yanzhou said.

Shen Shilan nodded.

Qin Chengyuan slowly released her arm and stood quietly to the side.

”When she comes out of it, she might feel really awful,” Shen Yanzhou added in a low voice.

As soon as he said that, both Qin Chengyuan and Shen Shilan tensed up.

”Is there anything we need to do?” Qin Chengyuan asked quietly.

Shen Yanzhou looked at him, then shook his head. ”I don’t know. Last time, just as I was about to take her to the hospital, she snapped out of it.”

The three of them stood around Su Miaoyi, speaking in furtive whispers.

”Is it that serious?” Shen Shilan asked, worried.

”I heard from Zhuang Yanzheng that sometimes it’s a little better,” Shen Yanzhou said, trying to reassure her.

But Shen Shilan was still worried.

Qin Chengyuan was worried too. His hands, hanging at his sides, were loosely clenched, his thumb rubbing back and forth across his index finger.

And this time, the vision Su Miaoyi was seeing lasted longer than any before.

First, she was inside a room. She heard the doorbell ring and went to open the door.

When the door opened, Zhang Bai was standing outside.

”Xiao Bai?” Her voice held a note of surprise.

”Aunt Ding,” Zhang Bai called out, his face expressionless.

”Xiao Bai, come in, quickly.”

”I can’t, Aunt Ding. My father asked me to take you somewhere,” Zhang Bai said.

”Your father? Why didn’t he come himself?” she asked.

A small smile appeared on Zhang Bai’s face. ”He wants to give you a surprise tonight, so he had me come get you.”

”Alright, wait for me a moment. I’ll go change my clothes. Why don’t you come in and wait? Have something to drink.”

”No, it’s fine. I’ll wait here,” Zhang Bai said.

She went back to her room to change. She even took the time to dress up nicely before leaving with Zhang Bai.

Then, the scene changed.

She was sitting in a car.

Zhang Bai was driving, and she was in the passenger seat. Outside, it was dark. ”Xiao Bai, did your father tell you?”

”That you’re pregnant?” Zhang Bai asked.

”Yes.” She looked at him. ”Would you prefer a little brother or a little sister?”

Zhang Bai smiled slightly. ”Neither.”

His words made her freeze. The smile on her lips and the happiness on her face vanished.

Zhang Bai glanced at her. ”Do you want a boy or a girl?”

She didn’t understand what he meant, so she just stared at him without speaking.

”Would you like a child born from a drug trafficker?” Zhang Bai asked again.

”What do you mean?”

Zhang Bai smiled again. ”You’ve been with Zhang Yan Yu for so long, yet you don’t even know what he does. You’re really something else.”

Her entire body tensed. ”What on earth are you talking about?”

”Do you know why Zhang Yan Yu got close to you?” Zhang Bai said. ”It’s because you were in the chemistry department at Jinghai Science and Technology University for many years. First, you were a professor, and later you became the department head. Do you know why he always asked you who the top student of each class was? And do you know why he stopped asking after Kang Hong?”

”Zhang Yan Yu approached chemistry professors at other universities, too, but... you were the only one who fell for him.” Zhang Bai’s expression was grim, but he was still smiling. ”Before Kang Hong, Zhang Yan Yu contacted many students from your department—and not just from your university, but others as well. In the end, though, he only chose Kang Hong. Because Kang Hong was greedy enough. As for the other top students, it was clear from a single conversation that they weren’t his kind of people.”

”What did he choose Kang Hong for?” she asked, her voice hoarse.

”To make drugs, of course,” Zhang Bai said with a relaxed smile. ”Kang Hong... the moment I met him, I knew he’d do it. A greedy person will do anything if you offer him enough money.”

She clenched her fists tightly. ”You’re lying to me. You’re lying, aren’t you?”

”Why don’t you go see for yourself?” Zhang Bai said.

She stared at him, still in disbelief, and took out her phone to call Zhang Yan Yu.

Zhang Bai snatched the phone from her and threw it out the car window.

”What are you doing! What are you trying to do?! Where are you taking me?!” she shrieked, suddenly lunging at him.

Zhang Bai’s hand slipped on the wheel. The car swerved, and her head slammed against the window.

Once she regained her balance, she tried to hit him again, grabbing for the steering wheel to make him stop the car.

Zhang Bai freed a hand and slapped her twice, so hard that her head spun and she saw stars. Finally, she slumped against the window, motionless...