JHAN SYUDONG had been quite stressed lately. Wang Chyuansheng was as tight-lipped as a clam, only divulging trivial information.

　　A special task force was established, and although they knew that Lin Chian’s case was linked to Gu Wei, gathering concrete evidence had proven difficult for the police.

　　To expedite the investigation, the police issued a reward notice for any useful leads. The very same day, someone came forward with information. After sifting through several useless leads, the case finally started to take shape.

　　The informant was a driver for a home appliance sales company. To cut costs, this company had rented a warehouse in the western outskirts of Linghai. Whenever a customer ordered an appliance, the store would dispatch a driver to the warehouse to retrieve the item.

　　Several times, this truck driver heard someone knocking on the wall in the adjacent warehouse while he was there picking up goods. Once, he went over to investigate out of concern but was scared off by two fierce-looking thugs before he could enter. Recognizing that they were dangerous, he decided not to meddle further.

　　When the driver saw the police notice, he connected it to the warehouse located upstream from where the victim’s body was found in the river and decided to provide this crucial lead.

　　Jhan Syudong led a team to investigate the warehouse. It was meticulously cleaned, but the forensic team detected traces of blood on the floor and extracted dried bloodstains from the dirt in a corner. Chemical analysis confirmed that the blood belonged to Lin Chian.

　　The task force tracked down the warehouse owner and caught the renter, Jhang Rong, who claimed to know nothing. He admitted that someone had contacted him through social app, offering a hefty commission to rent the warehouse using his ID. Tempted by the high payment, he agreed.

　　Each time the payment was made, the individual arranged a time and place, leaving cash beside a trash bin in a park, which Jhang Rong would then collect.

　　Jhan Syudong showed the truck driver photos of Gu Wei’s associates. Surprisingly, the driver identified Wang Chyuansheng, but Wang remained stubbornly silent, preferring to bear the murder charge alone rather than implicate others.

　　At Fonghan, Ling Yueh’s investigation findings largely matched the accounting records Su Manhua had photographed, but the figures and dates didn’t perfectly align. Moreover, since the records were not originals, they would lose legal standing if challenged.

　　This day, while Jhan Syudong was feeling particularly frustrated, he received a call from the watch repair shop informing him that his pocket watch was ready for collection. Noting that the investigation had stalled and his team was overworked, he decided to give them a day off.

　　After retrieving the watch, he headed to Jhan Yeh’s villa, timing his visit to coincide with Jhan Yeh’s return home.

　　However, when Jhan Syudong arrived, Jhan Yeh wasn’t home yet. The old butler welcomed him, made him tea, and then went about his duties. As Jhan Syudong looked around the luxurious villa, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of irony. He had become a guest in his own father’s house.

　　This Linghai property was purchased by Jhan Yeh a couple of years ago for a local development project. Jhan Syudong visited occasionally, but his mother had never set foot in it.

　　Listening to Jhan Yeh talking to the butler outside, Jhan Syudong took out the repaired pocket watch and placed it on the coffee table.

　　Jhan Yeh soon entered, his voice raspy from the fire three years ago that had damaged his vocal cords, stripping him of his former vigor.

　　“What brings you here today?” he asked.

　　Jhan Syudong observed his father closely and replied, “I had some free time and thought I’d come by to see you.” Despite recognizing the face, he struggled to associate the voice with his father.

　　“Since you’re here, how about staying for dinner?” asked Jhan Yeh. He sat down on the sofa, and his gaze briefly touching the pocket watch on the table without much reaction. “This watch... is it for me?”

　　“Yes,” Jhan Syudong replied and remained composed. Despite being a valuable antique, how could his father mistake a ten-year-old watch for a new one? Hadn’t he worn it for over a decade?

　　Jhan Yeh picked up the watch with a smile, examining it.

　　“It doesn’t look new. Is it an antique?” he said. When he opened the case and saw the photo inside, his expression suddenly flustered. “Ugh, I need to change my clothes. And thank you, I really like this watch!”

　　As Jhan Yeh hurriedly left, Jhan Syudong’s heart sank. Could a fire really destroy memories as well as appearance and voice?

　　For three years, he had attributed his father’s changes to the trauma of the fire, never considering darker possibilities. But now, his father’s behavior seemed completely alien.

　　A few minutes later, Jhan Yeh returned with his clothes unchanged. “Syudong, I need to go out. Stay for dinner and the butler will arrange everything,” he said in a hurry.

　　“Dad, wait a moment!” Jhan Syudong said and stood, patting his father’s shoulder to remove some dust. “There’s dust on your clothes.”

　　“Oh, thanks! But I really need to go now,” said Jhan Yeh.

　　“Okay,” Jhan Syudong said and sat back, watching his father leave, his expression dark. He opened his hand to reveal a strand of hair. Taking a plastic bag from his pocket, he carefully placed the hair inside.

　　On the coffee table was a glass that Jhan Yeh had used. After a moment’s hesitation, Jhan Syudong placed it in a plastic bag and replaced it with an identical glass from the cabinet.

　　Su Manhua had played a little trick, telling Ding Yi that today was her birthday. Ding Yi had completed his current training course yesterday and had originally booked a flight back to Linghai for today. Upon hearing that it was her birthday, he rescheduled his flight, delaying his trip by a day.

　　Su Manhua was secretly delighted, unaware that given Ding Yi’s character, he wouldn’t change his plans so easily unless he had feelings for her.

　　Su Manhua jotted down the ingredients needed for dinner in her usual notebook. Just as she finished placing the order on an app, the doorbell rang.

　　She hobbled from the bedroom to the living room to answer the door. When she opened it, she was greeted by a giant fluffy pink rabbit doll filling the doorway. She was taken aback.

　　“Oh my! What’s this?” she asked.

　　“A birthday gift!” Ding Yi replied, his face appeared from behind the doll.

　　Seeing his serious expression juxtaposed with a pink rabbit, Su Manhua struggled to suppress her smile.

　　“You must have turned some heads!” she remarked, imagining the tall, strapping Ding Yi carrying a pink doll.

　　“It was alright,” he said. Because he was the kind of person who didn’t care much about what others thought.

　　“Thanks. But you didn’t have to bring a gift. Your presence is enough,” she said, hobbling back to the living room. “And I’m not a child!”

　　Although she couldn’t deny that these fluffy toys had an irresistible charm, she didn’t want to seem childish in front of him.

　　“Don’t you like it?” Ding Yi placed the doll on the sofa and handed her a gift box, which was a beautifully wrapped box with a pretty bow on the handle. “if you don’t, there’s also this.”

　　“Oh, no, I do like it,” she replied, suspecting that if she showed any sign of dissatisfaction, Ding Yi might produce a third gift.

　　“Since your foot isn’t healed yet, let me help you take it to the bedroom,” Ding Yi smiled and said. The doll was about 140 cm tall, fluffy and heavy, not easy for someone with a leg injury to carry.

　　“Alright!” said Su Manhua.

　　In her bedroom, Ding Yi saw several other dolls on her bed and windowsill, and couldn’t help but chuckle.

　　She’s really cute, he thought. Clearly, she loves these things but pretends not to. Maybe she’s worried that this cute hobby would undermine her intellectual image.

　　Last time, when she fell asleep on the sofa, he had carried her to bed and noticed that she seemed to lack a sense of security, needing to hug a doll to sleep peacefully.

　　Ding Yi moved the small dolls on her bed to the windowsill and placed the large rabbit on the inner side of the bed. Hugging such a big rabbit would certainly provide a sense of security.

　　After arranging the doll, he placed the gift box on her desk. His attention was drawn to a notebook open on the desk. The neat handwriting and the paper’s pattern intrigued him. He studied it carefully, confirming a suspicion, and then laughed heartily. Even when he returned to the living room, the smile hadn’t entirely left his face.

　　“Have some tea and be my guest please,” Su Manhua said and brought him a cup of light black tea. “I invited you over for dinner to express my gratitude, and now you’ve brought gifts to me. How can I ever repay you?”

　　“If once isn’t enough, then invite me over a few more times. Are you afraid I’ll come for dinner too often?” Ding Yi replied. He knew how to take advantage of the situation.

　　Su Manhua thought to herself, That’s exactly what I hope for! She noticed his smile and asked, “You seem to be in a good mood!”

　　“Absolutely. Having someone invite me to dinner is naturally a reason to be happy,” Ding Yi said and then took a sip of tea. “What kind of tea is this?”

　　“Black tea, which is good for your stomach. Though I haven’t seen you have stomach issues lately, it’s still good for daily care. You don’t like this?”

　　“Taste good. I’m just more used to green tea—”

　　They chatted freely, covering various topics for over half an hour until the delivery boy arrived with the ingredients. Su Manhua then headed into the kitchen to start cooking. Ding Yi initially intended to help, but soon received a call from Lee Mu.

　　The purpose of the call was straightforward—to get Ding Yi’s vote in the Party Committee meeting.

　　This meeting was about reviewing a loan application from one of Gu Wei’s subsidiaries under Hueihuang Group, requesting a loan of thirty million yuan. According to the latest regulations, such large loans needed to be discussed by the Party Committee before being presented to the Loan Review Committee.

　　Ding Yi had taken an extra day off, so in theory, the meeting could proceed with the remaining four committee members, as long as over two-thirds of the members were present. Yet Syueh Honghuei insisted on having Lee Mu call Ding Yi to get his opinion.

　　Ding Yi was aware of the loan. The collateral was overvalued, and the applicant’s accounts receivable turnover and working capital turnover rates did not meet the standards.

　　In recent months, Gu Wei had frequently visited Syueh Honghuei’s office, but Xue had remained steadfast. Realizing this approach was futile, Gu Wei had stopped trying to influence things in Linghai. The fact that this loan was now being reviewed by the Party Committee indicated that even Syueh Honghuei was under pressure. Despite his reluctance, the loan had to be approved.

　　After the Credit Department manager’s briefing on the loan, Syueh Honghuei summarized the situation and everyone began to voice their opinions.

　　The other three vice presidents all agreed. When it was Ding Yi’s turn, he hesitated for a few seconds before stating.

　　“I disagree,” he said.

　　Silence fell over the meeting room. After a moment, Syueh Honghuei asked gravely, “What’s your reason?”

　　“I believe the pre-loan investigation by the client manager is insufficient. Assessing the applicant’s repayment ability shouldn’t rely solely on the financial statements,” he replied. Anyone could doctor financial statements. Previous issues had suddenly turned into perfect data within a few months. Who were they trying to fool?

　　The call ended quickly.

　　Ding Yi knew that his dissent alone couldn’t stop the loan from being approved. If even someone as clear-headed as Syueh Honghuei had given in, it meant that Gu Wei had made significant efforts at the head office.

　　He considered the bank’s current governance structure. Excluding the other members of the head office loan committee, there were two key decision-makers—the vice president in charge of credit operations and the president. The chairman usually didn’t interfere with business operations, but it couldn’t be entirely ruled out either.

　　It seemed necessary to investigate the relationships between these individuals and Gu Wei more thoroughly.

　　Thinking of Gu Wei, Ding Yi called Jhan Syudong to check if he had gotten anything out of the two suspects.

　　The phone rang for a while before it was answered. “Hello—” there came a hoarse, weak voice.

　　Ding Yi thought he had dialed the wrong number and checked before speaking. “Is that Syudong?” he asked.

　　“Yeah—” replied Jhan Syudong.

　　“What’s wrong? Do you have a cold?” Ding Yi asked.

　　“Taking a page from your book, I’ve been self-exiling for a few days,” replied Jhan Syudong. After a few days of debauchery, his head was still spinning, and he couldn’t tell night from day.

　　“What happened?” Ding Yi asked. He knew Jhan Syudong to be a cheerful person. It would take something significant to bring him down like this.

　　Jhan Syudong replied indirectly, “Do you know about hermit crabs?”

　　“Yes,” Ding Yi said. Hermit crabs start with a soft body that’s vulnerable to predators. As they grow, they need to find a suitable shell, often attacking snails to kill and eat them, then living in the snail’s shell. Once the shell no longer fits, they find a new target. “But why ask? Did you find a lead?”

　　“We’ll talk when you get back,” Jhan Syudong replied without saying too much.

　　Indeed, it wasn’t wise to discuss too much over the phone.

　　“By the way, bring my son back with you. I don’t have time to pick him up,” he added. It was time for him to pull himself together and get back to investigating.