After the two entered the house, Aunt Qin was surprised: “No overtime today? Why are you back so early?”

“Yeah.” Si Hang headed straight to the bedroom. “I’m going to change clothes.”

A few minutes later, everyone sat at the dining table.

Aunt Qin quickly added another dish. “Fortunately, I cooked an extra half bowl of rice today. Why didn’t you let me know you were coming back?”

Si Hang picked up his chopsticks and absentmindedly replied, “I forgot.”

Aunt Qin: “…….”

During the meal, Si Hang and Zhuang Zi didn’t talk much. Fortunately, Aunt Qin kept the atmosphere from becoming too cold.

Aunt Qin, having spent a lot of time with Zheng Ru, had a similar personality and was quite talkative. Mostly, she asked questions, and they answered.

At one point, Si Hang suddenly spoke, “Today, I checked the phone number that threatened you yesterday. We found the phone near the short bridge in the north of the city through the base station code. It was thrown into the river. Surveillance showed it was a tall man, who looked similar to the person who held you that night. We’ve checked all the vehicles shown on the short bridge’s surveillance, and no one was following you. It should just be a threat.”

Zhuang Zi was eating when she heard this. She looked up at him, her face full of disbelief, and asked, “It was a man?”

“Yeah, he probably altered his voice.” Si Hang glanced at her, noticing her pale face. “Also, I suspect the person who held you that night was Zhao Yuan.”

Zhuang Zi was stunned and took a couple of seconds to adjust. When she spoke again, her voice was a bit stiff, “Wasn’t it said that Zhao Yuan fell at the construction site and became a vegetative state?”

“Something’s not right,” he said. “Before, Xie Kui called to ask the district police in Luo City. Later, Xiao Meng investigated the victims of the stone factory from back then, and the villagers also confirmed that he was indeed injured and hospitalized, so we didn’t suspect much. But one thing doesn’t make sense. After the accident case was closed two years ago, he received a large sum of compensation, so it’s unreasonable for him to go to the construction site to do heavy labor.”

He looked at her. “I’ve already sent someone to investigate the hospital where he was staying. We’ll have results tomorrow.”

This news was too sudden, and Zhuang Zi was a bit dazed.

Zhao Yuan?

The victim from the stone factory.

Si Hang glanced at her. She seemed a bit lost and only resumed eating mechanically after a long while.

However, talking about Zhao Yuan inevitably reminded him of the anonymous letter.

That case involved many important people, and some even tried to probe him and the chief about the anonymous report.

If anyone deserved the most credit for the case, it was the person who wrote that report. If not for that mysterious person collecting the evidence, the accident would have been covered up. Those corrupt officials and oppressive black merchants might still be at large.

To them, the whistleblower was noble. But to those with ill intentions, they were hated. Any leak of the whistleblower’s information could have severe consequences.

He couldn’t help but be curious. If the anonymous person was her, how did she gather all that evidence bit by bit?

Thinking this, he looked up at her again.

Zhuang Zi seemed to sense his gaze. But when she frowned and looked over, he wasn’t looking at her at all; it was just her illusion.

Until the meal was finished, and she was about to get up from the table.

Si Hang spoke again, “Go to the police station tomorrow to make a statement. I’ll wait for you in the morning.”

She hurriedly glanced at him, “Okay.”

…

The next day, Zhuang Zi woke up at 5:30 AM, even before dawn.

Thinking that he usually went to work so early, she didn’t want to keep him waiting.

But when she finished getting ready, there was still no movement from the bedroom across from hers.

She didn’t expect that he would sleep in.

She sat on the sofa in the living room, watching the sky outside gradually brighten. At seven o’clock, Si Hang finally came out.

Today, he wore a short, stand-collar jacket and black pants, looking both stylish and capable. Holding his keys, he walked energetically toward the door.

Zhuang Zi quickly got up. The two stood by the entryway to change shoes and then went out to take the elevator together.

It was rush hour, so the elevator was crowded.

A grandmother pushing a baby stroller stood next to Zhuang Zi.

Si Hang glanced indifferently and noticed the child in the stroller twisting and turning, nearly kicking Zhuang Zi’s leg several times with his shoes.

He suddenly remembered the time it rained, when he held an umbrella and escorted her to the hotel opposite the police station. On the way, a mischievous boy stepped in a puddle, causing her to panic and accidentally bump into him, her face reddening slightly in embarrassment. It was a bit amusing.

He pulled his hand out of his pocket, grabbed her arm, and gently pulled her closer to him.

Zhuang Zi was caught off guard and instinctively turned back. Si Hang looked down into her eyes without any expression.

The next second, he silently withdrew his hand and put it back in his pocket, looking elsewhere.

Zhuang Zi’s brows furrowed slightly in confusion. As she turned her head back, the child in the stroller next to her reached out and tugged on the belt of her coat.

Startled, she looked down.

So that was it.

…