Chapter 26: Tinglan

~I’m going to die! Is that okay?~

The next day, Zhao Qingyun was acquitted. He immediately went to find Zhao Xiangwan, who was organizing files in the office.

“Xiangwan, thank you so much,” he said sincerely.

Zhao Xiangwan waved him off, expressionless.

For once, Zhao Qingyun didn’t take offense. His time in custody had given him a lot to think about.

Wei Meihua, his wife, had shared hardships with him, but after her first visit to the station, she never came again. Her cold attitude made it clear—their bond was broken. Even if they didn’t divorce, their relationship would never be the same.

His father-in-law had helped him rise in rank, but the old man’s influence was waning. There would be fewer favors in the future.

Xu Juncai, a close associate who had benefited greatly from their relationship, never even showed up to help.

His supposed friends, the ones who always called him “brother,” had all vanished in his time of need.

Only one person had fought for him—his own daughter, Zhao Xiangwan, the very person he had always looked down upon.

The old folks back home used to say, “You never know which gourd will bear good seeds.” ^[1]a phrase meaning it’s hard to tell which child will be the most valuable in the future. He had neglected his own daughter for another man’s child, and now he regretted it.

Zhao Qingyun had heard from his superiors how Zhao Xiangwan had carefully questioned Pan Guoqing’s alibi and staged an act with another female officer to break him. Without her, he might still be locked up.

The more he thought about it, the more ashamed he felt. Ignoring her indifference, he continued, “Xiangwan, I—”

Zhao Xiangwan cut him off. “I solve cases. That’s all. There’s no need for us to stay in touch.”

Zhao Qingyun’s face turned red. “I just wanted to say thank you. Why are you so heartless?”

Zhao Xiangwan’s expression turned cold. Without another word, she lowered her head and resumed sorting the files.

Zhao Qingyun had wanted to mend their relationship, but she had made it clear—she wasn’t doing this out of family loyalty. She had simply done her job.

Zhao Qingyun left after exchanging a few polite words.

Once he was gone, He Mingyu approached Zhao Xiangwan with a smile, tapping the table. “Come on, teach us—how did you see through Pan Guoqing’s disguise?”

Seeing He Mingyu’s amused expression, Zhao Xiangwan felt her mood lift. She closed the file, glanced at her curious colleagues, and stood up.

Picking up a piece of chalk, she drew a human face on the small blackboard, adding several mouth shapes beside it.

“Among the five human senses, the mouth is not just for eating; it also plays a crucial role in communication. It can reveal a lot of valuable information.”

Her opening statement immediately captured everyone’s attention.

Ji Zhao, usually inconspicuous in the serious crime squad, stood up, took the chalk, and redrew a more precise human face. Though done in a few strokes, it was vivid and clear.

Zhao Xiangwan smiled. “I’ll explain, and you draw.”

The two worked seamlessly—one drawing, the other explaining.

“The mouth has four basic movements: opening and closing, up and down, forward and backward, and tight and loose. By analyzing these movements and the personality traits reflected in lip shapes, we can infer a person’s inner thoughts.

Pan Guoqing has a short upper lip and a protruding lower lip—traits of someone suspicious and defensive but also highly resilient.

Sister He, did you notice how he kept biting his lips while answering questions? That showed he was carefully analyzing every word from the police, maintaining a constant mental defense. If he truly loved his wife, he would have cooperated to find her killer. If he were innocent, he wouldn’t be so guarded.”

He Mingyu exclaimed, “Yes! I saw him do that too! I thought he had a habit of self-harm, but now I see he was just being defensive.”

Zhao Xiangwan nodded and continued.

“When we asked him about the missing money, he pressed his lips into a straight line—a sign of extreme stubbornness. Once he makes up his mind, he doesn’t turn back. But under intense pressure, he temporarily loses control, which is why he suddenly pulled the curtains, opened the wardrobe, and threw clothes around.”

Zhu Feipeng struggled to recall the scene. He only remembered Pan Guoqing yanking the curtains in frustration but hadn’t paid attention to his mouth shape.

“In the interrogation room, Captain Xu led the questioning. Did anyone notice Pan Guoqing’s lip movements?”

The office fell silent.

Then Xu Songling spoke up. “When I questioned him, he kept his lips tightly shut. He would only speak when absolutely necessary, as if deliberately hiding his mouth and refusing to say anything.”

Zhao Xiangwan smiled. “Captain Xu has experience. When a suspect reaches a high level of stress, they instinctively conceal their lips—an unconscious way for the brain to resist speaking. When stress peaks, their lips not only tighten but the corners droop, forming an inverted U shape. Captain Xu applied pressure based on this, and I seized the opportunity to push further.”

For a moment, the office was silent.

Then came thunderous applause.

“Junior sister is so observant!”

“I never knew mouths could reveal so much!”

“Take notes! Quick!”

“Solving a major case in under two weeks—amazing efficiency! Junior sister is our lucky charm! Her internship grade should be outstanding!”

Zhao Xiangwan’s lips curled into a smile, her eyes shining with joy. Combining microexpression analysis with psychology to create effective investigative techniques was truly rewarding!

Meanwhile, Ji Zhao, undisturbed by the applause, took a step back and observed the blackboard. The face he had drawn had a straight mouth, tightly shut lips, and guarded eyes. He studied it carefully, then gently put down the chalk and clapped his hands softly.

Everyone laughed.

Zhu Feipeng, surprised, said loudly, “Oh! Master Ji knows how to applaud now!”

Ji Zhao froze.

Zhao Xiangwan shot Zhu Feipeng a glare and told Ji Zhao, “Applause means praise. Keep going.”

Ji Zhao was intelligent, just withdrawn and reluctant to engage with others, which made him seem socially awkward. Spending time in the serious crime squad, where Zhao Xiangwan could understand and hear his thoughts, had helped him open up. Bit by bit, he was learning how to interact with the world.

Ji Zhao clapped again.

Snap! Snap! Snap!

Though the sound was soft, Zhao Xiangwan saw in it the image of skylarks dancing in an open field. Helping Ji Zhao gradually find joy in human connection filled her with a deep sense of accomplishment.

_

Before they knew it, Chinese New Year was approaching. In the south, the Little New Year fell on the 28th. Zhao Xiangwan booked a train ticket for the 27th to return to Luo County.

Though her colleagues in the serious crime squad were reluctant to see her go, they didn’t want to hold her back. They sent her off with a pile of farewell gifts.

Luo County was a small station, only accessible by slow trains.

During the Spring Festival travel rush, the green-colored trains were packed beyond capacity. There was barely room to stand, let alone move.

Carrying a large, faded army-green shoulder bag on her left and a navy-blue canvas handbag in her right, Zhao Xiangwan struggled to find her seat. The three-person seat was crammed with five passengers.

She sat in the aisle seat, glanced around, and saw the luggage racks were already full. She had no choice but to place her handbag under her feet. As she straightened up, the unavoidable physical contact with those beside her made her uncomfortable, but there was no alternative. She had to endure it.

Sitting by the window was a woman with a melancholy expression. Her frail body was wrapped in a large navy blue cotton-padded jacket, making her look even smaller. She rested her chin on her right hand, staring blankly outside with tightly pursed lips. Her hands, cheeks, and ears were covered in frostbite, abnormally red from the cold.

Next to her sat a plump middle-aged woman in a light blue double-breasted wool coat with curly hair. She breathed heavily, her chest rising and falling as she tried to suppress her frustration.