Zhuang Zi received a call from Xie Kui while she was on her way back to the hospital in a taxi.

“Miss Zhuang, I’ve reviewed the surveillance footage from your house, but unfortunately, the surveillance system was damaged and malfunctioning.”

Zhuang Zi’s heart sank, and her expression instantly turned grim.

“We conducted a preliminary inspection of the scene but found nothing unusual. Though there’s no concrete evidence, it’s clear that this coincidence is suspicious,” Xie Kui explained.

Anxiously, Zhuang Zi asked, “What do we do now?”

Xie Kui replied, “We haven’t found any leads yet, so we’ll base our investigation on the information you’ve provided and proceed with filing a case as soon as possible. That’s why it’s important for you to come to the station as soon as possible.”

“Alright.”

Given that she was a single woman living alone and suspected of being involved in a home invasion, Xie Kui clearly took the matter seriously. He advised, “Tomorrow, we’ll revisit your house to investigate the scene and review the neighborhood surveillance footage. For safety reasons, Miss Zhuang, it might be best for you to find another place to stay for the next few days.”

Zhuang Zi looked worried. “Even if I move, I may not necessarily be safe.”

“We’ll take appropriate protective measures if needed after tomorrow’s investigation,” Xie Kui reassured her.

Zhuang Zi pressed her lips together, trying to keep calm. “Thank you for your help.”

“You’re welcome.”

After hanging up, a chill ran down Zhuang Zi’s spine.

Even as she entered the hospital, her panic showed no signs of easing.

Her body felt exhausted from extreme fear, and she leaned on the corridor railing for support as she walked back to her hospital room. Upon pushing the door open, she found a young man waiting inside.

It was Pei Zheng, the young colleague who had comforted her yesterday morning.

In the morning, Jiang Zhihao had applied for her leave, and everyone in the company knew about her attempted suicide due to relationship issues.

They had all planned to visit her in the hospital after work, but upon arriving at the ward, they found her missing.

While the other colleagues had already left, Pei Zheng had stayed behind.

Seeing her enter, Pei Zheng hurried over to explain the situation to her.

Zhuang Zi forced a smile. “Thank you all. I’m fine now.”

Sympathy filled Pei Zheng’s eyes as he smiled back. “We—we were all really worried about you.”

He hesitated slightly after “we,” but Zhuang Zi pretended not to notice.

“Thank you for your concern.”

Pei Zheng sat down on the chair by the hospital bed and quietly watched her.

Zhuang Zi was naturally attractive, with delicate features and fair skin that made her look younger than her peers by a few years. Even without makeup, she exuded a serene and refined charm.

“Zhuang Zi, I know you’re a good person, and you deserve better. I hope you won’t give up easily,” Pei Zheng said.

Zhuang Zi glanced at him. His comforting words were heartwarming and optimistic, but she knew they were also self-deceptive.

She wanted to explain that she hadn’t attempted suicide because of a relationship, but after thinking it over, she remained silent, just nodding slightly.

There was no need for unnecessary explanations, and even if she did explain, no one would truly understand her feelings.

“It’s late now. I won’t disturb your rest,” Pei Zheng said. “When you’re fully recovered, how about we go out to relax this weekend?”

Zhuang Zi hesitated briefly before softly replying, “Let’s talk about it then.”

Pei Zheng smiled and stood up from the chair. “Alright, I’ll leave you to rest. Take care.”

“Mm.”

“Goodnight.”

He left.

Zhuang Zi took off her coat and lay back on the bed, staring out into the dark night, lost in thought. Soon, Pei Zheng’s words slipped from her mind.

She thought of her sister, recalling the last day before her sister’s death when she had been worried that her sister wasn’t eating properly. Zhuang Zi had personally made a large batch of frozen dumplings and delivered them to her sister’s home, instructing her not to let herself go hungry and develop stomach problems.

Her longing and pain overflowed from her heart, tears rolling down her cheeks onto the pillow.

For nearly half a year, she had even suspected that perhaps her stubborn refusal to accept the sudden death of her sister had caused her to hallucinate.

But after experiencing this recent danger, her intuition, and all the anomalies confirmed her doubts—her sister’s car accident was definitely not normal.

She might never have the ability to unearth this answer.

But there was a firm resolve in her heart, always pulling her back, not allowing her to give up.

It was the love she had shown her sister, taking care of her like a mother since they were young—the only close family she had in this world.

As long as she was alive, she couldn’t give up on finding evidence of that abnormal accident.

She wiped her eyes, got up, and took out her phone from her coat pocket, dialing Jiang Zhihao’s number.

“Do we still have any of my sister’s belongings?” she asked. “I want to take another look.”

“They’re all still at home. Whenever you want to come over is fine,” Jiang Zhihao replied.

“Mm.”

Jiang Zhihao then asked about what the police had said after their investigation.

“No leads. They just advised me to move to a different place for now.”

“Why don’t you move to Changhe Bay then, temporarily avoid the risk?” Jiang Zhihao suggested.

“No,” Zhuang Zi refused, not because living together would be inconvenient—Jiang Zhihao had a nanny and her sister’s son, Xiaorui—but because of another concern. “In case the perpetrator targets me, I can’t endanger you all.”

Jiang Zhihao sighed. “Why are you saying these things? No matter what, I can’t let you stay outside alone, scared and at risk.”

Zhuang Zi knew Jiang Zhihao meant well. He had always been a gentleman and caring person.

But she didn’t want to argue with him. Seeing a nurse coming in with a blood pressure monitor, she found an excuse to change the subject. “They’re about to measure my blood pressure. I should hang up.”

…