Chapter Ten: Sailor Guardians

Captain Dong had always trusted Ning Shuyi, knowing that she was meticulous and organized in her work, so he had no objections to her next plan. However, since this matter might involve contraband, he felt it necessary to caution them further, reminding them to act with discretion. If they truly uncovered a manufacturing or distribution ring, they must not alert the suspects prematurely.

After receiving permission, Ning Shuyi returned to the visitors’ lounge and asked Wang Yuluo’s family to accompany them to their home.

Upon entering the lounge, the scene before her was almost comical. Huo Yan sat upright and silent, no longer taking the initiative to question Wang Yuluo’s father or the others. Wang Yuluo’s father, aunt, and uncle seemed to feel an invisible pressure from Huo Yan’s presence, each appearing especially restrained. The room was so quiet, it was as if the four of them were meditating together.

Ning Shuyi frowned slightly. She had always felt that Huo Yan seemed aloof when interacting with others, and it was even more pronounced now. While a person’s nature is difficult to fundamentally change and is not the concern of others, now that he had joined the police force, if he wished to do his job well, he not only needed to get along and cooperate with colleagues, but also to learn how to deal with those involved in cases: suspects, family members, and informants alike.

Since Captain Dong had agreed to let her mentor the new colleague, she couldn’t simply treat him as a tool whose intimidating presence would scare hardened criminals. Any issues that needed addressing, she would have to find an opportunity to discuss with him in the future.

Seeing Ning Shuyi return, Wang Yuluo’s family quickly stood up, and together they set off for the home where Wang Yuluo had lived with her father.

Having previously confirmed Wang Yuluo’s address, Ning Shuyi already knew that their family was quite well-off. Upon arrival, the reality exceeded her expectations.

The Wang family’s house had two floors, each about two hundred square meters, making for a very spacious home. The first floor followed the classic style of a large family residence: marble floors, modern Chinese-style furniture—simple, yet elegant.

As Wang Yuluo’s father had mentioned, there was a security door installed on the staircase leading to the second floor, completely separating the two stories and turning them into two distinct worlds.

Before leaving, Ning Shuyi had found Wang Yuluo’s keys among her personal belongings and brought them along. She tried them now, and sure enough, one of them opened the door.

As the door swung open, Wang Yuluo’s father once again broke into tears. “She used to keep the door locked all the time, hiding upstairs, refusing to talk to me or anyone,” he said, voice trembling. “Now the door is open, but I’ll never again hear her call me ‘Dad’…”

Beside him, Wang Yuluo’s uncle patted his back in consolation, while her aunt let out a long sigh.

Though this wasn’t the scene of the incident, Ning Shuyi and Huo Yan took care not to disturb the room’s original state before Wang Yuluo’s departure. They put on shoe covers and gloves before heading upstairs.

The contrast between the second floor and the first was stark. Just inside the security door stood a giant cardboard cutout of Sailor Moon, striking her classic pose as if greeting anyone who entered. If not for the daylight, stumbling upon such a life-sized figure in the dark would have startled anyone.

Beyond the cutout, the small sitting room upstairs was filled with all sorts of decorations, models, and figurines—some nearly as tall as a person, standing by the wall; others, only palm-sized, lined up along the windowsill.

“All these things—they were Yuluo’s treasures!” Unlike her brother, who felt like a guest in his own daughter’s upstairs sanctuary, Wang Yuluo’s aunt spoke with more authority, having helped with cleaning from time to time. “Are these all her toys?” Wang Yuluo’s father asked, surprised to discover his twenty-five-year-old daughter’s passion for these items. His lack of communication and understanding about her life was suddenly laid bare.

“She called them something else—there’s a word for it! Anyway, they were precious to her. Every time I came up to help clean, she’d insist I not touch them. She’d clean the dust herself, afraid I’d break something.”

“Mom, you’re so old-fashioned! They’re called figures! I’ve told you so many times!” came a clear young voice from downstairs. “Don’t you dare touch them—they’re expensive! Did you bring Uncle upstairs? You’d better come down quick; if my sister comes home and finds you here, she’ll throw a fit!”

As she spoke, a girl barely into her twenties ascended the stairs. She was similar in height to the late Wang Yuluo but dressed much more plainly and lacked her delicate features. Still, she radiated the energy of youth.

“Oh, my daughter’s here,” Wang Yuluo’s aunt quickly said to Ning Shuyi, hurrying to the door to pull the girl over with a sigh. “Mengpeng, your sister… something’s happened…”

The girl, named Yu Mengpeng, was at first puzzled to see her uncle upstairs with two strangers. Hearing her mother’s words, she opened her eyes wide in disbelief. “What did you say? Don’t scare me! Mom, you’re too old for these kinds of jokes. My sister never did anything to wrong you!”

Her mother, irritated by the remark, smacked her on the back. “Do you think everyone’s like you, making jokes about anything and saying whatever comes to mind? Mind your tongue! Your uncle’s upset enough as it is!”

Yu Mengpeng glanced at her uncle and saw his ashen face, his eyes swollen and bloodshot. Realizing the gravity of the situation, she quickly dropped her teasing manner. “What happened? What’s going on? Was it a car accident? Is she badly hurt? She left this morning, all dressed up and happy—how could something have happened?”