Chapter 8: Between Laughter and Tears

"Would it be convenient for us to talk about what just happened?" Ning Shuyi asked the woman in a gentle tone.

The woman shuddered, shook her head frantically as if afraid her attitude wasn't resolute enough, and then waved her hands.

"What's wrong? What is this all about?" Her husband frowned, looking at his wife, then at Ning Shuyi and Huo Yan. "Honey, did you run into some trouble, or is it someone else's business?"

"Someone else's business. I was just passing by, watching the commotion..." The woman looked on the verge of tears. The moment she started speaking, she seemed involuntarily to recall the scene from moments before. Her whole body trembled uncontrollably, and her legs felt weak, as if she could barely stand.

The man in the suit hurriedly supported his wife and comforted her, "Alright, alright, it's all in the past! It's okay now!"

"My heart hurts..." The woman's face grew even paler, and she clutched her chest with a pained expression. "Honey, I think I need to go to the hospital for a checkup."

"Let's go, to the hospital. I'll take you right now!" The man nodded hurriedly, then said to Huo Yan, "I'm sorry, since it has nothing to do with my wife, there's nothing we can do to help you! You can see for yourselves, she's been scared to this extent, I have to get her to the hospital right away for a checkup!"

"No problem." Ning Shuyi checked the time. "Traffic outside is probably jammed right now. If she's really feeling that uncomfortable, we can help take your wife to the hospital."

"No need, I was just scared out of my wits and my heart is racing, it hasn't reached that point. I won't trouble you." Before the man in the suit could express his stance, the woman shook her head at Ning Shuyi first. "Thank you for helping me restore my phone to factory settings! Otherwise, I would have been scared to death! People say police officers have strong auras and heavy defensive energy that can suppress anything! Once you helped me delete those things from my phone, I wasn't as scared anymore!"

Ning Shuyi was left speechless and torn between amusement and awkwardness. Finding it inappropriate to laugh, she offered some polite and courteous remarks, then watched alongside Huo Yan as the couple left.

Once the couple had walked out of earshot, she turned to Huo Yan and joked, "That theory is quite novel. According to her logic, we double as guardians against evil spirits! With me living in my building and you living upstairs—plus you being the legendary sharpshooter, the ace sniper—having the two of us holding down the fort means that building must be bathed in golden light, completely impervious to all evil!"

Huo Yan had never believed in such things. A moment ago, he had thought the woman's words were foolish, but hearing Ning Shuyi's teasing, he found it quite amusing as well and nodded, "We'll have to charge them protection fees later."

He was usually reticent, always wearing a detached expression, and spoke with exceptional solemnity. Therefore, when these words came from his mouth, the comedic effect seemed to double, causing Ning Shuyi to double over with laughter.

"They say deadpan comedians are invincible. I never understood it before, but now I'm thoroughly convinced!" She patted Huo Yan on the shoulder. "You're full of surprises, a formidable youth indeed! Let's go back to the precinct!"

Huo Yan was left slightly amused at being called a "youth" by a girl even younger than him. The corners of his mouth twitched into a smile as he followed Ning Shuyi away from the intersection.

Behind them, the park management had driven over a water sprinkler truck, preparing to wash away the horrifying pool of blood on the ground. After all, once today passed, life had to go on. There would still be many tourists going to that park for exercise and leisure, and perhaps some would still discuss the murder that had happened here today. But for the vast majority of people, life would continue as usual, and this page would soon be turned.

Back at the precinct, the body had already been sent for an autopsy. The first thing they needed to do was confirm the victim's identity.

This proved not to be too difficult. The victim's personal belongings had not been lost, and her ID card was found inside her backpack.

According to the information on the ID card, the victim's name was Wu Meifang, twenty-two years old, with a household registration from another province and holding a W City residence permit.

According to her household registration information, Wu Meifang's hometown was another province not too far from W City.

Ning Shuyi quickly contacted Wu Meifang's family. Upon learning that Wu Meifang had been murdered in W City, the family found it hard to accept for a moment, assuming it was a scam call. They swore fiercely at Ning Shuyi over the phone and then hung up.

With no other choice, Ning Shuyi called back. The other party didn't answer. She called again, and it wouldn't go through—she had been blocked.

Huo Yan used a different phone to call. The moment the other person heard him say "W City Public Security Bureau," they immediately cursed him as a scammer and hung up again.

This reaction left them both exasperated and amused. They didn't know whether to praise the local anti-fraud publicity campaigns for being remarkably successful or to complain that the Wu family was cursing people indiscriminately without distinguishing right from wrong, leaving no room for even an explanation or proof.

With no alternative left, and unwilling to keep changing phone numbers just to be cursed at as a fraud, Ning Shuyi looked up the jurisdiction police station for the area where the Wu family lived. She called them, explained the situation they had just encountered, and asked if it would be convenient for the local neighborhood police officers to help resolve the matter.

Upon hearing the situation, the local police station readily agreed.

About half an hour later, a phone call came back from a local neighborhood officer. He had already arrived at Wu Meifang parents' home and was making the call right in front of them, giving Ning Shuyi the opportunity to explain the situation clearly.

Thus, Ning Shuyi finally succeeded in contacting the family. However, upon discovering that this was not the scheme of scammers, but that their family member had genuinely been murdered, the relatives were instantly struck by a massive blow, plunging into a grief so overwhelming that normal communication became impossible for the time being.

Ning Shuyi had no choice but to confirm with them over the phone that they would travel to W City as soon as possible to handle the subsequent matters, leaving all other discussions for when they arrived in person.

Yet, from this phone call—amidst the tearful wails of the victim's mother, who could not accept the reality—she learned that the deceased Wu Meifang had graduated from a junior college just last year and had been working at a private enterprise in W City since graduation.

A park lacking adequate surveillance equipment, an intersection surrounded by woods, a dusk closing in, a sudden flash mob event...

All of these clearly told Ning Shuyi that this was a premeditated, meticulously planned murder. Every single step had been designed; there was no room for misfortune or coincidence whatsoever.

A twenty-young-woman, twenty-two years old and just one year out of junior college, was inexperienced in the ways of the world. How complicated could her social relations possibly be? What could the probability of her being targeted in a vendetta actually be?