Luo Xi and Abu had special identities, so they bypassed the procedures at Criminal Investigation and went straight into the Case Handling Office.
Meanwhile, Zhang Pangpang had made a discovery too. The Orange Cat that had been running around all day pushed open the door of the Case Handling Office and collapsed onto a chair like a soggy, limp dough after getting wet.
Jiang Xiaoyu was writing up today’s report. Seeing him return, he turned sideways and handed him a piece of candy. “How’d it go? Did you send the item for testing?” Zhang Pangpang had called him earlier to say he’d found a lead on the murder weapon.
Zhang Pangpang caught his breath. Too fat to sit up straight, he took the candy and popped it into his mouth, mumbling, “Sent it off. First to the blood side for DNA identification, then later to Criminal Technology for fingerprints.” He pushed himself upright using the arms of the chair and said, “Luckily, the cake from Wan Universe was a big custom order. The metal tray inside is heavy and cumbersome, rarely used on the regular, so they just cleaned it and stored the whole thing away. It hadn’t been touched in ages. But the matching cake knife got left at the bottom of the paper box—they never even noticed it.”
“But by the time I found it, the blade looked like it’d been washed. No blood or anything.” As he spoke, a hint of worry crept into his tone. “If the tests come back with no usable DNA or fingerprints for comparison, we’re probably back to square one.”
Jiang Xiaoyu was more optimistic. Packing up his things, he said to Zhang Pangpang, “How could it be square one? Just confirming that the victim’s wounds were caused by this cake knife would be a huge breakthrough.”
Zhang Pangpang nodded. Over there, Jin Ge finished asking about the case and came out shouting that he was starving. Without a second thought, he bent over and rummaged through the snack box on Jiang Xiaoyu’s desk for snacks, munching away as he talked. “This Labrador might as well be illiterate. Never even finished nine years of compulsory education.”
This little cat-shaped snack box was designed by Ye Qingxu—solid wood base with two paw prints from Jiang Xiaoyu carved on top. Jiang Xiaoyu wasn’t stingy. In fact, he loved sharing snacks with cats and dogs. But seeing Jin Ge pawing at the snack box so roughly made him feel a bit heartbroken, so he poured out the snacks, hugged the box to his chest, and asked, “Have you contacted the Labrador’s hometown? Is everything confirmed?”
Jin Ge watched the Cat Cub hugging the snack box like it was some priceless treasure, squinting with amusement. “Contacted them. Most of it checks out so far. Still verifying the details.”
Under Jin Ge’s teasing gaze, Jiang Xiaoyu uncomfortably turned his head and caught a glimpse of his own flushed face reflected on the glass window. Sure enough, he was a bit red. He set the wooden box back on the desk and asked quietly, “If it’s really like Abu said, will Abu get sentenced?”
Jin Ge choked on his food, thumped his chest a couple times, then pulled out a cigarette and lit up. “It’s a complicated situation. For the driver’s case, they definitely have to inform the victim of the details. If the driver wants to sue later, that’s a separate procedure. As for Jiang Fei, pushing someone off a building and stabbing with a knife are two independent crimes. Based on the forensics report, Jiang Fei’s head wound isn’t serious—probably just a charge of intentional minor injury at worst.”
He squinted and exhaled a smoke ring, his tone heavy. “It all depends on how it’s handled. After all, he’s a Shapeshifter. The relevant agencies will get involved.”
Jiang Xiaoyu fell silent. He knew that already. After all, even with his own complicated family background, he’d passed the political review. The country followed a ‘use them if you can’ principle with Shapeshifters, but with stricter oversight—no letting them run loose in society.
“What about Luo Xi?”
Jin Ge tapped his cigarette ash. “That kid’s tricky. Half-truths, slippery as hell—not easy to deal with. Checked his family history, and yeah, there’s Box Jellyfish genes way back. Super rare. But by his generation, it’s diluted a lot. Need genetic testing for the specifics.” No surprise there—little white flowers and pretty boys were never up to any good!
Either way, after dragging on for so long, the case was finally moving toward clarity. Jiang Xiaoyu let out a small breath of relief. Seeing Jin Ge was done eating, he carefully put the scattered snacks back in the box.
Jin Ge watched his movements quietly, then suddenly reached out and pinched the jade token hanging from his neck. “Where’d this come from? Your dad buy it?”
Jiang Xiaoyu froze. “No.”
“Then who?” Jin Ge narrowed his eyes, looking suspiciously vigilant, like someone who’d just discovered a thief in his house.
Jiang Xiaoyu flushed and yanked the jade token back, mumbling in a lack of confidence, “A fr-friend gave it to me.”
“What friend? Not Ye Lian, right? I’m telling you, Cat Cub, you’re too naive! That guy’s no simple character—don’t get too close, got it? With his background, toying with you would be like squashing a bug. Don’t let him sell you off and have you counting his money for him, all dumb and happy!”
Jiang Xiaoyu wasn’t just naive—he huffed back indignantly. “He’s not like that at all! He’s actually really nice!”
Jin Ge felt like he’d eaten too much sugar—his teeth were aching. What was this pent-up frustration, like his carefully raised cabbage had been rooted up by a pig? He glared fiercely. “I don’t care! Listen up, you little pup with no fur yet—stay away from him, got it? I’m telling your dad right now!”
Jiang Xiaoyu shot to his feet, red-faced and fuming. “Are you sick? Why bring my dad into this? What did I even do?”
The scene was like a school principal catching high schoolers dating. Zhang Pangpang watched with glee, extending a paw to pop another snack into his mouth.
—
Meanwhile, the man at the center of their argument—Mr. Ye—received a message from his assistant and headed to the reception room.
The assistant pushed open the door, and Ye Qingxu’s gaze followed. He stood and said to Ye Lian, “Hello, sorry to bother you.”
With Jiang Xiaoyu absent, the atmosphere between them was noticeably stiff. Hard to believe they’d had dinner together just last night.
Ye Lian shook Ye Qingxu’s hand, smiling with curved eyes. “No need for formalities like ‘you.’ You’re the elder—call me Ye Lian, or Lian Zhi if you don’t mind.” Seeing Ye Qingxu’s puzzled look, he added with a smile, “I’m of the ‘Zhi’ generation. Got three older brothers above me, but outside, I drop the character.”
Ye Qingxu’s family was small—their clan had trouble with heirs and rarely used generational naming. He didn’t comment, just went with it. “Then I won’t stand on ceremony, Lian Zhi. I know the place Little Yu is renting is under your name. I’d like to buy it.”
Ye Lian adjusted his cufflink, relaxing his posture a bit. He thought to himself that while this man looked like Jiang Xiaoyu, he was clearly much more worldly—must be all those extra years. Composing himself, he smiled and asked, “You came all this way just for that? Ink Orchid Mansion is closer. And it’s not business—you could’ve just called.”
Thanks to his design work, Ye Qingxu had met plenty of social elites, but someone of Ye Lian’s level was a first. (Damn Wan Keyao didn’t count.) And at such a young age, already in a high position, yet refined and witty—no trace of a power-hungry brute. Totally unlike Wan Keyao’s hot-tempered type. A few words from Ye Lian, and you couldn’t help but like him.
Ye Qingxu smiled. “Since it involves money—and not a small amount—I figured it was better to discuss it at your company.”
The assistant brought in a tea tray. Ye Lian waved her out, then personally poured Ye Qingxu a cup from the teapot. “No beating around the bush then. Truth is, I rented that place to Little Yu so cheaply to help him through a rough patch. The whole feng shui excuse was just to avoid making him feel awkward.”
Ye Qingxu sipped the tea. “I know.” After his own experience with Wan Keyao, he had zero interest in dealing with rich families—wouldn’t if work didn’t require it. But things were different now. Little Yu had clearly been roped in by Ye Lian, and with the kid’s stubborn personality, cutting them off outright would just hurt him.
Besides, Ye Lian seemed decent. No need to rush. Let them interact and see. Priority was the house.
Ye Qingxu took another sip. “I’m renovating Little Yu’s courtyard and planning to redesign the house too. You know, we’ve been separated father and son for so many years—I want to make it up to him properly. So I’d like to buy that house and give it to him.” He set down the cup. “Of course, if you don’t want to sell, I won’t push. That area’s gonna appreciate for sure.”
Ye Lian used his cup lid to skim the tea and took a sip, the motion hiding his amber eyes. By the time he set his cup down, he was smiling with curved eyes. “With your paternal love like that, how could I refuse? Of course. Market price, or…?”
Ye Qingxu quickly said, “Market price is fine.” He’d already gotten a bargain—how could he ask for a discount on top?
Just like the little guy—not the type to take advantage. Ye Lian’s eyes curved further. He pressed a button on the desk and spoke to the intercom. “Have legal come over with the property sale contract.”
Even Ye Qingxu, who’d been freelancing for years with a hefty savings, was stunned by Ink Orchid Mansion’s housing prices.
Seeing Ye Qingxu’s expression darken as he pinched the property appraisal report, Ye Lian kindly asked, “How about installments then? No interest needed—just consider it my little contribution of love for all those cats and dogs in Little Yu’s yard.”
