Chapter 43

Zhen Ai got into the car and asked, "Do you suspect Daisy?"

Yan Su replied with a "mm," starting the engine. "The way she folded her clothes, hiding her underwear at the bottom, is very feminine. Believe me, men don't think it's wrong for women's underwear to be visible. Only women feel ashamed about exposing it."

Zhen Ai was taken aback, realizing he had a point. From a woman's perspective, there was no issue, but from a man's angle, hiding underwear seemed unnecessary.

But what did he mean by "believe me"? Cough, with his emotional intelligence…

Zhen Ai couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Yan Su glanced at her in the rearview mirror, puzzled. "What are you laughing at?"

Zhen Ai didn't hide her amusement, replying, "You're bold to analyze things from a male perspective with your emotional intelligence."

Yan Su raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You're more illogical than I expected. My indifference towards people, including women, is an attitude; it doesn't mean I lack knowledge about male physiology and psychology."

Zhen Ai covered her ears and shook her head quickly. "Logic, logic, that's all you can say. You're such a tedious logician. Not listening, not listening."

As Yan Su drove, he couldn't lean close like before. Frustrated, he huffed, "Women are truly illogical beings. Hmph, logicians strongly resist women."

Zhen Ai secretly found his childishness amusing but settled down to analyze the case further. "I also noticed the scratches on Anna's neck were quite rough. If it were a man with great strength, Anna wouldn't have struggled so much. Yet, Kerry has frostbite on his hands. Only block dry ice could cause those kinds of wounds. That's also why the administrator in the stairwell couldn't light his lighter."

Kerry definitely participated in handling the body, but was he an accomplice in the murder? It seemed unlikely. If he had teamed up with Daisy, they could easily have subdued Anna without so much struggle.

Yan Su was about to add something when he caught a glimpse of her through the mirror. She was passionately speaking, the night outside blending with the streetlights flowing over her fair face, her dark eyes sparkling with stars.

What he wanted to say caught in his throat.

Zhen Ai continued with enthusiasm, then suddenly shifted her tone: "But even so, we can't confirm how many people were present during the murder. Being present doesn't mean participating. What if Kerry was just watching? Or if Tony and Qi Mo were watching without intervening, like spectators at a murder feast?"

The thought made Zhen Ai shiver. She propped her chin in her hand, her tone dropping: "Of course, this is just a conjecture with no evidence. This case is full of twists and turns, and the possibilities are endless." She lowered her head, her voice softening. "But I hope it's not like that."

People spectating a murder? Such a simple statement yet a stark challenge to humanity's morals and conscience.

Yan Su wasn't sure if he caught Zhen Ai's last lonely murmur, but he remained focused on the dark road ahead. After a moment of silence, he simply said, "I appreciate your rigorous thinking… though it's only occasionally brilliant."

Though his words were still irritating, Zhen Ai felt his acknowledgment and encouragement, brightening her earlier low spirits. She looked at him again. "So how do you plan to handle this case?"

Yan Su replied, "Let her talk."

Zhen Ai was puzzled; after all, the person wasn't foolish.

Yan Su glanced at his phone, then looked ahead. "Once I get results from the forensic team, I should have a way to make her speak."

Zhen Ai was about to ask more but suddenly yawned softly. Checking her watch, she realized it was already a new day.

Yan Su shot her a glance. "Tired?"

Zhen Ai shook her head, smiling with a dreamy look in her eyes. "No, I'm very energetic! By the way, you're going to stay up late tonight studying the notes on Anna's back, right? Since I don't want to sleep, I'll keep you company!"

Her speech still carried the remnants of her yawn, slurring slightly. Yan Su smiled knowingly, curving his lips as he took out his phone and handed it to her.

"Please decode it, little detective!"

His light tone saying "little detective" in the cramped car felt oddly enticing and ambiguous. Zhen Ai's heart skipped a beat as she lowered her head to take the phone from him.

The dark phone still bore his warmth, comforting her heart. She unlocked the screen, finding it completely black, clean without any impurities.

Pure yet distant, mysterious yet noble, just like him.

Zhen Ai felt her mood lifting, her lips curling as she found the image folder. There was only one photo—the message on Anna's back. But as the image magnified, her eyes widened in shock, and her smile vanished instantly.

How could it be this sentence?

She stared at the screen, her head lowered, until the light dimmed. It was only then that she came back to her senses, her emotions cooling rapidly.

"What's wrong, little detective?" Yan Su asked.

Zhen Ai pouted, disinterested. "What can this sentence tell us? 'You are my medicine.'" Her gaze dimmed, but she feigned nonchalance. "Hmph, it sounds like a cheap and crazy love letter."

Yan Su was taken aback. A love letter? Cheap and crazy?

He turned to look at her, but Zhen Ai had already lowered her head, her expression unreadable.

She leaned over, putting the phone into his pocket. The pocket of his trench coat was deep, and her slender wrist sank in until her hand almost disappeared.

The pocket felt safe, warm to the touch, and she felt a pang of reluctance as she gingerly withdrew her hand.

"Ah, I'm so tired," she mumbled, leaning back against the seat, tilting her head toward the window and closing her eyes. "I'll sleep first; wake me up when we arrive."

Yan Su: …

Just a moment ago, who was excitedly saying she would help him decode the message and even boasted about staying up late? Now, within less than half a minute, she was ready to sleep? Women were such fickle and irrational creatures.

Zhen Ai got into the car and asked, "Do you suspect Daisy?"

Yan Su replied with a sound of affirmation as he started the engine. "Fold your clothes, and keep your underwear at the very bottom; that's a very feminine thing to do. Trust me, men don't think it's a big deal if a woman's underwear is exposed. Only women feel embarrassed about their underwear being on display."

Zhen Ai was taken aback and suddenly realized he made a good point. From a woman's perspective, it was no issue, but from a man's point of view, hiding underwear seemed unnecessary.

But what did he mean by "trust me"? Cough, cough, with his emotional intelligence...

Zhen Ai couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

Yan Su glanced at her through the rearview mirror, confused. "What are you laughing at?"

Zhen Ai, not hiding her amusement, replied, "You, of all people, analyzing the situation from a male's sexual suggestion perspective. You emotional idiot."

A hint of surprise flashed in Yan Su's eyes. "You are even more illogical than I imagined. My indifference towards people (including women) is just a behavior and attitude; it doesn't mean I lack knowledge about male physiology and psychology."

Zhen Ai covered her ears, shaking her head rapidly. "Logic, logic, that's all you know how to say. You're just a verbose logician. I'm not listening!"

Yan Su was driving and couldn't lean over to her like last time. He felt helpless, dissatisfied, and huffed, "Women are truly illogical beings. Hmph, logicians are extremely resistant to women."

Zhen Ai secretly laughed at his childishness but calmed down to continue analyzing the case. "I also noticed that the scar on Anna's neck is very rough. If it were a man, he would have had enough strength not to leave Anna with that many signs of resistance. However, Kerry has localized frostbite on his hands, and now I think only solid dry ice could cause such a wound. That's also why the manager in the stairwell couldn't open the lighter."

Kerry definitely participated in handling the body, but was he an accomplice in the murder? It seemed unlikely. If he had killed Anna with Daisy, they could easily subdue her without leaving so many signs of struggle.

Yan Su had planned to add something but, glancing in the mirror, saw her speaking passionately, the dim streetlights casting shadows across her fair face. Her dark eyes sparkled with stars.

The words he intended to say stuck in his throat.

Zhen Ai was engrossed, and suddenly her tone shifted, "But even so, we can't determine how many people were present during the murder. Being present doesn't equate to participation. What if Kerry was just watching? Or what if Tony and Qi Mo were also present, just spectating? Like they were observing a murder feast?"

The thought made Zhen Ai's scalp tingle. She propped her chin on her hand, her tone lowering a bit, "Of course, that's just a guess with no evidence. That's why this case is so complicated, with too many possibilities." As she spoke, her voice trailed off, "But I hope it's not like that."

A crowd watching someone get murdered? Just a simple statement, yet it easily challenged the bottom line of human morals and conscience.

Yan Su didn't know if Zhen Ai heard her final despondent whisper, but he continued to focus on the dark road ahead, the silence stretching until he briefly said, "I admire your rigorous thinking… though it only shines through occasionally."

His teasing remark made Zhen Ai feel his acknowledgment and encouragement, quickly lifting her previously low spirits. She turned to him, asking, "So how do you plan to handle this case?"

Yan Su replied, "Let her speak for herself."

Zhen Ai was puzzled; the woman wasn't foolish.

Yan Su glanced at his phone and then back at the road ahead. "Once I get the results from the forensic team, I should have a way to get her to open up."

Zhen Ai wanted to ask more, but couldn't hold back a yawn. She looked at her watch; it was already a new day.

Yan Su glanced at her, "Tired?"

Zhen Ai shook her head, smiling with her eyes slightly foggy. "Not at all, I'm wide awake! By the way, you're staying up late tonight to study the message on Anna's back, right? Since I don't want to sleep, I'll keep you company!"

Her words still carried a touch of drowsiness, mumbling as she spoke. Yan Su chuckled and smiled, pulling out his phone from his pocket and handing it to her.

"Please, decrypt it, little detective!"

His light tone when referring to her as "little detective" held a strange charm and ambiguity in the confined car space. Zhen Ai's heart skipped a beat, and she lowered her gaze as she took the phone from his hand.

The dark phone still held his warmth, warming her heart. She swiped the screen to reveal a single photo: the message on Anna's back. However, as soon as she enlarged the image, her eyes widened, and her smile vanished in an instant.

How could it be this phrase?

She lowered her head, staring motionlessly at the screen until the light gradually faded. Only then did she come back to herself, the emotions within her having long since cooled down.

"What's wrong, little detective?" Yan Su asked her.

Zhen Ai pouted disinterestedly, "What can you tell from this phrase? 'You are my medicine.'" Her gaze darkened, but she feigned nonchalance. "Hmph, sounds like a cheap and crazy love letter."

Yan Su was taken aback, a love letter? Cheap and crazy?

He turned to look at her, but Zhen Ai had already lowered her head, obscuring her expression.

She leaned over and placed the phone into his pocket. The deep pocket of his coat felt very secure, and its warmth lingered, making her a little reluctant. Nevertheless, she obediently tucked the phone away, withdrawing her hand with some reluctance.

"Ah, I'm so sleepy." She mumbled, leaning back against the seat, tilting her head toward the window, and closing her eyes. "I'm going to sleep now; wake me when we arrive."

Yan Su: …

Who was it just a moment ago who was excitedly saying she would help him decrypt and bragging about staying up late? Yet in less than half a minute, she was ready to sleep? Women truly were fickle and irrational beings.

Little liar!

Yan Su silently scolded her but cast an annoyed glance in her direction. Inside, however, he quietly subdued his irritation. She tilted her head towards the outside, making it impossible for him to see her face, but he could see her delicate little ears and her neck, smooth as jade. Her slender collarbone appeared even more pronounced as she turned her head.

Yan Su's heart inexplicably skipped a beat. He gradually regained his focus and thought, let her sleep, and wake her up when they arrived.

In this quiet and deserted night, he drove silently and attentively, while she slept soundlessly; it wasn't so bad after all.

After a while, Zhen Ai slowly opened her eyes, her gaze dark and calm, staring out at the endless night, her tone lazy in a way that sharply contrasted with her cold expression. "Originally, the plan was to have some fun, but I'll head back after the wedding. I have a lot of work; I'll leave tomorrow."

Yan Su was slightly caught off guard but understood.

She wasn't just an ordinary student; she had a lot of her own work, so he didn't try to keep her. "Alright. Once I'm done with this case, I'll contact you when I'm back in N.Y.T."

Zhen Ai quietly stared at the dark night and slowly closed her eyes again.

When she returned home, she found Owen was also awake and hadn't gone to sleep yet.

Zhen Ai looked tired and said she would leave for New York early the next day, quickly heading upstairs.

Owen watched her go up the stairs before slumping down on the high stool. "I ran around in circles but didn't find any useful information. I can't believe Zhen Ai's file is so classified. I wasted a lot of effort and still couldn't find anything."

Yan Su stood by the cabinet brewing coffee. Hearing this, he raised his gaze slightly, recalling the last time he had asked a friend at the CIA to look into "the child of the devil."

After a moment, he lowered his eyes again, continuing to carefully adjust the ratio of coffee beans to water, speaking in a bland tone. "Owen, have you considered the consequences if they catch on to your actions?"

Owen fell silent; of course, he had thought about the consequences.

But the red words on Jiang Xin's dormitory mirror had been grinding at his mind. He worried that someone might have already found Zhen Ai's whereabouts. After all, in just a few short years, the turnover of agents had been so high; no matter how capable the other party was, it seemed too fast for them to find her, as if Zhen Ai had some tracking device implanted on her.

But that was just Owen's worry; he didn't want to voice it and cause unease for Yan Su or Zhen Ai, so he shifted the topic. "Zhen Ai's file is empty. However, I still found some information about her through previous agents."

Yan Su's hand paused, holding his breath to listen.

Owen rubbed his forehead. "I had no idea she had a brother."

Yan Su began brewing coffee, thinking to himself... I already knew. Hey, don't you guys ever communicate?

But then, Yan Su casually asked, "Where is her brother?" He recalled her mentioning the password and the candy house. "Let me guess, her brother is locked away in some mysterious place, suffering?"

"I'm not sure," Owen rubbed his eyes. "I only know that her brother's situation had a huge impact on her, which is why she escaped from the original organization."

Yan Su leaned against the marble counter, sipping water slowly.

The coffee pot gurgled softly.

Owen, feeling frustrated, ran his fingers through his hair. "I found that Zhen Ai used to call that organization SPA—Socialpath Association, but I searched everywhere online and in written records, and there's no large organization by that name, just a few insignificant small alliances."

Yan Su's hand froze around the glass. SPA? He had once thought it was a nonexistent organization.

The coffee had boiled, releasing a subtle aroma.

"Go to sleep. You have to take Zhen Ai back tomorrow," Yan Su said, turning to pour the coffee.

Owen slumped his shoulders and stood up. After a few steps, he turned back. "Are you working late?"

"Yeah." The steam from the coffee obscured his inscrutable expression.

---

Zhen Ai sat in the lab, dressed in white, observing through a microscope. She hadn't slept well the previous night and woke up too early, but she was used to it and didn't feel too bad. On the way back, she received a message from Yan Su, saying that thanks to her hints, he discovered the first victim, Sindy Lin. Holding the message, she felt a bit dazed. A hint? Was that phrase really a love letter?

The research on the Anti-HNT-DL antiviral serum had progressed; the last batch of lab mice survived for 24 hours, but their condition was still grim.

Zhen Ai had a vague feeling that they would soon see light in this round of virus research. She felt both excited and lost; after the thrill came an overwhelming sense of confusion.

It seemed her life had always been like this—one virus after another, one research project after another, without end or destination until she died. She felt she had no other skills except for research, which was her only value in existence.

Ah, thinking about it this way, the agency protecting her now was just like the organization she grew up in, merely exploiting her.

Zhen Ai's hand trembled as she realized she had been daydreaming while working.

She paused, then slowly stood up to get some water.

Lai An was busy in a white coat, and when he saw Zhen Ai, he grinned widely. "Ai, I feel like your experiment is about to succeed. Once this research wraps up, you can apply for a vacation and go out to have some fun with family and friends."

Zhen Ai was momentarily caught off guard. Vacation?

She remembered her mother saying that rest would make a person lazy and indecisive; only the weak needed rest.

For all these years, the only real rest she had was recently, spending a few days with Yan Su in New York, attending concerts and a wedding. In those brief days, her mind wasn't overwhelmed with virus data, serums, and antibodies.

Now, on her first day back at work, she found herself distracted, her heart not in it.

It seemed her mother was right. Rest could make her indecisive.

Besides, she had no family or friends to play with her.

"Whatever, I don't have a special place I want to go," Zhen Ai smiled and turned to leave, her gaze sweeping over Lai An's cup, noticing it bore his initials, RA.

At first, she didn't think much of it, but after a few steps, a sudden flash of inspiration struck her, and she froze.

The deceased individuals in this case: Sindy Lin, Lola Roberts, Harry Parker, Anna Hope.

Their initials? What a coincidence that would be.

So what exactly is...?

Daisy hadn't slept well all night, and by the time she felt drowsy, it was already afternoon. After waking from a nightmare, she stared at the sunlight streaming into the room, remembering that the five of them had planned to go watch a basketball game together.

Everything had changed overnight.

Perhaps it had changed many years ago?

She gazed blankly at her reflection in the mirror when suddenly the doorbell rang. Startled, she hesitated for a moment before glancing through the peephole. The visitor was unexpected.

She tidied her hair and opened the door, looking up at the tall, slender figure standing before her. "What... you," she fumbled with her hands nervously. "What are you doing here?"

Yan Su, dressed in his usual trench coat, stood there with his black collar sharply raised, highlighting his pale face, which appeared serene yet aloof.

He looked down at her, speaking bluntly. "Miss Daisy, you know full well that no matter how well you disguise it, I can tell if you're lying."

Daisy's face paled slightly, but she managed to regain her composure. "Oh? But I really don't understand why you're here. Are you here to ask questions? Do you have the authority for that? I need to contact my lawyer…"

"I'm not a cop," Yan Su interrupted her stiffly. "And you know very well that I'm here because you are the prime suspect in Anna's murder."

Daisy's body jolted, and she stared at Yan Su in shock, her hands gripping the doorframe so tightly her knuckles turned white. After a long internal struggle, she managed to say, "Mr. Yan Su, don't you realize how hurtful your words are? How outrageous?"

Yan Su was taken aback, and his refined features slowly fell into silence, thinking that if Zhen Ai were here, she would surely glare at him now.

After a moment of contemplation, he felt he should try to show some friendliness.

So he cleared his throat and said in a calm manner, "Miss Daisy, the reason I'm here is that based on various observations, my logical reasoning concludes that you likely contributed to the failure of air reaching Anna's lungs, resulting in airway obstruction, carbon dioxide retention in her body, hypoxia in all her organs, metabolic disorders in her cells, and ultimately, the cessation of her heart function."

He took a breath. "To avoid being too hurtful, I chose a more tactful way to express it." His tone seemed a bit self-satisfied, as if he believed his words had indeed softened the blow.

Daisy was stunned, looking at him in disbelief as if he were an alien.

Yan Su frowned slightly, realizing her expression showed no signs of easing. Did his well-meaning attempt to be friendly just fail?

A flicker of mild frustration passed through him, followed by discontent. Women could be so hard to understand; Zhen Ai was the best—only she had the cleverness to comprehend him.

Wait, she was really clever. Why hadn't he noticed that before?

But that wasn't the main point right now.

He refocused his thoughts, regarding Daisy with indifference, and explained, "Oh, as you know, I'm not good at socializing."

Finally, he added, "Even so, I'm here to advise you to confess, using words."