The Brain Science Case 88

Chapter 88: 

Zhou Jingxun informed the entertainment company that her assistant had been stabbed, which drew a high degree of attention, and they immediately dispatched personnel for security. And because of this, she was no longer able to visit Zhou Jinglin as she pleased.

“There will definitely be reporters following, right?” Facing Vicky’s report, Zhou Jinglin expressed her understanding. “It’s fine. It’s the thought that counts.”

“But she specially got an ID for you, Officer Zhou.”

“What ID?”

“The one that can get you backstage. You can enjoy Keys’ concert from the closest distance, just like us staff.” Vicky carefully placed the ID under her phone.

“I don’t even know if I can be discharged on time.” She gave a wry smile. It was two days before New Year’s Eve, and their concert was on the fourth day of the new year. Time was already very tight.

Shi Changyun then joined the conversation in a wheelchair. Zhou Jinglin learned that she could be back at work as soon as tomorrow.

“Although it’s not nice to say, if it had been Xiao Xun who was injured, then it would have been all over.”

Zhou Jinglin also asked about her injuries. She even showed her the handbag she had used to block the knife.

“Your reaction was so fast.” Stroking the hole in the leather, it looked like it had been pierced by a tactical knife. Compared to the fruit-knife-like weapon that had stabbed her, it was much more powerful.

“It was just right in front of me. I turned and saw a man rushing at me, and I was knocked down…”

While they were talking, Cai Yuwei and Tang Yingli arrived.

“Oh, it’s so lively. Everyone is here.” Yingli looked around and let out a small “Ah.” “Huh, why is one person missing?”

“Jingxun can’t come. If you’re looking for her.”

Knowing they were here to keep Zhou Jinglin company, Vicky quickly pushed Shi Changyun back to her own bed. Yingli looked back, until she had confirmed their bed.

“Did the madam get the professor’s ashes?”

“Yes, and she said a lot of tearful things… I’ve already entrusted her to my friend. They’re both in the education field, so they have something to talk about.”

“Actually, you could have hosted the madam yourself. After all, there’s Vicky…”

“By the way,” Yingli pretended not to hear, “what you said yesterday caused quite a stir in the office today.” Fang Zijun had thoroughly checked every police officer’s work email, and Cai Yuwei’s face was pale.

“This is clearly directed at me and Xiangrong.”

Not only were their inboxes checked, but their desks were also searched. “Although it was the director’s order… it still hurts.”

So this was Zhou Zengxiang’s “arrangement”? Zhou Jinglin gave a dry laugh. “But isn’t this a good thing? At least we can be sure that everyone is innocent.”

“Actually… I heard some strange news last night.” He looked at Yingli, hesitating.

“What?” Zhou Jinglin urged. “Say it. The teacher is not an outsider.”

“It’s fine.” Yingli was not angry, but instead generously made space. “You two talk. I’ll just browse.”

“Browse… this is a hospital.” She chuckled, then turned to Cai Yuwei. “What do you want to say? You’re being so mysterious…”

“It’s Xiangrong. I accidentally heard…” he recounted what he had overheard, “he was hiding by the back door of the pantry yesterday, and then today the chief was investigating, so I was thinking he might be…”

“Do you think he is?”

He looked hesitant. “I… although he only came at the end of December, to suspect him of being a mole just because he’s new, I think it’s a bit rash.”

“There were no suspicious emails in his inbox, right?”

“Of course not.”

“Then isn’t that fine?”

“But there’s still his phone.” There were so many ways to contact someone now.

She frowned. “So do you think he’s suspicious or not?”

“I just don’t know.”

“And you’re still wary of the teacher? She’s the smartest of us all.” Zhou Jinglin rolled her eyes at him.

Speaking of Yingli, she immediately remembered the strange incident from last night. “And… maybe it really isn’t Xiangrong.”

“Hm?”

“At least he was in the office last night, right?”

He nodded vigorously. “That’s true.”

Although she hadn’t felt anything strange, Yingli’s sudden getting out of bed to look around last night must not have been without reason.

So, the problem quietly returned to the point she was struggling with.

Could it be Vicky?

“Jinglin?”

“In any case, if you think he’s suspicious, then just observe him for a few more days. The concert is on the fourth day anyway.”

“That’s true… I understand.”

**

Coming to Shi Changyun’s side, Yingli’s posture was as relaxed as if she were just passing by.

Compared to Zhou Jinglin and the others, who had been with her every day, Vicky, although she had long heard of this neuroscientist’s name, had not had a serious conversation with her, and was also at a loss as to why she had come to visit.

“First of all, congratulations, Miss Shi. You were in an accident at the same time as Officer Zhou, but you only suffered minor injuries.” Vicky helped Shi Changyun from the wheelchair to the hospital bed, and she watched. “When are you being discharged?”

“The doctor said tomorrow at the earliest. I hope I can make it before Keys arrives in Taiwan.”

Compared to the slender Shi Changyun, Vicky was much heavier, and Yingli estimated she was over seventy kilograms. But weight is a woman’s secret, and she probably wouldn’t say even if she asked. “When the incident happened yesterday, how far were you from Miss Shi and Officer Zhou?”

Is she here to question her? Vicky was taken aback and said, “When the incident happened, I was looking at socks…”

Yesterday, the four of them had been more like she and Shi Changyun were a group, and Zhou Jinglin and Zhou Jingxun were a group. “Probably about the head and tail of a stall.”

The width of a night market stall was less than two meters, which seemed very close, but if you considered the crowd, the attention, and other factors, it was possible that even if the person next to you was stabbed, you might not be fully aware of the situation. “The moment you were stabbed, what were you doing?” she asked Shi Changyun.

“I was looking at clothes at that time,” Vicky translated truthfully.

Yingli pointed to the curtain to simulate the position of the stall. “Like this?” Shi Changyun nodded. “For what reason did you turn around?” Like Zhou Jinglin, she had also been stabbed in the front of her waist.

“I was bumped first, and I thought it was a thief, so I held my bag in front of me and turned.”

“And then you were stabbed and knocked down?”

“Yes.”

Yingli noticed the handbag with the hole in it. “Can I take a look?”

“Please.”

The handbag was of a common style, and the leather was also ordinary synthetic leather. Yingli imagined her suddenly turning and facing the attacker with a knife. Logically, in order to not be seen by others, the weapon should have been hidden around the waist and stabbed upwards…

However, the position where the bag was pierced was almost horizontal. Normally, the stab would have been at an angle, and if the bag was held in her hand to block, there should have been an angle too.

“What was in it?”

“My phone, makeup bag, mirror, and so on…” Shi Changyun added, “the knife pierced a part of my wallet.”

“This knife is very dangerous. If the culprit who stabbed Officer Zhou had used this kind of knife, she would probably be in a much worse situation.” She nodded in understanding. “I see. So that’s why the damage was so much less…”

“I have to say I was very lucky.”

Yingli squinted and returned the handbag. “By the way, I heard that you are very young, Miss Shi, but you already have a daughter who is a trainee.”

“Yes.” Shi Changyun smiled shyly, as if she were laughing at her youthful recklessness. “I had a chance to get into Ewha Womans University, but I accidentally got pregnant and had to give up my studies to work.”

Ewha Womans University is a prestigious university, which showed that she had also been an outstanding student at that time. “I heard that you need a good education to find a good job in South Korea. You didn’t go to university, but you got into SK Entertainment?” That was a narrow door.

“Because… I had some people I knew to help me.”

Vicky seemed to know, but she didn’t want to say it outright, only saying lightly, “Sister Shi got into the company through a ‘special’ method.”

“Oh… in any case, mother and daughter are in the same company. Maybe in the future, the mother will be the daughter’s assistant.”

“Y-Yes, that’s right.” Shi Changyun was still smiling, but her attitude was a little hesitant. She lowered her head and subconsciously touched her left arm.

“I’ve only ever heard of a mother being her daughter’s manager, not an assistant.” Vicky said to herself, but found that neither of them was laughing, especially Yingli, who was very serious. “Uh, did I say something wrong?”

“No, I’ve asked enough. I wish Keys a successful concert. Thank you.” She specifically thanked Shi Changyun.

“Ah, I forgot to say.” Yingli turned back again. “I’ll be staying here tonight too.”

Her expression was serious. To the two of them, it was less of a reminder and more of a warning.

The corners of her rose-colored lips lifted, softening the lines of her face from the previous sentence. “If you think of any other details, you’re welcome to tell me anytime.”

“Details? Is there anything else you haven’t said, Sister Shi?”

Clutching the sleeve of her left hand, Shi Changyun shook her head. “No… nothing.”

**

The next day, Shi Changyun was successfully discharged. Before she left, she returned the house key she had borrowed from Zhou Jingxun and once again thanked Zhou Jinglin for her care during this period.

And then, it was New Year’s Eve.

Through her phone, watching the variety show Keys was on, Zhou Jingxun acted as a translator, conversing fluently with the members and the host, watching them sing and dance on camera. Zhou Jinglin couldn’t help but sigh. Thinking of how they had seen each other every day last week, and now, with a screen between them, it felt like they were a hundred thousand miles apart.

Cai Yuwei had the day off today. He hadn’t mentioned Xiangrong’s matter again these past two days. She didn’t know if he hadn’t found anything else, or if he had already removed him from his observation list.

But in any case, it was the new year, and she expected he would have a good reunion dinner with his family.

Turning off the internet TV, Zhou Jinglin looked out the window. On New Year’s Eve afternoon, the sun was so bright it didn’t feel like winter, but she could only stay in the hospital, and even if she went home… it would just be a different place, to spend the holiday alone.

After an unknown amount of time, her phone suddenly received a message.

‘Where did you go to have fun?’ Was it Tang Yingli?

She’s at the hospital? At this time… Zhou Jinglin anxiously wanted to unlock her phone to reply, but she didn’t notice the series of light footsteps getting closer, and then, the person grabbed the wheelchair handle. She looked up and smelled a familiar, light perfume.

“Your hand isn’t healed yet, and you just got to a regular ward… you’ve come so far.”

She gazed at Yingli’s chin and couldn’t help but smile brightly. “The weather is nice outside today. I wanted to see the sun.”

Yingli tilted her chin up and snorted. “Hmph, Chief Fang was right. As long as you can move, you can’t stay still.”

She smiled shyly. “By the way… it’s New Year’s Eve today. It’s only four in the afternoon. Shouldn’t you be spending more time with your family, Teacher?”

“My parents have my brother with them. Besides, our family has always had our reunion dinner at noon.”

“Oh?” she drew out the word in suspicion.

“Ah.” Yingli pushed up her glasses and smoothly changed the subject. “Your injury, what did the doctor say?”

Speaking of which, Zhou Jinglin was a little discouraged. “My recovery is good… but every time I ask him if I can be discharged on the fourth day of the new year, he doesn’t say anything.”

Not surprising. Yingli shrugged. “He probably wants to keep the beautiful detective for a little longer.”

“I didn’t know you could joke, Teacher.”

“Do I look like I’m joking?” Yingli was serious.

She chuckled. “Alright, you don’t.”

As time went on, the spot they were in became a little sunny. Yingli pushed her around and mentioned the investigation over the past few days.

“You received another suspicious letter?” she asked in surprise.

“Yes, the director seems to have been receiving them all along, but he hasn’t made it public. Chief Fang has compared them, and the letters are not directly related to the attack.”

“Does that mean… the person who sent the letters and the person who planned the attack are separate?”

“It could just be a bluff to make us lower our guard. If we take the content of the letters too seriously, we’ll lose.”

“Teacher, I’ve been thinking for a few days, and about this second attack, I have a feeling…” she squinted in thought, “I was the real target.”