My Ex Who Dumped Me Comes to Hook Me Up Every Day - Chapter 36

The traffic light slowly changed, its bright red glow illuminating the road.

Jin Zhou glanced sideways at Jiang Yuhuai beside her. “Leaving work so early today?”

Jiang Yuhuai responded with a simple “Mm.”

19:45.

The last rays of sunset hadn’t yet faded from between the towering skyscrapers, but the crescent moon was already peeking over the horizon.

Most office workers had already gone home.

But compared to Jiang Yuhuai’s usual late hours, this was indeed quite early.

A rare occurrence.

Before Jin Zhou could ask, the woman in the passenger seat spoke softly.

“I took five days off.”

Jin Zhou was surprised. “Five days? That’s a long time.”

Jiang Yuhuai explained, “Uncle Wen called to tell me Wen Yan’s funeral is set for three days from now.”

“…Oh.”

The two remained silent until the traffic light changed again and the car started moving.

The air was too quiet, making Jin Zhou feel uneasy.

She broke the silence. “Did the hospital say anything?”

Jiang Yuhuai paused. “They have a new batch of interns, so they’re not short-staffed.”

Jin Zhou didn’t think much of it and casually remarked, “I thought taking time off would be a complicated process at your level.”

Hu Qingshu’s apologetic gaze flashed through her mind.

“Yuhuai, the patient’s family was extremely agitated. The hospital is concerned about your safety, so they’ve asked you to rest at home for a few days. Would that be alright?”

Jiang Yuhuai ultimately didn’t tell Jin Zhou about her suspension. Instead, she lightly changed the subject.

“What time are you planning to head home tomorrow?”

Jin Zhou paused, suddenly remembering it was Saturday—Lin Xin’s birthday.

“In the morning, I guess. What about you? Are you going back to Shuxiang Jiayuan Community?”

“I—” Jiang Yuhuai hesitated.

After a moment’s contemplation, she made up her mind.

“I’ll wait for you at home.”

Home.

Hearing that word, an unfamiliar sensation stirred within Jin Zhou’s heart.

It felt like a soft, fuzzy brush sweeping across her skin—a ticklish, pleasant sensation that wasn’t unpleasant.

She didn’t respond to the statement.

Instead, as they neared the residential complex, she detoured to a nearby supermarket.

Bags overflowing with fresh vegetables now occupied most of the refrigerator space.

Besides the two dishes for tonight, there were enough ingredients for at least three more days.

After dinner, the night deepened.

The two women exchanged goodnights and retreated to their respective rooms to shower.

Jin Zhou rinsed off quickly but didn’t lie down to sleep afterward.

She gently pushed open her bedroom door.

The guest room door was ajar.

Drip… drip…

A faint sound of water drifted from within.

Jiang Yuhuai was still showering.

Jin Zhou closed the door quietly and tiptoed to the study next door.

She had no intention of sleeping yet.

In truth, from the moment Feng Zhinan was diagnosed with schizophrenia, a lawyer’s role in the case became severely limited.

Anyone else would have focused on securing maximum civil compensation and watching the defendant be committed to a mental institution.

That would have been the end of it.

But Jin Zhou refused to settle for that.

Mental illness could indeed be considered a mitigating factor in criminal sentencing.

But what if Feng Zhinan had been mentally sound and capable of controlling himself when he committed the crime?

The shock Jin Zhou felt when she first saw the video was unparalleled.

The deliberate targeting, the brutal stabbing with dozens of blows, and the final, decisive throat-slitting—the middle-aged man had acted with chilling composure.

Whether it was his choice of female victims or his ruthlessly precise, lethal attacks, everything pointed to this being a premeditated murder driven by conscious intent.

Jin Zhou had never doubted the nature of this case.

Even after personally handling the technical assessment report and seeing the identical face in both the interrogation video and the crime scene footage, she still harbored doubts.

Was it a case of “negligent” injury committed in a moment of irrationality?

Or…

In any case, tonight was a critical juncture in the investigation.

As long as no definitive conclusion had been reached, there remained room for a different outcome.

Under the dim light, Jin Zhou solemnly reviewed the documents, repeatedly replaying the videos, searching for any possibility that might alter the course of the case.

Tick-tock…

Tick-tock…

She lost track of time.

Her neck grew stiff, and her mind began to feel foggy.

Jin Zhou stood up and stretched, but just then, she unexpectedly heard a faint sound beside her—something other than the cicadas’ drone.

It was the steady rhythm of footsteps.

Clearly, Jiang Yuhuai had gotten up, perhaps for a drink of water.

Jin Zhou immediately switched off the desk lamp, hoping Yuhuai hadn’t noticed anything amiss.

However…

Tap…

Tap…

The footsteps drew closer, failing to pass by toward the living room as she’d hoped.

Instead, they stopped precisely at the doorway.

Knock-knock…

A gentle knock sounded on the door.

Jin Zhou stood motionless, a faint sheen of sweat forming on her palms.

Then, a clear, calm voice came from outside the door.

“Zhouzhou, I know you’re in there.”

At this point, pretending any longer would be pointless.

Jin Zhou opened the door to find Jiang Yuhuai standing in the doorway.

Jiang Yuhuai was dressed in a pink pajama set, her long hair pulled back into a bun, and wearing black-framed glasses. She looked endearingly dorky and cute, a stark contrast to her aloof and reserved demeanor during the day.

Her gaze met Jin Zhou’s, filled with undisguised scrutiny.

Standing in the pitch-black study in the middle of the night, Jin Zhou knew she looked suspicious.

Forcing a calm tone, Jin Zhou asked, “You’re still awake?”

Jiang Yuhuai nodded slightly in response.

Jin Zhou’s mind raced, trying to come up with a plausible excuse.

But Jiang Yuhuai didn’t give her the chance.

The next moment, Jiang Yuhuai asked directly, “Are you investigating a case?”

It seemed she’d been caught red-handed.

A flicker of awkwardness crossed Jin Zhou’s eyes.

“…Sort of.”

Upon hearing her answer, the person opposite her frowned slightly, their expression darkening.

Jin Zhou understood immediately.

Jiang Yuhuai likely shared Su Yun’s belief that it was best to go with the flow.

She feigned nonchalance, saying, “I just couldn’t sleep and was browsing. You don’t have to—”

Before she could finish, Jiang Yuhuai interrupted.

“I’ll join you.”

Jin Zhou thought she must have misheard.

“What did you say?”

Jiang Yuhuai patiently repeated, “Investigating alone will take too long. I’ll help you.”

Jin Zhou stood frozen, speechless.

Jiang Yuhuai paused, assuming she was worried about him getting in the way.

“I may not know much about this, but there must be something I can do. Just tell me what you need, and I won’t hinder you.”

Jin Zhou quickly clarified, “That’s not what I meant.”

Jiang Yuhuai gazed at her, his eyes calm and gentle.

“Then let me in.”

“…Alright.”

After entering, Jiang Yuhuai turned on the light and slowly walked to the table, examining the A4 sheet lying there.

A freshly drawn mind map.

After studying it, she played a video on the computer, lost in thought.

She remained silent, but Jin Zhou grew increasingly uneasy.

“Actually, the police have already apprehended the culprit.”

Jiang Yuhuai didn’t look up.

Jin Zhou continued, “The culprit is mentally ill. Under current laws, they won’t face criminal punishment.”

“Mm, I heard.”

Jin Zhou’s fingers curled slightly. “Aren’t you going to try to dissuade me?”

Jiang Yuhuai’s lips parted slightly. “No.”

Her answer was too decisive, as if the question required no consideration at all.

Jin Zhou’s throat felt dry. She swallowed hard. “Aren’t you even going to ask me why?”

Jiang Yuhuai looked up, her gaze gentle and calm. “Does wanting to find the truth need a reason?”

“But…”

But everyone knew this investigation was pointless.

Even Jin Zhou herself understood that.

One person alone cannot change an entire legal system.

Once Feng Zhinan’s status as the murderer was confirmed, there would be little hope of reversing the case.

Jin Zhou opened her mouth, then lowered her eyes without speaking.

Just then, she felt a warm touch in her hair.

Jiang Yuhuai’s hand was gently resting on her head.

The other woman seemed to have sensed what she was thinking.

“Zhouzhou, no matter what happens, I’ll be with you.”

“I only ask that we act with a clear conscience.”

Jiang Yuhuai’s voice was calm and steady.

The restless anxiety in Jin Zhou’s heart instantly subsided, and she found herself sinking into that gentle warmth.

She instinctively replied, “Okay.”

There were limits to what they could do, but each additional person naturally brought added assistance.

Jiang Yuhuai continued to analyze the crime scene video frame by frame.

Jin Zhou, meanwhile, was organizing the case details.

They were currently reviewing the interview records of villagers from Hechi Township.

Hechi Township was the final hiding place Feng Zhinan had chosen.

After the successful capture operation, the police conducted door-to-door inquiries in the vicinity of Hechi Township.

Most villagers didn’t recognize Feng Zhinan.

However, one resident living halfway up the mountain reported having seen the deranged man.

According to this villager, Feng Zhinan had suddenly appeared four years ago and had been living in an isolated house on the mountaintop ever since.

However, the house wasn’t Feng Zhinan’s property; it belonged to a man named Lu Jun.

Lu Jun had emigrated abroad four years prior. The police had attempted to contact him but had yet to receive a response.

As Jin Zhou’s gaze swept over this passage, she frowned slightly.

According to police records, Feng Zhinan’s parents were deceased. He was unmarried and childless, with his registered address in C City.

Why had he suddenly moved to Hechi Township in M City, a place so far from his hometown, four years ago?

Given Feng Zhinan’s clearly unstable mental state, why would Lu Jun rent him the house?

Before Jin Zhou could untangle her thoughts, Jiang Yuhuai suddenly spoke.

“Zhouzhou.”

Jin Zhou looked up at her. “What is it?”

Jiang Yuhuai confirmed, “You said earlier that fingerprint data was found on the knife, right?”

Jin Zhou nodded slightly. “Yes.”

Jiang Yuhuai flipped the laptop screen around, displaying a zoomed-in image.

The blurry, indistinct image made it impossible to discern what it showed.

Jin Zhou looked puzzled. “What is this?”

Jiang Yuhuai’s fingers tapped across the keyboard, performing some minor processing.

Gradually, the image sharpened.

A knife, a sleeve, and…

Hidden within the folds, a gloved hand.