C30 There Was No One

Seeing Mrs. Zhang crying so heartbrokenly, Lin Xiangyi couldn't help but her eyes well up with tears. She pulled a tissue from her bag and offered it to Mrs. Zhang, saying, "Mrs. Zhang, please dry your tears. There's no need to cry anymore."

Mrs. Zhang didn't take the tissue Lin Xiangyi extended to her. Instead, she gazed into the distance, seemingly lost in thought.

Lin Xiangyi and Lu Wangshu exchanged a glance upon seeing Mrs. Zhang's state, then silently left the living room.

Before departing the prison, Lu Wangshu spoke to the officer standing by Mrs. Zhang, "Please look after her. She's elderly and has been through so much. Thank you for your care."

Lu Wangshu was deeply concerned about Mrs. Zhang's fragile mental state, fearing she might do something drastic in her despair.

The officer glanced at Mrs. Zhang, clearly understanding Lu Wangshu's concerns, and nodded, assuring him, "Of course, don't worry. We'll keep a close eye on her."

Reassured by the officer's promise, Lu Wangshu nodded, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders. He and Lin Xiangyi then left the prison.

Once outside, Lin Xiangyi inquired, "Now that we've seen Mrs. Zhang, what's our next step?"

After a moment's thought, Lu Wangshu replied, "Let's head to Yongzhou No.1 Middle School."

Lin Xiangyi, puzzled, asked, "But the case is closed. Why are we going to Yongzhou No.1 Middle School?"

Lu Wangshu gave her a look and reminded her, "Don't forget, there's still someone there awaiting our update."

Realization dawned on Lin Xiangyi, and she asked, "Are you referring to the principal?"

He nodded and said, "Exactly. With all that's happened at the school, from the dormitory supervisor to the head of the education department, I can only imagine his headache."

Lin Xiangyi sighed in agreement, "Indeed. Let's be on our way."

With that, Lin Xiangyi and Lu Wangshu set off in their car towards Yongzhou No.1 Middle School.

Upon their arrival at the principal's office, they found the principal seated, gazing out the window in a daydream. It wasn't until the knock on the door echoed that he snapped back to reality.

Recognizing Lu Wangshu and Lin Xiangyi at a glance—he'd been seeing them quite often lately—how could he not? The principal offered a strained smile and greeted them, "Ah, it's you two. Any new developments in the case?"

Lu Wangshu and Lin Xiangyi noticed the principal's composed demeanor and surmised he was likely unaware of recent events. They nodded affirmatively, "Yes. We've apprehended the individual responsible for Du Le's harm."

The principal, taken aback by Lu Wangshu's revelation, quickly inquired, "Is that so? Who might it be?"

After a brief pause, Lu Wangshu reluctantly revealed, "The head of guidance."

"What, what?" The principal was utterly flabbergasted. It was beyond his imagination that the head of guidance could be the one who had wronged Du Le. How could this be possible?

"It's the truth. The head of guidance has also confessed to all the crimes he's committed," Lin Xiangyi added. She then briefed the principal on the head's misconduct with the students.

Overwhelmed by the information, the principal was rendered speechless.

Turning to look out the window, he saw the students energetically running across the field, their youthful exuberance the school's and his pride. Yet, who could have imagined such an incident occurring within the tranquil facade of the school?

The thought filled the principal with a profound sense of bitterness. He expressed his gratitude to Lu Wangshu and Lin Xiangyi, "You've not only cracked this case but also uncovered the truth behind another. You've worked hard."

Lu Wangshu dismissed the praise with a gesture, "It's nothing, really. It's all part of the job, not worth mentioning as hard. You're too kind, Principal."

"Yes, part of the job," the principal echoed, his voice trailing off into silence.

Both Lu Wangshu and Lin Xiangyi sensed an odd air about the principal but couldn't pinpoint the cause. Exchanging glances, they addressed him, "We came to update you on the situation. Now that we've done so, we'll take our leave. Goodbye."

The principal nodded and escorted the pair to the staircase, saying, "I'll leave you here. Take care. I still have some documents to write. Goodbye."

With those words, she turned and departed. Lin Xiangyi watched the principal's retreating figure, feeling as though she had aged a decade overnight.

Lin Xiangyi sighed, a heavy feeling settling in her chest. Noticing her downcast demeanor, Lu Wangshu gave her shoulder a reassuring pat and said, "Try to look on the bright side. It gets easier with time."

Lin Xiangyi shook her head, replying, "How can I just brush it off? Hearts are made of flesh, and no matter how many cases I've seen, I can't become numb to them."

Lu Wangshu understood Lin Xiangyi's empathetic nature and how easily she could become melancholic. He suggested, "Then perhaps you shouldn't work with me. A different job might spare you this sorrow."

As a detective at the Detective Agency, Lu Wangshu knew that solving cases was inevitable, and with each case came moments of heartache.

After all, there is something pitiable in the most detestable of people, and something detestable in the most pitiable. These aspects are intrinsically linked.

Given Lin Xiangyi's temperament, if she continued working with Lu Wangshu, each case could leave her in a state of gloom for weeks. He didn't want her to be perpetually engulfed in sadness, which is why he made the suggestion.

However, Lin Xiangyi completely misinterpreted Lu Wangshu's well-meaning advice. Angrily, she retorted, "Lu Wangshu, I'm telling you, don't think you can ditch me with any excuse. I'm not going anywhere, so you might as well save your breath."

Lin Xiangyi had the nagging suspicion that Lu Wangshu harbored some resistance towards her. This preconceived notion made her particularly sensitive to any mention of leaving.

She interpreted everything Lu Wangshu said as an attempt to push her away, which is why she reacted so strongly to his words.

Lu Wangshu couldn't fathom Lin Xiangyi's thoughts, and as he watched her storm off in a huff, he was left bewildered and feeling slightly hurt.

I was only trying to help her, yet she seemed neither touched nor grateful—instead, she was angry. I, Lu Wangshu, couldn't fathom why, but I followed Lin Xiangyi back to the Detective Agency nonetheless.

Over the next few days, Qiao Liang was nowhere to be seen at the office. It made sense, though; after wrapping up two cases back-to-back, he was swamped with writing the final reports and various summaries. With so much on his plate, visiting the office was the least of his concerns.

Lin Xiangyi continued to wear a look of displeasure. I knew it had something to do with me, but I was at a loss for how to cheer her up. After much thought, I gave up on the idea and headed to the archive room alone.

The room was filled with towering stacks of files, all of which were unsolved cases left behind by my late father. Without much deliberation, I reached for the file on the very top, which, judging by the date, appeared to be his last case.

Opening the file, I was greeted by his familiar handwriting. As I read through the lines, a wave of melancholy washed over me, and I let out a heavy sigh.

It felt like only yesterday that he had passed away, though it had been quite some time. I remember being on a trip, just having returned to my hotel after a day out, ready to rest, when I received an unexpected call from a relative back home. It was my aunt on the line.

Picking up the phone with a sense of curiosity, I barely had time to greet her before she urgently spoke up, "Hello, Wangshu, you need to come back home right away. Your father has had an accident!"

The tremble in her voice, tinged with tears, sent a jolt of panic through me. "An accident? Aunt, what's happened to my father?"

"Wangshu, it's too much to explain over the phone. Just come home as quickly as you can. You need to be here for your father's funeral," she said, her voice breaking with emotion.

In Lu Wangshu's mind, there was a sudden, thunderous crash, as if something had come tumbling down.