C12 A Childhood Nightmare!

Miaojie glanced toward the source of the voice. The guy was in his early twenties, standing at an impressive six-foot-three, looking like he just stepped out of a comic book as the perfect leading man. Her professional instincts kicked in, momentarily blurring reality as she imagined him as a character in her manga.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you it's rude to stare?" Shuoyi waved a hand in front of Miaojie's face, snapping her back to reality.

Sure, he's handsome, but he's so full of himself. If a guy like that has a girlfriend, she must be blind, Miaojie thought to herself.

"Don't flatter yourself. I've had a habit of sleepwalking since I was a kid. I must have been sleepwalking just now. Who'd be looking at you? You're so ugly, I might lose my appetite," Miaojie retorted, determined not to admit she had been staring.

Now it was Shuoyi's turn to be unsettled. No one had ever called him ugly before. He chuckled in disbelief. The girl in front of him was pretty, but her words were something else.

"Alright, listen up. You've parked in my spot twice now. If I see it happen a third time, it won't just be a conversation. I'll make sure your car ends up as scrap metal," Shuoyi warned, leaning in close to her ear for emphasis.

Miaojie wasn't one to be intimidated. She didn't respond well to threats, and no one dared to act so arrogantly in front of her. For the sake of her pride, she had to push back.

"Do you have any proof that it's your spot? You're hilarious. I could say it's my spot too," she shot back. The company had indeed assigned exclusive parking spaces to each executive, but Miaojie pretended to be unaware.

"Miss, how can you talk like that? Do you even know who our young master is? You dare speak to him like this? It seems you don't want to stay at this company much longer," the driver interjected, unable to hold back any longer.

"You can't seriously be telling me the whole company belongs to your young master. Do you think I'm a three-year-old? This cheesy TV drama plot won't fool me. Do you think I'm that easy to deceive?" Miaojie thought to herself, wondering how a high-ranking executive dared to impersonate the company's heir. Did they think she had no intelligence? Miaojie was tempted to put her hands on her hips in frustration, but she reminded herself to maintain her composure in public.

Lin Shuoyi was fuming. He couldn't think of anyone else in the company who dared to defy him, especially when he was entirely in the right. He couldn't let this slide without teaching her a lesson.

Just then, his phone screen lit up, pulling him back from his thoughts. It was a call from the private investigator. Lin Shuoyi shot Miaojie a furious glance, almost blaming her for nearly making him miss something important. He had an appointment with the detective at a café, and it was already time.

"Hello, it's me," Lin Shuoyi answered decisively.

"Mr. Kong, are you here? I'm in room 201 at Sky Café. Come directly here to meet me."

"Alright, I'll be there in about 20 minutes," Lin Shuoyi replied, signaling the driver to bring the car around.

"You're lucky today. I'll let you off for now. But if I see your car here next week, I'll make sure it ends up as scrap metal. You almost messed up something important for me today, and we'll settle this score next time." Lin Shuoyi's voice was cold, and his words felt like a threat.

Within a few minutes, Liu returned. Lin Shuoyi didn't want to waste any more time on her. In his mind, finding his mother's killer was the top priority.

The driver opened the car door for Lin Shuoyi, who sat in the back seat, deep in thought. His brow furrowed as it always did when he was contemplating something significant.

"Take me to Sky Café, and make it quick."

"Alright, young master."

The evening traffic was relatively smooth, and Lin Shuoyi arrived five minutes earlier than expected.

"Just find a place to hang out. I'll call you when I'm done," he told the driver, who watched him enter the elevator.

The elevator quickly reached the second floor. Liu received a mysterious call and decided to find a spot in the lobby to pass the time.

With the weekend just around the corner and no work stress, Miaojie's mood was fantastic. If it weren't for running into that lunatic Lin Shuoyi, her weekend would be even better. Just thinking about that nutcase made her feel uneasy.

"Tong Tong, you're back! How was work today?" Her dad always had a cheerful demeanor, instantly lifting the gloom from Miaojie's heart.

"It went smoothly. My boss and assistant are really supportive. Your daughter is quite the favorite at the company," Miaojie boasted proudly to her father.

"Of course, you're the favorite! Look who your dad is," he said, beaming with pride.

"Miaojie, you're back! Didn't get scolded by the boss today, did you? Let me see if you're still in one piece," Xiaofu's voice rang out before she even appeared.

"Are you hoping I got in trouble so I won't treat you to a nice dinner when I get paid?" Miaojie turned her face away, refusing to look at her.

"Tong Tong, you're the best! I know you won't abandon me," Xiaofu quickly pleaded.

"Now you know how to beg? Let's see how you behave."

"I'll be on my best behavior, all for that dinner," Xiaofu and Miaojie's laughter echoed through the empty room.

"By the way, I ran into a bit of trouble at work today. I parked in the same spot as yesterday."

"Did he do anything to you?"

"Would he dare? He just gave me a stern warning, but I'm not buying it. He's handsome, but not too bright. Looks like I'll have to start getting up early next week, or that devil won't let it slide."

"Is it really as scary as you say?"

"You'll know when you see it. It's terrifying."

In a private room on the second floor of the Sky Café, Lin sat across from a man wearing a baseball cap pulled low over his face, obscuring his features completely. He pushed over the documents Lin had sent him weeks ago about Lin's mother's murder.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Lin. This case is too old, and there are too few leads. We're at a dead end."

"Aren't you the ones who claim no case is too difficult? It's only been a few days, and you're giving up?" Lin's expression was grim.

"I'm truly sorry, Mr. Lin. You should find someone more capable. Our detective agency has hit a wall. We'll refund your deposit." The man bowed deeply and left the room.

Just then, Lin's phone rang. It was Shen, someone he couldn't stand.

"What do you want?" Lin answered impatiently.

"I advise you to behave yourself. Don't think that just because you're in the company, I don't know what you're up to. It's not going to end well."

Lin hung up, clenched his fists tightly, and punched the wall repeatedly in frustration.