Replacing the Evil Way

Chapter 76: See Through

After Zheng Youqing was out of danger, she was quickly transferred to a regular hospital room for recovery. Apart from the frightening scars on her neck and a scratch on her right leg, there were no other injuries to her body’s organs. Even the doctors said that saving someone in the nick of time could still result in disabilities, as some hanging victims could experience dislocated vertebrae. However, Zheng Youqing was fortunate. Her cervical spine was unharmed, and the marks on her neck were just superficial injuries that would soon heal.

“We were so scared! Thankfully, you’re okay,” Yun Xiaoxiao hugged Zheng Youqing’s shoulders. “Who was that man you were with when you went to watch the movie?”

Zheng Youqing’s smile was sweet and shy, leaving Yun Xiaoxiao in disbelief. “You’re… really in love? No wonder you were willing to give up on the captain. Did he save you?”

Zheng Youqing pretended to be puzzled. “Huh? Wasn’t it Captain He who saved me? I was half-conscious, and I only heard Captain He’s voice.”

“No, before they arrived, someone had already saved you. You don’t remember anything?” 

Zheng Youqing apologized with a smile. “I was given medication, and my consciousness was blurry. When I woke up, I was already in the hospital.”

Yun Xiaoxiao gestured with her hands, describing the events of that day. Zheng Youqing’s acting skills were excellent, and she kept changing expressions in response to Yun Xiaoxiao’s tone, occasionally expressing disbelief with phrases like, “Really?” or “How is that possible?” Yun Xiaoxiao nodded vigorously. “It’s true! Someone saved you before Captain He arrived! He even left a specific address, ‘Jinzhi Road 356.’ Captain He said the handwriting was completely different and that Jinzhi Road might have been added by the person who saved you to ensure the authorities could find the location quickly.”

Zheng Youqing continued to be amazed. “I see!” Although her mind was filled with these thoughts, she couldn’t help but feel sweet inside. He Wei, the real one, was always so capable. After experiencing his gentleness, her feelings for him became even more irresistible.

“Moreover, he used a gun to shoot the rope and save you. They found the bullet and shell casing, which matched a Type-92 pistol. Captain He plans to have them compared to the bullets from the Cheng Zesheng case, suspecting it’s the same gun!” 

“The same gun…” Zheng Youqing muttered to herself. Her mind began to wander into wild speculations. He Wei, the extra one, if he really did kill Cheng Zesheng, it could explain a lot. She believed He Wei must have had his reasons, but if the current He Wei were to find out about his existence…

Yun Xiaoxiao waved her hand in front of Zheng Youqing’s eyes to bring her back to reality. Zheng Youqing smiled and said, “Let’s wait until I get back to the office. I’m curious too and want to examine the report myself.”

“You just narrowly escaped death. Do you have to be so dedicated?” Yun Xiaoxiao pointed to the conspicuous marks on her delicate neck. Zheng Youqing touched her neck and replied, “I’m fine. I feel much better already. The doctor said I could be discharged in a couple of days.”

The hospital room door was knocked on, and Yun Xiaoxiao went to open it. He Wei walked in, carrying a fruit basket and a bunch of flowers.

“You can buy flowers, Captain?” Yun Xiaoxiao exclaimed. “I thought straight guys like you would never set foot in a flower shop in their entire lives!”

He Wei handed the flowers to Zheng Youqing. They were fresh and elegant, with sweet flags and carnations, creating a refreshing and comfortable combination of pink and purple with pale yellow. Zheng Youqing’s eyes sparkled with pleasant surprise as she cradled the bouquet in her arms.

“You’re in good spirits and recovering well,” He Wei remarked.

Zheng Youqing blushed slightly and nodded. “Yes, I’ve had all the check-ups, and there’s nothing major.”

Yun Xiaoxiao found a deep cup on the bedside table and went to clean it to use as a makeshift vase. He Wei sat down by the bed and started peeling an apple from the fruit basket. Zheng Youqing sat on the bed, her big, watery eyes sparkling with curiosity.

She watched as He Wei turned the apple skin into a continuous spiral, evenly wide, before it fell into the trash can, his long fingers even whiter than the fruit flesh.

“I didn’t expect you to peel an apple so perfectly.” Zheng Youqing propped her chin on her hand. “I’m not very good at it; I usually end up taking off too much of the pulp.”

“Whether you can do it or not doesn’t really matter. You can always ask someone else to do it for you,” He Wei said casually, then changed the topic, “Like the guy you’re watching movies with, your boyfriend?”

“Oh… Well, we’ve only been together for a short while,” Zheng Youqing pointed to the bouquet, diverting the conversation. “These flowers are so lovely. Flowers must be quite expensive now, right?”

“What’s his name, how old is he, and where does he work?” 

Zheng Youqing shrugged playfully and stuck out her tongue. “He Wei, you’re so serious. Are you jealous because I’m in a relationship?”

He Wei sighed in exasperation. “You know that’s not what I mean, and you should understand the purpose behind my questions.”

He glanced at the door. “They’re not here, and today’s conversation is just between you and me. You can trust me and tell me.”

He Wei’s hints were quite obvious, and his words revealed his speculations about the truth. Being as clever as He Wei, he might have already guessed the true identity of the man and had come to ask Zheng Youqing, hoping to get her confession to confirm his deductions.

Zheng Youqing clenched the bedsheet with both hands, biting her lip, torn between two sides. Both of them were He Wei; both were men she genuinely cared for and the other He Wei had shown a side of himself that she had never seen before. Zheng Youqing composed herself and then raised her eyebrows with a playful smile, “Yes, he’s my boyfriend, no doubt about it. He’s been abroad recently. If you’re really interested, when he returns, I’ll introduce you to him. How about that?”

He Wei stared at Zheng Youqing, who had her eyes cast down, either unwilling or unable to make eye contact with him. Since she intended to conceal the truth, He Wei couldn’t do much about it. He handed her the peeled apple instead, saying, “Let’s talk about it later. You should rest.”

Yun Xiaoxiao came in with a filled water cup and noticed that He Wei had already left. Zheng Youqing sat alone on the bed, fiddling with the apple, looking somewhat gloomy.

“Captain He doesn’t seem to understand the value of tenderness. He could have spent a little more time with you,” Yun Xiaoxiao lightly patted Zheng Youqing’s shoulder. “But it’s fine; you have a boyfriend now. You don’t need to worry about the captain’s matters anymore.”

If he really was her boyfriend, how wonderful that would be.

Zheng Youqing clenched her fists silently, determined not to let him be exposed, no matter what.

———

The day after her discharge, Zheng Youqing returned to work at the bureau. Her colleagues gathered around her, asking about her health and why she had come back to work so soon. Zheng Youqing smiled shyly, “I’m fine now, so of course I had to come back to work.”

She had a thin scarf wrapped around her neck, and even though it was there, the bruise was still faintly visible. Normally, wearing accessories was not allowed during work, but Zheng Youqing’s situation was exceptional, and her dedication to working despite her condition was touching.

“Have the results of the rifling comparisons come in yet?” Zheng Youqing asked.

“Not yet. Youqing-Jie, you should go and rest. We’ll handle things here.” 

Zheng Youqing bit her lip, patted his shoulder, and said, “Let me do it. This case is related to me, and I want to prepare the report myself.”

In the evening, Zheng Youqing stayed late at the bureau to work. He Wei noticed that the lab lights were still on and saw her examining the components of incendiary agents. He approached her and said, “You shouldn’t be working overtime lately. Go home early, and I’ll give you a ride.”

“You’ll give me a ride?”

“Yes, we haven’t caught Qiao Ruofei yet, and it’s not safe for you to go home alone.” He Wei looked down at the screen and asked, “Have you finished the component analysis?”

“It’s almost done. I’ll have it ready in a couple of days,” Zheng Youqing replied. “But don’t get your hopes up. I’ve looked at the analysis charts from the Cheng Zesheng case, and it seems that the components are different. They might not be from the same manufacturer.”

He Wei smiled and didn’t say anything, urging Zheng Youqing to change her clothes and go home early.

Lin Heyu and his team had been searching for abandoned hiding spots in the city for three days in a row, but they still hadn’t found any trace of Qiao Ruofei. Zheng Youqing stood at the office door, holding the report in her hand and swaying it in front of He Wei. “The report is ready.”

He Wei took a look and then closed it. He picked up a cup and went to the water dispenser to fill it with tea. Lin Heyu opened the report, stared at it for a moment, and said, “Not the same gun?!”

Zheng Youqing nodded. “Although they are both Type 92, the rifling marks are different, so we can’t definitively match them with the Cheng Zesheng case.”

“So it’s not the same person?” Lin Heyu closed the report and sighed. “I thought we might have a breakthrough, but it seems like it’s a dead end.”

After work, Zheng Youqing packed up the things in the lab and prepared to leave. She untied the scarf around her neck and looked in the mirror. The bruise was slowly healing, and once it was completely gone, her skin would return to its smooth and fair appearance.

“Where is he now?”

He Wei’s voice suddenly sounded behind her. Zheng Youqing turned around, puzzled and curious.

Leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed, He Wei looked at Zheng Youqing with a determined gaze. “You have to tell me where he is. This is very important.”

Zheng Youqing’s lips curled into a wry smile. “What are you talking about… Who are you asking about? You didn’t even mention a name.”

“So I wasn’t entirely sure before, but after seeing this analysis report, I can confirm who that man is.”

He Wei closed the door to the lab, walked in, and stood in front of Zheng Youqing. He lowered his voice, “You’re concealing and protecting another me, right? That’s the only reason you would come back to work against your better judgment and handle the entire report yourself.”

Zheng Youqing was surprised and took a step back, leaning against the table, her heart racing. “He Wei, what are you talking about? There is no ‘other you.’ The report’s results are accurate. If you don’t believe me, you can take it to another agency for verification…”

“It’s already been done.” He Wei interrupted her. “Before you were discharged, Lin Heyu took that bullet and Cheng Zesheng’s data to a neighboring city for analysis.”

Zheng Youqing covered her mouth, feeling helpless. She had never expected He Wei to act so quickly and even go to a neighboring city. Had he already guessed that she might tamper with the bullet and produce a fake report?

“Where is he?”

Zheng Youqing bit her lip, feeling lost and helpless. She shook her head gently. “I don’t know, really, I don’t know…”

He Wei turned to leave but was stopped by Zheng Youqing, who grabbed his arm. “He Wei, I beg you, please don’t go looking for him, okay?”

“Youqing, this situation is very complex, and I can’t explain it in detail right now.” He Wei pulled his arm free from her grasp. “His appearance is crucial, and I must find him.”

———

Inside a nightclub with its vibrant lights and lively atmosphere, the manager led a stunning young woman with long, flowing hair into a private room. He nodded and bowed, “Boss Lei, this is our new addition, ‘Linlin.’ She’s a university graduate, just started in this line of work, very fresh.”

Lei Zi and his buddies appraised the dark-haired beauty. Their expressions and demeanor turned lecherous as they looked at her: “A university student, huh? I like women with education. We haven’t been to college, but we’ve been with college girls, haha!”

Laughter filled the private room as these gangsters made suggestive comments. Linlin grew increasingly flustered, hiding behind the manager. The manager pushed her forward, and Lei Zi wrapped his arms around her, saying, “You look great! You seem like a good girl. How about spending the night with me? How much for your company?”

She looked panicked and, with a pleading gaze, turned to the manager. “I-I’m only here to accompany drinks. I won’t go further. I have a boyfriend…”

“Having a boyfriend and working as a hostess? Who are you kidding? Hahaha…”

“Don’t worry. You’ll be with our Boss Lei tonight. You don’t need that boyfriend anymore. Who can compare to Boss Lei here!”

Linlin was on the verge of tears. The manager signaled her, and she reluctantly allowed herself to be held by the man. From initially struggling to later surrendering, her beautiful face showed a layer of sadness, evoking sympathy.

Lei Zi kept holding onto Linlin and had her drink several glasses. When he saw her face turn crimson and she leaned against him, he naturally took the opportunity to escort her out of the nightclub. They hadn’t gone far when they saw a tall figure under a streetlamp. Initially, Lei Zi didn’t pay much attention and walked past the man. However, the man asked, “Where are you taking her?”

Lei Zi turned back, his tone confrontational and hostile, saying, “Why the hell do you care?”

But as he recognized who it was, he swallowed his arrogance. Damn, this was really an unfortunate encounter. How did he run into that annoying cop from the bathhouse who had humiliated him?

“…Officer He, I’m just taking a girl home for some fun; it’s not illegal, right?”

He Wei didn’t pay him any attention and walked over, focusing his gaze on Linlin, who was leaning against Lei Zi. He asked again, “Where are you taking her?”

Lei Zi felt frustrated, saying, “We’re going to a hotel up ahead to get a room. She’s not underage; she’s already graduated from college.”

“I didn’t ask you,” He Wei glanced briefly at Lei Zi before continuing to scrutinize the delicate beauty in front of him. “Stop pretending, I know you’re not drunk, Qiao Ruofei.”

Finally, “Linlin” reacted. She raised her head; her cheeks were still flushed, but her eyes were surprisingly clear. She maintained her coy posture, leaning against Lei Zi, and spoke with a sweet, complaining tone, “You found me in just a few days, Officer He Wei; you’re really impressive.”

“Either turn yourself in to the police, or I’ll take you there. You decide.”

He Wei took out a pack of cigarettes, shook one out, and placed it in his mouth. Lei Zi felt confused and glanced at Linlin, then back at He Wei. “Officer, what did she do? If it’s about prostitution, it’s none of my business. I only ordered her to accompany drinks; I haven’t even taken her yet!”

He Wei replied calmly, “It’s not about prostitution.”

Lei Zi breathed a sigh of relief but then heard He Wei say, “Murder. She’s responsible for three deaths. Didn’t you also claim to have killed people? Are they more than hers?”