The next day, representatives from the Zheng Group went to a police station in a district near the Third Ring Road to report a missing person: the eldest daughter of the Zheng family had been missing for 24 hours.
The police immediately mobilized. Zheng Xiuyue was not a Chinese citizen, and any incident involving her on Chinese territory would have significant negative repercussions.
A few days later, a disfigured female corpse was recovered from a lake in a park. It was confirmed to be Zheng Xiuyue, the eldest daughter of the Zheng Group.
The news, "Zheng Group's Eldest Daughter Zheng Xiuyue Murdered," dominated major news websites for days.
Jiang Junhu and Mai Xingyang sent a thumbs-up emoji to Li Weixin.
Li Weixin scrolled through the news on his phone, a smile playing on his lips.
Zhang Qiongyu asked curiously, "What are you looking at? You seem so happy?"
Li Weixin put his phone in front of her. "The police found evidence of infidelity on the victim. This woman was Song Yinyu's legal wife."
Zhang Qiongyu had also seen the news and knew the full story behind Li Sixuan's disfigurement.
Hearing Li Weixin's words, she felt any lingering sympathy for the woman who was not only murdered but also disfigured disappear.
She didn't want to talk about the unfaithful woman anymore. "I'll go help in the kitchen. I feel bad always eating ready-made meals when I visit."
"No need."
Li Weixin put away his phone. "There are many people busy in the kitchen. When people get old, their only pleasure is cooking for their children and grandchildren. Seeing them eat well makes them content, just like my grandmother."
Seeing that Li Weixin was reminded of his grandmother again, Zhang Qiongyu changed the subject. "Are Xuanxuan and Yaoyao at the team's place?"
"They are."
Li Weixin's eyes curved into a smile. "Do you miss them? I'll have Yaoyao come over for lunch."
Zhang Qiongyu nodded. She was often invited to the Li family for meals by her two students every few days and had also gotten to know Zeng Yao, who frequented the Li residence.
She loved the feeling of being with Xuanxuan and Yaoyao – it was relaxed and casual, and she could speak freely. Her favorite part was watching them playfully tease Captain Li together.
...
Zeng Yao was discussing Zheng Xiuyue's cause of death with Li Sixuan.
Because Zhou Yulin was still aggressively pursuing Li Sixuan, Li Sixuan had people assigned to follow her lately, restricting her movements.
Zeng Yao sacrificed her own training time to accompany Li Sixuan, who was very touched by her friend and elder. She almost dragged Zeng Yao home for meals every day.
This was beneficial for Jiang Junhu, who was not qualified to enter the special training team unless a major incident occurred.
His wife exploited this by often being away from home, claiming she could train peacefully at the special training team's location.
Did he not seem peaceful enough?
"A crime of passion."
Zeng Yao stated with certainty, "There was evidence of infidelity on Zheng Xiuyue. It was definitely a crime of passion."
Li Sixuan looked at her and asked, "What was the evidence exactly?"
"The evidence was..."
Before Zeng Yao could finish, Mai Xingyang interrupted, "Go, go, don't corrupt Xuanxuan's mind."
Zeng Yao retorted, "It's just a normal sex education lesson. If you won't tell Xuanxuan, why are you stopping me from telling her? I will tell her, and what can you do about it?"
"You dare to say it and see."
Mai Xingyang threatened, "Don't think that just because you're a woman and Xuanxuan's elder, I won't hit you."
Zeng Yao suddenly stood up, hands on her hips. "Try and hit me."
"You dare to say it and see?"
"Try and hit me?"
"You dare to say it and see?"
Watching the two, who often disagreed while protecting her and were now squabbling again, Li Sixuan's eyes curved into a smile.
"My wife, my wife, I love you. Amitabha Buddha bless you. May you have a good body, healthy and beautiful..."
Li Weixin's phone rang from his pocket. Zeng Yao took it out. "Honey~"
Mai Xingyang shivered, getting goosebumps. He was truly helpless against this couple who showed affection without any restraint.
"Yaoyao~"
Jiang Junhu mimicked Zeng Yao's tone as he called back. "Why aren't you here yet? Captain Li almost called you."
"How could I let another man call my wife? So I helped him out. Teacher Zhang is here, hurry back, you and Xuanxuan."
"Qiongyu is here?"
Zeng Yao nodded happily. "We'll be right back. Bye-bye, muah."
"Bye-bye, muah."
Jiang Junhu blew a loud kiss into the phone before hanging up.
Li Weixin looked helplessly at Jiang Junhu, who was now acting like a peacock displaying its feathers. "Can't you be normal?"
"Where's the fun in that?"
Jiang Junhu said nonchalantly, "My Yaoyao likes me this way. Young people dating nowadays are all like this."
"Only an old-fashioned fossil like you from the 80s dates in a serious manner. Ask Teacher Zhang, does she prefer your style, or mine?"
Li Weixin immediately turned to Zhang Qiongyu. "Qiongyu, do you prefer reserved or outgoing?"
Zhang Qiongyu was embarrassed by Jiang Junhu's bluntness and then by Li Weixin's serious question. She said with a blush, "Why are you asking me? I'm not dating anyone!"
Li Weixin didn't know how to respond.
Jiang Junhu was anxious for him, but Zhang Qiongyu's willingness to visit the Li family every few days was already a big concession. Also, although Zhang Qiongyu was lively, her thoughts were not yet open. He didn't want to cause trouble and quickly got up and left the living room.
The living room fell quiet.
Zhang Qiongyu then felt that her tone had been a bit harsh. She apologized to Li Weixin sheepishly.
"I'm sorry, I, I..."
"Shh."
Li Weixin softly interrupted her. "Never say sorry to me. I don't fear you getting angry at me; I only fear you maintaining a polite distance."
Zhang Qiongyu tried to explain, "Captain Li, I..."
"I know."
Li Weixin explained for her, "You were just shy, not intentionally speaking loudly. You weren't angry, you were playfully teasing like you do with Xuanxuan and Yaoyao."
"You're treating me like Xuanxuan and Yaoyao. Although it seems like the romantic direction is a bit off, I like it. At least you're not constantly rejecting me anymore."
Zhang Qiongyu's heart felt full. Captain Li understood her and didn't feel disrespected by her raised voice.
This Captain Li was quite attractive.
Zhang Qiongyu's face flushed at her sudden thought, and she felt the living room was very hot.
"Are you okay?"
Li Weixin reached out worriedly and touched her forehead.
The warm palm on her forehead startled Zhang Qiongyu. Captain Li was so caring!
"Mhm, I'm fine."
Li Weixin didn't feel a fever on Zhang Qiongyu's forehead, knowing she was probably just shy from the recent embarrassment.
As the hand left her forehead, Zhang Qiongyu felt a slight sense of loss. Oh dear, what was she thinking?
She had been misled by Teacher Jiang.
"Qiongyu."
"Qiongyu."
Zeng Yao and Li Sixuan ran in, breaking the awkward yet subtly romantic atmosphere in the living room.
Due to seniority, Li Sixuan called Zhang Qiongyu "Teacher Zhang." However, Zhang Qiongyu said she was only a few years older than Xuanxuan and Yaoyao and they could call her Aunt or Sister Zhang.
The two girls disagreed and directly called her Qiongyu, without any formality.
Zhang Qiongyu stood up. "Come here quickly. I feel like I haven't seen you for two months, not just two days."
Li Sixuan glanced around the living room. There were only Zhang Qiongyu and her maternal uncle. She and Yaoyao had returned at an inopportune moment.
Zeng Yao pulled Li Sixuan to sit beside Zhang Qiongyu and waved towards Li Weixin on the other side of Zhang Qiongyu.
"Aren't you going to the kitchen to learn to cook? Honestly, the reason you're still single is because you don't know how to cook."
"Look at the men in the Li family, which one can't cook? Which one wasn't already taken by a girl early on? Only you. Go learn soon, you still have a chance."
Li Weixin asked Zhang Qiongyu, "In your opinion, do men who can cook make you feel particularly secure?"
The blush on Zhang Qiongyu's face hadn't faded. She hurriedly nodded at Li Weixin, then turned to look at Li Sixuan and the unfamiliar woman behind her.
"Xuanxuan, that woman is dead, doesn't that make the suspicion on you even heavier?"
Zhang Qiongyu also knew about the Zhou Yufei case and had even applauded it.
Seeing Zhang Qiongyu nod, Li Weixin decided to go to the kitchen to learn. Hearing Zhang Qiongyu's words, he paused his raised leg, then continued to lower it and walked out of the living room.