Lin Xiaoxiao felt a sliver of relief upon learning that the child was now in college—at least her future wouldn't be too harsh.

After all, college graduates nowadays were assigned jobs by the state with fairly good salaries and benefits.

Zhou Xiaoling grumbled under her breath for a while before turning to Zhou Xiaocheng with curiosity. "Second Brother, is this the case you've been working on lately? Trying to clear that doctor's name?"

Xiaocheng didn't hide it. "Yes. But it's been so long, and after everything that happened back then, gathering evidence has been difficult."

Lin Xiaoxiao frowned. "What does that have to do with the questions you asked me earlier?"

Xiaocheng nodded. "The security chief claimed back then that the doctor performed the autopsy on the middle stretcher. I asked you because I wanted to understand the doctor's habits."

"If the doctor preferred the table against the wall, as you suggested, it means the security chief likely didn't actually witness the procedure. Besides, the doctor must have recorded his findings. The question is—where are those notes now?"

Finally, Lin Xiaoxiao understood why Xiaocheng had brought her here. He was relying on her professional insight into a doctor's habits—something that could become key to cracking the case.

"But even if we find his notes," she wondered aloud, "how can we make people believe them? His wife's body... it's long gone."

Xiaocheng fell silent. He had found a starting point, but what came next still felt unclear. He lacked experience and hadn't yet mapped out a full plan.

Lin Xiaoxiao, however, had an idea. "If the doctor collected samples from what remained inside his wife's body and documented everything, we might still be able to run comparisons. I'm sure he had a method for preserving evidence."

Xiaocheng nodded. "That's what I was thinking too."

Though years had passed, where there was a will, there had to be a way.

Checking the time, Xiaocheng urged the two women to head back first—he had another matter to attend to.

Without another word, Zhou Xiaoling pulled Lin Xiaoxiao along. "We need to stay in the sun a bit longer before going home. Sister-in-law, you have to believe me—I've seen ghosts with my own eyes when I was little."

"Besides, if Mom finds out we came here, she'll skin us alive. She might even forbid us from holding the kids."

Lin Xiaoxiao couldn't help but laugh. "I'm studying medicine. Do you really think I won't see dead people in the future? If I were as superstitious as you, how would I ever pick up a scalpel?"

Zhou Xiaoling waved her off. "It's not the same. Come on, let's go home. I still have chills down my spine."

Meanwhile, Zhou Xiaocheng headed straight to Dongcheng's Jixiang Alley, to Zhang Wanqing's home. He hadn't seen her since their last encounter at the ghost market.

Following the house numbers, he approached just in time to hear shouting from inside.

A woman was yelling furiously, "Zhang Wanqing, you better clear out of this house, and fast! Let me be clear—this is the Wang family's property, not something your murderer father left behind!"

Zhang Wanqing's voice was icy. "Say that again. I dare you."

"What, you'll hit me? Your father did unspeakable things—isn't it true? How could anyone do that to his own wife? Thank heaven he was executed, or who knows how many more he might've killed!"

"And you, you little wolf cub! If it weren't for the Wang family taking you in and raising you, where would you be today? Now you've grown up, gone to college, and this is how you repay us?"

"Mark my words—if you don't hand over the house, I'll go to your university and report you when the term starts! Who knows, you might turn out just like your murdering father—"Before she could finish, a sharp cry cut through the air.

Xiaocheng pushed the gate open and entered the courtyard. Zhang Wanqing had a slightly plump middle-aged woman pinned to the ground, sitting on her and yanking her hair hard.

"Go on," Zhang Wanqing challenged, eyes blazing with rage, her whole body tense with violence.

The woman flailed wildly, screeching, "Zhang Wanqing, let go of me, you ungrateful little beast—"

A stream of foul language followed.

Without a word, Zhang Wanqing began slapping the woman across the face—hard, ruthless blows.

Seeing that Zhang Wanqing wasn't the one at a disadvantage, and that the woman had clearly crossed a line, Xiaocheng waited a moment before stepping in. He pulled Zhang Wanqing up by the arm. "Zhang Wanqing, violence isn't the answer."

The moment Zhang Wanqing was pulled away, the woman scrambled up and lunged at her.

But Xiaocheng clamped a hand on her shoulder, pressing down just firmly enough to stop her.

"Try it," he warned.

His face, usually calm and detached, was now sharp with anger. His gaze was piercing.

The woman shivered involuntarily and took two steps back, though she tried to save face. "She hit me first! You can't just take her side!"

Xiaocheng ignored her. Still holding Zhang Wanqing's wrist, he pulled her aside, keeping himself between them.

Cowed by his presence, the woman turned her anger back on Zhang Wanqing. "You think I'm scared just because you found some man to protect you? Don't think having a lover means you can keep this house!"

Xiaocheng's expression turned cold. "Enough," he snapped.

The woman's teeth chattered. For some reason, this young man intimidated her deeply. She pointed at Zhang Wanqing, spat out a few final threats, and hurried away.

Xiaocheng glanced around; neighbors had been watching from behind their windows, but as his eyes swept over them, they quickly ducked out of sight.

He turned back to Zhang Wanqing. "Maybe you should consider moving somewhere else."

That woman wasn't going to let this go. She'd be back, probably with others. Zhang Wanqing was on her own—she wouldn't stand a chance against a group.

Zhang Wanqing lifted her chin defiantly. "Why should I leave? This is my home. Let them try."

Xiaocheng spoke patiently, "If you leave and lock up, they won't dare break in. If they do, that's trespassing and theft—we can handle it legally. But if you stay, they'll never stop harassing you.

Why waste your energy on this?"

Zhang Wanqing didn't answer. She turned her face away, refusing to look at him. She knew he was right, but after years of surviving on her own like stubborn weeds, she wasn't used to anyone caring.

Xiaocheng scanned the courtyard again. It couldn't have been easy for a young woman to hold onto these two rooms all by herself.

No wonder Zhang Wanqing seemed so guarded and solitary. Compared to Lin Xiaoxiao, who was like warm sunshine, Zhang Wanqing was all sharp edges and cold resilience.

After a moment, he said, "Lock up. Come with me to my place for now."

Maybe Lin Xiaoxiao could help soften those edges.