"Nothing much! This kid usually acts like he's superior, relying on some connections his family has in the area, collecting ill-gotten gains everywhere. Many people have been disgruntled, but no one dares to speak out. Wu Shuang, you're a heroine among women, I'm delighted to see that!"

Wu Shuang chuckled twice. This Director Zhao is completely different from their first meeting. Perhaps this is his true face showing now.

A tall figure walked in from outside, carrying a box. His wet hair was dripping water. "Oh, our forensic expert is here." Wu Shuang felt a sigh of relief. It's better to have someone here than listening to that old man bragging and flattering without end.

Mu Rongyun nodded to Wu Shuang and then walked over to the grass mat area. Director Zhao followed him closely. "Unauthorized personnel should not approach." He rudely pushed Director Zhao out of his working area. Wu Shuang found it amusing; seeing the old man looking so discomfited. Having worked with Mu Rongyun for a long time, she knew his habits well. Just ignore the eavesdropping incident from the stairs. Speaking only of work, he is indeed a very dedicated person.

As Wu Shuang had anticipated, the fatal wound was the stab from the head to the sternum. The other fragments were done postmortem, with no male genital organs present, two finger joints missing, one big toe missing, while the rest seemed to be pieced together.

"The time of death should be four days ago, no toxic substances found. The fatal wound is the fracture in the skull, excessive bleeding led to death. The murder weapon should be similar to a machete or a long sharp object, dismembered postmortem." Mu Rongyun scanned the corpse and took hair samples and fiber from the nails of the deceased. "There's broken soil and some hair in the nails, we need to go back to conduct a DNA chemical analysis to obtain the final results."

"Did you drive here, Mu Rong?" Wu Shuang suddenly asked.

"No, I took a taxi; my car was sent for repairs. Is there any issue?" Mu Rongyun was curious about why Wu Shuang was asking.

"It's like this." Director Zhao finally found his chance to butt in before Wu Shuang could answer. "Because there are still some parts not found, Wu wants to personally check the scene. It's raining outside now, and the crime scene is not electrified, so I suggested she stays here for a night and go tomorrow morning. Going back and forth seems to be a bit of a hassle, don't you think?"

Mu Rongyun realized there was such a person beside him; he looked at Wu Shuang bewilderedly. "Oh, I'm the director here, my surname is Zhao, you can call me Director Zhao."

"Hmm!" Mu Rongyun ignored Director Zhao's outstretched hand. "What's your take?" He directly asked Wu Shuang.

"Do you want to come with me to the scene tomorrow?"

"Do you mean you want me to stay here for a night too?" Mu Rongyun looked at Wu Shuang with great interest, finding it hard to understand this woman's intentions.

If he wasn't mistaken, that day she should have heard clearly the conversation between him and Xiao Lin. Now she acts as if nothing happened—is she playing a role? Her closeness with Xiao Lin is well known; as for their relationship, he didn't want to know, but this woman now boldly invited him to stay—was it part of Xiao Lin's plot? Mu Rongyun was cautious not to answer lightly, especially after Xiao Lin confronting him directly at the police station, making him even more careful.

This caution was partly due to Xiao Lin and more to that who hasn't revealed his intentions. Lin Zhifang was taken away, becoming a scapegoat, while the straightforward contradictions would soon surrender to him, yet he never waited for the moment, as if the matter ended just like that, such a result was unexpected for him.

Brown eyes stared at Wu Shuang as if trying to see through her. Director Zhao watched the two intently with a plan in mind. Seeing neither speak, he went to his desk and picked up the phone. "Ah, is it Director Fang? It's Lao Zhao here. I have two guests, can you arrange a room for them? Hmm, okay, okay, I'll treat you to a drink another day." After hanging up, he said, "Don't worry about it. Since you're on my turf, listen to me, Director Zhao. It's not safe to drive back in the middle of the night. Just stay in the guesthouse I mentioned for a night, and go see the scene tomorrow morning."

Good intentions can be hard to refuse, but overly good intentions can be awkward. Director Zhao arranged a room, but it was a double bed room. Wu Shuang felt awkward, Mu Rongyun wanted to laugh, two faces with vastly different expressions stared at each other.

"I'll go check if there's an extra room." Wu Shuang broke the silence and turned to head to the service desk.

"It's still a kind gesture; going there might only get a reply that there are no rooms, wouldn't that be more awkward?" Mu Rongyun didn't want to touch Wu Shuang, but he pulled her back. "You sleep on the bed, I'll sleep on the floor. There's plenty of blankets, it won't be cold in this weather." With gentlemanly grace, Mu Rongyun informed Wu Shuang of his decision. He didn't care about the rumors, only if Wu Shuang cared, he couldn't control.

"I think I'd better go ask at the service desk." Alone with Mu Rongyun, Wu Shuang felt a bit uneasy.

"You're afraid of me!" Mu Rongyun sensed Wu Shuang's defense and fear of him from her stiff posture. "You heard everything, didn't you?"

In the room with just the two of them, Mu Rongyun naturally boiled a pot of water using the electronic kettle on the table and brewed two bags of tea.

"Hmm!" Wu Shuang didn't back down, she admitted it. She originally wanted to find Xiao Lin, but halfway there, she heard his argument with Mu Rongyun. She didn't understand the content, nor did she know what they were talking about, but knowing Xiao Lin, there must be a reason for Mu Rongyun to affect him so much.

"Then you should know who I am."

Wu Shuang shook her head. "I heard a little, but I don't know what kind of person you are."

"Oh, really?" Mu Rongyun squinted. Should he trust what this woman says? From her expression, he couldn't detect any deceit.

"I have no need to lie to you!" Wu Shuang walked back from the doorway and sat in a chair, picking up the tea Mu Rongyun had brewed. The rain outside was pouring heavily, and sitting in the room, she shivered a little, probably due to the dampness in the room.

"You're shivering." Mu Rongyun turned on the air conditioning; it's quite damp here in remote areas, come to the bed.

Wu Shuang didn't move, she just looked at Mu Rongyun, never realizing that he could be so gentle. Her previous fear of him slowly retreated in this gentleness.

"Don't be easily swayed by my exterior, you should fear me." Mu Rongyun suddenly said, thoroughly analyzing Wu Shuang's innermost thoughts laid bare before him.

"How do you know what I'm thinking?" Wu Shuang wondered why her judgment of Mu Rongyun was that he wasn't a bad person, nor a good one, but a complex individual.

Mu Rongyun smirked. "I'll use the bathroom first, you make my bed." Acting manly towards Wu Shuang, he then got a spare cup from the kitchen and tossed it to her.

"Shouldn't the girls use the bathroom first?" She had just appreciated his gentlemanly manners, only to be beaten by his male chauvinism.

"I don't get used to using a bathroom someone else has used." The sound of water quickly came from behind the locked bathroom door.

Wu Shuang stared at the closed door for a moment, then picked up her phone and dialed a number.

"Hello! The number you dialed is turned off. Please dial again later." Still turned off? Wu Shuang stared at the phone, switching the screen to the messaging window.

"I'm with Mu Rongyun tonight!" She typed this message in the frame, her thumb lingering on the send button. Wu Shuang hesitated, should she do this? If she sends the message today, what will happen? What will he think after reading it? Her mind was full of such questions.

With a click, she suddenly looked up, Mu Rongyun had already come out of the bathroom, bare-chested, wrapped in a towel around his waist. Wu Shuang stared at him, this was her first time seeing Mu Rongyun up close without the glasses obscuring his face, which was extremely masculine, with prominent facial features and beautiful dark eyes.

"You have eyes very similar to Xiao Lin's." Wu Shuang couldn't help but say what was in her heart. When she saw Mu Rongyun's eyes, she was momentarily astonished; they were really identical to Xiao Lin's.

"Really?" Mu Rongyun sneered, "Do I resemble him?" The sudden change in demeanor made Wu Shuang realize she had said something unwelcome.

"Believe it or not."

Facing the heavily slammed door, Mu Rongyun showed no expression and walked directly to the mirror. He brushed the long hair from his forehead aside, revealing his whole face. His eyes gazed into the mirror, he had never looked at himself so carefully. From the temple to his eyebrows, there was a scar there, its color faded, blending into the skin. He raised his hand hesitantly touching this scar; a surging pain made him withdraw his hand, leaving him crouched on the made bed, curling up there.

Why does it still hurt so much? Mu Rongyun breathed deeply, why does it still hurt? Even though the scar has healed, why does it still ache to the core? He gasped deeply, but couldn't calm the pain spreading through his body.

"Hey, are you okay?" Wu Shuang, who had come out of the bathroom, saw Mu Rongyun curled on the ground and rushed over, holding him in her arms. "Mu Rongyun, can you hear me? Are you alright? Answer me?" She patted his face, and when those unfocused eyes finally looked at her, she felt a pang of heartache. (To be continued. If you like this story, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote, your support is my greatest motivation.)

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