In a daze, Hu Jia heard the door open outside, a rustling sound, and it seemed like someone had entered.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.
Who was it?
How dare they enter his room so brazenly?
Only a few people could freely enter and leave his home.
It certainly wasn't Li Yang, because knowing him, he would have already shouted, "Little hunk is here!"
Could it be Ouyang Wen? No, these footsteps aren't right!
Unfamiliar!
Hu Jia sat up sharply, and just as he was about to ambush, he was stunned by what he saw.
The room was still familiar, but what was that photograph on the wall?
Fiancée?
Lu Qingqing?
Well, she was decent-looking.
Uh…
No, when did I get a fiancée?
"Knock, knock…" came a knock at the door.
Hu Jia was finally pulled out of his stupor.
"Knock, knock…"
Another two knocks.
For a moment, Hu Jia felt a little scared, afraid that the person outside was Lu Qingqing.
After all, meeting a fiancée in such a situation felt absurd, and more importantly, he had no memory of having one.
"Hu Jia, I know you're awake." Lu Qingqing stood outside the door. She knew Hu Jia was alert, and since she hadn't made any attempt to be quiet when entering, Hu Jia couldn't possibly still be asleep.
Li Yang had said that Hu Jia would be a bit disoriented after waking up, as anyone would be in such a situation. Therefore, he suggested that Hu Jia read the memo first.
"Did you read the memo by the bed? Whatever you're thinking right now, don't doubt it, it's all true. Also, don't run around. Just wait at home for Li Yang."
Hu Jia turned to look at the notebook by his bed and picked it up.
After flipping through just one or two pages, Hu Jia's pupils widened in shock.
Amnesia?
It's 1928 already?
Did I suddenly age five years?
Lu Qingqing, pressing her ear to the door, heard the sounds inside. She could imagine the immense turmoil raging in Hu Jia's mind.
If she weren't in a hurry to get to the study hall, she wouldn't mind staying to chat with him.
Sensing the person outside was about to leave, "Wait!" Hu Jia blurted out instinctively.
The person outside stopped, and the person inside fell silent.
One waited for the other to speak, while the other didn't know where to begin.
"If you can't figure it out, you can come to the living room to take a look." Lu Qingqing gestured towards the living room, where the walls were covered in papers, which were even more straightforward and clear.
Silence.
No movement!
Lu Qingqing glanced at the sky. "Hu Jia, I need to go to the study hall. Remember, you are not alone. You have Ouyang Wen behind you, Li Yang, Yu Yue, Wen Wu, and me. My name is Lu Qingqing!"
In the end, Hu Jia still didn't open the door. He didn't know how to face a strange woman, especially one who could freely enter his home and claimed to be his fiancée.
Moreover, that memo was enough to capture his attention.
Meanwhile, Lu Qingqing, walking on the street, felt her emotions churning.
This was her first time "waking" Hu Jia. Although they hadn't met face-to-face, she could sense Hu Jia's hesitation and helplessness through the closed door.
Hu Jia was such a confident and decisive person. In normal circumstances, he would have attacked with a punch as soon as someone entered, let alone just spoken through a door.
Yet, now he was hiding behind his door.
Afraid to be seen.
Afraid to face it!
Sitting in the classroom, Lu Qingqing's thoughts were still lingering on Jintang Street.
"Qingqing, is there any progress on Huang Yuan's case?" It wasn't just Zhan Ruoxuan; many classmates were concerned. After all, one of their own had died, right in front of them.
"I don't know," Lu Qingqing shook her head.
"If there's any news from the criminal investigation team, please let us know." The girl then realized her words were a bit off: "I mean, any information that can be disclosed. If it can't be disclosed, even if you tell me, I won't listen."
Lu Qingqing smiled. "You know that case progress must be kept confidential. I don't get any frontline clues."
However, speaking of Huang Yuan, Lu Qingqing remembered her deceased husband.
"But I heard her husband also died." This wasn't a secret and would likely spread soon. Lu Qingqing said this to gauge Yu Xiaohui's reaction.
It wasn't that she suspected Yu Xiaohui, but rather she wanted to indirectly learn about Yu Xiaohui's husband from her.
"Ah? Mr. Yi is also gone?" As expected, Li Juan was the first to react.
Zhou Fengjiu, Li Juan, and Yu Xiaohui ate lunch with Huang Yuan every day, not only because they were roommates but also because they all came from the Taipingmen Branch.
"You knew her husband too?" Sure enough, as soon as Li Juan spoke, everyone gathered around.
"Yes, Mr. Yi was quite famous in our area. He was a generous man." Li Juan felt like the center of attention with all those eyes staring at her, looking like eager little cubs.
What do women love most?
Gossip!
When are women in gossip the most triumphant?
When they become the focus of everyone's attention!
So, Li Juan was now saying anything and everything, her mouth like the Yellow River, flowing incessantly!
From Li Juan's account, Lu Qingqing learned that Huang Yuan's husband was named Yi Ran and worked at the post office. They were childhood sweethearts, having known each other since they were young.
Three years of marriage, no children!
In Li Juan's opinion, Yi Ran and Huang Yuan had a good relationship. Both were outgoing and loved making friends, and she had never heard of them having any conflicts with anyone.
"Moreover, Yi Ran had wide connections and knew many officials. Look at Huang Yuan, she managed to get a job at the Taipingmen Branch?" Li Juan said.
"Tsk, you're so envious. If you were as beautiful as Huang Yuan, you could find a man like that too." Zhou Fengjiu teased from the side.
"What's there to envy?" Li Juan retorted, unhappy.
"Still envious? Yi Ran gave all his money to Huang Yuan. Look at her eating the best, wearing the most beautiful, and using the finest. Where can you find such a good man?"
With Zhou Fengjiu's interjection, the topic gradually drifted.
Lu Qingqing listened for a while, feeling there was no useful information.
Forget it, she'd continue thinking about Hu Jia!
Meanwhile, Hu Jia, accompanied by Li Yang, arrived at the Special Operations team located in Yiren Lane. Looking at the unfamiliar office building, Hu Jia still felt a bit unaccustomed.
This entire building belonged to their department?
There seemed to be too few people!
But thankfully, they were all familiar faces.
The street view outside the window was nice, lively but not noisy, with pedestrians coming and going, each face holding its own unique story.
Huh? What is that child doing? He keeps looking back.
Is he looking at that man wearing a hat?
But that man looks quite normal. See, he even bought the child a rice puff. The boy is eating so happily.
Haha, he even picked the boy up. They were both laughing, looking like a picture of filial piety.
"Hey!" Hu Jia's gaze shifted. Was the man in straw sandals below calling him?
Hu Jia found it a bit strange.
Perhaps it was someone he knew but had forgotten.
Hu Jia pointed to his chest with his finger and mouthed "me" towards the straw-sandaled man.
The straw-sandaled man nodded, seemingly confirming he was looking for him.
Just as Hu Jia was about to ask "What's wrong?", the man suddenly pulled a cleaver from his lower back and, without hesitation, slashed it across his own throat.
Blood flowed everywhere!