The newly built residential complex on Sheng Tang Street in Hua Du City.
A silver sedan slowly drove in and parked in a spot below one of the buildings. Wan Yun Ting then got out and retrieved his luggage from the trunk.
He surveyed the complex, "The location is good, close to the hospital where I work, and close to your police headquarters. It seems we're destined to live together…"
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Niu Qiu Ling threw the car keys at him and turned to walk into the building, "If it weren't for Director Pang, I wouldn't let you move in."
Wan Yun Ting followed her with his luggage, teasingly, "What's wrong? Do you often bring boyfriends home? Afraid I'll get in the way?"
Niu Qiu Ling rolled her eyes speechlessly at him, "Do I look like someone with a boyfriend right now?"
Her words made Wan Yun Ting laugh. He walked into the elevator with her, "You're lacking confidence. A beautiful woman like Officer Niu, with such a great figure, finding a boyfriend should be a simple matter."
"Bah, you smooth-talker."
Niu Qiu Ling gave him a sideways glance, but she was secretly pleased by his compliment.
The elevator stopped on the twelfth floor. Niu Qiu Ling led him around a corner to apartment 1260 and used her key to open the main door to the living room, "Come in."
Wan Yun Ting walked in with his luggage. He looked at the not-very-large living room, furnished with just a sofa, a small coffee table, on which sat an unfinished instant noodle cup and various snack bags, displaying the messy side of a woman's life.
"Don't look around, your room is over there."
Niu Qiu Ling blocked his view and pointed to a room door, feeling incredibly embarrassed.
She hadn't expected Wan Yun Ting to stay over tonight, so she hadn't had a chance to tidy up the house.
Wan Yun Ting, being perceptive, smiled without a word and headed towards the room with his luggage. Niu Qiu Ling made a funny face at his retreating back, but the man suddenly turned around, startling her, and she quickly composed herself, "What?"
Wan Yun Ting grinned mischievously, "Don't come into my room tonight!"
Niu Qiu Ling froze. When she realized what he meant, she yelled, "Bah, who wants to come into your room? I'm warning you, don't come into mine, you pervert…"
Wan Yun Ting walked back into the room, closing the door and looking around. There was just a bed with a quilt, a small desk, and a small wardrobe. Nothing else.
Seeing that it was already three in the morning, Wan Yun Ting didn't bother unpacking and lay down on the bed. His mind was occupied by the "transgender killer," and he was increasingly curious about the mysterious "Young Master Leng" behind it all…
The next morning, Wan Yun Ting got up precisely at six-thirty. He opened his door, glanced at the still-closed door next to his, and then left without a second thought. He went downstairs and stopped an elderly lady who was heading out for her morning square dance, asking her about nearby parks or running routes.
By seven-thirty, Wan Yun Ting returned after an hour of running, also bringing back two breakfast meals.
As he entered the living room, he saw Niu Qiu Ling emerging from her room. She blinked in surprise at his return, "What did you go out for so early?"
"Can't you… see?"
Wan Yun Ting gave her a sidelong glance, unable to resist glancing at her impressive…
Niu Qiu Ling didn't understand what he meant. Seeing the breakfast on the table, she happily went over and looked, "Spicy hot noodle soup," she exclaimed with delight, "Thanks."
Wan Yun Ting, after taking a shower and changing, saw her eating the noodle soup without any pretense of decorum and said speechlessly, "You haven't even washed up yet."
"So what? Who says you can't eat breakfast before washing up?"
Niu Qiu Ling looked up and glared at him unhappily, then happily slurped another mouthful of noodles, "You got up so early, you'll be in charge of breakfast from now on."
"By what right?"
Wan Yun Ting also sat down and started eating his own portion of the noodle soup. Niu Qiu Ling turned her head and looked at him askance, "I'll just give you money, won't that suffice?"
"Besides, you're not living here for free. This apartment costs 2,500 yuan in rent per month, so you have to split it half and half."
"Alright, what other conditions do you have? Tell me all of them."
"Okay, first, you can't smoke at home!"
"No, I protest!"
"Protest invalid. You can only smoke in your room or on the balcony outside, but absolutely not in the living room. I hate the smell of smoke!"
"Fine, I'll grudgingly agree. What else?"
"Second, you can't fight with me for the bathroom…"
Then Niu Qiu Ling began to enumerate rules and conditions for him in a never-ending stream.
Wan Yun Ting continued slurping his noodles, his left ear hearing and his right ear letting out. He finished his bowl of noodles quickly and stood up, "Alright, I've noted it down. I'm going to work first. You come back early tonight, and we'll discuss how to approach Ling Xian Zong."
"Got it."
Niu Qiu Ling watched him leave and continued eating her noodles. Her phone rang; it was her mother calling, "Qiu Ling, how are you doing in Hua Du? Are you eating well and living comfortably?"
"Mom, stop nagging. I'm eating well and living well, and my work isn't busy. You can rest assured." Niu Qiu Ling was quite impatient with her mother's nagging.
"No, I have to come to Hua Du to see you."
"Don't, Mom, please don't come…"
Upon hearing that her mother wanted to come to Hua Du, Niu Qiu Ling dropped her chopsticks, her face panicked. "I'm working every day now. If you come to Hua Du, I won't be able to take care of you."
"I don't need you to accompany me. I'm just coming to see you, and while I'm at it, I'll see Aunt Huang. We haven't seen each other in a long time. That's settled."
"Mom, hello, Mom, don't come…"
Niu Qiu Ling's reply was met with a hang-up beep.
Now she was truly anxious. If her mother found out she was sharing an apartment with a man, she'd probably beat her to death.
Wan Yun Ting drove directly to the Traditional Chinese Medicine department. Jin Xiu Wen called him along the way, complaining about not sleeping at the police station last night.
Pang Yuan also called him, stating that he had interrogated the "transgender killer" overnight, but they hadn't been able to extract any information about Young Master Leng from him!
All of this was within Wan Yun Ting's expectations.
Upon arriving at the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, Wan Yun Ting greeted Sister Yan and the others and went straight upstairs to his consultation room. He washed his hands and changed into a white coat. Seeing that there were no patients, he went downstairs directly to the main building of the adjacent hospital.
Today was the day Feng Le An and his wife, He Yu Lan, were being discharged from the hospital.
"Yun Ting, I'll come back when the retrial begins," Feng Le An said to Wan Yun Ting, who was seeing them off at the hospital entrance, as his wife got into the car.
"Okay, take good care of your wife when you get back," Wan Yun Ting replied with a smile and a nod.
Feng Le An nodded, said nothing more, got into the car, and headed back to Xu Wen County.
"Hmph."
He Jian Yi, who was also seeing them off, gave Wan Yun Ting a disdainful glance before turning to head back to the emergency department.
Dean He Tian Xiang, however, did not share his son's attitude. He chatted politely with Wan Yun Ting for a few moments before leaving.
"Dr. Wan, someone is here to see you!" Sister Yan from downstairs told Wan Yun Ting as soon as he returned to the Traditional Chinese Medicine department.
"Okay."
He nodded. When he went upstairs to his consultation room, he saw Director Li Cheng De inside, enthusiastically greeting two people who were dressed impeccably. Clearly, their status was not ordinary, otherwise, Director Li wouldn't be so attentive.
"Xiao Wan is back! Quickly, Mr. Zhu and Boss Zhang are here to see you."
Upon seeing Wan Yun Ting return, Li Cheng De quickly pulled him in and gestured to the people sitting on the chairs. The portly man among them smiled, "Physician Wan, I am Zhu Gang. I've been experiencing back pain recently, so I came specifically to see you."
"And me."
The other man pointed to his chest, "I've been feeling chest tightness for the past few days. I went to the hospital for a check-up, but there were no results. Yesterday, I heard that Dr. Wan's medical skills are exceptional, so I came seeking his expertise. Please take a look at me."
Seeking his expertise!
This made Wan Yun Ting puzzled.
Li Cheng De whispered in his ear, "You cured President Fan's daughter's strange illness yesterday, and it's already spread throughout Hua Du's Traditional Chinese Medicine circles. That's why Mr. Zhu and the others specifically came to find you."
"Oh."
Now Wan Yun Ting understood.
After all, the illness of Fan Xing Fa's daughter yesterday had stumped many Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners in Hua Du, and now he had cured it.
Therefore, Wan Yun Ting's name had quietly begun to circulate within the Traditional Chinese Medicine community…