The 80s Female Detective's Guide to Self-Preservation [Criminal Investigation] - Chapter 15

Chapter 15

At 7:00 AM, before the iron alarm clock could even ring, Xia Qiuyuan bolted upright in bed. Cold sweat matted her fair forehead, and she struggled to shake off the lingering dread of her nightmare.

She swallowed hard, but her throat felt like a parched riverbed, sending a sharp pang through her. “Heatiness” (excess internal heat) had flared up—Xia Qiuyuan’s most dreaded physical ailment.

After brushing her teeth, she gulped down a large glass of warm water and rummaged through the wine cabinet for a bag of oranges. Peeling one, she went to bang on Xia Sui’s door. “Hurry up! We’re going to be late!”

Xia Sui scrambled into her clothes, but after brushing her teeth, she realized the wall clock hadn’t even reached 8:00 AM. “You’re insane!” Xia Sui glared at the fully dressed Xia Qiuyuan, who was calmly popping orange slices into her mouth.

Pointing to her sore throat, Xia Qiuyuan gestured toward the door. She practically sprinted out of the apartment, bypassing Unit 802 and heading straight for the stairs, leaving Xia Sui trailing behind. She wanted zero contact with Qin Yu. After last night’s encounter, she’d had nightmares—a clear subconscious warning. Qin Yu was trouble.

By the time Xia Sui strolled out of the complex, Xia Qiuyuan was already at a breakfast stall eating rice noodle rolls and shumai. A bowl of bitter herbal tea sat steaming on the table.

“I’ll have the same. Thanks, Auntie,” Xia Sui said, grabbing chopsticks. “You didn’t even eat anything fried yesterday. How is your throat already acting up?”

“Fragile tonsils,” Xia Qiuyuan croaked, adding two large scoops of chopped chili to her rolls.

“You’re eating chili with a sore throat?”

“Fighting fire with fire,” Xia Qiuyuan replied. She knew the drill: sore throat always led to a full-blown cold. Even in this new body, the pattern was identical. She paused, realization hitting her. This body has the same fragile tonsils as my old one.

Xia Sui chuckled. “No need for a weather forecast. We just check if your tonsils are swollen to know if the seasons are changing.”

By the time they reached the bureau, Liang Guangqi was acting out the previous night’s events with a steamed bun in his hand.

“Seriously, she just… flipped! It was terrifying!” Liang Guangqi sprayed crumbs as he described Tan Liu’s sudden shift. “One minute she’s a quiet statue, the next she’s screaming and thrashing. It’s exactly like Qiuyuan said—Lin Daiyu turned into Li Kui in a split second!”

Hou Ming checked his watch. “The Chief contacted a psychology professor from Lingnan University to help. The Provincial Department wants to start a pilot program for mental health awareness in the police system, and we’re the first stop. The professor will be here shortly to provide professional guidance.”

At 9:15 AM, a woman in simple athletic wear with a leather handbag appeared. She had shoulder-length hair and gold-rimmed glasses, exuding a calm, scholarly aura. “Hello, is this Criminal Investigation Team One? I’m Wen Yaru, sent by Lingnan University.”

Xia Sui stood up, but froze when she saw the woman’s face. “You’re… the professor?” She looked too young.

“Yes. Here is my card.” Wen Yaru was used to the skepticism.

Professor Wen spent the entire day in the interrogation room. Several times, violent thuds and screams echoed through the door, but she forbade anyone from entering. Finally, at 4:00 PM, she emerged. ” ‘Tan Yi’ has requested the two female officers to take her statement.”

“Tan Yi?” Xia Sui frowned. “Isn’t her name Tan Liu?”

Xia Qiuyuan felt a jolt of recognition. She ran to the files and flipped to the Tan family records. Tan Yi: Tan He’s second daughter. Drowned at age six.

Inside the room, “Tan Liu” was once again cold and composed.

“Name?” Xia Sui asked.

“I don’t have a name.”

“You just said you were Tan Yi.”

“I’m not Tan Yi,” the woman leaned back, indifferent. “Tan Liu thinks I’m Tan Yi. In reality, I’m much older than Tan Yi was. And much more capable. She likes the name, so I use it. But I am not her. Do you understand?”

Professor Wen took over. “Can you explain your role in this body? How did you get here?”

“Tan Liu is weak,” the woman sneered. “If I hadn’t appeared, she would have drowned herself long ago. I don’t remember how I got here, I just didn’t want to die with her. I crawled out of the river and went home. She thinks her legs are paralyzed. I know better—I swam out of that water, didn’t I? But she insists on the wheelchair so as not to ‘scare’ her father. I go along with it.”

She swung her legs slightly. “I usually come out when she starts crying or screaming. It’s annoying. I think my personality is great—calm, decisive. You saw my masterpiece, didn’t you? Killing those two pieces of trash was for her own good. You should give me an award.”

She leaned forward, her eyes gleaming. “I even enjoyed the moment she took over while I was cutting Zhao Yuanming open. I thought she’d scream, but she went feral, stabbing his intestines over and over. That’s the only time I’ve admired her. She finally stopped being a coward.”

“Tan Yi?” Xia Qiuyuan called out.

“Yes?”

“How old do you think you are?”

“Twenty-seven or twenty-eight. I hate being trapped in this house. Tan Liu thinks the world is dangerous. I proved to her that it’s not—you just have to kill the things that hurt you. To me, the biggest danger is Tan Liu herself. She constantly tries to kill us, or falls into a stupor and leaves me with her messes. I hate this scarred, ugly body. I want to wear pretty dresses, not hide under blankets!”