The Obsessive Beauty’s White Moonlight - Chapter 3

“Dr. Qi, how is the situation?”

The moment Qi Ning stepped out of the bedroom, she was surrounded by several police officers. With so few clues left behind by the suspect, the investigation had hit a bottleneck; they were pinning all their hopes on whatever information Qi Ning could coax out of Su Niannian.

Over the past two months, a serial killer known as “The Left Hand” had committed four murders that shocked the nation. Without exception, the victims had died from excessive blood loss after having their left wrists slit.

Following each crime, “The Left Hand” would use the victim’s blood to draw a sun-like pattern on the wall, accompanied by a line of romantic poetry.

The police had kept these details from the public. Therefore, once they confirmed Su Niannian’s injuries matched the other victims and discovered the same pattern and poetry in the bathroom, they were certain: the attacker was indeed

“The Left Hand.”

As the sole survivor, Su Niannian was the breakthrough they desperately needed.

“Regrettably,” Qi Ning shook her head, “Miss Su fell into a semi-conscious state immediately after the attack. She did not witness the suspect’s face.”

The officers couldn’t hide their disappointment.

“Furthermore.” Qi Ning’s expression turned helpless. “Miss Su has expressed that she is unwilling to accept police protection. She wishes for the police to vacate the villa as soon as the evidence collection is finished.”

“What?” The young officer who had led Qi Ning in earlier blurted out. “What is she thinking? Does she have a death wish? ‘The Left Hand’ could come back at any moment!”

“My suggestion,” Qi Ning interrupted as the young officer’s voice grew louder, “is to station plainclothes officers nearby to protect Miss Su in secret.”

“This case marks the first time ‘The Left Hand’ has failed. They will certainly return to the scene, especially if they believe the police have withdrawn.”

One officer caught on: “We’re using Miss Su as bait? But.”

“It is indeed the best method we have right now.”

“True, and it’s only because Miss Su refuses to cooperate.”

Watching the officers begin to convince themselves, Qi Ning turned back with an unreadable expression, casting one last glance at Su Niannian’s closed door.

In the gathering dusk, Su Niannian leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the police units pack up and leave. Her lips were pressed into a thin, tight line.

I didn’t see that doctor. Did she leave first?

Once the last police cruiser had vanished from sight, Su Niannian drew the curtains and pulled the business card Qi Ning had pressed upon her out of her pocket.

The card featured a simple marble-textured design. Beneath her name, etched in gold filigree, was only her contact information and place of work.

“A private clinic, doesn’t even say which department,” Su Niannian muttered. “Why would the police invite a private doctor like this to a crime scene?”

The more Su Niannian thought about it, the more restless she became. She decided to push the thoughts aside and take a shower to clear her head.

It was only when she saw the yellow police seal on the bathroom door that she remembered—as the secondary crime scene, it was temporarily off-limits.

To be honest, Su Niannian still didn’t feel a sense of reality regarding her near-murder. It felt as though she were merely an onlooker to someone else’s tragedy.

But a murder happened here, and countless strangers have been in and out today. Maybe I shouldn’t stay here for a while.

Fortunately, she had other properties under her name, all of which were regularly cleaned by a housekeeping service. She only needed to pack a few essentials to move.

As she packed her bags, spurred by some inexplicable impulse, Su Niannian tucked the small fleece blanket Qi Ning had given her into the suitcase.

Because it’s soft and comfortable, she told herself righteously.

Then, she ran into Qi Ning herself right at the villa’s entrance.

“Hi, we meet again.” Qi Ning blinked and waved at Su Niannian.

Su Niannian’s first instinct was to slam the door shut. She scrambled to hide her suitcase in a side room. Only after hiding it did she realize how much her guilty behavior looked like a clumsy cover-up.

But since she had already hidden it, she could only pretend nothing had happened. She opened the door again, forcing herself to look composed.

Qi Ning was still smiling radiantly. She looked different than she had during the day; her smooth, long hair was let down, and she had swapped her professional suit for a form-fitting autumn outfit that perfectly accentuated her slender waist.

Most importantly, Qi Ning wasn’t wearing her glasses, revealing a pair of beautiful, shimmering eyes. Just standing there, she was a masterpiece.

Su Niannian’s heart skipped a beat again.

Seeing her standing there dazed, Qi Ning laughed and stepped forward. “Don’t recognize me?”

Qi Ning was standing too close. Su Niannian reflexively took a step back.

It seemed Qi Ning’s habitual personal space was much smaller than her own “safety zone.”

To mask her unease, Su Niannian spoke coldly: “What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you,” Qi Ning said, entirely unfazed by the cold shoulder. She remained smiling. “I wanted to ask you out.”

Su Niannian felt her face begin to heat up.

“To dinner.”

Whether it was intentional or not, Qi Ning paused for a heartbeat before finishing the sentence.

Su Niannian: “…”

“I’m not familiar with you.”

“Then perhaps after this meal, we’ll become very close friends.”

Su Niannian fell silent. For some reason, when facing Qi Ning, she found it difficult to say no. Then again, could anyone really refuse a stunning beauty looking at them with such sparkling expectation?

Upon receiving Su Niannian’s silent consent, Qi Ning’s expression immediately brightened. When that innocent smile appeared on her face, it was as if a summer breeze had coaxed spring flowers to bloom. One simply couldn’t look away.

“Let’s take my vehicle,” Qi Ning suggested. “I’ll bring you back after dinner.”

They say you can tell a person’s character by the vehicle they choose. As Su Niannian followed Qi Ning out, she couldn’t help but feel curious about what Qi Ning drove.

“What’s wrong? Never been on a motorcycle before?”

Su Niannian was clumsily trying to climb onto the back of the motorcycle when she heard Qi Ning’s teasing, which was laced with laughter.

“No.”

“Do you need a hand?” Qi Ning rested her chin in her hand. “Though, if it’s your first time, you might be a bit scared. If you.”

Feeling looked down upon, Su Niannian’s eyes widened with indignation. “I’m not scared! I can’t get on because, because your bike is too high!”

Qi Ning’s vehicle was a heavy-duty Harley, a choice that sat in stark contrast to her refined temperament. The jet-black, rugged, and wild silhouette of the motorcycle created a powerful visual clash with Qi Ning’s soft appearance. When she sat astride the bike with casual ease, the impact was overwhelming.

“Take a bigger step,” Qi Ning said, not wanting to tease her too far. She reached out to pull Su Niannian up. “See? Just like that.”

The moment she sat down, before she could even get her bearings, Su Niannian realized a massive problem, the pillion seat of this heavy motorcycle was tiny.

It was so small that in order to stay balanced, Su Niannian had to press herself tightly against Qi Ning’s back to avoid falling off.

This intimate contact made Su Niannian’s scalp tingle. She immediately lost her nerve: “Maybe we should just take my car.”

Qi Ning didn’t give her a chance to continue. She curled her lips into a smirk and twisted the throttle the very next second.

Amidst the roar of the engine, Su Niannian only heard a faint, blurred sentence from the woman in front of her:

“Hold on tight or you might fall off.”