“Oh? Speaking from experience?” Sang Ning teased casually during a rare moment of downtime.

Gu Yao immediately leaned over. “Sister Ning, are you writing up the report?”

She glanced at the time before lowering her voice.

“My brother said there’s no rush today. We don’t even know who the victim is yet, and that homeless guy doesn’t know either. He said the body was already there when he moved in. He got so scared he blocked the wall off with junk, so…” She hesitated. “How about we just go home first?”

No one at the station currently knew she and the new Captain Gu were siblings.

And Gu Yezhou had repeatedly warned her not to call him “brother” at work.

Otherwise, it would be bad for her.

As for why it would be bad, Gu Yao hadn’t figured that part out.

“Go home?”

Sang Ning looked up at her.

If she had to keep discussing cases even after going home, she might as well just stay at the station and work overtime.

Besides, she still hadn’t moved her belongings out of Ping’an Apartments.

The moment she thought about Gu Yezhou’s empty house—especially the fact that his own bedroom didn’t even have bedding set up, and there wasn’t a spare quilt in the closet—

Sang Ning suddenly felt like she might’ve been a little too shameless.

“Let’s go see Captain Gu first. I need to hand him the report.”

As for whether Gu Yezhou planned to work overtime or not, that had nothing to do with her.

“Um, Sister Ning… I’m moving too. Why don’t you come with me?”

Even Gu Yao knew this wasn’t exactly the right moment to bring it up.

But today was supposed to be a day off anyway, and she’d already decided to move out. She couldn’t stand staying in that man’s house another minute.

For the past two days, she’d been living in a hotel.

“You’re moving too?”

Sang Ning looked surprised.

Then she thought about the several empty rooms in Gu Yezhou’s home, and the fact that the two were siblings.

Maybe Gu Yezhou had accepted the transfer to become captain here because of his sister.

A trace of envy flickered through Sang Ning’s eyes as she looked at Gu Yao.

“We’ll see later. If there’s enough time, I’ll help you move.”

Truthfully, she had a mountain of belongings herself.

The only reason she’d agreed to live under the same roof as Gu Yezhou was because the location was dangerously tempting—so close to the station.

And also…

Last night…

The second Sang Ning remembered the image of their lips pressed together, heat crept up the tips of her ears.

“Old Sang, you’re getting off work already?”

Lu Lin had been eavesdropping shamelessly the whole time, but their voices were too quiet for him to catch anything.

“What secret were you two whispering about? What’s so mysterious I can’t hear it?”

Sang Ning slung her backpack over one shoulder and hugged the report to her chest.

“Fairy business,” she said coolly. “Not for mortals to pry into.”

“You? A fairy?”

Lu Lin burst into laughter.

Before he could finish, Gu Yao shoved him. The force knocked the breath out of him completely, and he collapsed backward into his swivel chair, spinning twice in place.

Several officers in the Criminal Investigation Unit were still working seriously at their desks.

“The results came back this fast?”

Gu Yezhou sounded surprised.

The person he’d contacted was still on the way. At this rate, he probably wouldn’t be going home tonight at all.

“Mhm. We still can’t identify the victim for now, but the missing bones… we should really revisit the scene.”

Sang Ning’s expression was grave.

Gu Yezhou accepted the report without looking at it.

“Go home and rest early. Tomorrow, we’ll go to Ping’an Apartments together.”

“To move?”

Sang Ning waved her hand dismissively.

“No need. I’m fine as things are now.”

“Right,” Shen Chen chimed in from behind a keyboard, poking his head up. “Doesn’t Forensic Doctor Sang still live at Ping’an Apartments? Then maybe tonight you should go warn your neighbors first. Yao Xiuying’s dead, and the entire building’s going to be sealed off. A body hidden in cement isn’t exactly a minor case.”

“You’re sealing off Ping’an Apartments?” Sang Ning frowned. “And forcing everyone living there out onto the streets?”

“They all paid rent.”

Gu Yezhou’s voice dropped.

“I looked into it. Two years ago, the city already issued a notice declaring Ping’an Apartments structurally unsafe and lacking proper sanitation management. Renting it out was prohibited.”

“You didn’t know?”

Sang Ning really hadn’t.

Back then, she’d been desperate to find a place to live and knew nothing about Yancheng’s local rumors.

“The ghost stories about Ping’an Apartments were spread by the tenants themselves,” Gu Yezhou explained. “They wanted cheaper rent. In reality, the place is just a dangerous building waiting to collapse.”

“I see…”

Sang Ning did think Shen Chen’s suggestion made sense.

If she went back tonight, at least the residents wouldn’t be completely blindsided when the police showed up tomorrow.

“You don’t need to.” Gu Yezhou shot Gu Yao a look. “Leave it to me.”

Gu Yao instantly understood her brother’s meaning.

“Come on, Sister Ning. Leave the investigation stuff to them.”

And just like that, Sang Ning was practically pushed all the way into Gu Yao’s car.

It was her first time riding in it.

She’d always thought Gu Yao dressed pretty modestly.

But this car…

There was absolutely nothing low-profile about it.

“Sister Ning, do you think I’m too flashy too?”

Gu Yao didn’t start the engine immediately. Instead, she turned to ask seriously.

She’d noticed Sang Ning’s expression earlier when she climbed into the car.

To be fair, Sang Ning’s brain was currently screaming:

*Who am I? Where am I? Do I even deserve this?*

She was beginning to seriously question Gu Yezhou’s family background.

What kind of household drove a Volkswagen with letters on the back?

“You…”

The words caught in Sang Ning’s throat.

Because Gu Yao spoke at the exact same time.

“The chief already told me I’m too high-profile. But this is literally the cheapest car my family owns. I was even considering switching to something smaller. I think that Wuling Hongguang over there looks pretty nice.”

Following the direction she pointed—

Sang Ning saw it.

A mini Wuling van covered in cartoon stickers.

Then the headlights flashed twice.

A tall man walked over and opened the car door—

And Sang Ning suddenly understood why Lu Lin always sprinted out of work before everyone else.

A grown man driving something this adorable?

“So that’s Forensic Doctor Lu’s car.”

Gu Yao immediately started the engine and pulled up beside Lu Lin’s vehicle. Lowering the window, she stuck her head out.

“Forensic Doctor Lu, can I borrow your car for a while?”

Her own vehicle was too flashy. The chief had already privately hauled her in several times for “talks,” suggesting she try public transportation or shared bikes instead.

But…

She genuinely couldn’t wake up early enough.

Driving was just too convenient.

And winter was cold.

Cars had heating. No wind. Air conditioning.

Meanwhile, Gu Yao stared greedily at Lu Lin’s car interior, filled with decorations every girl dreamed of.

This was her ideal car.

Lu Lin glanced at her lazily.

“If I lend you my car, then what exactly am I supposed to drive?”

Truthfully, he’d always hated the tiny junker.

Unfortunately, his mother refused to let him buy another one and would only let him drive this.

“Mine, obviously.”

Gu Yao was already offering her keys.

Sang Ning stopped her.

“Didn’t you say you were moving? If you take Lu Lin’s car, how are you supposed to move your stuff? Does that tiny trunk even fit anything?”

“Oh. Right.”

Lu Lin blinked.

“You’re moving? Right now?”

“Yep!” Gu Yao nodded enthusiastically. “Want to come along? After I move my stuff into my new place, you can drive my car, and I’ll borrow yours.”