Chapter 648: The Tragedy of the Siblings

That night, a bouquet of tulips was placed where Xu Fa had died. The person who laid them stood in the dark, speaking to the empty space, “We’ve known each other for so long, and now you’ve gone first. Although I never really liked you, we were friends, and I will miss you… This kind of death might be a release for you. Don’t worry, I will avenge you!”

“Miss Ling!” a voice called from the darkness.

Ling Shuang was startled to see Chen Shi, Gu You, Sun Zhen, and KK emerge from the shadows. They had been lying in wait, suspecting someone would come to pay respects to Xu Fa, and their guess was correct.

The four surrounded Ling Shuang, who was unprepared and frowned without saying a word.

Chen Shi glanced at the tulips on the ground and said, “Xu Fa took his own life to avoid implicating his client. From a criminal’s perspective, he did a noble thing.”

“Stop shedding crocodile tears!” Ling Shuang said with disgust. “Are you here as a cop or as an ‘old friend’?”

“Of course, as an ‘old friend.’ I expected two people to come, but it’s just you.” Chen Shi sounded slightly disappointed but not surprised. Ling Shuang’s identity was clean, unlike Zhou Xiao, who was a fugitive.

“Professor Ling!” Though younger than Gu You, Gu addressed her with respect. “I’ve read all your works. Your contributions to social psychology and reflex regulation are admirable. But I know about your other identity. As a friend, I hope you turn back before it’s too late. Zhou Tiannan’s fate is sealed, but you still have a chance.”

“Thank you for your concern!” Ling Shuang replied stiffly. She looked around at the four of them. “Tell me, who killed Zhou Tiannan?”

“If we say it wasn’t us, you won’t believe it. So, let’s just say it was us,” Chen Shi said.

Sun Zhen added, “You used to be someone I admired on the forums. Why did you have to get involved with Zhou Tiannan? You were already successful, unlike him.”

Hearing Sun Zhen mention Zhou Tiannan by name, Ling Shuang seemed intrigued, “Your brainwashing was undone?”

“With Gu’s help. She’s just as capable as you,” Sun Zhen said proudly.

“So, you’re here to turn me?” Ling Shuang asked.

“We don’t need your help to catch Zhou Xiao. We just hope you don’t go further down this path. You may have committed crimes, but without evidence, you can still live a normal life. ‘Zhou Tiannan’ is a sinking ship; you don’t need to go down with it,” Chen Shi said.

Ling Shuang laughed, “People have their own paths. On the forums, we discussed crime techniques and played simulated crime games to show our rebellious spirit. Deep down, we are the same. You just didn’t dare cross the line. Once you do, you can’t stop. That’s my reason for existing. Have you heard the story of the frog and the scorpion? Some people are born scorpions. It’s my nature. Even if I know it leads to destruction, you can kill me right here, like you did to Zhou Tiannan and Xu Fa!”

“We won’t become like you,” Chen Shi said. “We didn’t kill Zhou Tiannan. If you commit a crime, we’ll help the police arrest you properly.”

“Properly is so boring!” Ling Shuang laughed, turning to leave. Sun Zhen glanced at Chen Shi, who signaled him to let her go.

Ling Shuang vanished into the night, leaving the four in silence. Chen Shi spoke first, “I know what you’re thinking, but we can’t do anything unnecessary today. This was just a meeting.”

“Will she retaliate?” KK asked, still shaken by Ling Shuang’s presence.

“People don’t change easily. She’ll likely plan a grand crime to end her criminal career,” Gu You sighed.

“We don’t fear them. They fear us!” Chen Shi said firmly.

Two weeks later, on a rare day off, Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue were at home. The sun was shining, and Chen Shi placed a small potted plant on the balcony. Lin Dongxue, leaning against him, said, “It’s sprouting!”

These seeds were found in a lockbox at Xu Fa’s house. Chen Shi had given them to Peng Siyue for analysis, but Peng had told him to just plant them and see what grew. Now, the seedlings were growing, and from their appearance, they were neither poppies nor cannabis, just ordinary plants.

Then, Lin Dongxue received a text message. “Someone jumped off a building. Do you want to go?”

“Do I need to handle a jump case?”

“The jumper was Wang Mengqi.”

“Really? Let’s go!”

Wang Mengqi had jumped from the building where Geng Qing lived. When they arrived, the police were already handling the body, confirming his death.

Why did Wang Mengqi jump? Was it revenge, or had something happened to Geng Qing?

With these questions, they went upstairs and broke into the locked apartment. The place felt ominous. In the bedroom, Lin Dongxue screamed.

Geng Qing was hanging from a bedsheet tied to the window frame. They lowered her body and found she had been dead for a while.

“Suicide?”

“There’s a note…”

Chen Shi picked up the suicide note, written in Geng Qing’s handwriting. It explained that she had found a paternity test while sorting through her father’s things, revealing Wang Mengqi was Geng Changle’s son. Realizing who had likely killed her father and unable to accept the truth, she took her own life.

Both were silent after reading the note. The investigation confirmed Geng Qing’s suicide. Wang Mengqi had seen her hanging and, after hours alone, jumped to his death, just as he had said—he couldn’t live without her.

On the cold autopsy table lay the siblings who were also lovers. Peng Siyue confirmed it was a suicide, so no further autopsy was needed, sparing them the indignity of being cut open.

Wang Mengqi’s lawyer called the police, stating Wang had sent him a letter before his death. Anyone handling his affairs would inherit his estate, but only if he and Geng Qing were buried together as a married couple.

“Fate is cruel,” Chen Shi remarked, looking at the two bodies.

“Old Chen, was their love real?” Lin Dongxue asked sadly.

“I think so. I hope they have a beautiful next life,” Chen Shi said, not sure whether to wish them as lovers or siblings in the next life.