Chapter 21: Little Fool

Qu Yanning made the call to the police as instructed.

The local precinct was efficient, and officers arrived quickly — one of them turned out to be an old acquaintance.

“Captain Wang?” Qu Yanning hadn’t expected to run into someone he knew. “What brings you here?”

Wang Li was just as surprised to see the two of them here — especially the imposing man standing beside Qu Yanning.

“I was in the area on another errand,” he greeted Qu Yanning first, then turned serious as he addressed Xie Qi. “Second Master, you’re here too? Is this case related to the National Security Bureau?”

“Just happened to be passing by,” Xie Qi replied with a slight frown, casually twirling the prayer beads around his wrist. “Since you’re here now, I’ll leave the rest to you.”

With that, he stepped aside, clearly signaling that he wouldn’t interfere.

Qu Yanning also made way and hurried over to stand next to Xie Qi, watching as Wang Li and his team pulled out the abandoned trash bin.

“Now that the body’s been found, she can rest in peace, right?” Qu Yanning asked softly, still uneasy.

Xie Qi lowered his eyes slightly, his expression calm. “Yes.”

Qu Yanning let out a breath of relief.

On the other side, Wang Li and his team had already dragged the trash bin out.

It was over a meter tall and in tatters, looking like it hadn’t been dealt with in ages.

As soon as the lid was lifted, a foul stench burst out.

Even with masks on, Wang Li and the others found the smell unbearable.

Clouds of green-headed flies swarmed above the bin.

Waving them away, they began carefully removing the top layer of garbage.

Qu Yanning ignored the stench, focusing intently on their movements.

At some point, Yang Chunfang, who had been standing still like a statue, had come over too.

She stood quietly not far away, calmly watching as they pulled a twisted, stiff body out of the trash bin.

No one knew how long the body had been there.

The environment had caused it to rot and stink.

Wang Li, wearing rubber gloves, carefully brushed off the filth and garbage stuck to the corpse.

He hadn’t expected to stumble upon a murder case on what was supposed to be a simple errand.

“Put up a cordon.” The commotion had attracted a crowd.

Other officers quickly set up the perimeter and started dispersing the onlookers.

Wang Li took a deep breath and examined the corpse closely.

The woman was wearing a light blue uniform, now darkened to a near-black from suffocation and decay. Her long hair was tangled and matted.

As Wang Li pushed it aside, he noticed dark bruises on her cheeks and the corners of her mouth.

He looked further down and pulled her collar open slightly — there were more bruises on her neck and chest, in addition to livor mortis.

A full autopsy would be needed to determine more.

He searched through the pockets of the uniform but found no identification.

There was nothing else in the trash bin that could confirm her identity.

Straightening up, Wang Li said, “Take the body back.”

The body was covered with a white sheet and quickly lifted onto a stretcher and carried to the vehicle.

Wang Li peeled off his gloves and walked over to Qu Yanning. “If it’s convenient, I’ll need the two of you to come with me to the station to make a statement.”

Qu Yanning instinctively looked at Xie Qi. Xie Qi, face cold, said, “Let’s go.”

Qu Yanning hesitated and glanced toward Yang Chunfang.

From the moment the body was pulled out, she hadn’t moved an inch — not even when it was carried away.

Xie Qi followed his gaze and pressed his lips into a line. “She’ll follow.”

With Wang Li present, Qu Yanning couldn’t ask more.

He gave Yang Chunfang one last glance, then got into the police car with Wang Li.

……

With Xie Qi there, their statements were quickly taken.

Qu Yanning came up with a vague excuse about how they found the body.

Wang Li, aware of Second Master Xie’s unusual abilities, didn’t probe further.

The whole process was mostly a formality.

Qu Yanning was more concerned about the case itself.

From the looks of it, Yang Chunfang had clearly been murdered — he wondered if the killer could be found.

Wang Li said they’d start investigating. “The killer’s methods were crude. Looks like a crime of passion. It shouldn’t be more complicated than the last case.”

Qu Yanning responded with an “oh,” then asked Wang Li to wait a moment and ran off, not even saying anything to Xie Qi nearby.

Soon, he came back holding a bundle of incense.

Fortunately, people in Guangdong generally believe in Buddhism, so after asking around at a couple convenience stores, he’d managed to buy some candles and incense.

“Lend me a lighter,” Qu Yanning said to Wang Li.

“…You’ve got some guts, kid, daring to mess with superstitious rituals inside a police station,” Wang Li muttered, his lips twitching.

Qu Yanning casually said it was just to bring peace to the departed — maybe the soul of the deceased was still nearby, watching.

Wang Li: “…”

He waved a hand. “Alright, alright. Just this once.”

Qu Yanning muttered, “What, you think there’ll be a next time?”

They had already been to the morgue once before, so this time they moved easily.

The stretcher was placed in a corner of the room, the body covered in a white sheet, only a vague shape showing beneath it.

Yang Chunfang stood silently next to the body.

Wang Li muttered for him to hurry up.

Qu Yanning lit the candles, then lit three sticks of incense, raising them above his head and bowing three times with sincere reverence.

“The police will find the one who did this. You… can rest in peace now,” Qu Yanning said seriously to Yang Chunfang beside him.

Yang Chunfang stood stiffly, and suddenly, two streaks of blood-red tears rolled down her pale, ashen face.

Qu Yanning let out a sigh and stuck the incense into a gap in the stretcher to hold them upright.

The wisps of smoke curled slowly upward, releasing a heavy, solemn scent.

Yang Chunfang lifted her head, her lips moving soundlessly. She gave him a silent bow.

“Let’s go,” Xie Qi said as he turned to leave.

Qu Yanning took one last look before following Xie Qi out. Wang Li rubbed his arms— he couldn’t shake the chill in the morgue— and quickly followed them out.

After saying goodbye to Wang Li, the two of them finally left the station.

Xie Qi toyed with the prayer beads in his hand, then suddenly asked, “You’re not scared anymore?”

“Huh?” Qu Yanning froze for a moment, then blinked as it dawned on him. “I guess… not really. Sister Yang was a good person.”

Xie Qi let out a light snort, glancing at him. “Foolishly brave.”

Those who die unjustly often harbor intense resentment.

If they remain unsettled for too long, they can easily turn into mindless vengeful spirits, lingering where they died and seeking the innocent to take their place.

Others would avoid them at all costs— only someone like him would be foolish enough to jump in and help.

Qu Yanning scratched his cheek awkwardly and said he was usually scared of this supernatural stuff, he just hadn’t thought about it at the time.

“Just remember, ghosts aren’t human.” Their goodness or evil can’t be judged so easily based on who they were when alive.

Qu Yanning paused, looking at him in confusion.

Xie Qi sighed softly but didn’t explain further.

Instead, he took off the prayer beads from his wrist and looped them around Qu Yanning’s neck. “You have a unique constitution. You naturally attract spirits. Best to keep your distance.” Even those seemingly gentle and harmless ghosts might give in to temptation and see him as food in the next instant.

The beads gave off a faint scent of sandalwood.

When Qu Yanning reached up to hold them, they were still warm, radiating a quiet, comforting warmth.

His heart gave a sudden jolt. Fingering the beads nervously, Qu Yanning mumbled a soft “thank you.”

Xie Qi gave a quiet hum in reply and walked ahead without looking back.