1
Qin Guan skidded to a halt.
Even so, he nearly knocked over the frail Xu Ruyi. She stumbled, dropping her shopping bag. Fresh shrimp scrambled free, skittering across the ground.
"Ruyi… why are you here?" Qin Guan steadied her, his eyes and ears still chasing the sound ahead—a crash and someone yelling, "Running like a madman! You wanna die?!"
He knew the blackmailer's accomplice was close, but he couldn't pursue further.
Ruyi frowned. "Did you forget? Today's Auntie Feng's birthday. We talked about it at breakfast. She loves crayfish, so I came to buy some fresh ones. Didn't I call you this afternoon? You said you'd be late!"
Qin Guan's mind churned—he'd been too distracted to listen to household matters.
"It's… work-related. I'll explain later," he said gently, forcing a smile. "Look, the shrimp escaped. Proves they're lively and fresh."
Diverting the topic—his specialty.
"Let's buy more. You never shop for groceries—Auntie Feng trusted you?" He draped an arm over her shoulders, radiating warmth.
"You're always busy."
Ruyi smiled meekly, leaning into him. The perfect couple strolled into the market.
2
Dinner was lavish.
Flickering birthday candles and savory dishes softened the memory of last night's chaos. Ruyi and Xiao Lizi sang for Auntie Feng, gifting her a silk summer dress and a hand-drawn painting.
The nanny, treated as family, glowed with joy. Mid-meal, her college son called. A promising biochemistry student, he'd been raised single-handedly by Auntie Feng after her husband's early death. His heartfelt words brought her to grateful tears.
The room brimmed with warmth.
Yet Qin Guan squirmed internally. He'd been so close to catching the blackmailer—now the trail was cold.
3
He replayed the chase: the stranger's cheap streetwear, thick rural accent, and clumsy handwriting pointed to an uneducated newcomer. But how did such a person uncover his secrets?
Since high school, Qin Guan had meticulously shed ties to poverty. Meeting Ruyi and her influential father had sealed his ascent. He'd never associate with lowlifes.
And the suitcase—when questioned, the youth had seemed genuinely confused. Was it an act?
Frustration gnawed at Qin Guan. Three hundred thousand have already been lost, the blackmailer's identity still a mystery. Worse, he'd alerted them.
In his legal career, he knew desperation bred recklessness. The next move would be brutal.
4
As predicted, his phone buzzed during breakfast the next morning.
"Work again? So early?" Ruyi set down plates—homemade sandwiches for him and Xiao Lizi.
Qin Guan's hand froze mid-reach. The notification was a text from an unknown number:
"Deposit 3 million into my account within 3 days. I know…"
He smiled calmly at Ruyi. "Busy season at the firm."
Inside, storms raged.
5
"I know where her body is."
That was the full message.
The blackmailer had laid their cards on the table.
Sitting in his car, Qin Guan reread the text until his body slumped into the driver's seat. The AC vents blasted cold air like razor-thin blades, piercing his spine, chest, every inch of skin with bone-deep dread.
Someone had witnessed it all.
The suitcase delivery proved they knew Qi Min's final resting place:
The lake.
Qin Guan shut his eyes, the memory stabbing him awake. He swallowed hard, accelerated, and raced through legal defenses in his mind. If the body was found in the suitcase, he'd be the prime suspect.
6
But that wasn't the deadliest issue.
Being a suspect didn't terrify him—as a lawyer, he'd navigated worse. He'd freed robbers and murderers by exploiting evidence gaps. Without irrefutable proof, he could still win.
Evidence.
Qin Guan slammed the brakes. Had he left any?
He replayed that fateful morning: stuffing Qi Min into the suitcase, burning her belongings, keeping only her phone to mimic her presence. The phone was hidden at home, unreachable even to Ruyi.
Nothing.
Wiping sweat, he parked. He needed full focus to mend the lies, maybe revisit the lake to erase traces…
He wouldn't pay 3 million—this was just the start. At least the blackmailer wanted money, not police.
Steeling himself, Qin Guan straightened his tie and stepped out. He'd lure them out. Another visit to Chunli Cleaning might expose the culprit. Then, no mercy.
7
The law firm buzzed as usual.
"Morning, Lawyer Qin!" His assistant brought coffee.
Piles of work awaited, but his mind clung to the silent phone. By noon, no further messages arrived.
Skipping lunch, Qin Guan grabbed his keys. The youth at Chunli Cleaning must've been waiting for someone—
"Lawyer Qin! Wait!"
His assistant hurried over with a small pink pouch. "A courier dropped this for you." She pulled out a sealed transparent bag, puzzled. "Is this… a mistake?"
Inside lay neatly folded black stockings—women's stockings.