Chapter Seven: The Cloaked Figure

Yan Ming carefully preserved the scene and called the police, reporting that the three siblings of the Yang family were suspected of plotting to murder Old Lady Yang.

When the police arrived, they secured the scene, collected the strand of hair as evidence, and took Yan Ming’s statement. Yan Ming explained his reasoning and analysis, but aside from the suspicious trap-like spot and that single strand of hair, there was no other evidence.

The police informed Yan Ming that they would investigate and gather evidence, and told him to wait for further news.

At nine that evening, Yan Ming returned from Baxian to the city, heading straight to the law firm to organize materials for the next day's trial.

On the way back, Yan Ming notified Yin Nian, asking her to come to the office to discuss preparations for tomorrow.

At half past nine, Yin Nian arrived as promised. By then, almost everyone had left the firm; Yan Ming was alone in his section of the office.

“Would you like something to drink?” Yan Ming asked.

“Coffee, please.” Yin Nian looked a little weary.

“Did you find anything on your end?” Yan Ming handed her a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

“I wanted to visit the scene, but the top floor was sealed off, so I couldn’t get in. They wouldn’t let me into Yuan Yi’s office either, since I’m not family, and his personal items couldn’t be touched. I asked a few people at the clinic; everyone said Yuan Yi was a good person—diligent, responsible, cheerful. No one believed he would take his own life. After Yuan Yi died, the whole clinic was on edge. By seven in the evening, everyone had left, so I left early too.” Yin Nian took a sip of coffee and looked at Yan Ming. “What about you? Did you discover anything?”

“I found something important,” Yan Ming said, taking a deep breath. “I discovered a crucial piece of evidence that might prove the three siblings of the Yang family tried to kill Old Lady Yang.”

“What evidence?” Yin Nian’s eyes lit up.

Yan Ming laid out his deductions at the accident scene, the suspicious pit on the hillside that looked like a trap, and the strand of hair he found in the soil.

“Really...” Yin Nian could scarcely believe it.

“It’s absolutely true. I’ve already reported it to the police—they’ve photographed the evidence and sent the strand of hair for analysis,” Yan Ming replied. “If we get the results tomorrow, we can turn the situation around. I’ve already asked our supervisor to contact them and speed up the process.”

Yin Nian was both shocked and delighted, momentarily at a loss for words. Perhaps on impulse, perhaps because of overwhelming emotion, she suddenly leaned over and planted a firm kiss on Yan Ming’s cheek.

Yan Ming was momentarily startled, then smiled, “Good thing no one saw that—otherwise I’d have a hard time explaining myself.”

A faint blush colored Yin Nian’s cheeks. “I just wanted to thank you...”

Yan Ming looked at her, his expression sincere. “I’d like you to thank me a few more times, if you don’t mind?”

Yin Nian hadn’t expected this and was taken aback. “What are you—”

Yan Ming grinned, revealing a small canine tooth that added a touch of charm. “Just kidding—look at you, all flustered.”

Yan Ming cleared his throat and handed a document to Yin Nian. “Back to business. This evidence is important, but until we have the test results, let’s not make it public. We’ll proceed with our defense as planned. When you’re in court, try to stay calm and composed—let the panel see your reason and poise. That can influence the verdict.”

Yin Nian nodded and glanced at the document, which outlined her statements, potential questions from Yu Weiran, and some unexpected scenarios that might arise during the trial.

“If you’re asked something you don’t know how to answer, don’t answer at all. Remember, anything you say in court can be used against you, and could become grounds for judgment,” Yan Ming cautioned.

“Alright...” Until now, Yin Nian hadn’t felt nervous, but with the trial looming and Yan Ming’s reminder, a trace of tension stirred within her. After all, she’d never experienced anything like this before.

“In civil disputes, when both sides lack sufficient evidence, testimony and witnesses become extremely important. Think carefully about everything you say—my point is, make sure you truly remember what happened and speak honestly. That way, there won’t be any inconsistencies,” Yan Ming said, looking her straight in the eye. “No matter how well a lie is crafted, it always has flaws. Trust the truth. Trust yourself.”

Their eyes met, and Yin Nian nodded silently.

“That’s all for now. Go over the material, get a good night’s sleep, and rest up. We have a lot to do tomorrow.” Yan Ming patted her shoulder. “And be careful.”

“You too.” Yin Nian’s expression turned grave, clearly thinking of Yuan Yi’s death.

“Don’t worry, I definitely—” Yan Ming was interrupted as the fluorescent light overhead flickered. When the light steadied, he continued, “—definitely won’t let anything happen.”

“I’ll head off, then,” Yin Nian said, standing up.

“I’ll go with you,” Yan Ming checked the time, “I’m about done here as well.”

He gathered his files, shut off the computer, turned off the office lights, and left with Yin Nian.

Inside the elevator, the lights suddenly flickered and the lift gave a slight jolt, as if it might stop, but then continued as normal.

“That thunderstorm two days ago knocked out the power in the whole building. Maybe the circuits are still unstable,” Yan Ming remarked.

“It was quite a storm…” Yin Nian watched the numbers above the elevator door, lost in thought.

At last, the elevator stopped at the basement level.

Yan Ming and Yin Nian stepped out and headed toward the parking lot. After a few steps, the power went out. With no windows in the garage, darkness swallowed everything—one couldn’t see a thing.

Yan Ming hurriedly fumbled for his phone to use as a torch, but in his haste, he dropped it. After picking it up, he realized Yin Nian was gone.

“Yin—” he started to call, but a hand suddenly clamped over his mouth from behind.

“Hush,” a voice whispered in his ear, accompanied by a delicate fragrance—he realized the person behind him was a woman.

A faint rustling echoed nearby, as if someone was sneaking about. The darkness was absolute, rendering everything invisible, and only that intermittent sound broke the silence.

After the sound finally faded, the hand left Yan Ming’s mouth.

He already knew it was Yin Nian behind him, and whispered, “What’s going on?”

“I’m not sure,” she replied. “It seemed like there was someone…”

Instinctively, Yan Ming leaned back, pressing his body against Yin Nian’s. They both crouched low, listening and observing, but the darkness was impenetrable—they could see nothing.

Yan Ming felt a gentle, warm breath brush his ear—soft and comforting. His heart began to race. Acting on instinct, he turned his head toward the source of that warmth. Suddenly, the warmth grew urgent, and something soft pressed against his lips. Instantly, his blood surged and his breath quickened.

At that moment, the lights came back on.

Yan Ming realized he was holding Yin Nian’s shoulders, their lips pressed together.

A black cat darted out from behind a nearby pillar and disappeared under a car.

Both Yan Ming and Yin Nian sprang apart as if startled.

“What just happened—was that a cat?” Yan Ming asked, referring to the rustling sound.

“I’m not sure. Maybe it was just a short circuit…” Yin Nian replied, speaking of the blackout.

They both pressed their lips together, stiffly making their way into the parking area.

Yin Nian found her car first and waved, “See you tomorrow.”

Yan Ming waved back, “See you tomorrow…”

Once they had both driven away, the black cat crept out from beneath the car and sat at the entrance to the garage, its ghastly yellow eyes fixed on the direction they had gone.

Soon after, a figure in a long black cloak emerged from the shadows by the wall, coming to stand beside the cat. The hood’s shadow concealed the person’s face; only a pair of narrow eyes glimmered with a wolfish, cunning light.

“Meow.” The black cat gave a low cry, rubbing itself against the cloaked figure’s leg.