Chapter Fourteen: Following the Clues

Yuan Yin managed to contact the female patient, and they arranged to meet at a tea restaurant. Yin Nian drove Yuan Yin to the venue; when they arrived, the patient had not yet come. They ordered some baked cakes and waited while eating. It was half past four in the afternoon.

Soon after, the female patient arrived. She was a woman in her twenties, fair-skinned with delicate features, but she seemed drained and listless. After sitting down, she introduced herself as Su Yan, saying she had consulted with Yuan Yi several times and was considered one of his regular clients.

“Ask whatever you need quickly. I have things to do later,” Su Yan said.

“Yesterday morning, between nine-thirty and eleven-thirty, did you consult with Yuan Yi?” Yuan Yin took out a notebook, jotting something down as she spoke.

“Yes,” Su Yan replied, watching Yuan Yin. “What are you writing?”

“Not much…” Yuan Yin hesitated and put down her pen.

“No notes,” Su Yan demanded. “You’re not the police. Don’t make it seem like an interrogation; it makes me nervous. Yuan Yi always said to stay away from anything or anyone that makes me anxious. He might be dead, but his advice still stands.”

Yin Nian and Yuan Yin exchanged glances, surprised by Su Yan’s candor. Yin Nian found her odd and couldn’t help but observe her closely.

Suddenly, Su Yan turned to Yin Nian. “What are you looking at?”

Yin Nian quickly looked away. “Nothing. Let’s just chat normally—would you be comfortable with that?”

Su Yan glanced at Yin Nian, then at Yuan Yin. “Who will ask the questions—you or her?”

Yin Nian gestured toward Yuan Yin. “She will.”

Yuan Yin closed her notebook and said, “Yuan Yi is dead, you must have heard… The police say it might be suicide, but I don’t believe that. Yuan Yi wouldn’t just take his own life for no reason, so I want to investigate privately… You were his last patient. I’d like to ask if you noticed anything unusual during your consultation?”

Su Yan tapped her coffee cup with a spoon, her tone distant. “Yuan Yi couldn’t have committed suicide. My treatment with him wasn’t finished—he promised to cure me. He was a man of his word.”

Yin Nian and Yuan Yin listened in silence.

After a moment’s pause, Su Yan continued, “I want to know why he died. It’s crucial to me; if even my therapist wanted to kill himself, then everything he told me is nonsense.”

She glanced at Yin Nian and Yuan Yin, who nodded in agreement.

Su Yan kept tapping her coffee cup, the sharp sound ringing out. “That morning, when I went for my appointment, I sensed from the start that he was off. I thought it was my fault, but when I brought it up, he admitted it was his own problem. I asked what was wrong; he said he had some personal matters unresolved. When I pressed, he vaguely mentioned it was family-related and wouldn’t elaborate. Near the end of the session, he took a phone call—he never answered calls during consultations, but he took that one. He went to the window, and though I couldn’t hear the conversation, I could tell he was angry, arguing with someone. When he hung up and returned, he was even more distracted, and the session ended early. He sat silently in the armchair, frowning and deep in thought. I went to the bathroom, and when I came out, he didn’t even notice me—I just left.”

Su Yan struck her coffee cup hard. “That’s all.”

Yuan Yin asked, “Did you notice anyone when you left?”

Su Yan shook her head. “No.” She paused, then frowned. “However, as I was leaving, I saw someone lingering by the door, acting furtively, as if eavesdropping. When I reached the end of the corridor and glanced back, I saw that person enter Yuan Yi’s office.”

Yuan Yin asked, “What did they look like?”

Su Yan replied, “He was dressed in a suit, probably a doctor from the clinic, but I didn’t know him.”

Yin Nian immediately thought of Zhou Yi and described his features; Su Yan confirmed it was likely him.

During Yuan Yi’s consultation, Zhou Yi had been lurking outside, eavesdropping, and entered the office within the hour before Yuan Yi’s death. Suddenly, his suspicion grew substantially.

Afterward, Yuan Yin asked a few more questions, all of which Su Yan answered, but none were significant.

Finally, Yuan Yin took out the silk scarf and hairband. Su Yan confirmed they were hers.

After Su Yan left, Yuan Yin quickly opened her notebook and recorded the useful information.

“First, Yuan Yi received a phone call around eleven-thirty; the caller could be directly related to his death. Second, Zhou Yi may be involved—he is a suspect. Third, and most importantly, Yuan Yi said he had unresolved personal matters, related to his family. I suspect this is one of the reasons for his death.” Yuan Yin wrote as she analyzed, her voice trembling with excitement and nervousness.

Her reasoning was sharp and precise, impressing Yin Nian, though she refrained from complimenting Yuan Yin, afraid it might disrupt her thoughts.

“Didn’t the police investigate Yuan Yi’s phone records?” Yin Nian asked.

“The police told me they couldn’t find Yuan Yi’s phone. The phone you received the text from was his other phone, rarely used,” Yuan Yin replied. “But I’ll remind the police to check the call records; maybe we can find that person.”

Yin Nian nodded, feeling the case grow ever more complicated.

At this point, Yuan Yi’s death seemed connected not only to Yin Nian but also to his family, and possibly to his colleague Zhou Yi. Everything had suddenly become much more complex.

While Yin Nian pondered, Yuan Yin tried to contact the deliveryman through the food courier company. The courier refused to meet, stating he was only responsible for delivery and not for any issues with the food itself. Clearly, he assumed it was a case of food poisoning. Yuan Yin wanted to explain but feared she might frighten him. As she hesitated, the courier hung up, and further calls went unanswered.

“It’s understandable that people get nervous when we suddenly ask to meet,” Yin Nian comforted. “No rush—we’ve made good progress today. Let’s digest it first.”

“Indeed…” Yuan Yin checked the time—it was already half past five. “It’s getting late; I need to head back. My train is at seven tonight.”

“You’re commuting every day? Why not stay here for a few days?” Yin Nian suggested.

“I have to go back…” Yuan Yin began, but stopped herself.

Yin Nian nodded quietly, not pressing the matter.

As they stepped out of the tea restaurant, the sun was setting, its dying light like blood; dusk had fallen.

Yin Nian offered to drive Yuan Yin to the station. Yuan Yin initially refused, but finally agreed under Yin Nian’s insistence.

After the car carrying Yuan Yin departed, a figure emerged from behind a street lamp opposite the tea restaurant. Cloaked entirely in black, the hood concealed their face, only a pair of cunning eyes faintly visible, watching the direction in which Yin Nian had left.

In the figure’s hand was a light green silk scarf, which they twisted and wound around their wrist.