Chapter 46 Besides My Name, He Only Told You This…

Chapter 46: Besides my name, he only told you this...

After quickly browsing the news report, Guan Xia sketched both the man jumping into the river from the video and the bystander suspected of being the perpetrator who had spoken to him, hoping to find leads online using facial recognition. Unfortunately, neither appeared to be active on social media, and her search yielded no results.

It seemed she had hit a wall. Staring at her phone, Guan Xia hesitated for a moment but eventually decided to call Pang Le.

As soon as the call connected, Guan Xia got straight to the point: "Pang Le, can you send me Lu Tingfeng's contact information?"

Pang Le was stunned, her voice instantly rising several pitches. "Who? Lu Tingfeng?"

Guan Xia confirmed with a "mm-hmm" and was about to explain when Pang Le asked again, "You want to reach out to him? Are you sure?"

Guan Xia replied solemnly, "I'm sure."

Pang Le fell silent for a few seconds but, surprisingly, didn’t ask for details. "Alright, I’ll send it to you now."

The call ended, leaving Guan Xia somewhat surprised. She had expected Pang Le, given her temperament, to demand a full explanation.

Relieved that she didn’t have to explain herself to Pang Le just yet, Guan Xia let out a sigh of relief. After receiving the number, she carefully considered what to say before making the call.

The phone rang many times before it was finally answered.

An unusually subdued voice came through. "Guan Xia?"

Guan Xia wasn’t surprised that Lu Tingfeng knew her number, but she was puzzled by his tone. Though they had only met once and exchanged very few words, she remembered his voice as bright and lively, with an upbeat tone. If the person on the other end hadn’t immediately identified her, Guan Xia would have thought she’d dialed the wrong number.

Pushing aside her instinctive doubt, Guan Xia replied calmly, "It’s me. Do you have time recently? Can we talk?"

Guan Xia had already prepared what to say next, but to her surprise, Lu Tingfeng said, "I’d love to chat properly with you, but I’m sorry, Guan Xia. I have an urgent matter and need to leave Yongquan City. I’m on my way to the airport now. If you’re willing, I can have someone else talk to you."

Guan Xia’s prepared speech caught in her throat, leaving her momentarily speechless.

Lu Tingfeng sounded genuinely rushed. After waiting a couple of seconds without hearing a response from Guan Xia, he added, "I know I don’t have much credibility in your eyes, but I still want to assure you that the person I’m sending is far more reliable than I am. At the very least, meet with them first, and we can discuss further depending on how it goes?"

Though things weren’t unfolding as Guan Xia had anticipated, she had come this far and couldn’t give up at the first obstacle. She agreed, "Alright, but first, tell me about this person—"

Before she could finish her question, Lu Tingfeng anticipated it and replied, "Like me, they used to be a police officer—a homicide detective."

Guan Xia felt half of her worries ease. "Good, but it needs to be soon. I’m on a tight schedule."

Lu Tingfeng assured her, "Don’t worry. I’ve already made arrangements since deciding to leave Yongquan City. They’re already on their way and will definitely meet with you tomorrow."

After hanging up, Guan Xia felt as though she were still dreaming. Based on their brief previous encounter, Lu Tingfeng had struck her as somewhat fairly unhinged and extreme. She had spent a long time weighing the pros and cons before deciding to collaborate, and she had even prepared for negotiations. Now, all that preparation seemed wasted—though, perhaps not entirely. Even though she didn’t know who would be taking his place, the talking points she had prepared could still be useful.

Having successfully taken the first step in her plan, Guan Xia checked the time and was about to shut down her computer and get ready to turn in when a message suddenly came through.

She clicked to open it. It was a photo and a phone number sent by Lu Tingfeng.

The photo showed a young woman with a square face, sharp eyes, and a commanding presence. Her short, ear-length hair and steady, focused gaze made her seem far more reliable than Lu Tingfeng.

Guan Xia felt the other half of her worries ease.

The next day, she made sure to wake up early. First, she had someone come over to replace the lock that had been picked the previous day. Then, she had breakfast and completed her morning run. Afterward, she settled down to read while waiting for a call.

She had expected to hear from Xu Nian first, filling her in on the results of the previous night’s interrogation. Instead, it was the woman Lu Tingfeng had mentioned who reached out to her first.

It had only been one night—the efficiency was impressive. Guan Xia instinctively checked the time before answering, "Hello?"

A calm, measured woman’s voice came through. "Hello, Guan Xia. My name is Ji An. I’m currently in Yongquan City. We can talk over the phone or meet in person—whatever works for you."

Guan Xia thought it over. Compared to just hearing someone’s voice, she preferred meeting face-to-face to observe their expressions. "Let’s meet in person. Where should we meet?"

The woman was very concise. "You decide."

Something in the woman’s tone made Guan Xia feel even more reassured. After careful consideration, she said, "Alright, let me think about it for a moment. I’ll contact you shortly."

The woman replied decisively, "Okay."

Guan Xia stared at her darkened phone screen for a couple of seconds, then stood up and went into her study. She retrieved the two sketches she had drawn the previous night. After thinking it over again, she decided to call Pang Le.

Pang Le seemed to have been waiting for this call, answering after the first ring. "Finally figured out how to dodge my questions?"

Though Pang Le’s words sounded sharp, her playful tone clearly indicated she wasn’t angry.

Guan Xia couldn’t help but laugh. "Do you have time today? Can you come with me to meet someone?"

Pang Le’s voice instantly rose again. "Meet someone? Who? Please don’t tell me it’s Lu Tingfeng."

She sounded as though she’d give him a piece of her mind if it were really him. Guan Xia hurriedly clarified, "No, no. He’s left Yongquan City. It’s a friend of his—also a police officer."

Pang Le asked suspiciously, "It’s only been three days since we last met, right? Why does it feel like two years have passed? Suddenly, there’s a bunch of stuff I don’t know about."

Guan Xia also felt like time had been moving quickly lately. "A few things have happened. I’ll explain everything later. Today’s meeting is really important to me. Can you come with me first?"

Pang Le had no choice but to hold back her many questions and agree. "Alright. Where are you meeting? I’ll head over now."

Guan Xia decided on a café near Pang Le’s gym. She informed Ji An first, then sent a message to Pang Le.

The meeting was set for an hour later, so Guan Xia hung up, changed clothes, and headed out immediately. She was lucky to catch a taxi right away and arrived at the destination without any issues.

She thought she was early, but Ji An was already there, sitting at a secluded corner table with few people around. She was slowly sipping a coffee.

Pang Le had also arrived and was sitting by the window, idly scrolling through her phone. She stood up as soon as she saw Guan Xia. "You’re here. Where’s the person you’re meeting?"

Guan Xia gestured with her chin toward Ji An. "Over there."

Pang Le followed Guan Xia’s gaze, her expression shifting to surprise. "This is Lu Tingfeng’s friend? He has friends this cool? What’s his secret?"

After fully expressing her dislike for Lu Tingfeng, Pang Le looped an arm around Guan Xia’s shoulders and walked toward Ji An. She extended her hand first. "Hello, I’m Pang Le, Guan Xia’s best friend. And you are?"

Ji An glanced at Guan Xia before standing up to shake Pang Le’s hand. "Hello, I’m Ji An, a friend of Lu Tingfeng’s."

Hearing Lu Tingfeng’s name, Pang Le instinctively scowled slightly.

Ji An then turned to Guan Xia and extended her hand. "Hello, Guan Xia. Nice to meet you. I hope I meet your expectations."

The wording was a bit unusual, and Pang Le frowned slightly at Ji An.

Guan Xia first couldn’t help but envy Ji An’s height—a full head taller than her—before shaking her hand. "Hello, I’m Guan Xia."

After the three exchanged greetings, they sat down. Pang Le naturally took a seat beside Guan Xia and, without being asked, ordered coffee according to her usual preferences.

Once the waiter brought their coffees and it was clear they weren’t going to be interrupted further, Guan Xia looked at Ji An and said, "Before we officially start, I’d like to ask: what exactly did Lu Tingfeng tell you?"

Ji An’s already serious expression turned more serious. She straightened her posture and said, "It might sound hard to believe, but Lu Tingfeng really didn’t tell me much. He only said that you’re the only one he’s found who can help us."

Guan Xia wasn’t entirely convinced and pushed for more, "Besides my name, he only told you that?"

Ji An gave a firm nod. "Yes. Actually, out of everyone we both know, I’m the only one who even knows your name."

Guan Xia fell silent for a moment before asking, "Then do you know Xu Nian?"

Ji An shook her head, "I've heard of him, but never met him. He seems to be Lu Tingfeng's best friend, but he hasn't mentioned this person much. When we get together, we usually just get straight to work and rarely chat."

"Work?" Pang Le suddenly spoke up, curious, "What kind of work?"

Ji An glanced at Guan Xia and hesitated, "It's a bit complicated and hard to explain in a short time. If this conversation goes well, you'll gradually find out."

It was only natural to hold back some information since they had just met.

Pang Le also felt that his earlier question had been a bit rash, so he picked up his cup and quietly continued drinking his coffee.

Ji An asked Guan Xia, "Do you have any other questions?"

Of course she did—in fact, the questions in her mind were piling up—but Guan Xia also knew that Ji An wouldn't tell her anything until they reached a mutual understanding. So she said, "Not for now."

Ji An rotated the cup in her hand, her gaze fixed on Guan Xia's eyes, and said earnestly, "Since you have no more questions, shall I share my thoughts?"

Guan Xia nodded, adopting an attentive expression. Pang Le also sensed that the truly important part was about to begin and instinctively straightened his back, his expression turning serious.

Ji An slowed her speech, speaking earnestly word by word, "I don’t know why Lu Tingfeng believes in you or why he sees you as hope, but having known him for so long, I trust his judgment. So, whatever you do from now on, I will do my best to help you. As long as it’s not illegal or harmful to society, I won't even ask questions. Of course, if you’re willing to share, I’d be very eager to listen."

Guan Xia hadn’t expected Ji An to be like this—more direct and no-nonsense than Pang Le. She was taken aback for a moment before looking at Ji An and saying, "You really won’t ask?"

Ji An nodded seriously, "As long as it’s not illegal or harmful to society."

Guan Xia couldn’t help but press further, "And you don’t want anything from me?"

Ji An showed her first smile of the evening, "Compared to vague verbal promises, I firmly believe in the genuine help that comes from people interacting with each other."

Guan Xia also couldn’t help but smile. She was now genuinely glad that Lu Tingfeng had left so abruptly last night. Although Ji An was his friend, she was clearly much more upright and sincere. If she were to collaborate with someone, she’d rather work with someone like her.

Since Ji An was so decisive, Guan Xia set aside the prepared explanations she had in mind and directly took out the two sketches she had drawn the night before from her bag.

"Since you’re so straightforward, I’ll skip the small talk," Guan Xia handed over the two sketches. "I want to know the identities of these two people. Can you look into it?"

After her recent interactions with Xu Nian, Guan Xia had gained some understanding of their investigative procedures. She knew that reopening a cold case required new breakthroughs based on existing clues. If it were a case in Pingjiang District, she would have directly approached Xu Nian. But now, since it involved crossing districts and last night's system alert suggested complications, she thought it better not to bother Xu Nian before she figured out the situation with those two individuals. This would also test Ji An’s capabilities.

Faced with Guan Xia’s somewhat abrupt request, true to his word, Ji An asked no questions. He took the sketches, looked them over, carefully put them away, and agreed directly, "Alright, give me two days. I’ll get back to you once I’ve looked into it."