Chapter 8: As If in Another World

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Name: Zhou Yi
Registered Residence: Nanming District, BC City
Date of Birth: April 15, 1974
Height: 181 cm
Weight: 76 kg
Education: Associate Degree
Graduation Institution: XX Provincial Public Security Higher Vocational School
Major: Criminal Investigation Technology
Current Unit: Nanhu Street Police Station, Nanming District, BC City
Reporting Date: July 1996
Father: Zhou Jianguo, worker at Baicheng No. 2 Steel Plant
Mother: Zhang Qiuxia, worker at Baicheng No. 2 Steel Plant

Wu Yongcheng looked at the faxed file in his hands, his perpetually furrowed brows relaxing slightly. When he pushed open the door to the interrogation room again, Zhou Yi immediately noticed that Wu’s demeanor had become much more relaxed; the muscles in his shoulders, previously held taut, had gone slack. It appeared he had lowered his guard.

Wu Yongcheng walked up to Zhou Yi, looked at his face, and then glanced at the photo on the fax.
"Xiao Chen, the keys."
"Yes, sir."
The young officer obeyed, immediately rushing over to unlock Zhou Yi’s handcuffs and leg shackles, and opening the restraint chair.

Wu Yongcheng nodded, then turned to Xu Nian. "Say, Xiao Xu, please take Zhou Yi to tend to his wounds. See if he needs a hospital visit; you can have Xiao Chen drive him if necessary."
"Understood, Captain Wu." Xu Nian nodded and said to Zhou Yi, "Follow me."
"Once you're finished, come find me at the Third Brigade's office," he added, addressing Zhou Yi.
"Understood," Zhou Yi replied.

Wu Yongcheng and Xiao Chen hurried away, but after a few steps, Wu turned back. "Oh, and Xiao Xu, the blood collection and forensic analysis for Zhou Yi still need to be done. We must follow all proper procedures; it’s a matter of principle."
Xu Nian smiled and nodded. "I understand. Don't worry, Captain Wu, those test reports will be ready shortly."
"Thank you for the hard work," Wu Yongcheng said with a beaming smile.
Zhou Yi, however, found the smile somewhat chilling. This man was truly meticulous. Fortunately, they were on the same side.

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...
In the municipal bureau’s forensic lab, Xu Nian was collecting blood samples from Zhou Yi. She skillfully gathered blood from various parts of his body into labeled test tubes. Looking at Xu Nian, who was so close, and catching that faint, once-familiar scent, Zhou Yi felt a sense of disorientation.

Before his rebirth, he and Xu Nian had met when he first passed his assessment and transferred to the criminal investigation department, just as he was starting his first murder case. At that time, he was twenty-six—a green, inexperienced detective—while Xu Nian, his contemporary, was a top graduate from a prestigious university. When he first saw a mangled corpse, he couldn't stop himself from vomiting repeatedly. Xu Nian, having just finished examining the body, kindly taught him to press the Neiguan point on his wrist to suppress the nausea, saying it was a trick her teacher had taught her in school.

They became acquainted from that moment, slowly developed feelings for each other, and eventually became a couple. She was his first love, and he was hers. During their time together, Zhou Yi gained a wealth of forensic knowledge, which laid the foundation for his later growth. However, as their relationship deepened, Zhou Yi gradually learned about her family background. He realized they belonged to entirely different social strata; they were not a match. Xu Nian's father was the director of a municipal land management bureau, and her mother was an associate professor at a university—a family of high-achieving intellectuals.

Although Zhou Yi told himself that they were both good youths of the new socialist era, his underlying inferiority complex affected his mindset and their relationship. In particular, his evasion of her desire for marriage left her deeply disappointed. Not long after, an incident altered the trajectory of Xu Nian's life and brought their relationship to an end: her father was placed under investigation. While the specific details were never made public, Zhou Yi knew it was likely related to corruption. After her father fell, Xu Nian resigned from the bureau, and after fruitless attempts to appeal his case, her father was eventually imprisoned. Devastated, Xu Nian left without saying goodbye, fleeing to a foreign country to escape reality. That short-lived first love withered away, and the two went their separate ways, never to cross paths again.

"Let me see your wound," Xu Nian said.
Zhou Yi realized the sampling was finished. "Oh, right."
Xu Nian began to remove the bandages on his hands, but because the blood had coagulated, the dried gauze had adhered to the wound.
"How did it get wrapped like this?" Xu Nian frowned slightly.

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It clearly wasn't her handiwork, so it must have been that young officer named Chen. It wouldn't have been Wu Yongcheng, and the security team was even less likely to bother.

Xu Nian turned to retrieve cotton swabs and disinfectant. "The bandage is stuck to the wound. Pulling it off directly will cause secondary injury. Let me treat it first."
"Thank you." Zhou Yi felt as if he were living in a different lifetime.
Xu Nian used scissors to cut away the rest of the bandage, then used a cotton swab dipped in disinfectant to slowly and meticulously dissolve the gauze stuck to the wound.
"You really should have this wound treated at a hospital; I'm worried about infection."
"Please just handle the emergency treatment for now. I still need to see Captain Wu; I'll go to the hospital later."
Seeing Zhou Yi's firm tone, Xu Nian said no more. Soon, the stuck bandages were cleared away and placed on a tray, a bloody mess.

Xu Nian looked at the gruesome wound on Zhou Yi's arm with a grave expression.
"I'll disinfect the wound for you and perform a simple suture, but you must go to the hospital afterward. You should definitely get a tetanus shot."
Xu Nian efficiently took out a needle and thread, placing them beside the disinfectant.
"I don't have any anesthetic here, so I'll have to stitch it raw. Can you handle that?"
Zhou Yi nodded. "It's fine. Do what you need to do; don't worry about me."
"Lift your arm and straighten it," she said, picking up the bottle of disinfectant.
Zhou Yi complied. Xu Nian hesitated for a moment, then poured the disinfectant over the wound.

A piercing, agonizing pain exploded from the wound instantly. Zhou Yi shuddered, his back stiffening. Seeing this, Xu Nian stopped and asked with concern, "Are you okay?"
Zhou Yi nodded, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead.
"I'm fine, just a bit of a sting," Zhou Yi forced a grin. "Keep going, it's alright."
As someone trained in medicine, Xu Nian knew exactly how painful that was; even if he had been screaming in agony, she would have understood. Yet, this man, of similar age to her, remained silent, his arm held straight in the air without a tremor. Was he truly just a novice policeman?

After disinfection, the blood and filth were washed away, leaving the red and white muscle tissue exposed to the air. Just as Xu Nian was about to begin the sutures, Zhou Yi suddenly spoke up.
"Wait."