Chapter One: Values

The capture and confession of Tong Jingfei went relatively smoothly. Yet, after the case concluded, everyone felt a certain melancholy. What should have been a fairly straightforward matter ended up stirring deeper reflections among them.

“This case, really… how should I put it?” Luo Wei sighed after wrapping up the final tasks. “On one hand, it’s utterly absurd. Tong Jingfei never even understood Bai Yueni’s true situation—she just assumed Bai Yueni had become some young beauty from a wealthy family. Fueled by jealousy, she killed her. Then, upon learning Bai Yueni wasn’t doing all that well herself, she felt like her murder was a loss! What kind of mindset is that?”

“On the other hand, it’s quite paradoxical,” he continued. “Bai Yueni was indeed quite a brat as a child, but not to the extent that someone would wish her dead. And Tong Jingfei’s act of murder is unquestionably unforgivable. However, her own life over the years has been rather pitiful. To make a somewhat inappropriate joke, it’s no wonder people prefer the ‘perfect victim.’ When both perpetrator and victim are so far from pure, it really leaves you with mixed feelings.”

“There’s really nothing complicated about it,” Kang Ge said, waving two fingers as he unpacked a cardboard box. “Whether the murder was a loss or not is a moot point. Taking your whole life and throwing it away just to get revenge is always a loss. Regardless of Bai Yueni’s behavior, it’s a one-way loss.”

“But you hit the nail on the head about the second point. Both sides in this case are quite notable in their own right.”

Yan Xue sighed with empathy. “I still feel helpless about Bai Yueni’s parents and their concept of raising a child. They are neither the only ones to misunderstand the idea of ‘raising a daughter with wealth’ nor the last.”

“Simply spoiling a child, indulging her without limits, letting her personality develop unchecked, with no discipline or manners—that’s not raising her with wealth, that’s just neglect! When Bai Yueni showed her sharp tongue, superficial judgment, materialism, and vanity, her parents thought they had raised her with high standards and were pleased with themselves. They believed that by spoiling her, she would start life with lofty standards and make better choices. But once she left her hometown and entered a bigger world, she found there were always people more capable, and this was a harsh blow.”

“Then, when she started working, despite genuine remorse and self-reflection, she tried to change many of her past misdeeds. But due to the deficiencies in her upbringing, her emotional intelligence was lacking. She faced constant obstacles in relationships, stumbled at work, and the overinflated confidence of youth was thoroughly crushed.”

“She wasn’t truly a bad person, just a real pain during her school days,” Qi Tianhua lamented. “From her perspective, she was definitely harsh—bullying classmates wasn’t unjustified, but it was never a crime worthy of death. Especially since she later reflected and became kinder to colleagues at work. She was someone capable of change.”

“Tong Jingfei was blinded by years of emotional turmoil and pain,” Yan Xue said with a sigh. “She told me that when she revealed her identity to Bai Yueni that night, Bai Yueni was surprised and drunk. She grabbed Tong Jingfei, crying and laughing, saying she was happy to see her looking better and admitted her past mistakes.”

“But Tong Jingfei’s mind was preoccupied with the image of Bai Yueni as some rich, beautiful woman, while she herself had suffered so much—taking on debts to improve her appearance, only to be called ‘silicone face.’ The more Bai Yueni spoke, the more Tong Jingfei felt mocked and that Bai Yueni was pretending to be the better person, showing superiority. In a moment of rage, seeing a skewer on the table while Bai Yueni was drunk and headed to her room, Tong Jingfei’s malicious impulse took over.”

“Later, when Kang Ge and I told her about Bai Yueni’s real struggles, she regained some clarity and realized Bai Yueni was truly apologizing and repenting. Unfortunately, it was too late. Years of hatred and countless rehearsed murder plans in her mind proved effective. Bai Yueni’s drunkenness made the act fatal—no chance for remorse or mercy.”

“Tong Jingfei is a classic example of someone pitiful yet hateful,” Kang Ge remarked as he unpacked the box. “Her initial situation was rough—she just wanted to be recognized for her talents, which is understandable. Being targeted and excluded by Bai Yueni, then leaving school under pressure, was also reasonable; everyone has limits.”

“Even her decision to undergo plastic surgery to change her appearance is understandable. Everyone deserves to seek happiness without harming others.”

“But her greatest mistake was never considering resolving her problems through normal means—never fighting back or proving herself. Instead, she took the other side’s stance, denying herself and desperately trying to fit the values of those attacking her.”

“Do you know why she kept borrowing money on and off for surgery over so many years? Because she hated herself and was never satisfied. Why? Because she was constantly surrounded by people denying her.”

“Think about it: she originally wanted others to recognize her ability, so why did she end up begging for acceptance by changing her appearance? Hasn’t she already surrendered mentally?”

“Honestly, I hadn’t thought of it that way before, but now that you mention it, it makes perfect sense,” Yan Xue admitted. “I also don’t quite understand her thinking. If she hated Bai Yueni so much, she could have easily settled it right then—maybe even just rough her up a bit. Bai Yueni might have behaved after that. At worst, Tong Jingfei would have faced criticism and written a self-criticism report. At least they wouldn’t have both ruined their lives!”

After saying this, Yan Xue expected others to chide her for lacking feminine gentleness, but before anyone spoke, Kang Ge nodded in agreement.

“That’s right. If it can be solved immediately, leaving it for the next day is a loss. These troubles don’t pay interest!” he laughed. “Choosing to make things complicated and serious when it could be simple—that’s either stupidity or malice!”

“Actually, Tong Jingfei is a ruthless person—not only with herself, being brutal enough to operate on her own body, but her original plan was ruthless too,” Luo Wei reflected. “If Shi Guanqu, the guy whose fingerprints were found, hadn’t already died, he would have caused her a lot of trouble. Unless he happened to be seen somewhere or had witnesses, proving her innocence would be tough.”

“She was targeted by Shi Guanqu, and with so many fingerprint molds, she even carried his belongings around, trying to find any opportunity to frame him. None worked until that final, lucky time.”

“Though not everyone may want to hear this, beyond legal matters, there’s a clear, traceable pattern. Morally, it’s even murkier—it’s simply a matter of personality, character, and habits. When faced with conflict, there are two ways to resolve it: fight back and endure the pressure to the end, or not dare resist and endure silently.”

Kang Ge strongly disagreed with Tong Jingfei’s years of resentment. “She neither dared to fight nor was content to endure. If she truly agreed with the other’s words and actions, she wouldn’t have suffered such humiliation. If she didn’t agree, then she shouldn’t have tried to change herself based on their standards.”

“Ultimately, every step a person takes and every choice they make is influenced by their character. Fate is nothing more than what we painstakingly build day by day, brick by brick.”

“Wow, Kang Ge, those words are pretty profound!” Luo Wei, usually joking around with Kang Ge, was momentarily taken aback by his seriousness. His gaze fell on the box Kang Ge had just unpacked. “Hey, what did you buy? You’ve been tearing open that package for a while now!”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Kang Ge said, pulling the item from the box and placing it on the table. “A capsule coffee machine.”

“Whoa, that’s fancy! Kang Ge, are you getting high-class? Coffee machine in the office now? What, instant coffee isn’t satisfying your palate anymore?” Luo Wei teased. Among their group, Kang Ge was the one most particular about food and drink, so this wasn’t surprising at all.

“Don’t worry, Captain Dong has no objections,” Kang Ge said as he plugged it in, raising his eyebrows at Luo Wei and Qi Tianhua. “If either of you want some, feel free to help yourselves.”

“Really?” Luo Wei’s face lit up. “Is it as good as coffee from a café?”

“That depends on how good the café is and what capsules you use,” Kang Ge replied seriously.

“Oh, I see… Wait, so the machine’s free to use, but we have to bring our own capsules?” Luo Wei realized.

Everyone laughed, and Kang Ge, not being stingy, made each of them a cup to try. Soon, the office filled with the rich aroma of coffee.

After chatting and enjoying the coffee, Luo Wei and Qi Tianhua returned to their tasks, carrying their cups. Kang Ge gestured to Yan Xue to check his drawer. Opening it, she found it stocked with various coffee capsules—something she hadn’t noticed before.

“These are milder flavors,” Kang Ge said. “If you want something more heavily roasted, just ask—I have some. When I brought you coffee from the café downstairs a few times, I noticed you didn’t seem to like very strong or bitter flavors, so I chose accordingly.”

Yan Xue was surprised. She suddenly recalled praising the coffee near Kang Ge’s home and comparing it unfavorably with the acidic taste of instant coffee. She hadn’t expected him to remember.

She had to admit, beneath his usual easygoing, playful demeanor, Kang Ge was quite charming when serious.

As she pondered what to say, the office door opened slightly. Xia Qing peeked in. Yan Xue prepared to stand, but Xia Qing waved at Kang Ge instead. “Kang Ge, are you busy? If not, come with me—it's urgent!”

“What’s going on? Is there a new case?” Yan Xue asked quickly.

“No, no, don’t get excited. It doesn’t concern you. It’s about Ji Yuan. He asked me to find Kang Ge,” Xia Qing replied.

Everyone in the team knew the relationship between Ji Yuan and Kang Ge; besides Xia Qing, Kang Ge was perhaps the only one who had truly entered Ji Yuan’s inner circle.

Kang Ge quickly stood up, told Yan Xue to handle the remaining tasks after he returned, and hurried out with Xia Qing.

With Tong Jingfei’s transfer for prosecution, Yan Xue and the team’s work was done. Moments of leisure finally appeared when no cases were at hand.

After the case ended, Yan Xue followed Kang Ge’s earlier advice and called her cousin, Song Chen. With the call recorded, she calmly “apologized” for past events. As Yan Xue expected, Song Chen put on a show of blaming her. Holding back rising anger with the thought of Kang Ge’s strategy, Yan Xue managed to complete this challenging task.