Chapter Thirty-Nine: A Waterfront Pavilion Gets the Moonlight First

It really was Xin Rui's solo art exhibition! Yan Xue felt a surge of excitement after seeing the information on the ticket stub.

"It really is Xin Rui!" Yan Xue handed the ticket stub to Kang Ge. "It looks like we'll need to dig much deeper into this person later! I just wonder if Luowei and Qi Tianhua will have any breakthroughs on their end!"

Kang Ge examined the details on the ticket stub and discovered that the performance art exhibition Cong Fangfang and Shi Shugao attended was very similar to the one he and Yan Xue had visited. Both were held in rather remote locations, and interestingly, there were only three sessions in total, much like a limited-edition release.

"Let's see if we can find out how well the tickets for Xin Rui's exhibition sold this time." Kang Ge carefully put away the ticket stub and surveyed the surrounding environment. "To be honest, given Cong Fangfang's taste and style, I don't think she and Shi Shugao went there for the appreciation of performance art at all. It's very likely they chose it simply because it was secluded, had few people, and made for a convenient date spot."

Having found the ticket stub, the two had no intention of lingering. Just as they were preparing to leave, the sound of a door opening came from the living room. Wei Guangji, the male roommate, had returned, holding a plastic bag filled with fresh green vegetables.

Seeing Yan Xue and Kang Ge just as they finished locking Cong Fangfang's bedroom door and were applying the seal tape, his expression remained completely calm, without a shred of surprise or bewilderment. It was as if Yan Xue and Kang Ge were simply residents of this apartment whom he crossed paths with every day. He stopped his return to his room with great composure, standing in the living room and watching them.

"Do you... need something from us?" Seeing him standing motionless in the living room staring at them, Yan Xue assumed Wei Guangji had something to say, so she spoke up.

The moment she looked at him, Wei Guangji immediately lowered his eyelids, as if the person who had been staring intently just a moment ago wasn't him.

"I have nothing. I thought you might have something to ask me." With his eyelids lowered and his head slightly bowed, he faced Kang Ge and the others with his forehead, as though he possessed additional eyes on the crown of his head capable of meeting someone's gaze, or as though there were some fascinating pattern on the floor that utterly captivated him.

"Oh, we don't need anything from you, just dropping by to take a look." Yan Xue glanced at the bag he was holding. The greens inside were very fresh, with soil still clinging to their roots, looking exceptionally appealing in this season. "Were you out running errands for work?"

"No, I don't need to go in today. I went out to buy groceries," Wei Guangji answered rigidly.

"After Li Xiaoguo moved out, you've been living here all by yourself, right?" Kang Ge finished applying the seal tape and struck up a conversation with Wei Guangji. "Does living alone feel a bit too quiet? Has the landlord brought in any new tenants these days?"

"Yes, I'm living here by myself now. It doesn't feel too quiet; I don't usually interact much with others anyway. The landlord hasn't been by these past few days, so I don't know if she's rented out the room to anyone new." Just like their previous meeting, Wei Guangji's eyes steadfastly avoided eye contact, yet his answers were impeccably standard, addressing every question with a completely flat and steady emotional tone.

"Alright, if anything comes up here, you still have the contact info we left last time. Feel free to reach out to us whenever you need." Kang Ge didn't plan to waste any more time with him. Communicating with this person felt genuinely eerie; to put it mildly, the smart voice-assistant on a mobile phone sounded far more like a flesh-and-blood human being than Wei Guangji did.

Seeing them getting ready to leave, Wei Guangji silently turned and walked into the kitchen, setting straight to work on preparing his meal. Thanks to his return, Yan Xue and Kang Ge were saved the trouble of double-locking the front door. They took their findings, headed downstairs, got into their car, and returned to the public security bureau.

Throughout the afternoon, the two divided their respective tasks. One was responsible for tracking down the organization of Xin Rui's performance art exhibition and his recent whereabouts, while the other was tasked with investigating Chen Qian's movements.

Naturally, alongside Chen Qian, her prospective ex-husband Shi Shugao also needed to be checked out. After all, in this entire web of relationships, Shi Shugao could be considered someone who tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice—he didn't catch the fox and instead ended up smelling of trouble, making him the one who suffered the heaviest losses among the three.

Having spent the early morning at the hospital helping Chen Qian with the procedures for her child's discharge, then driving her back and questioning her about the past events, they had indeed wasted a good deal of time. By the time they detoured to Cong Fangfang's residence and finally made it back to the bureau, the lunch hour had long since passed. Although Kang Ge was someone who cared about the quality of his diet, work was clearly more important by comparison. They simply made do with a fast-food delivery for a belated lunch that they could eat while continuing to work on their tasks.

When Yan Xue returned from her field investigation, it was already past six in the evening. Back at the office, Kang Ge had already returned, and not only was he there, but Lü Xiaodong was present as well. Several insulated food bags sat on the desk, filling the room with a rich aroma the moment the door opened.

When Yan Xue walked in, the siblings were chatting away so engrossed that they hadn't even noticed someone arriving.

"Brother, just tell me already! Where on earth did you go to rent a place? I promise, I promise I won't tell a single soul, okay?" Lü Xiaodong was clinging to Kang Ge, wheedling and acting spoiled. "Am I really that incapable of keeping a secret in your eyes?

I'm not asking just because Sister He Pei told me to; I'm just genuinely curious! Before, when Mom bought you that apartment, you didn't like it, saying it was too big and felt empty, but you kept living there anyway for fear of hurting the old lady's feelings. What on earth went through your mind this time to make you move out so decisively and without a second thought?

I admit Sister He Pei asked me about it, and I told her I didn't know, but she acted like I was deliberately covering for you! But! I would never betray my own brother, I won't leak a single word to her! Just tell me!"

"Heavenly secrets cannot be divulged!" Kang Ge remained unmoved, his stance exceptionally firm. "I believe you wouldn't leak it to outsiders, but what about family? Can you guarantee that you'll keep a tight lip in front of Mom and won't let her trick it out of you?"

"Uh... I suppose I can't guarantee that. The old lady is too cunning; she beats around the bush until she manages to pry the words right out of me!" Lü Xiaodong hesitated for a moment, but after all, she was Kang Ge's own sister, possessing a quick wit just like him. "Oh! I get it! You're not only keeping it from us, you're also hiding it from Mom! Are you afraid that if we run over to your rental place, it'll interfere with something? Honestly, did you move over there to get a head start with someone?"

"Some things are understood without being spoken." Kang Ge winked at Lü Xiaodong. Catching sight of Yan Xue returning, he beckoned to her. "You're back? Perfect timing, come grab some dinner!"