Chapter 95

“Yo, morning Uncle, this one’s for you.”

“Auntie, you’re glowing today—this one’s yours.”

“Hey Sis, that ring is stunning. Bet your fiancé gave it to you, huh? I could tell at a glance. So, when’s the wedding? Be sure to invite me! I’ll have my Old Tan bring a gift on my behalf.”

Tan Yunlong had been dozing in his office chair, feet propped on the desk, when a familiar voice stirred him from his nap.

He opened his eyes to find his son chatting casually with his colleagues while handing out breakfast, fitting in as if he belonged.

Tan Yunlong had always known his son was outgoing, a bit loud even. But this version of him, smooth yet detached in a way that didn’t annoy anyone, felt unfamiliar even to his own father.

His enthusiasm was just aloof enough to maintain boundaries, and his colleagues’ reactions were telling too. They weren’t treating him like just another coworker’s kid. There was a note of formality, maybe even deference, in their responses.

If someone walked in without context, they might’ve thought a department head had come down to do a little PR.

The strangest part? This was the kid’s first time visiting his new workplace.

“Here, Dad, this one’s for us.”

Tan Yunlong finally set his feet down.

Tan Wenbin grabbed a towel from the nearby rack, gave the desk a wipe, and set down the bag of buns, fried dough sticks, and soy milk.

“Dad, why didn’t you sleep in the dorm? I went over there first thing this morning to find you and came up empty. For a second, I thought you were cutting loose while Mom’s not around.”

“Watch your mouth or keep it shut.”

Tan Yunlong took a bite of a bun.

He hadn’t been sleeping properly lately—just dropping by the dorm to change clothes and shower, spending most nights catching rest like this in the office.

“Dad, has Mom wrapped things up on her end yet? When’s she coming to Jinling? You’re a mess without her. Look at you—what a state.”

“We’ll see. If she comes suddenly, she won’t know anyone or have anything to do. I barely have time to see her myself.”

“Is it a housing issue? I could rent a place for you two.”

“You swimming in cash now?”

“More than your salary, that’s for sure.”

Tan Yunlong shot him a glare but didn’t push further. He knew full well that his wife and both sets of grandparents had been giving Wenbin money—and the kid hadn’t asked for a dime.

“You’re here this early—something up with Little Yuan?”

Tan Wenbin cleared his throat and lifted a dough stick with both hands like a sacred scroll. “By order of the Dragon King…”

Tan Yunlong kept eating.

Tan Wenbin grinned. “Kneel, peasant! Receive your decree!”

Tan Yunlong’s hand drifted to his belt buckle.

“Father! Your son comes to you with a humble request!”

…

“So the dorm I’m in used to be a girls’ dorm? No wonder the urinals on that floor are installed in such weird spots. They must’ve been added later.”

Tan Wenbin flipped through case files at high speed, jotting notes in his notebook. No use lamenting his memory—he didn’t have Little Yuan’s ability to flip through pages and retain every detail.

Five years ago, the building had been a girls’ dorm. It got converted for male students afterward. Between ten and five years ago, two notable incidents happened in that building.

One was the disappearance of Tang Qiuying.

The other was Qian Meishu’s suicide.

Tang Qiuying vanished while still enrolled. The school, police, and her family searched extensively but came up empty.

Qian Meishu drank pesticide and killed herself in her dorm. She left a note—some romance drama involved.

Wenbin tapped a finger on Tang Qiuying’s photo. If the ghost in high heels was connected to either case, Tang was the more likely candidate.

Little Yuan had said the ghost’s corpse was probably buried near the dorm, creating a tether that bound her to the area.

But Qian Meishu’s body had definitely been retrieved and given proper rites.

Too bad Wenbin hadn’t joined Little Yuan during that interrogation of the ghost. He didn’t walk the shade that night, so he never got to see the ghost’s face. Otherwise, he could’ve matched it to the photos in the files.

Since both girls had been students, their ID photos were included in the documents.

“Dad, can I take these two files with me?”

“Just make sure you bring them back in time.”

“You’re being unusually generous.”

“I want the case solved,” Tan Yunlong said, then added, “If Little Yuan finds anything, remind him to notify the police immediately.”

“Of course. That goes without saying.” Wenbin leaned forward to peek at the rest of the desk. “Any updates on Qiu Minmin?”

Tan Yunlong handed him a separate envelope. “Here’s what I’ve found recently. It’s not been filed yet. Take it to Little Yuan.”

“Well, look at you, Old Tan! Keep this up and I’ll petition the Dragon King to name you General Crab.”

“And you’d be what, then?”

“Obviously the Turtle Prime Minister.”

Tan Yunlong inhaled sharply.

“Heh.” Wenbin stuffed the files into his bag and his eyes landed on another stack of case files nearby. He flipped one open out of habit—and froze.

There was a photo.

A large ceramic water vat. Inside stood a man—tall, unnaturally tall.

Looking closer, it was because he was standing on stilts. The water’s reflection masked the base, so it wasn’t immediately obvious.

The man wore white robes and a tall white hat. His face was pale as death, and he held a white lantern in each hand.

One lantern read: Underworld.

The other: Escort.

Tan Yunlong noticed his son’s distraction.

“That batch was just organized by someone else. It’s unrelated to the two cases you’re working on.”

“Dad… is that guy dressed up as White Impermanence?”

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