The sun blazed overhead as Mu Mian sat listlessly in the passenger seat.
She had reviewed the medical file countless times, but those three glaring characters remained unchanged: Ye Zeming.
To their surprise, the deceased was indeed Ye Zeming.
"It's alright, at least we've eliminated one incorrect answer. Since the victim is Ye Zeming, the missing Liu Jiale becomes very suspicious. If we find Liu Jiale, we might uncover more clues."
Just then, Fang Rui received a phone call.
"Boss, we've found a trace of Liu Jiale. His mobile payment app shows he made a purchase at a convenience store in the East City district. The store's security camera captured footage of a man who looks like him!"
"Have you located him then?"
"Not yet. Nearby cameras caught him too, but there aren't many in the area. He disappeared in a blind spot. We're currently searching for his whereabouts."
The search for Liu Jiale wasn't going smoothly. The East City district was an old area, surrounded by urban villages with many illegally renovated rental units, making it difficult to pinpoint Liu Jiale's location.
After work, Fang Rui took the initiative to wait for Mu Mian to go home. He realized that ever since Mu Mian moved in next door, he had been forced to take on the responsibility of driving her around.
And Mu Mian seemed quite content to enjoy this arrangement.
"Fang Rui, I want to buy a cake!"
"I thought you didn't eat sweets?"
"It's my sister's birthday in a few days. I want to order a beautiful cake for her."
"Alright, I'll take you!"
Fang Rui remembered Lin Sen's lovesick state and decided to gather some information about Shen Xiyin for him.
"Mu Mian, does your sister have a boyfriend right now?"
Mu Mian was taken aback by the question. She looked at Fang Rui for a few seconds, then averted her gaze. "Probably not. I'm not entirely sure."
In truth, Mu Mian didn't know much about Shen Xiyin's private life, or rather, she didn't care.
Ever since their adoptive parents died in a car accident, Shen Xiyin had become very busy. Not only did she have to manage her own work and handle their adoptive parents' estate, but she also had to take care of Mu Mian's daily needs. As a result, Mu Mian spent much less time with her.
But Mu Mian believed her sister probably didn't have a boyfriend, otherwise she would have told her.
"Doesn't she introduce you to her friends?"
"She does. She has many friends, both men and women. They even give me gifts. But I'm not interested in them. I just focus on eating whenever I go out with them."
Shen Xiyin's friends were all very friendly to Mu Mian, but Mu Mian didn't like how they always looked at her with pity in their eyes, as if confirming that she wasn't a normal person.
She didn't need anyone's sympathy or pity.
"Has your sister ever told you who she likes?"
"Yes! Her favorite psychologist is Piaget, and her favorite writer is Camus."
"..."
Mu Mian found it strange that Fang Rui was suddenly interested in her sister. Could it be that he liked Shen Xiyin?
"Fang Rui, do you like my sister?" Mu Mian's tone was somewhat excited. If Fang Rui married her sister, then when Fang Rui died, she could ask her sister to give her his body.
Her sister surely wouldn't refuse.
Fang Rui immediately clarified: "I don't like your sister."
Mu Mian looked a bit disappointed, "Are you sure you don't want to like her? My sister is very accomplished. She's kind, and she's also wealthy."
"I'm sorry, but I won't like her." Fang Rui felt a lump in his throat, making him a bit uncomfortable. "I was asking for Lin Sen. He likes your sister!"
"But I don't want Consultant Lin's body. He can't even read minds, his brain has no research value."
"..."
Fang Rui suddenly laughed, almost forgetting that Mu Mian was autistic. She seemed to have no idea what "liking" someone meant.
Fang Rui drove Mu Mian to the nearest cake shop. Upon entering, he realized that this shop was owned by Lin Lan.
Lin Lan was momentarily surprised to see Fang Rui and Mu Mian, but quickly composed herself. She smiled and said, "Officer Fang, do you have any more questions for me?"
Mu Mian replied, "I want to order a very beautiful cake!"
Lin Lan gave Fang Rui a teasing look: "Officer Fang, is this your girlfriend? She's very cute."
Fang Rui wanted to clarify, but Mu Mian spoke first: "Please don't call me cute. That's for describing small animals and children."
After clarifying this point, Mu Mian wanted to further clarify that she wasn't Fang Rui's girlfriend, but Lin Lan interrupted: "Officer Fang, your girlfriend is very humorous."
Humorous... No one had ever used that word to describe her before. Mu Mian liked this word. Because humorous people tend to be more popular.
"Thank you for the compliment."
"..."
Lin Lan sighed. How could such a handsome man like Officer Fang end up with such a silly girlfriend?
The shop specialized in custom wedding fondant cakes, focusing on beautiful designs but with average taste.
The display cases were filled with many beautifully crafted desserts.
On the left, there was a special display with a sign that read "Thursday Special." Inside was a stunning velvet cake. The cake was green, dotted with chocolate chips and powdered sugar.
Mu Mian stared at it for a long time, then asked, "Is this cake matcha flavored?" Mu Mian detected a fresh plant scent from the cake.
"No, it's not."
"The green color is very unique."
"It's not made with food coloring. I used pandan leaf juice to dye it, which gives the cake a special plant fragrance."
"Did you design this yourself? It's very special!" Mu Mian seemed to really like the color.
"Yes, I designed many of the cakes here myself. They're not only beautiful but also delicious." Pleased with the customer's approval, Lin Lan cut a small piece and handed it to Mu Mian. "Here, try it for free."
"Can you pack it for me?" Mu Mian wasn't interested in the taste of the cake; she was just attracted by the green color.
"..."
Lin Lan gave Mu Mian a strange look, then packed the piece of cake for her. "It's best to eat it on the same day. This type of cake doesn't taste good if left overnight."
"Is this cake only sold on Thursdays?"
"Yes. Our shop offers a special cake each day of the week. This velvet cake is only available on Thursdays."
Mu Mian's attention seemed to be completely captured by the green cake, showing little interest in the other cakes.
"Mu Mian, you can't give your sister a green cake!" Fang Rui couldn't help but remind her.
"I know." Mu Mian's eyes showed some regret; she thought the green color was quite beautiful.
Mu Mian continued to carefully select a cake design while Fang Rui inquired about Ye Zeming from Lin Lan.
"Miss Lin, do you know about Ye Zeming's financial situation?"
"Not really. The Ye siblings guarded against me like I was a thief. He never told me how much money he made. But he hasn't earned much in recent years. His famous works are all from before, and he hasn't completed any works in the past year, so he probably doesn't have much income."
"Did he have a history of online gambling?"
"Online gambling? I don't think so! When we were together, he didn't have any bad habits. After we broke up, I don't know. But strangely, a while ago, Zeming asked me if I could lend him some money. I was planning to open a branch store at the time, so I didn't lend him any."
Fang Rui continued, "Do you know Liu Jiale?"
"Yes, I do. Jiale was Zeming's apprentice, and they had a good relationship. Jiale was even Zeling's boyfriend at one point, but they broke up later. After that, Jiale and Zeming's relationship also became strained, seemingly due to differences in creative ideas. Zeming has a bit of a temper and sometimes acts without consideration for others' feelings, easily offending people."
Mentioning Liu Jiale, Lin Lan's expression softened a bit, "Jiale is a very talented artist. His future achievements might even surpass Zeming's. But Zeming was too harsh on him, always suppressing him, causing him to lose some confidence. This might be the main reason for their falling out."
After a long selection process, Mu Mian finally chose a cake with a rose and Little Prince theme.
Lin Lan asked, "Miss Mu, when would you like to pick up the cake?"
"Sunday morning."
"I'm sorry, our shop isn't open on Sunday mornings. I have to attend church service on Sundays. Could you come on Saturday evening instead? I'll wait for you no matter how late!"
"Saturday it is, then."
"Thank you so much for understanding. Here's your receipt. Remember to bring it with you when you come to pick up the cake." Lin Lan wrote out the receipt and handed it to Mu Mian.
As Mu Mian took the receipt, she noticed several books on Lin Lan's desk. Judging by the titles on their spines, most were detective novels. On top of the pile was a Bible, its embossed golden title somewhat faded, evidence of frequent use.
Suddenly, Mu Mian remembered the code on the small piece of paper:
Deuteronomy 18:9
Lin Lan seemed to sense Mu Mian's gaze. She casually placed the receipt book on top of the Bible, covering its title.
Mu Mian asked, "May I take a look at that book? I'd like to write a blessing from the Bible on the cake, but I've forgotten the exact words. I'd like to check it."
