As soon as Zhao Jian arrived, the tense atmosphere in the courtyard immediately dissipated. Even Jiang Qiao had to admire the effectiveness of Zhao Jian's official robes.

"Uncle Zhao, I haven't seen you in so long! What have you been up to lately? Come on, let's go inside and talk."

As Zhao Jian walked, he sighed, "What am I busy with? Just busywork. I've run into some problems and have no other choice, so I came here to relax and maybe find some inspiration."

Qiao Jie gave a wry smile. "Comrade Zhao, it's fine if you're just here to see a doctor, but asking about finding a way to feel something sounds unreliable. We're just ordinary people, what can we offer you?"

After sitting down inside, Zhao Jian looked up at Jiang Qiao and Jiang Qiao. "Uncle Qiao, Jiang Qiao, I heard that you two were also at the scene when the female corpse was discovered. Can you tell me how you felt?"

Qiao Jie shook his head and gave a bitter smile. "I was outside with others at the time. By the time I found out, the person had already been carried down the mountain."

Zhao Jian then looked at Jiang Qiao and asked, "Little Qiao, let's be honest, how do you feel?"

Jiang Qiao sighed, "I don't really feel anything, I just find it quite strange. How did that woman get there in the deep mountains and forests? Why did they kill her? There must be a reason, right?"

If it's rape, then it must have been someone the woman knew. You're saying a lone man and woman traveling that far away couldn't possibly be for a romantic encounter? That's too far-fetched.

Zhao Jian gave Jiang Qiao a thumbs up, "No wonder Old Cui spoke so highly of you back then, you really hit the nail on the head."

Jiang Qiao looked up at Zhao Jian and asked, "And then, what's your conclusion?"

Zhao Jian shook his head. "There's no conclusion yet. The initial assessment is that it was rape, but I feel there are too many suspicious points. That woman had a scar on her arm; I don't know if you saw it?"

Jiang Qiao nodded. "And then, you investigated the origin of this scar?"

Speaking of this, Zhao Jian shook his head. "There's no way to find out. I don't know what this thing represents, or maybe it was just something that was put there while working."

Jiang Qiao sighed. Zhao Jian still needs more training; he's too inexperienced.

With a serious expression, he looked at Zhao Jian and said, "Uncle Zhao, I have a suggestion. If it makes sense, you can adopt it; if it doesn't, just consider it a joke."

Since you're already suspicious of this scar, why not think about it from a different perspective? Most people would be suspicious of this scar—a cross-shaped mark. If it wasn't intentionally created, I wouldn't believe it either.

Zhao Jian nodded in agreement, "That's right. Even if it's a burn, it wouldn't look like this. And this woman doesn't have any other injuries, so we can rule out that possibility. The only possibility is that it was deliberately done. But who would do that?"

Jiang Qiao sighed, "Only a ruthless person would do this. We're all just mortals, we all feel pain. I suggest you go to the prison to interrogate some prisoners, or talk to your old superior, Uncle Cui. This is a big deal. You're all in the same system, so you can coordinate. The sooner the case is solved, the better. There might be other things behind this."

This one sentence made Zhao Jian restless, because after Jiang Qiao's analysis, he seemed to have vaguely found the key.

"Qiao'er, thank you for today. If I hadn't come, I really wouldn't have been able to figure things out. I need to go back and report as soon as possible."

Zhao Jian was in a hurry to go back, and Jiang Qiao didn't stop him, but she gave him some apples before he left.

"Hey, take this home for your wife and kids. Come over anytime you have time. Didn't you see how those people acted like mice before a cat when you came over?"

Zhao Jian put it in his pocket without ceremony, and patted Jiang Qiao's hair. "Thanks, girl. When I have time, I'll definitely come over for a visit. Just don't find it bothersome. I'm leaving now. If I have any more questions, I'll come back to you."

Watching Zhao Jian leave, Qiao Jie shook his head and sighed, "What kind of mess is this? They think you're their guide? They didn't need to ask you for help with this."

Jiang Qiao also sighed, "They haven't found a clue yet. Once they have a direction, it will be easier to investigate. Actually, this matter is simple. Just bring together all the experts. Whether they are human or ghost, let everyone discuss it together, and we will definitely find a solution."

Since Zhao Jian and the others were willing to investigate, Jiang Qiao wasn't worried about getting no results. As long as they made a breakthrough, the clues would naturally become clear.

She simply refused to believe that only one of those people had been revealed, and the others hadn't left a single trace. She'd be a fool to believe that.

Jiang Qiao tidied up, took out an apple, and shared one with the old man. She also inquired about the family's winter preparations.

“Your father has taken care of everything, so we can have a peaceful winter. He also sent some other things, but I haven’t put them all out. They’re in your room. People often come over here, and I’m afraid they might see them.”

Jiang Qiao nodded to indicate that she understood. The old man ate while reminiscing, "I don't know where your father got these apples, they taste really good. Girl, take some to your older brother tonight. I'll go see your grandfather tomorrow. There's been a lot of trouble in our courtyard, it's better for me to stay with your grandfather for peace and quiet. Can you stay at home by yourself? If not, have your older brother come and stay."

Jiang Qiao nodded to indicate that she was fine. "Grandpa Qiao, go by yourself. Don't treat yourself badly. I'll buy a car later so it will be more convenient for us to go there in the future, instead of waiting for a bus every day."

Qiao Jie wasn't worried about buying a bicycle; with Gu Zhengfeng around, getting a bicycle ticket wouldn't be a problem.

"Alright, you're in charge of important family matters now. Grandpa will listen to you."

When Chunming and the others came to call Jiang Qiao to go to school, they ran into Ning's son-in-law, who was still causing trouble. They could smell the alcohol from a distance.

Chunming couldn't stand it any longer, so he went over and shoved the man, saying, "What are you doing? Do you really think we're all alone in our yard?"

Ning's son-in-law swung his arm, almost causing Chunming to fall. Compared to that man, Chunming was much weaker. Although he was of the right age, his circumstances had been poor these past two years. Even though Song Lianfeng tried her best to make sure the children in the family ate more, they were still a bit weaker than this scoundrel who freeloaded every day.

Seeing that Chunming was at a disadvantage, Zhao Jianjun also spoke up, "What are you doing? Want to fight? Fine, if you're so capable, I'll call the police right now. He just left a short while ago."

Seeing Zhao Jianjun run out, Ning's son-in-law came out cursing and staggering. Jiang Qiao thought he was very capable, but it turned out he was afraid of something too. Taking advantage of the man's inattention, she stretched out her foot and tripped him, sending him sprawling face-first into the dirt.

"you--"

Men aren't stupid. Even if they're drunk, in Jiang Qiao's eyes, they're just pretending to be drunk. They're perfectly clear-headed. If they were truly drunk, they would just fall asleep. Why would they bother coming over? They're just faking it.