Third Sister is the most well-behaved, don't upset her, don't upset her

Second Sister practiced a round of wild, violent punches—basically just flailing around. There was a hint of aggression in her movements. Soon after, drenched in sweat, she lay sprawled on the training mat without a care for her image, staring blankly at the ceiling.

She was lost in thought, trying to figure out where the case had gone wrong.

Or rather, she was wondering—what exactly had Cao Cheng seen?

When he had gone to deliver food, he had only stayed for about twenty minutes. He hadn’t wandered around, just sat there smoking, keeping his distance from the stacks of case files.

So what could he have possibly seen?

Was he just bluffing her?

Second Sister was stumped.

In the past, her days off had been leisurely and carefree.

But now, she wouldn’t even drink?

She needed to keep a clear head to think through some things.

……

That afternoon.

Cao Cheng lounged in the living room, watching a variety show with his laptop beside him, occasionally tapping away at the keyboard.

The Fourth sat nearby, feeding him pieces of fruit every now and then.

It was a picture of domestic tranquility.

Until Second Sister appeared, radiating an icy aura. A single glance from her was enough to make The Fourth freeze in place.

Second Sister locked eyes with her and gave a slight shake of her head.

The Fourth understood immediately.

She bolted.

Like a mouse fleeing from a cat.

Leaving Cao Cheng behind without a shred of loyalty.

Cao Cheng glanced up at her calmly, a faint smile on his lips. "Figured it out?"

Second Sister’s temper flared. His attitude annoyed her beyond reason.

Maybe it was just a clash of personalities.

But whenever she saw him, she couldn’t control her emotions.

Normally, she was cold and aloof, but she wasn’t outright rude to everyone. She understood social niceties and knew how to play the game.

Yet with Cao Cheng, she just couldn’t hold back.

It was bizarre.

……

"How much do you know about this case?"

Second Sister forced her tone to soften. "If you really know something, please tell me. This case is dangerous—the killer brutally murdered a family of seven. If he’s allowed to stay on the run, more innocent people could be hurt at any moment."

Her tone was much better now.

And she was speaking in full sentences.

In the past, she’d been stingy with words.

The fact that she was going to these lengths meant she’d done some serious mental preparation—she was clearly trying to be more accommodating.

But…

Cao Cheng pointed at the fruit platter on the coffee table. "The Fourth ran off because of you. Now I can’t even eat fruit—my hands are too busy."

As he spoke, he pulled his laptop closer, resting his fingers on the keyboard to emphasize just how occupied he was.

"……"

Could you be any more obvious?

Second Sister—Ren Fanxing—took a deep breath, lips pressed tight, her breathing slightly heavier.

But in the end, she picked up the fruit platter and held it out to him.

Cao Cheng opened his mouth wide. "Aaaah—"

"What?" Second Sister was confused.

"Feed me," Cao Cheng said. "My hands are busy. The Fourth was doing it just fine earlier!"

He wanted her to feed him?!

Second Sister nearly slammed the platter into his face.

This was too much.

The Fourth…

She whipped her head around, but The Fourth was long gone.

Just you wait, The Fourth. What kind of nonsense is this, spoiling him like that?

Feeding him fruit?

Have you lost your mind?

……

Second Sister gritted her teeth. "What… do you want to eat?"

"Orange. Aaaah—"

Cao Cheng’s mouth was wide open—so wide she could see his uvula.

Her irritation skyrocketed.

But she endured the humiliation, speared a piece of orange with a toothpick, and shoved it at him.

"Mmm—not bad, not bad. Even sweeter than when The Fourth fed me. You’re pretty good at this, Second Sister." Cao Cheng didn’t hold back on the praise.

Good work deserved recognition.

That was just common sense.

What was the point of harsh, discouraging discipline?

Some parents could learn a thing or two—constant tough love wasn’t healthy.

[Ding~]

"Happy now?" Second Sister set the platter down, teeth clenched. "Talk."

Cao Cheng blinked. "Happy about what?"

Second Sister’s fists tightened. "Are you going to tell me what you know or not?"

"Did I ever say I would?" Cao Cheng feigned surprise.

"You—!" Second Sister shot to her feet.

Cao Cheng grinned. "I told you—soft words, a smile, and sincerity. You managed the soft words, which I appreciate. The sincerity is there too. But where’s the smile?"

"Seriously? You’re asking for a favor with that scowl? Are you trying to make a request or start a fight? Don’t tell me you don’t know how to smile—I won’t believe it."

Second Sister pressed her lips together, forcing out the most strained smile imaginable.

It was stiff.

But it was progress—a breakthrough from zero to one.

Once a person’s defenses cracked, they’d keep crumbling.

Everyone had a weakness.

For Eldest Sister, it was money.

For Second Sister, it was pride.

Probably.

As for Third Sister… well, Third Sister was the sweetest. No provoking her.

The Fourth? She was an all-rounder—adaptable, strong yet gentle, a versatile warrior.

"Sit."

Second Sister sat.

Cao Cheng decided not to push her further. This had to be a gradual process.

He began, "When I brought you food earlier, I saw the case files on the board."

That explained how he knew.

He needed a plausible story, after all.

"Family of seven—the wife’s parents, the couple, and three kids. The oldest was sixteen, the youngest just nine. Right?" Cao Cheng’s memory was sharp.

Second Sister nodded.

At this point, she was starting to believe he might actually know something.

At the very least, he had seen the case details.

His eyesight was pretty good, huh?

"A massacre like this, followed by arson—that rules out random killing. This was personal. Someone with deep-seated hatred." Cao Cheng analyzed.

Second Sister nodded again.

That was their line of investigation too.

They’d first ruled out robbery and random violence.

The focus was on love triangles, financial disputes, and vendettas.

Love and money motives were unlikely, so they’d been dismissed.

That left revenge.

But…

After interviews, they found the family had been ordinary—neither particularly friendly nor hostile with neighbors, no major conflicts.

Just petty arguments at most.

For someone to wipe out seven lives and then burn the bodies, the grudge had to be massive.

Yet no matter how deep they dug—checking backgrounds, workplaces, neighbors, even visiting their hometown—nothing pointed to that level of hatred.

Finally,

through surveillance footage and a middle schooler’s testimony, they identified a suspect.

This person had been at the victims’ home that night—meaning there were eight people present. Seven died, and one walked away.

That person was the prime suspect.

It was a breakthrough.

But further investigation revealed the man, Li Yi, had been close to the couple—frequent guest, gift-giver, former coworker. No apparent reason for such hatred.

Yet the problem remained.

On the surface, there was no visible hatred, but this Li Yi slipped away afterward and still hasn't been found.

The suspicion keeps growing.

He's most likely the killer—finding him would practically solve the case.