Director Jiang, don't let the divorce get out of control.

"I understand. I'll go report to Director Shen anyway and ask about the situation while I'm at it."

"Go ahead," He Huahua waved her hand.

Wen Ruan went straight to Shen Yicheng's office.

When she knocked and went in, Shen Yicheng was organizing a stack of folders.

Hearing the voice, he looked up and saw it was her. He breathed a slight sigh of relief. "You've come at the right time. The matter of the trending topic is basically over. Don't worry."

"But I have a meeting this afternoon and I have to leave soon. There's something I'd like to ask you."

Wen Ruan was taken aback. "Please speak."

Shen Yicheng raised his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Lin Xia hasn't come since the day of the forum, and she doesn't answer her phone... HR contacted her emergency contact, but the number is not in service."

Wen Ruan was extremely surprised. "So you can't find her now?"

"Yes." Shen Yicheng's expression was solemn. "Logically speaking, her behavior constitutes absenteeism, and we just need to follow the procedures to dismiss her."

"But she handled several internal documents during her tenure, including drafts of external exchange projects. If they were leaked, it would cause some trouble."

"Then what do you need me to do?"

"You're not scheduled to work today, could you go to her registered address for me? If you find her, have her come to the hospital to sign a confidentiality agreement and go through the resignation process."

Shen Yicheng was exceptionally sincere, "Even if we can't find her, we need to make sure she's safe. It's not good to let too many people know about this. You're meticulous, and I trust you."

Wen Ruan agreed almost without hesitation, "Okay, send me the address, I can go there now."

Otherwise, if she stayed at the Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation, she would also be translating documents.

"Okay." Shen Yicheng breathed a sigh of relief and immediately sent the address from Lin Xia's information to Wen Ruan.

Just then, there was a knock on the office door.

Shen Yicheng's assistant pushed open the door and came in. "Director Shen, it's time to leave."

"Thank you for your help." Shen Yicheng stood up, looked at Wen Ruan, and hesitated before speaking.

"No." Wen Ruan shook her head, then asked suspiciously, "Is there anything else, Director Shen?"

Shen Yicheng's eyes flickered slightly, but he ultimately shook his head. "It's alright, be careful on the road."

"Okay." Wen Ruan returned to her office and turned off her computer.

Seeing this, He Huahua was startled and asked in a low voice, "Ruan Ruan, where are you going? Did you get scolded by Director Shen?"

Should we fire her?

No!

Looking at the terrified and desperate expression on her face, Wen Ruan's eyes flashed with helplessness. "I'm just going on a field mission, what are you thinking about all day?"

He Huahua immediately breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh, I see. You scared me to death..."

"I'm leaving now."

Wen Ruan left the Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation with her bag.

Once in the car, the image of Shen Yicheng's hesitant expression before he left suddenly flashed through her mind.

At that moment, Director Shen seemed to have something to say...

Unable to come up with a solution, Wen Ruan simply stopped thinking about it.

Forty minutes later, the taxi stopped at the entrance of Xinglan Residential Area.

Wen Ruan got out of the car, found the floor where Lin Xia lived, took the elevator to the door of 402, and rang the doorbell.

She pressed the doorbell several times, but no one answered.

Wen Ruan frowned, took out her phone, and dialed Lin Xia's number. She pressed her ear against the door and could vaguely hear a faint ringing sound.

But no one answered the phone.

Wen Ruan's heart sank. Lin Xia was clearly at home, but she wouldn't answer the phone or open the door.

Will something bad happen?

Wen Ruan hesitated, wanting to go directly to the property management...

Suddenly, the door to apartment 401 next door opened, and a woman in her forties carrying trash came out.

Seeing Wen Ruan's surprised expression, she asked, "Are you looking for someone from this family?"

"Hello, I'm her colleague. She hasn't been to work for several days, so I came to check on her."

The neighbor thought for a moment and said, "I saw this girl come back three days ago, and she hasn't left the house since..."

Wen Ruan's eyes narrowed slightly as she made her decision.

"Thanks."

She thanked her neighbor, then turned to the property management office to explain the situation.

After hearing her purpose, the property management staff hesitated for a moment, but still picked up the spare key and went upstairs with her.

"Just in case, I'll turn on the recording. You don't mind, do you?" Wen Ruan said thoughtfully.

"I don't mind, this will also prove my innocence." The property management staff nodded.

Wen Ruan turned on the camera and started recording.

When the property management staff opened the door, a strange, indescribable smell wafted out.

"What does it taste like?"

The property management staff frowned, feeling a bit disgusted.

Wen Ruan walked into the apartment and glanced around. The decor was very simple, and the curtains were drawn tightly.

Lin Xia was not in the living room.

"Lin Xia?" Wen Ruan called out and walked towards the bedroom.

The property management staff followed behind her. Wen Ruan knocked on the bedroom door, "Lin Xia?"

No response.

"I'm opening the door," Wen Ruan said to the property management staff, and pushed open the bedroom door.

The moment the door opened and she saw what was inside, Wen Ruan's pupils constricted sharply, and her whole body froze.

"Ah—!" The property manager screamed in terror, "Ugh..."

He turned around and rushed out to vomit.

Lin Xia lay on the bed, her limbs twisted in an abnormal position, blood flowing from her seven orifices, and the bed sheet was soaked with blood in large areas.

Wen Ruan felt a churning in her stomach, but she gritted her teeth and pinched her palms hard, forcing herself to calm down.

She slowly backed away, staggering towards the door. The property management staff member, too afraid to enter, said palely, "She...she...is she dead?"

"I'll call the police first..." Wen Ruan suppressed the urge to vomit, dialed the police number, and explained the situation.

The police arrived very quickly after learning of the murder.

The scene was cordoned off, and forensic experts and criminal police officers entered and exited one after another.

When questioned by Wen Ruan and the property management, she produced the surveillance footage and concisely explained why she had come there.

The young police officer in charge of the questioning finished taking her statement, closed his notebook, glanced at her, and said, "Ms. Wen, you look terrible. We don't have anything else to ask you for now. Where do you live? I'll have someone take you home."

Wen Ruan nodded in a hoarse voice, "...Thank you."

She was really shocked today.

Wen Ruan followed an auxiliary police officer toward the elevator, feeling weak all over, as if she were walking on cotton.

"bite"

The elevator doors slowly opened, and just as she was about to step out, she froze the moment she looked up.

"Miss Jiang, what brings you here?" Wen Ruan asked in surprise, looking at the person in the elevator.

Jiang Wanxing was looking at her phone when she heard Wen Ruan's voice. Her expression changed slightly, and she looked up at her. "Ruan Ruan? What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for a colleague, what about you?"

"I..." Jiang Wanxing was about to answer when her gaze passed over her and she saw that the door to room 402 was cordoned off.

Her expression changed drastically, and her lips trembled as she asked, "The colleague you came to see, it's not... Lin Xia, is it? What happened to her?"

Jiang Wanxing had a bad feeling.

"You know Lin Xia?" Wen Ruan was even more surprised.

Lin Xia has been at the Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation for about a month, and she has never revealed her relationship with Jiang Wanxing.

Upon hearing that Jiang Wanxing might know the victim, the auxiliary police officer's eyes instantly sharpened.