“Like whom?” Zhao Yan asked.
Officer Xiao Qin brought the painting closer, studying it for a few moments, then scratched the back of his head. "I can't quite recall, but these eyes… I feel like I've seen them somewhere before."
Wu Jiaxin leaned in and chuckled, "Sister Zhao, you must be drawing Elder Qin."
"Look, the height is quite similar to Elder Qin's, isn't it?"
Unintentional words, but they struck a chord. Zhao Yan froze for a moment.
Then, she thought it through and realized it didn't add up. She had heard the killer's voice, and it didn't sound like Elder Qin's at all.
Wang Qinqin's time of death was past eight o'clock. What was Elder Qin doing then?
She only remembered that Elder Qin was in the interrogation room with her when they were questioning Zhou Ning.
But for the hours before that, Elder Qin wasn't with them.
In the hours prior, Zhao Yan had been with Jiang Yu and the others, tracking down the copycat killer, Zhou Ning.
Could it really be Elder Qin?
Zhao Yan took a deep breath, her heart filled with a complex mix of emotions.
Officer Xiao Qin was lost in thought, staring at the painting. Zhao Yan spoke up, "Officer Xiao Qin, if you remember anything, please tell me."
Officer Xiao Qin nodded. "Alright."
With that, he returned the painting to Zhao Yan's lap.
"Oh, by the way, Miss Zhao, Zhou Ning's trial is scheduled for the eighth of next week."
"She said she hopes you'll be there."
Zhao Yan noted the date and nodded. "Okay, I'll definitely be there."
After discussing some case-related matters with them, Jiang Yu told her to rest well and then left the ward with Officer Xiao Qin and the others.
"Sister Zhao, why the sudden serious expression?" Wu Jiaxin asked Zhao Yan after seeing Jiang Yu and the others out of the hospital entrance.
Zhao Yan shook her head. "It's nothing."
She placed the painting on the table and turned over.
She had been considering that the killer might be an employee of the tin factory, but now the possibility of Elder Qin being involved had emerged.
She still couldn't bring herself to believe that Elder Qin could be the real killer.
These conjectures, when linked together, created a contradiction.
She couldn't see, and needed Wu Jiaxin's help to go to the restroom, which made Zhao Yan very uncomfortable.
After dinner, the doctor administered eye drops.
While the drops were being administered, she could faintly perceive light.
"Your recovery is quite impressive," Dr. Zheng said, looking at Zhao Yan's eyes with a smile.
Zhao Yan thanked the doctor for his care.
Dr. Zheng replied it was nothing. He had heard that Zhao Yan was injured while apprehending criminals and held her in high regard.
After the eye drops were applied, Wu Jiaxin helped her pull up the blanket, urging her to rest early.
With her eyes injured, she couldn't really use her phone and could only listen to audiobooks.
Her days were now filled with eating and sleeping.
"Jiaxin, were there any homicides yesterday?" Zhao Yan asked, lying down but feeling too energetic to sleep.
"Haven't heard of any," Wu Jiaxin replied, shaking her head.
Zhao Yan felt conflicted. Should she tell Jiang Yu that Elder Qin might be the killer?
But Jiang Yu was Elder Qin's disciple. If she alerted him, it would only make things more difficult.
As she was pondering this, there was a knock at the door.
"Who is it now?" Wu Jiaxin whispered.
When she opened the door and saw who it was, she smiled, "Oh, it's you, Boss Lin."
Lin Xihang held a bouquet of flowers and asked with concern, "How is Master Zhao?"
"Much better," Wu Jiaxin said, taking the flowers. She turned to Zhao Yan, "Sister Zhao, Boss Lin is here."
Lin Xihang looked around the ward and said, "This ward isn't good enough. Why don't we move to a VIP room? I know some ophthalmologists, and we can have them take a look. Eye conditions require the utmost caution."
Zhao Yan chuckled, "Never mind, Boss Lin. My eyes will be fine after a few more days of rest. There's no need to go to such lengths."
"What kind of strange wind blew you here today?"
Lin Xihang rolled his eyes and pulled up a chair, complaining, "You clearly don't consider me a good friend. You didn't tell me about such a major incident. If I hadn't seen a picture of 'Buddha bless you' on Xin Xin's moments, I wouldn't have even known you were in trouble."
"I thought it was just a minor matter, no need to broadcast it everywhere," Zhao Yan said softly.
As she spoke, she suddenly caught onto something Lin Xihang had said earlier.
"Boss Lin, you know ophthalmologists, but do you know any psychiatrists?"
Lin Xihang replied, "Quite a few. I've consulted many experts in Jiangcheng for my own condition."
"What? You can't get used to the outside world? Want to go back to a psychiatric hospital?"
Zhao Yan chuckled and rubbed her hands together. "How about you take me to Jiangcheng Affiliated Psychiatric Hospital?"
Jiang Yu had told her that Zhang Wenwen had a close relationship with another psychiatric patient, Qian Chuntao.
Coincidentally, Qian Chuntao's psychiatric episodes also began in 1996.
Zhao Yan had spent over two years in a psychiatric hospital, and she knew very well that if someone suddenly became mentally ill, it was likely due to some severe trauma.
If she went there, she wouldn't be able to get in.
Lin Xihang glanced at his phone. "It's still early, we can go."
"Is your leg okay then?"
Zhao Yan nodded. "My eyes are injured, but my legs are perfectly fine."
"Let's go. I'll get you a wheelchair."
Zhao Yan looked surprised. "Why? Aren't you going to ask me what's going on?"
Lin Xihang said softly, "If you want to go, then go. There's nothing to ask."
"Boss Lin, you're unexpectedly reliable," Zhao Yan said, giving him a thumbs-up.
He found her a wheelchair, and Zhao Yan sat in it.
Wu Jiaxin draped a coat over her from behind.
Zhao Yan took her small bag with her.
"Let's go."
Lin Xihang pushed the wheelchair to the hospital entrance and helped her into the car.
"By the way, Boss Lin, in a little while, I might be getting a new car. Do you have any recommendations?" Zhao Yan said with a hint of pride.
After all, she was about to become a car owner.
"I'll help you look then," Lin Xihang replied.
Zhao Yan recalled the time she bought her phone and waved her hand. "My budget is only 150,000 to 200,000 yuan. I can't afford anything too expensive."
She didn't want to take out loans, even if she might later consider increasing her budget for a better car.
"No problem," Lin Xihang nodded.
As they chatted, they arrived at Jiangcheng Affiliated Psychiatric Hospital.
Lin Xihang made a phone call, and soon someone came to greet them, even the deputy director.
This showed a great deal of respect for Lin Xihang.
Wu Jiaxin pushed her into the psychiatric hospital.
Zhao Yan asked if she could wander around freely.
The deputy director initially said she could only stay within a designated area. However, after Lin Xihang whispered something in his ear, he immediately changed his tune and agreed.
"Deputy Director, you can go ahead with your work. We'll just look around," Lin Xihang said.
The deputy director left.
Zhao Yan asked curiously, "Boss Lin, what did you say that made the deputy director change his mind?"
Lin Xihang said softly, "I just mentioned that I would donate a batch of medical equipment to the hospital."