Chapter 1 Zhang Lin's Exhaustion

Zhang Lin had just arrived home in the evening when he received a message from Wu Peng: Fancy a couple of drinks?

Looking tired, Zhang Lin replied: I’m exhausted. Another day.

Two minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Zhang Lin frowned and opened it, finding Wu Peng standing outside with two crates of beer.

"What are you waiting for? Give me a hand." Wu Peng thrust one of the crates into Zhang Lin's arms and strode into the house.

Zhang Lin had no choice but to close the door behind him.

Wu Peng had been to Zhang Lin's home when they were in the band. He lived alone, and it was convenient to rehearse here sometimes.

Several years had passed in a flash. Coming to this room again, all the musical instruments were gone, replaced by neatly arranged furniture and a quilt folded into a tofu-like square on the bed.

"You used to be much more interesting," Wu Peng said, looking around. His gaze finally settled on Zhang Lin's stern face.

Thinking back to Zhang Lin in those days, he was at least a rock youth, much more interesting than the rigid and serious person he was now.

Zhang Lin said flatly, "Your skin is much thicker than it used to be."

Wu Peng smiled, sat down casually at the table, and looked at the person opposite him. "No choice, life is hard. Don't look at me like I owe you money. Weren’t you tired? I brought the beer straight up, so we can drink it here."

Zhang Lin sat down, his expression clearly showing his disgust. Back then, they were the type to break off friendships over a disagreement, but now he was actually taking the initiative to come to his door for a drink. Looking at the still-healing scar on his arm, he couldn't bring himself to tell him to leave.

The two of them each grabbed a bottle of beer and drank straight from the bottle. It was Heineken, the only brand they both liked in the band.

"Do you still play music?" Zhang Lin asked.

Wu Peng smiled wryly. "Just for my own amusement occasionally. To be honest, I think I can understand now why you quit so decisively back then."

Zhang Lin took a long swig, and there was a hint of regret in his eyes as he looked at Wu Peng. He had been a talented singer back then, but now he had become just another cog in the machine.

Zhang Lin put down the bottle and said softly, "I know why you came to me today, but this is confidential information about a case. I can’t tell you."

Wu Peng waved his hand, wiping the beer from the corner of his mouth. "You don't have to tell me, but I have something to tell you."

Zhang Lin glanced at him. "What is it?"

"I went to the Maritime Safety Administration before and found out that Jia Wenjun never passed the yacht driver's license exam."

Zhang Lin retorted, "So what? Not having a license doesn't mean she can't drive a boat."

"What's the rush? I haven't finished yet. I didn't find Jia Wenjun's license information, but I did see information about another person on the Seashell."

"Who?"

"Bai Ma Shan."

"Bai Ma Shan?" Zhang Lin frowned slightly. He had interrogated Bai Ma Shan. This person had alibis before and after Zhao Di's accident, proving that he was with everyone else. Moreover, according to the others on the boat, Bai Ma Shan had drunk a lot, and the drug's effects on him were among the most severe, so he hadn't focused on this person before.

"We can investigate."

Zhang Lin took a sip of beer. "Are you teaching me how to do my job?"

"Just a reminder. I also want you to find the evidence as soon as possible and clear Jia Wenjun's name."

"Clear her name? You think she's innocent?"

Wu Peng shook his beer bottle. "Haven't you guys failed to find any direct evidence to convict her? Actually, you also know that relying solely on that video showing only a silhouette and the speculations of others simply doesn't meet the standards for a conviction."

After a pause, he continued, "Do you think there's any possibility that she's just a scapegoat, and the real killer is still at large?"

Zhang Lin didn't say anything, just drank in silence.

Wu Peng looked at him and knew that they hadn't found any evidence to convict Jia Wenjun, and that they had probably found other clues that were favorable to her.

He looked at Zhang Lin opposite him and said, "Have you found the boat that Teacher Lin told you about?"

Zhang Lin put down his beer bottle. "I told you, I won't tell you. If you want to keep drinking, don't ask."

"Okay, okay, I won't ask. Let's drink." Wu Peng looked at his relaxed expression. After all, they were once brothers. From his expression, Wu Peng could roughly guess that the boat had most likely been found.

Perhaps that was why Zhang Lin didn't say anything when he said Jia Wenjun was innocent just now?

This thought made Wu Peng secretly excited, and he thought about telling Jia Wenjun this good news first thing tomorrow morning.

Early the next morning, the two men who had been cursing each other last night, one calling the other disloyal and the other calling the other inhumane, one went to the detention center early in the morning, and the other went to the beach where he had seen the boat yesterday.

Jia Wenjun had just finished her chores when she was called out.

Wu Peng told her the information he had learned in the past two days. Jia Wenjun was also very excited to hear that the police might have found the boat that collided with the Seashell. After all, the figure of the black hand wasn't someone on the Seashell, so it could only have come from a small boat. If they found the small boat, it would only be a matter of time before they caught the black hand.

Wu Peng also told Jia Wenjun that Bai Ma Shan knew how to drive a boat. Jia Wenjun paused for a moment and thought of the time on the boat when she had misunderstood Bai Ma Shan, but Bai Ma Shan had helped her despite this.

She shook her head and said, "Brother Bai was the only person on the boat who helped me. If he really wanted to frame me, he wouldn't have bothered helping me. He could have just stood by and watched."

Wu Peng saw that Jia Wenjun trusted Bai Ma Shan so much, so he didn't say anything more. He asked her about the interrogation and then relayed what Lawyer Liu had asked him to tell Jia Wenjun. Finally, he said, "If things go smoothly and the police find the real culprit, we'll be prepared. You should be able to get out of here soon."

This was the best news Jia Wenjun had heard in the days since she had been here. She held back the slightly red eyes and nodded, "Thank you, Lawyer Wu."

"It's all my responsibility. By the way, Aunt Jia's leg is fine now. She has moved to Uncle Jia's ward to take care of him, and Uncle Jia's condition is gradually stabilizing."

Jia Wenjun felt that the sun was particularly good today. She had heard two good news early in the morning. She looked at Wu Peng. "Although I've said this many times, I still want to say thank you."

At this time, several fishing boats were unloading their cargo on the beach. Zhang Lin recognized the fishermen from yesterday, went over to buy a lot of seafood, and then asked them where Old Jiangtou was.

After selling their goods, several people shouted loudly at a man in his fifties or sixties who was coming down from the boat, "Old Jiangtou, someone is looking for you."

The man looked simple and honest, with a puzzled expression. Zhang Lin had already walked up to him and explained his purpose.

Old Jiangtou looked at the boat. "The owner of that boat doesn't come often. I've only seen her once or twice."

"Do you have her phone number?"

Old Jiangtou shook his head. "How would I have that? Besides, she's a girl. Why would I ask her for her phone number? There's nothing to contact her about."

Zhang Lin paused. "Girl? Are you saying the owner of this boat is a girl?"

"Yes, she's tall and thin. I've only seen her twice, once when she went out to sea to fish early in the morning by herself with a fishing rod, and once when she took a man to fish in the evening, but that was all more than a month ago."

The old man thought for a while. "Oh, no, it seems that this boat went out again two weeks ago and then came back, but I didn't see anyone at that time. I just saw the boat was gone, and then the boat came back."

Two weeks ago, counting forward, was exactly when the Seashell had just set sail.

Zhang Lin frowned. "Then did you see what that girl looked like?"

Old Jiangtou thought for a while. "I didn't see too clearly, because it was early morning and evening, and the light wasn't very good, but that girl should be quite pretty. Fishermen are usually rough men. When I suddenly saw a woman come to fish, I just took a few more glances. I don't know her phone number or anything."

Zhang Lin thought for a while, looked at the seafood on the old man's boat, and said, "How about this, Master, you leave me your phone number. If I want to buy seafood, I'll call you."

Old Jiangtou didn't suspect anything and gave him the number.

Zhang Lin got into the car, and the first thing he did was call the Fisheries Administration to have them impound the evidence here.