Ji Jie set down the dissection scalpel and carefully draped the white cloth over the remains.
Exiting the autopsy room, she immediately peeled off her white latex gloves and meticulously scrubbed her hands at the sink. Behind her, two men had been waiting patiently, well aware of the fastidious habits of this renowned female forensic examiner from the city's procuratorate. They stood in silence, letting her finish—after all, her reputation for being a germaphobe was no secret.
"Dr. Ji, what's the secondary confirmation on the cause of death?" asked Officer Liu from the Criminal Investigation Division, stepping forward.
Ji Jie dried her hands and glanced up, slightly surprised. Officer Liu had been handling this case from the start, but the man standing rigidly beside him—if she remembered correctly—was Chi Jun, the squad leader of the division.
She had met him once before. His striking features had left an impression.
"Death by suicide, confirmed. No suspicious substances detected in the body," she replied evenly.
The deceased had only been seventeen. The city police department's own forensic team had already examined the body, but the family refused to believe it was suicide. With tensions escalating, the case had been referred to the procuratorate for a second opinion.
Officer Liu scratched his head sheepishly. "Sorry for the trouble, Dr. Ji. Dragging you in on a weekend and all."
Ji Jie gave a faint smile. "It's fine."
Chi Jun's pulse quickened. Strictly speaking, this case didn’t require his involvement. But when he’d overheard Officer Liu on the phone with the procuratorate and caught Ji Jie’s name, something had stirred inside him.
He had never forgotten the first time he saw her—dressed in white, moving unflinchingly through a blood-soaked crime scene during a major investigation. The image had seared itself into his memory. And now, as if pulled by some unseen force, here he was.
"Dr. Ji," he said with a polite nod. "I'm Chi Jun."
The man before her stood tall in his police uniform, every inch the disciplined officer. His sharp, angular features lived up to his reputation as the "face of the Criminal Investigation Division"—a title often joked about among colleagues.
Ji Jie smiled, pleased that the other party hadn't extended a hand for a handshake. "Hello, Captain Chi. I've heard so much about you."
Chi Jun had already done his homework on her and was well aware of her mysophobia. Seeing the faint amusement in her eyes, he felt his preparation hadn't gone to waste.
"The case Xiao Liu is working on—really appreciate your help. I was wondering if you might have some time later to—"
Before he could finish, Ji Jie's phone rang from her pocket.
"Excuse me," she said, stepping away to a corner to take the call.
Xiao Liu, watching her walk off, nudged his captain. "She's gone, boss. No use staring."
Chi Jun frowned. "I'll wait for her here. You go ahead and report back."
Meanwhile, on the other end of the line, Ji Jie's mother was in full lecture mode.
"Xiao Jie, this blind date was arranged by Auntie Zhang. His job might be ordinary, but he’s hardworking and reliable. Don’t you dare mess with him this time."
Ji Jie sighed. "Mom, how many is this now? I’m only twenty. Marriage isn’t even on my mind."
"Twenty is plenty old enough! If it weren’t for this… *profession* of yours, I wouldn’t be rushing like this! Look at you—pretty, smart—why on earth did you have to go into *forensic pathology* of all things..."
Ji Jie could already hear the familiar "back in my day" rant brewing and quickly agreed just to cut it short. Worst case, she’d scare off another one.
"Alright, alright. I’ll go. On time."
Satisfied with the answer, her mother finally let up and hung up after a few more nagging reminders.
Ji Jie had already made up her mind. As she turned to change, she noticed Chi Jun still standing outside the autopsy room.
"Was there something else, Captain Chi?"
