Neither Li Yang nor the police found Qi Min on the mountain.
There was no trace of her.
The phone number Qin Guan had provided—allegedly Qi Min's new contact—was answered by a stranger who denied knowing anyone named Qi Min. Records confirmed the number belonged to someone else.
From the moment Qin Guan left the supermarket, no one had seen or heard from Qi Min.
"So, Lawyer Qin," the officer pressed skeptically, "you personally saw Qi Min alive and spoke to her? Do you know her current whereabouts?"
Why is this my problem? Qin Guan seethed internally.
"Tell us, Qin Guan! Where is she?!" Li Yang crowed from the doorway, emboldened by Qin Guan's visible panic. "You admitted meeting her on the mountain! What were you two doing there? Why would she see you but avoid me and the police? Admit your affair!"
The chaos spiraled beyond Qin Guan's control. Xu Ruyi, now pale with fury, stood silently by Auntie Feng—her sharp mind piecing together the fragments.
"Yes, I met Qi Min today!" Qin Guan conceded, weaving truth into lies.
He slowed his speech, adopting the measured tone of a lawyer presenting a case. "My car key malfunctioned near the supermarket. I took a taxi to meet a client. Li Yang ambushed me, hurling baseless accusations. After my meeting, while hailing another cab, I spotted someone resembling Qi Min near the mountain house. As her colleague, I approached her. She seemed troubled, mentioned living there, and gave me a contact number. I urged her to reconnect with Li Yang, but she refused to elaborate. That's all I know."
Xu Ruyi listened, suspicion lingering in her eyes.
"Why would she hide from me?" Li Yang blustered, unwittingly playing into Qin Guan's narrative. "We barely fought!"
"Her personal life isn't my concern," Qin Guan shrugged. "I shared her number and location. The rest is between you two."
The officer remained unconvinced. "You claim to have seen her. Any proof?"
A memory flashed—Qi Min slipping something into his pocket as they parted. "She gave me her new address! A hotel room—201!"
Qin Guan rushed to the bathroom, only to find the pants missing.
Auntie Feng halted the washing machine on the balcony. The pants soaked in suds. "I checked the pockets—they were empty. Always do before washing."
Qin Guan's last hope dissolved. The evidence—and his alibi—were gone.