After that, it was the beginning of a nightmare.
Zhou Qingping lost her job. The prolonged mental strain led her to develop depression.
Xiao Shan was originally on the verge of being expelled from school, but one of his academic papers caught the attention of higher-ups and stirred quite a buzz in the domestic mathematics community. They couldn’t touch him for the time being and had no choice but to let it go.
During that period, Zhou Qingping carried their child to term and gave birth to little Liangzai.
Under Xiao Shan’s care, her depression slowly improved.
This strong young woman, even in the face of hardship, never gave up her obsession.
She insisted on continuing to report the case and file appeals—until the law returned justice to her!
Xiao Shan supported her decision.
While completing his studies, he helped his girlfriend pursue justice.
But the blows kept coming, one after another, never ending.
They didn’t even need the real culprit to make a move—his cronies, sycophants who thrived under his shadow, were more than enough to punish these two young people who didn’t know their place.
Through countless setbacks, Xiao Shan completed his graduate studies.
He gave up pursuing a PhD and moved to J Province, joining H University.
Five years ago, with policy changes from above and a tightening political climate, several “big tigers” fell from grace.
That gave him a glimmer of hope.
He submitted a letter of accusation to the relevant department. That man’s company was investigated and came dangerously close to collapse.
But a centipede dies but does not stiffen. The man had immense power and influence. Though it took time and effort, he managed to smooth things over in the end, emerging unscathed.
But Xiao Shan’s actions had clearly enraged him.
The man had tolerated the young couple’s defiance for years—he’d finally had enough. Soon after, Xiao Shan was prosecuted for intentional injury and sentenced to three years.
A year and a half later, he was released. Zhou Qingping entrusted their son to him and died with hatred in her heart.
Jiang Fuyue said, “You suspect your girlfriend’s death is connected to that man, but you have no proof.”
Xiao Shan’s fingers tightened on his knees. His expression remained blank.
Only he knew—it wasn’t composure but stiffness. He was too frozen to react.
Jiang Fuyue continued her reasoning: “Without proof, the legal system can’t touch him. And even if you had it, it might still not be enough to take him down. You and Zhou Qingping have already paid that price. So, what then?”
Xiao Shan’s fists clenched.
“Unless…” Jiang Fuyue looked straight at him, enunciating clearly, “you use non-normal means.”
“What exactly are you trying to say?!”
“Xiao Shan, I should be asking you—what are you planning?” Her voice was cool and clear, like it could pierce straight through the soul.
He sneered, “Non-normal means? What, you think I’m going to kill someone?”
Jiang Fuyue narrowed her eyes. “Aren’t you?”
Xiao Shan burst out laughing. “Miss Jiang, what a shame you’re not a screenwriter.”
He spread his hands. “Look at me—like this, I’d struggle to chop vegetables, let alone kill anyone. Don’t joke.”
Jiang Fuyue glanced at his legs under the blanket.
He added, “Before making these wild guesses, you might want to learn a bit about my profession and education.”
“You mean to say, Professor Xiao, that you’re a man of the pen, not a butcher with a knife?”
His reply was a disdainful snort.
Jiang Fuyue didn’t seem offended. Her smile stayed calm and steady.
Suddenly—“Since you’re a mathematician, let me tell you two stories.”
Xiao Shan frowned.
Telling stories in the middle of the night?
Absurd.
Before he could object, Jiang Fuyue started speaking—
“You must know Galois? The brilliant 19th-century French mathematician who died young in a duel. He had a close friend named Robert who was unfortunately assassinated one day.”
“The female gatekeeper told Galois that the police had already examined the scene and found no leads—only that Robert had been clutching half a piece of unfinished apple pie, which seemed odd.”
“After investigation, she believed the killer was still in the apartment. But the building had four floors, 15 rooms per floor, over a hundred residents—it was a mess.”
“In the end, Galois pinpointed room 314 on the third floor. The tenant, Michel, was the killer. Why? Because the word for pie is ‘pie’—and in Greek, ‘pie’ is π, which is approximately 3.14.”
Xiao Shan looked up. “I’ve heard that story. What’s your point?”
Jiang Fuyue shrugged. “See? Even mathematicians can be great detectives. They have rigorous logic, strong deduction, meticulous planning, and precise execution.”
“Alright.” She stepped back and clapped. “Here comes the second story.”
“In 1969, a killer calling himself the ‘Zodiac’ launched a string of attacks in the Bay Area, using guns and knives to assault seven people—five died. He sent multiple terrifying letters to the San Francisco Chronicle, some of which were encrypted. One, in particular, had 340 characters—it became the infamous ‘340 cipher.’”
“It wasn’t decoded until thirty years later, by Jarl Van Eycke and Sam Blake. The message went something like: ‘I hope you’re having fun trying to catch me… I’m not afraid of the gas chamber. It’ll get me to paradise faster… because I now have enough slaves to work for me… The beauty of numbers and structure must be consecrated with blood…’”
Jiang Fuyue: “It’s easy to understand most of that—but what does ‘the beauty of numbers and structure’ mean?”
Xiao Shan: “I don’t get what you’re trying to say.”
“No rush. The Zodiac was never caught. Many speculate about his identity. I can tell you this much: he was a mathematician. Numbers are mathematics. Structure is logic. He killed in pursuit of perfection.”
“So, mathematicians not only make good detectives—they’re also potential born killers.”
Xiao Shan trembled.
“Professor Xiao,” Jiang Fuyue walked behind him, placing a hand on the wheelchair handle. “Are you a well-dressed professor… or a bloodstained devil? Have you made up your mind?”
Hearing her soft voice behind him sent a chill down his spine. Goosebumps rose on the back of his neck.
“What’s with the shivering?” Jiang Fuyue smirked. “I don’t bite. On the contrary, I’m here to give you a kind reminder—if you do take that step, make sure you don’t get caught. If you are… what about Little Liangzai? He’s so smart, cute, and well-behaved. Could you bear to leave him?”
Could you bear it?
Could you?
Each word struck deep into his soul.
Xiao Shan felt his blood freeze.
His eyes flickered, and his strained expression began to twitch.
His face turned pale. Sweat poured like rain.
Smack—
Jiang Fuyue clapped her hands. He jumped in fright.
“Looks like I guessed right.”
Xiao Shan had no strength to argue.
Who knows how long passed before he finally muttered, “Who… are you?”
“Someone who can help you. Or rather, someone who wants to make a deal.”
“What can you do for me?” For the first time, Xiao Shan let down his guard—accepting all of Jiang Fuyue’s earlier guesses.
He did have a plan. He was ready to gamble everything.
A mathematician’s knife is in the mind, not the hand.
Jiang Fuyue: “The man who ruined your girlfriend’s life was named Meng Zhiru. As it happens, I have a bit of a grudge with him too. The more I looked into it, the more I realized—fate has brought us together at the perfect time.”
That man is Lou Mingxin’s husband—her precious brother-in-law!
“I’ll hand him over to you. You can do whatever you want. I’ll also make sure your hands stay clean. How about it?”
“Whatever I want? Life or death?”
Jiang Fuyue nodded casually. “Life or death.”
“Heh… Do you know who he is? What kind of power he has?” Xiao Shan sneered.
Back then, he and Qingping had tried everything—used every connection—and still couldn’t shake that towering tree.
And now, this young girl?
Just because she had a sharp tongue?
Jiang Fuyue seemed to read his thoughts. “No matter what I say now, you won’t believe it. So I’ll show you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Day after tomorrow. 10 a.m. Linhuai Airport. Bring your ID.”
With that, Jiang Fuyue ducked into the car.
Liu Jinzhong: “Drive.”
The black Mercedes sped away as quickly as it had come, vanishing into the night.
Xiao Shan sat in his wheelchair, motionless for a long time.
Only when a gust of cold wind blew into his collar did he snap out of it.
In the shadow of night, his expression constantly shifted.
Can he trust her?
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