Liwu and He Xiao Yi arrived at Qin Yifei’s house, a stand alone villa in a private estate reserved for city hall employees. Weijun had built it to give those who served him a stress free living environment.

Qin Yifei was not a city hall employee, but he had pulled some strings to move to City hall bay, as it was called. It was not an exaggerated living area or a show piece, but a practical haven.

Two modest apartment buildings rose on either side of the main lane, their walls painted with earthy tones. No gilded balconies, just clean lines, wide windows, and small gardens at the base.

There was a shared playground, scattered with children’s toys and an in-house restaurant and clinic that operated 24/7, which was operated by city hall. But everyone knew the money went to Weijun, not the city.

The air smelled faintly of sweet flowering shrubs and peace.

Beyond the apartments, twelve villas stood in neat rows, each separated by low stone walls and shaded by trees. The villas were not grand mansions, but they carried a quiet dignity: tiled roofs, porches with wicker chairs and lanterns that glowed softly at dusk. It was the dream house for those who worked in city hall, but villas were reserved for those who had earned steady positions.

Liwu’s eyes swept the lane. A woman was carrying groceries in a bamboo basket. A gardener was pushing a wheelbarrow of soil. A woman in a guard uniform was walking with an obvious robot panda. This was the ind of neighborhood were people valued routine and order.

It was like dragon mountain, but calmer.

"How much do you think they pay in rent?" He Xiao Yi asked her.

Liwu laughed. "Probably more than what they earn at their real jobs. Government salaries are shit. Not a day goes by when I am not grateful that I was born to two wealthy families." She lowered the window, smiling softly. "There is something secure in the knowledge that I can buy all these houses and not make a dent in my account. Every minute that I exist, I earn between one to ten million from somewhere."

Xiao Yi rolled his eyes. But he chuckled anyway, because Liwu was not the kind to talk about her wealth or flaunt it. Even when she did, she just laid down facts. "It’s almost too quiet here. You can tell they were all instructed to keep things neat, not flashy and clam. The mayor wanted to buy loyalty, not envy."

She smirked. "More like control. A place where all his employees could live close, under the watchful eye of his men, but feel rewarded. At the end of the day, Weijun is a calculative politician more than he is an architect."

They stopped before one of the villas. The was simple: pale walls, a wooden door, and a small garden with white roses and trimmed hedges. In the winter, they ought to have been frozen, but they were thriving. They both knew something system related was keeping the plants thriving.

Not just at this villa, but the entire residence. The snow was too little, and the cold too easy.

"I don’t think your husband reported whatever it was he used to keep this place almost a snow free zone." He Xiao Yi commented.

Liwu shrugged. "It was before the bureau moved into this city. I will be sure to check however, and ensure that taxes are paid next year for the winter free zone."

Her temporary partner shuddered. There was not a doubt in her mind that he was feeling sorry for her husband.

The door was opened shortly after she waved at the camera. Inside, the man they had come to question waited. He was a government employee, not very high, but not too low to be dismissed. His villa reflected the guidelines of Civil hall bay: tidy, practical, with shelves of books, a bonsai tree near a window, and the faint scent of tea.

Liwu stopped at the threshold, taking in the environment. It was nice, yes, but not exaggerated. Until you started pricing the simplicity. The furniture was antique--expensive. The bonsai was a special breed--expensive. The chandeliers, the shelves. the curtains, the electronics, nothing about them was simple!

And yet, the house gave off a simple feel. It spoke of a quiet home where a couple treasured their children and enjoyed quiet evenings.

The deeper they moved into the house, the more she observed and added price tags to everything within view.

Three guards stood stiff, one in the living room, one at the entrance and one upstairs. They didn’t react when Liwu and He Xiao Yi flashed their badges.

Qin Yifei was sitting on a couch, drinking wine while scrolling through his phone. He waved them over casually, setting the phone down on the table. "No need to flash your badges, I would recognize you both anyways. Detective Tai Liwu, because she is famous worldwide and you...." his eyes roamed over He Xiao Yi. "Profiler, boy wonder. He Xiao Yi. I have read all three books that you published and I am a fan."

Liwu turned to her temporary partner, eyes wide in undeniable shock. "After we grill him, it will be your turn."

He Xiao Yi rolled his eyes. He responded curtly to Qin Yifei, "Thank you. I have never revealed my name or identity to the world. Looks like you dug into me deeply."

Qin Yifei shrugged. "I just wanted to know the identity of one of my favorite authors. Nothing hostile about it."

Liwu raised her brows. She took in Qin Yifei’s physique: tall, fit, military hair cut, slightly handsome, impeccably dressed. He didn’t have the kind of face that made you take a double look, but he when the face was combined with his height, cleanliness and aura, he did make heads turn. He seemed to be friendly on the outside, but his gaze was sharp enough to slice through silence.

Detectives," he said smoothly. "To what do I owe the honor? Let me guess, someone was murdered and my name came up. Can I save you all the time by saying I did not do it?"