The Vanishing Lover

Qin Guan's biggest problem was that he always underestimated everyone besides himself.

Xu Ruyi had actually sensed this issue when they were dating – back in university, during their chats, Qin Guan would occasionally make a few mocking remarks about professors or classmates. After starting work, he would privately speak of certain colleagues or peers with a distinct air of disdain.

Especially towards women.

Qin Guan had always believed that women's brains were far less developed than men's.

In the past, Xu Ruyi had been extremely tolerant of this.

Because back then, her heart and eyes were filled with him, only him.

Love is blind; she loved everything about him passionately.

Besides, he was outstanding – a young man who had constantly struggled upward from a poor environment, a man who had maintained excellent grades through self-study since childhood. Most of his remarks, she thought, were just expressions of his confidence.

Xu Ruyi usually just smiled when she heard them, not taking them too seriously.

It wasn't until the Qi Min disappearance case progressed that Xu Ruyi gradually realized Qin Guan was genuinely "arrogant."

And this became Qin Guan's fatal weakness.

He underestimated Li Yang, Qi Min, "Zeng Demei," and the police far too much. And, of course, her, Xu Ruyi.

For example, after seeing Qi Min alive in the park, he was certain Qi Min's scheme had completely failed.

For example, when the police still hadn't found Qi Min, Qin Guan secretly investigated Xinhe Hotel, then caused a scene at the police station, adamantly insisting "Xu Ruyi is lying! Xu Ruyi did go to see Qi Min!" – his absolute confidence actually had no basis at all.

Of course, he also tried every possible means: going to Tianfu Hotel, finding witness Yang Qingqing, searching for surveillance footage, swearing to prove that Xu Ruyi had been at Xinhe Hotel that afternoon before the car accident.

The more he struggled, the more he ended up shooting himself in the foot.

In Qin Guan's view, Xu Ruyi's acting in that farce was shockingly clumsy.

But in fact, regarding that day's events, Xu Ruyi hadn't lied at all.

Yes, that night, she was covered in blood when she drove her Cadillac straight into the residential complex's flower bed. After she was hospitalized, all the evidence seemed to prove she was lying, and Qin Guan was adamant she was acting.

He insisted she staged this accident to cover up the fact that Qi Min was alive, insisted she had spent the entire afternoon with Qi Min.

He even tried every trick to coax their daughter, attempting to get the child to testify that Xu Ruyi hadn't been at Ocean World, but at Xinhe Hotel.

He pressed too hard, too confidently.

Actually, that afternoon, Xu Ruyi truly did not go to Xinhe Hotel to find Qi Min.

Because she went in the morning.

On the morning of the incident, after seeing Qin Guan off, Xu Ruyi and Auntie Feng took Little Pear to Ocean World as agreed the day before.

Ocean World was very close to Xinhe Hotel where Qi Min was staying – this was, of course, deliberately chosen by Xu Ruyi.

Every Tuesday morning, Ocean World held a mermaid show lasting about an hour and a half – it was Little Pear's favorite. Every time she watched it, she felt the time passed too quickly, too short.

Xu Ruyi took Little Pear to a seat in the mermaid show theater, then excused herself to take a phone call.

Because she knew that as long as her daughter heard about mermaids or saw them, her little head would be filled with nothing else.

Even if Qin Guan asked about it afterward, during that hour-plus, Little Pear would be fully immersed in the show. She wouldn't notice why Mom's phone call took so long or when Mom came back.

The child would prove she was present the whole time.

During that hour-plus gap, Xu Ruyi went straight to Room 201 at Xinhe Hotel.

She finally met Qi Min.

Qi Min yanked the door open angrily, her face furious – she had clearly just argued with someone. Red handprints were still visible on her face, and there were scratches of varying sizes on her neck and arms.

"Zeng Demei."

It could only be that "Zeng Demei," her fake mother.

Clearly, with the plan failed, Qi Min and her teammate "Zeng Demei" had fallen out.

Seeing Xu Ruyi, Qi Min was briefly surprised, then her expression settled – she had only given her address to Qin Guan, yet it was Xu Ruyi who showed up at her door. Even with minimal thought, Qi Min knew this was the wife coming to confront her about the affair.

This must also be with Qin Guan's backing.

"He sent you?"

Qi Min was in a terrible mood – the plan had failed, no money gained, beaten by her teammate, betrayed by Qin Guan. Things had reached this point, everything was laid bare; there was no point in saying nice, hypocritical words anymore.

Her face was cold; it was hard to muster her usual smile. She glared hatefully at Xu Ruyi, but the insults spilling from her mouth were directed at someone else. "What a useless man! Doesn't even dare show his face, sends his wife to deal with it..."

"My being here has nothing to do with him,"

Xu Ruyi cut Qi Min off firmly. She looked at the unfamiliar-looking, short-haired Qi Min, her face a mix of complex emotions, and got straight to the point: "I came to find you behind Qin Guan's back. I'm not here to question you about the affair. I'm here to ask what you plan to do next."

"Xu Ruyi met Qi Min. I can't be certain now whether it was afternoon. I always thought it was afternoon. If you can't find evidence, then it was very likely the morning. In any case, it was that day. They met at Xinhe Hotel."

When he mentioned the words "Xinhe Hotel," Qin Guan subtly drew in a breath, trying hard to steady his emotions.

Based on his usual experience, criminals often show some emotional fluctuation when mentioning the specific location of a crime or the actual murder weapon – in some difficult cases, the police discover flaws precisely because of a suspect's special reaction when mentioning a certain location.

Perhaps the lie detector was already showing abnormal readings at this moment.

"They met,"

Qin Guan took a deep breath, furrowed his brow tightly, appearing thoughtful and deeply troubled – if the lie detector showed unusual activity now, he had to attribute it to the point of "them meeting."

"They met behind my back! Earlier, outside the supermarket, I said Xu Ruyi was following me. You said she wasn't present, the nanny Feng Xiangping wasn't present, Xiao Zhi wasn't present. I... I still haven't figured out how exactly she managed it. But this time, please, you must believe me!"

*"The most crucial turning point in this case is right here, in this meeting they had! They re-plotted in Room 201 at Xinhe Hotel! The two of them joined forces! My wife and my mistress joined forces to deal with me!"*

"I implore you, Captain He!" He took a sharp breath, looking at Old He with urgent anticipation. "Investigate! Check Xu Ruyi's car, check all surveillance cameras, security footage from buildings near Xinhe Hotel, check everything! Go check! You will definitely see her figure going to Xinhe Hotel!"