Chen Yang drove Qin Moyao's police car back to his rented apartment.
It was late, and the lights in Su Qing's room were already out. Chen Yang didn't disturb her. After a quick shower, he fell into bed and was instantly asleep.
The next morning, Su Qing prepared breakfast for Chen Yang as usual. After eating, he drove Qin Moyao's car to the police station.
Su Qing didn't ask about the police car. She knew Chen Yang disliked constraints, so she tried not to pry.
Chen Yang arrived at the police station precisely at 8 AM. When it came to important matters, he was extremely punctual.
Qin Moyao arrived around the same time, wearing her crisp royal blue shirt and police cap - the epitome of a female officer.
"I've contacted the owner of Golden Years. Let's go to his place now," Qin Moyao said.
Chen Yang nodded, "Alright!"
Qin Moyao gave him the address, and Chen Yang drove them there.
Golden sunlight bathed the bustling streets. It was a living tableau of urban life, with everyone seemingly caught up in their own world and hurry. Few stopped to appreciate the beauty of the blue sky or the freshness of the air, or to thank nature for nurturing all things.
"Nature nurtures all things for humanity, yet humanity fails to show even a shred of virtue in return!" Chen Yang mused.
Qin Moyao, recalling something, said, "I looked into the Golden Years case files again last night."
"Oh?" Chen Yang responded.
"I found something rather odd," Qin Moyao continued.
"What is it?" Chen Yang asked eagerly.
"The landlady of Golden Years was named Cheng Ya, 25 years old, a local of Binhai City," Qin Moyao explained.
"What's strange about that?" Chen Yang inquired.
"The strange part is that her ID card was fake," Qin Moyao revealed.
Chen Yang was stunned. "Such a significant detail. How was it overlooked until now?"
Qin Moyao elaborated, "The fake ID was very convincing, and previously, no one focused on the ID itself. It didn't occur to anyone that it might be fake. I only noticed some discrepancies because of advanced photo editing software. Upon further investigation, I found that while Cheng Ya's identity information corresponded to a real person, the actual Cheng Ya died in a car accident six years ago. No one realized these two Cheng Yas were supposed to be the same person."
Chen Yang marveled at the revelation. "This case is becoming increasingly bizarre. Both the landlady and her lover used fake identities. Add to that a Taoist artifact, murder, and a vengeful ghost - it seems everything revolves around that mysterious object."
Qin Moyao remarked, "This is probably the most peculiar case in decades. If I can solve it, I'll have no regrets in my career."
Chen Yang smiled faintly, "Every mystery has its solution eventually."
Soon, they arrived at a small, detached villa with a charming front garden shaded by a large parasol. It exuded a leisurely atmosphere.
One look at the villa told Chen Yang that the owner was quite wealthy.
Chen Yang parked in front of the villa, and they both got out.
Qin Moyao called the owner, who promptly came out to greet them. He was a portly man in his fifties with thinning hair, wearing a casual shirt and sunglasses. He ushered Chen Yang and Qin Moyao into the villa's living room.
The owner, Jin Dahai, was exceptionally warm and polite. As a shrewd businessman, he knew better than to offend public officials like Qin Moyao.
They settled in the living room, and Jin Dahai asked his housekeeper to serve tea.
Chen Yang casually observed the room's decor. The living room was elegantly furnished, with every piece exuding luxury.
"Captain Qin, Mr. Chen, I've prepared the freshest seafood. How about having lunch here today?" Jin Dahai suggested with a smile.
Qin Moyao smiled politely, "You're too kind, Mr. Jin. We hope you don't mind our sudden visit."
Jin Dahai chuckled, "Not at all, Captain Qin. It's an honor to have such distinguished guests grace my humble abode!"
Chen Yang couldn't help but jest, "Mr. Jin, if this is a humble abode, then there are no fine houses left in the world."
Jin Dahai laughed, "Mr. Chen, you're quite the wit."
Chen Yang, dropping the pleasantries, said, "Mr. Jin, we've come today with a purpose. It's about the Golden Years bar."
Jin Dahai had anticipated this. Golden Years, once worth about 20 million, was now a property no one dared to touch, even if offered for free. Hearing Chen Yang mention Golden Years, his interest was piqued. "Oh, what would you like to know, Brother Chen?"
Typical of a businessman, he quickly switched to a more familiar form of address.
Qin Moyao remained silent, leaving everything to Chen Yang.
Chen Yang asked, "Mr. Jin, have you visited Golden Years recently?"
"I've been there occasionally. Why do you ask?" Jin Dahai replied.
Chen Yang spoke gravely, "I'm sure you've noticed the increasing negative energy there. While ancestral graves gathering yin energy can bless descendants, your property is accumulating malevolent energy. I fear that if this continues, it might affect your family's well-being and fortune."
Jin Dahai's expression turned peculiar. Being shrewd, he wasn't easily intimidated. He chuckled, "Thank you for your concern, Brother Chen."
Seeing that his scare tactics didn't work, Chen Yang changed tack. "Captain Qin has been following the Golden Years case. She sought my help to resolve the situation there. We're here mainly to inquire about the strangled landlady."
Jin Dahai's expression changed again. "Aren't you interested in buying Golden Years?" he asked directly.
Chen Yang was momentarily taken aback. "You jest, Brother Jin. Golden Years is so heavy with negative energy that whoever buys it would bring misfortune upon three generations. Why would I consider buying it?"
Jin Dahai, being astute, had initially pegged Chen Yang as a businessman looking to buy Golden Years. He had dismissed Chen Yang's talk of negative energy as a negotiation tactic. But now, hearing that Chen Yang was here to investigate, he grew uneasy.
Golden Years had been a constant source of worry for him. People looked at him strangely, and some even avoided him altogether.
Most people knew that Jin Dahai owned an infamous haunted property.
Realizing that selling the property was unlikely, Jin Dahai became anxious.
Qin Moyao, aware of Chen Yang's intention to open a bar, understood his strategy and didn't expose him. She asked seriously, "Mr. Jin, what kind of person was the strangled landlady? When did she take over your bar?"
Jin Dahai composed himself and replied, his eyes reflecting distant memories, "The landlady, Cheng Ya, was a true beauty. She approached me six years ago, looking barely 20. Despite her youth, she was incredibly capable. She paid 2 million upfront to rent Golden Years for five years. Back then, it wasn't called Golden Years. She single-handedly transformed it into a successful, thriving business."
He paused, then continued, "Cheng Ya was quiet and a bit aloof, but always polite. As for her lover who killed her, I never saw him. He was very mysterious. To be honest, I was interested in her at first, but she politely declined. Interestingly, most bars here have to pay protection money to Liu Jingian, the local kingpin, but Cheng Ya didn't. No thugs ever dared to cause trouble at Golden Years."
Chen Yang noted this point, certain that Cheng Ya was no ordinary person. Indeed, even with a Taoist artifact, an ordinary person couldn't achieve such power after death.
"I have no further questions. Captain Qin, do you?" Chen Yang turned to Qin Moyao.
Qin Moyao shook her head, "I have nothing more to ask."
Chen Yang addressed Jin Dahai, "This case has always been shrouded in mystery. While I'd like to help resolve it, I'm no match for the deceased Cheng Ya in that bar. Her resentment is incredibly powerful. I fear one day she might break free from the bar's confines. When that happens, Brother Jin, you'll need to be very careful of the karmic consequences."
Jin Dahai's face turned pale. "I never disrespected her. Why would she come after me? The debt belongs to the debtor!"
Chen Yang explained, "It's about karmic cause and effect. The property is yours, and you rented it to her. That's the cause, and where there's a cause, there's an effect. If not you, who else would she seek? But Brother Jin, these are just my speculations. Feel free to disregard them." He stood up and said to Qin Moyao, "Captain Qin, shall we go?"
Qin Moyao also stood.
Before they could take a step, Jin Dahai grabbed Chen Yang's hand, pleading, "Brother Chen, since you understand this so well, you must know how to resolve it. Please, you must help me." His face was ashen with genuine fear.
Chen Yang said, "There is a solution, but I can't tell you. If I did, it would harm others."
Jin Dahai was nearly on his knees. "Brother Chen, you can't just leave me like this! I'm begging you. Name your price, anything!"
Chen Yang replied, "This isn't about money, don't you understand? You planted the cause, unless you transfer it to someone else. Only then would Cheng Ya seek out that new cause. In other words, you'd have to transfer the property of Golden Years to someone else. But once you do that, you'd be dooming that person."