Chapter 1: Poison at the Breaking

The crystal chandelier in the banquet hall fractured into blinding white light. Dust motes danced in the luxurious air, seemingly mocking the absurd farce below. Zhao Mingyu slammed the gold-embossed marriage contract onto Lin Qiaowei’s face. The paper cut through the air with a sharp, decisive crack, scattering across the polished marble floor like shards of shattered dignity.

Whispers from the surrounding guests rushed toward her like a tide, thick with contempt and prying curiosity. Those refined gazes pinned Lin Qiaowei in place, creating a suffocating, viscous pressure that made it hard to breathe. Liu Guifen trembled with rage, her nails digging deep into her palms. She opened her mouth to reprimand the rude upstart, but a cold wrist gently halted her.

The arm belonged to an elder from the clan standing nearby. His face was pale blue, but he bit back his words with iron discipline, refusing to speak a single syllable.

Zhao Mingyu adjusted his cufflinks, the metal flashing with a cold, hard sheen under the lights. His gaze dripped with disdain. "Qiaowei, you spend all day playing with those filthy animals. You're wasting your life on toys. You don't have the pedigree to match the Zhao family."

Lin Qiaowei didn’t move. Instead, she calmly crouched down, her fingertips touching the cold floor. She picked up the scattered pages of the contract, her grip twisting the edges into unintentional creases. Her eyes were as still as dead water. There was no anger, no pleading. Only the quiet calm before the storm.

Lin Qiaowei looked up. Her voice wasn’t loud, but it cut through the surrounding noise with crystal clarity. "Mr. Zhao. A twisted melon doesn’t taste sweet. I wish you clear days ahead."

She turned and left. The click of her high heels hit the floor in a steady rhythm, each step landing like a nail in Zhao Mingyu’s tightened nerves. The exact moment she stepped through the revolving door of the banquet hall, her phone in her pocket began vibrating violently. The screen flashed with Shen Junhe’s name, marked in bright red with the label "Emergency."

Meanwhile, in the ER, a furry paw scratched restlessly against the floor, making a sound that set teeth on edge. The frantic frequency felt like a silent scream for help.

Inside the car, the engine roared as the city’s night lights blurred past the windows. Lin Qiaowei drove with one hand while snatching the black emergency kit from the back seat with the other. Her fingers swiftly pried open the lid, checking the epinephrine, atropine, and the new antidote with the smooth proficiency of a ritual. In her mind, the outline of the Golden Retriever grew sharper.

This was Bai Lu, the beloved dog of Shen Junhe, the Criminal Police Captain. On the phone just moments ago, Shen Junhe’s voice had remained steady, but his speech was rapid, betraying an unmasked anxiety. In the background, you could even hear the harsh beeping of medical instruments.

Lin Qiaowei predicted the symptoms. If it was organophosphate poisoning, the pupils would dilate and saliva would increase; if it was a neurotoxin, the dog would suffer severe convulsions. Before seeing Bai Lu, she had to rule out all common causes and pinpoint the unconventional toxin. Every millisecond of hesitation could be the line between life and death.

Inside the ER, the air reeked of disinfectant mixed with the sharp smell of animal musk, underlaid by a sense of despairing decay. Shen Junhe paced the cramped room, his leather shoes screeching against the floor in a frantic rhythm. Every step carried lingering anger and anxiety.

The assistant vet pushed up his glasses, shrugging helplessly. He flipped through his report, the pages rustling, but he couldn’t find a single valuable lead.

Shen Junhe stopped, his back to the door, fists clenched. "Routine blood tests are all normal? Then what the hell is this poison that’s hurting my dog this badly?"

The assistant handed over the report, his voice trembling slightly. "Captain, the toxicology screen is negative. We suspect a rare metabolic disorder, but..."

"Waste of space!" Shen Junhe cut him off, his gaze falling on the Golden Retriever on the treatment bed. Bai Lu was curled up, its body spasming uncontrollably, eyes filled with terror, as if staring into a dark abyss.

He began to deeply distrust the people in white coats. To them, Bai Lu was just a biological sample waiting to be processed, not his partner through life and death. This feeling of being ignored pained Shen Junhe more than the toxin itself.

The door banged open. Lin Qiaowei burst in, bringing the chill with her. The hem of her trench coat swept a sharp arc through the air. She skipped any pleasantries, walking straight to the treatment bed, pulling on her gloves with focused, sharp eyes.

Shen Junhe frowned, blocking her path. His voice was low. "You’re not welcome here, vet."

Lin Qiaowei stopped, turning sideways. Her voice was cool and clear. "Captain Shen, your dog is convulsing, and you are wasting its last vital signs here. Let me take over. You isolate the room and cut off all external contact."

Ignoring the disdain in Shen Junhe’s eyes, she efficiently scooped Bai Lu into the isolation cabin. She took out a silver stethoscope from her kit—her pride and joy, the Stethoscope of All Things, gleaming with a cold metallic shine. She pressed the chest piece firmly against Bai Lu’s rapidly heaving torso and closed her eyes.

In that instant, a warm current flooded her brain. Bai Lu’s heartbeat became clearly audible, and then, like an old movie film, a scene unfolded before Lin Qiaowei’s eyes.

It was a memory fragment from Bai Lu: late at night in the backyard. The moonlight was hidden by dark clouds. A tall figure in a black raincoat crouched by the food bowl. Between his fingers, he held a thin tube, dripping clear liquid into the dog food. The liquid had a faint bitter almond taste, mixed with the pungent smell of a chemical agent.

Bai Lu had tried to shake its head to avoid the bowl, but the hand forced it down, forcing the liquid down its throat. The image was choked with horror, every frame etched with Bai Lu’s helplessness.

The vision faded. Lin Qiaowei opened her eyes, a clear 3D image of the lesion appearing in her mind. The pharyngeal mucosa was severely swollen; the toxin was eroding the vagus nerve. This wasn't ordinary poisoning. It was a new compound with a molecular structure so complex it made you whistle.

Lin Qiaowei stood up quickly, grabbing the antidote. "Atropine, two milligrams, IV push. Set the oxygen flow to maximum."

The assistant scrambled to help, instruments clanging as they moved. Lin Qiaowei’s fingers were stable and precise. The moment the needle entered the vein, Bai Lu’s convulsions slowed. The tense, deathly air seemed to loosen just a bit.

Shen Junhe’s rigid shoulders finally relaxed slightly. He looked at Lin Qiaowei, and a spark of inquiry joined the suspicion in his eyes—a respect for an unknown power.

Lin Qiaowei turned her back to Shen Junhe, her tone flat. "The toxin isn't from a disease in the pet itself. It’s man-made. Someone added something to its food bowl."

Shen Junhe’s face turned instantly grim, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "What did you say?"

Using the initial stage of her Causal Retrospection ability, Lin Qiaowei had caught a faint residual scent while examining Bai Lu’s paw pads earlier. It wasn’t just dirt; it was a special cleaner scent. Only high-end, custom cleaning formulas for elite households contained this unique and expensive ingredient.

Lin Qiaowei looked out the window, into the deep night where city lights blurred into distant spots. "The poisoner’s shoe soles have residues from a specific brand of cleaner. Captain Shen, has anyone external entered your security perimeter recently?"

Shen Junhe was silent for a moment, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the desk. He spoke in a low voice. "Zhao Mingyu came by last week under the pretext of visiting. He asked about pet insurance claims in detail and even had me check for security loopholes."

The atmosphere turned subtle; the wind outside seemed to chill a few degrees. Shen Junhe’s gaze at Lin Qiaowei shifted, moving from doubt to a tacit alliance. Both knew the hand behind this was far bigger than just one dog.

Shen Junhe: "I can pull the surveillance footage, but you have to bring Bai Lu back. A full recovery that proves your diagnosis was correct."

Lin Qiaowei nodded, without saying another word, continuing to adjust the IV drip rate. At that moment, noise came from the hallway. Liu Guifen rushed in carrying an insulated lunch pail. Seeing her daughter covered in fatigue yet composed, a mix of relief and worry flashed in her eyes, and her footsteps lightened involuntarily.

Outside the door, an assistant sent by Zhao Mingyu wheeled in a box of checks, wearing a professional, fake smile.

The assistant smiled but wasn’t pleased. "Miss Lin, Mr. Zhao heard there was a misunderstanding. Here is a five million settlement fee. Take the money, stop making a scene, and let’s part ways amicably."

Lin Qiaowei didn’t even look at it. She casually pushed the check box aside, her voice icy. "I don’t want the Zhao family’s money, and I certainly don’t need you to buy out my professional dignity. Take your dog away. Don’t dirty the floor here."

Shen Junhe’s mouth curled into an imperceptible arc. He didn’t stop the exchange; instead, he shifted to stand in front of Lin Qiaowei, shielding her from the interruption like a silent, solid wall.

Lin Qiaowei walked to Bai Lu’s side and gently stroked its head. Bai Lu’s heartbeat had finally stabilized. The panic in its fearful eyes was fading, replaced by life. It stretched out its tongue, lightly licking Lin Qiaowei’s fingertip, letting out a whimpering sound of attachment. This sight made Liu Guifen’s eyes redden. She finally understood that her daughter’s choice wasn't frivolous; it was a heavy burden of responsibility and love.

Shen Junhe stepped forward, his expression serious, his gaze burning. "Lin Qiaowei, within twenty-four hours, I need you to find the specific source of the poisoning. Otherwise, I won’t trust your next diagnosis."

Lin Qiaowei stood up, gripping the stethoscope in her hand. The metal coldness spread along her fingertips. Her gaze was firm. "Captain Shen, rest easy. My stethoscope hears more than just heartbeats. It hears the truth."