Miss Forensics 我亲爱的法医小姐 Read Along: Chapters 11 to 20

[yuerstruly]

Discussion for Chapter 1 to 10 here.

The link to the novel on JJWXC can be found here.

You can also follow the novel through the audiobook on Himalaya, though there may be slight changes and ommissions from the original.

Comments

Chapter 11

[yuerstruly]

Lin Yan and Song Yuhang arrive at the school Ding Xue taught at to obtain more information regarding her and her relationship with others. One of the staff members recalls the last time they interacted with Ding Xue. Lin Yan is later hit on by one of the students, and she tries to take advantage of the situation to dig for more information, but comes up short.

Re: Chapter 11

[yuerstruly]

I'll come back with a real comment later (and catch up with the previous chapters lol), but I'm slightly peeved that 酒大 used 秀才遇上兵 instead of 秀才遇着兵.

Re: Chapter 11

[douqi]

Another Lin Yan classic: 'But I'm interested in you, Captain Song.'

Of course Lin Yan is smoking on school grounds, because of course she is.

Urge to translate '走了，林大记者' as 'Let's go, Lois Lane/Lois Lin' intensifies. Luckily I'm not actually doing it otherwise I'd be hung, drawn and quartered for over-localisation.

Chapter 12

[douqi]

The rest of the police squad interview Sun Xiangming, Ding Xue's husband, and Ding Xue's mother. Meanwhile, Song Yuhang, with Lin Yan's 'help', interviews the deputy headteacher (I think that might be 'vice-principal' in American) Li Shiping. Lin Yan disturbs Li Shiping with a graphic description of drowning. Song Yuhang is deeply unimpressed.

Chapter 13

[douqi]

One of Ding Xue's students sells a reporter named Ning Que (who may or may not have a sibling named Wu Lan) a photograph of Ding Xue in a compromising position with another man — the headteacher, Ge Jun. Lin Yan witnesses the exchange. After a rather violent altercation, she manages to subdue Ning Que and take the photograph from her. Meanwhile, Song Yuhang learns from the other teachers that Ding Xue was particularly close to a student named Zhou Mo. She vists his run-down home in one of the city's poorer districts. Later, the squad (minus Lin Yan) convene to exchange notes.

Chapter 14

[yuerstruly]

After getting into yet another argument, Lin Yan and Song Yuhang decide to stay out of each other's way during work. Now the primary suspect, Ge Jun is interrogated, but he has an alibi for the night of Ding Xue's death. Lin Yan has no plans of letting him off the hook, even though Song Yuhang and the others had not acquired sufficient evidence to keep him around. Later, Lin Yan saves Ding Ya from getting nearly kidnapped while getting out of school, and receives thanks from Li Shiping. Li Shiping is later visited by Song Yuhang shortly after getting home.

Chapter 15

[yuerstruly]

Song Yuhang arrives at a bar looking for Zhou Mo, but Zhou Mo has no plans to make her work easy. Lin Yan pops out of nowhere to show her how it's done, but ends up having to make do with the other staff at hand since Zhou Mo has long escaped.

Re: Chapter 11

[hanlinacademic]

Sorry I got busy last week. I'll try to catch up!

The teacher seems a bit sus. Is there something going on between her and a student?

Re: Chapter 12

[hanlinacademic]

Lin Yan spinning a globe too hard and making it go flying off is a great bit of visual comedy.

So we find out that Song Yuhang is a full head taller than Lin Yan?? Is Song Yuhang really tall, or Lin Yan a smol bean? No wonder she's in heels all the time, poor girl.

Re: Chapter 13

[hanlinacademic]

I would not like to get in a fight with Lin Yan XD

Re: Chapter 12

[hanlinacademic]

Lin Yan gives me the impression of a yappy little toy poodle.

Re: Chapter 12

[douqi]

Song Yuhang's turn to get a classic line: 我怕你被我气死.

I enjoyed Lin Yan getting restless and fidgety and poking around the office.

Song Yuhang: I'm just carefully putting away this button for no particular reason.

Re: Chapter 13

[douqi]

You're going to LOVE Chapter 23.

Re: Chapter 13

[douqi]

酒大: I'm going to put zero effort into naming these NPCs.

The first time I read this, the bit where Ding Xue runs away looking behind her was nicely creepy.

Re: Chapter 14

[douqi]

I unironically like all the times Song Yuhang looks at Lin Yan being Serious at her job and grudgingly admires her.

Really enjoyed the bait and switch they pulled on Ge Jun. Makes it clear that Song Yuhang is by-the-book but not stupid (also you can do a lot to someone just by going strictly by the book).

Of course Lin Yan doesn't respect the rules of evidence and of course Song Yuhang has to insist that they be followed.

Yessss first appearance of Lin Yan's collapsible single-stick.

Re: Chapter 15

[douqi]

Lin Yan's interrogation methods: amazing.

The push-pull between them in the lead-up to the fight scene was fun. I did find it interesting that, post-fight scene, the narrative acknowledges that Song Yuhang was using somewhat excessive force, mostly in order to Show Lin Yan. This somewhat contradicts the by-the-book Song Yuhang we've seen so far. I can't remember whether Song Yuhang reflects on this in the next chapter or two. It would be effective if she did, because it would be a first instance of her letting her emotions over Lin Yan push her into something that deviates from her usual principles.

Lin Yan: Why, Song Yuhang has girl/boy next door vibes— OH MY GOD I JUST NAUSEATED MYSELF WITH MY OWN THOUGHTS

(incidentally the description of Song Yuhang as 邻家少年 is one of the bits of texts the radfems point to in order to screech, 'See??? She's a MAN!!!' Never mind that 少年 isn't necessarily gendered)

Very into the bit where Song Yuhang gazes down at Lin Yan's fragile white neck and thinks about how breakable it is and then has to run headlong into the police station to get away from her own Sinful Thoughts.

Chapter 16

[yuerstruly]

The group of people who had attempted to attack Song Yuhang end up at the police station, with no way to escape from the questioning. Zhou Mo once again refuses to speak, as he's a minor and without a guardian. On the other hand, the guy with green hair spills what he knows, at least, until he thinks he's said enough. It's later revealed that Chen Hao and Zhou Mo were following Ding Xue, but chose to hide what they saw.

Re: Chapter 16

[yuerstruly]

Well, I wasn't expecting Zhou Mo to have a crush on Ding Xue (before this chapter), but the contextual reveal seems about right. I like how Lin Yan, as someone who's experienced in this area (not really romancing people but detecting attraction and the like), jumped to telling Zhou Mo to 'fess up. Straight to the point, on brand!

(Snuck a look at the comments and started laughing b/c someone complained about there being too much 刑侦情节. Fortunately there was a reply that said, well this IS that genre.)

Re: Chapter 15

[yuerstruly]

Lin Yan, the one who shakes up by-the-book Song Yuhang! We love someone who changes a person, for better or for worse (the latter in fiction only lmaoooo)

Funnily enough, you mention the radfem argument, and I wonder whether Song Yuhang's Sinful Thoughts also makes people compare her to a man, with whatever logic there might be.

Re: Chapter 13

[yuerstruly]

The NPC names feel like a mix of most basic name ever and random generator used for surnames and single-character given names. Almost like the guys I had a crush on with their terrible given names. (What the hell is 进??)

Re: Chapter 15

[douqi]

Because only Men can have Sexual and Violent thoughts, Women are made of fluff and sugar and harmlessness. It is known.

Re: Chapter 16

[douqi]

Poor Zhou Mo.

I like the touch of Song Yuhang taking a drink of water and then wiping away the drops 'like Lin Yan'.

Re: Chapter 16

[douqi]

That worked very well as an interrogation tactic too, from Lin Yan.

someone complained about there being too much 刑侦情节

...what were they expecting exactly??

Re: Chapter 12

[laine4466]

Iirc Lin Yan is actually decently tall herself, Song Yuhang is just that tall

Re: Chapter 16

[laine4466]

someone complained about there being too much 刑侦情节

Meanwhile, I remember being very frustrated by the story for *shifting the focus from crime solving to drama so quickly that after the first two(?) cases there was barely any crime solving left*

Chapter 17

[yuerstruly]

The peculiar existence of aquatic plants popping up in the report redirects Song Yuhang and Lin Yan toward the aquarium. Lin Yan heads home and settles into her rich woman routine with some red wine, then wakes up to a phone call from Song Yuhang in the morning. A team of frogmen is sent out along the river to search for Ding Xue's belongings, but they come up empty. Song Yuhang then mulls over the possible suspects, recalling that Sun Xiangming doesn't wear his wedding ring, and they set out to search his place.

Re: Chapter 17

[yuerstruly]

Love the incessant taunting from Lin Yan, and Song Yuhang's brutally straightforward jabs shooting straight back. When Lin Yan says "你那麼厲害，不是什麼都知道嗎？求我啊，求我就告訴你" and Song Yuhang ignores her (but her eyes still drift to Lin Yan b/c, y'know, Lin Yan objectively sexy). And then saying "怎麽滴，宋隊要結婚了？只要對象不是我哥，他送不起鑽戒我送你," in the process making Fang Xin feel like she's witnessed some forbidden relationship? Comedic gold

Chapter 18

[yuerstruly]

The police cycle through rounds of interrogation to get Sun Xiangming to crack, but Zhang Jinhai worries they won't get anything in the next 24 hours. Lin Yan has been entrusted to search Sun Xiangming's place. Though she doesn't find anything that can prove he killed his wife, she does find possible evidence of child abuse. On Song Yuhang's side, the interrogation has become a "reenact what Ding Xue could possibly have said" scene, and finally breaks Sun Xiangming.

Re: Chapter 14

[hanlinacademic]

> Lin Yan doesn't respect the rules of evidence

That throws me out of the story so much. :S

Re: Chapter 15

[hanlinacademic]

The fight scene was the highlight of the chapter. Top tier romance trope right here!!! When Lin Yan buried her head on Song Yuhang's chest omgggg

Re: Chapter 16

[hanlinacademic]

Ooh I thought that Ding Xue was too close to the student, but I guess I was wrong.

So, was Zhoumu's Omega watch a gift from Chen Hao to keep silent about the death? Is their story true though? I thought the evidence was that Ding Xue drowned in salt water??

Re: Chapter 18

[hanlinacademic]

If the husband really was the murderer, the parental negligence at the daycare earlier was probably not accidental! Perhaps he wanted his daughter to be kidnapped, or even arranged it to happen. No wife and daughter --> he can pursue a new relationship.

Re: Chapter 18

[hanlinacademic]

I like how Song Yuhang has total trust in Lin Yan this chapter to find her the evidence while she's carrying out her interrogation. They work well together.

Re: Chapter 13

[hanlinacademic]

Is this comment about 周末??

Re: Chapter 17

[douqi]

A-grade combative flirting right in this chapter. Is it original? No. Is it tropey? Yes. Am I eating it up with a spoon? Hell yes (and I think people, cough cough radfems, who claim not to understand the appeal of the novel are deliberately ignoring how fun their early banter is. there was a whole spate of 2000s/2010s US crime-solving duo dramas that tried to create this kind of dynamic and didn't do it half as well)

Another Song Yuhang classic: 林法医的话，易拉罐环我都不想要。

Fang Xin is shipping the hell out of it, as she should. Also enjoyed the little side-show between her and the rest of the Scooby Gang, when they're arguing over whether girls should eat meat. Fang Xin deserves all the meat she wants, thank you.

Re: Chapter 18

[douqi]

Song Yuhang: 我相信林法医. My catnip.

Also Song Yuhang: 越是忠厚老实本分的人，变态起来越不是人。
thinks about putting her hand on the back of Lin Yan's oh-so-breakable neck
Song Yuhang: It's me, I am the 变态。

The final part of the interrogation was a very classic police drama move that I'm pretty sure doesn't stand up to evidential scrutiny but IS fun to read/watch.

Re: Chapter 13

[douqi]

Yes, and Ms 宁缺(勿滥) the reporter.

Chapter 19

[yuerstruly]

Lin Yan and crew discover that a fish tank in Sun Xiangming's house had been moved out. Song Yuhang approaches him with this new evidence in mind, then sends people out to look for where it could have been disposed to. The search is judged as futile by Lin Yan, but Song Yuhang refuses to give up. On the other end, Sun Xiangming's lawyer, along with news reporters, have showed up, leaving Feng Jianguo to deal with them. They search the dumpster at 3am in the morning, with little time left until they'll have to let Sun Xiangming free.

Chapter 20

[yuerstruly]

Lin Yan arrives back at the station and the reporters immediately swarm her. Sun Xiangming is let go and puts on a show in front of the reporters, leaving the station to clean up after the mess this case has left them. Song Yuhang and the others plan head back. Tired, Song Yuhang is haunted by Lin Yan's words, until she's reminded of how suspicious Li Shiping was whenever the case was brought up. The food deliver disguise appears at Sun Xiangming's door once again, and it is revealed that Li Shiping used to be Ding Xue's teacher. The regrets Li Shiping have as Ding Xue's former teacher surface in the form of her death, as well as Sun Xiangming's.

Re: Chapter 20

[hanlinacademic]

ughhh I did not see this tragic yuri plot coming

The person clad in back is Lin Yan right? There's no way it's not Lin Yan lol

Re: Chapter 19

[hanlinacademic]

Dang I was really hoping that the husband was normal, despite his horrible family. Unfortunately the apple did not fall far from the tree.

Re: Chapter 19

[douqi]

Loving the emergence of the 'Lin Yan proposes extrajudicial justice, Song Yuhang insists on being Lawful Good' theme. Plus Lin Yan getting excited at the thought of Song Yuhang as a worthy opponent, the putting a hand on Song Yuhang's shoulder and whispering in her ear? AND Song Yuhang's ears are still red and burning afterwards? Aaaaaaaaaaaa.

Although also caught 酒大 using 对的起 twice in a row, sigh.

Re: Chapter 20

[douqi]

Lin Yan's ability to swiftly spot romantic feelings/relationships (this time, Li Shiping/Ding Xue) strikes again.

That death scene was pretty effective. The whole Li Shiping/Ding Xue story vibes a bit like those early modern tragic lesbian stories bobbu is into.

I feel like it's not uncommon in these stories to have another same-sex couple as a foil of sorts to the main couple, especially when one or both of the main pairing hasn't had their lesbian awakening yet.