“It’s understandable that the boss would voluntarily choose not to get involved in this case.”
Xie Kui nodded, “No wonder.”
“It was quite a coincidence,” Xiao Meng said. “If the boss hadn’t received that tip-off letter back then and insisted on investigating, he wouldn’t be in such an awkward position now.”
Xie Kui was an outsider; his wife was from Yishi City. His family had some connections with the local leadership, and after his marriage, for the convenience of taking care of his wife and child, he was transferred from another province to Beiyan District Public Security Bureau in Yishi City at the beginning of the year.
So he wasn’t aware of the case from two years ago.
Although Xiao Meng had participated in that case with Si Hang, he was reluctant to discuss it: “It involved too many important people, and to avoid negative social impacts, it was ordered not to be made public, so I can’t disclose it. But since you’re now handling her case, you can look it up in the database.”
This was within Xie Kui’s expectations. Ruihong Group was a well-known big enterprise in Luo Province, but when the former chairman was suddenly imprisoned for criminal charges years ago, it didn’t cause much of a stir outside, and the media barely reported on it. Considering the case’s special nature, he didn’t press further.
Because he was out on duty all day yesterday, he hadn’t had a chance to look at Zhuang Zi’s record.
After returning to the office, he specifically turned to the family situation column, which briefly stated: “Mother died early, father is serving a sentence for a major accident caused by serious violations.”
He closed the file and walked into the meeting room.
Combining the preliminary investigation at Nanxin Apartment conducted by Xiao Meng and the others yesterday with the statements from Zhuang Zi and Jiang Zhihao, everyone summarized the situation.
The officer who went to the scene yesterday reported, “The lock cylinder of the living room’s security door shows signs of abnormal tampering. We can confirm that someone indeed broke in illegally.”
“From the initial survey, no suspicious traces were found at the scene—perhaps the intruder has sharp counter-investigation skills and cleaned the scene,” Xiao Meng continued. “There are no surveillance cameras in the hallway of the building where Zhuang Zi lives. We reviewed the 24-hour footage from the day before yesterday at the unit’s entrance in the security room. The security guard said they only saw residents, no strangers or suspicious individuals. We preliminarily ruled out the possibility of vagrants and home invaders.”
Someone added, “The fact that they avoided the community’s surveillance suggests this person lives on the same floor as Zhuang Zi or is hiding in another resident’s home on the same floor. Maybe she had some conflict with a neighbor; we should ask Zhuang Zi about this.”
Xiao Meng continued, “Two years ago, Zhuang Zi’s father was imprisoned for a major accident. I think it’s very likely that the victim from back then is now seeking revenge on his family.”
After listening to everyone’s summary, Xie Kui pondered for a few seconds, looked up from Zhuang Zi’s statement, and addressed his colleagues, “I agree with everyone’s views. Based on the preliminary analysis, we’ll act in groups next. One group will investigate the residents on Zhuang Zi’s floor to eliminate alibis. Another group will confirm if there are any abnormalities with the victims from the accident case. Also, Xiao Zhang and Xiao Zhao, you two will take turns ensuring Zhuang Zi’s safety during this period.”
Xie Kui closed the file and stood up, “I’ll talk to her again.”
…….
Having just been discharged from the hospital after a major ordeal, her colleagues at the company treated Zhuang Zi with a sympathetic attitude. Her superiors were also particularly considerate, not assigning her any heavy work tasks.
So when she received Xie Kui’s call, she immediately asked her boss for leave and rushed to the police station.
Xie Kui first explained their current speculations to her: “You said your social circle is very narrow and you’ve never had any grudges with anyone. Is it possible that you offended someone unintentionally and didn’t realize it?”
Zhuang Zi was silent for a moment, then shook her head, “I really don’t know.”
Not to mention conflicts, she didn’t even know who lived across the hall from her in her building, so there couldn’t be any grudges. It was also unlikely to be a colleague; she was just passing time at her job and never had any conflicts of interest with them, certainly not enough to provoke someone to want to kill her.
She had always preferred to suffer a little herself, as long as she had a clear conscience, rather than feel guilty for owing or wronging someone else.
So, who could she have offended?
“What about your romantic relationships?”
“That’s even less likely,” Zhuang Zi’s expression remained calm, her tone steady, as if she were discussing something trivial.
“How so?”
She said indifferently, “There was never much of a relationship to begin with. Besides, they’re all married now and have long since lost contact, so they wouldn’t remember me.”
“How long since you lost contact?”
Zhuang Zi thought for a moment. The last person she dated, introduced by her family, was Jiang Tianchen. It had been at least two years since they broke up. Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping(.)com.
…
After finishing the statement and leaving the reception room, she passed by the large office of the criminal investigation department and glanced inside.
The door was open, and someone was there.
She turned and walked over.
The little girl sitting on the sofa heard the sound and immediately turned her head to look at her.
Zhuang Zi was a bit stunned.
“Uncle’s not here,” the little girl told her. “He’s gone to interrogate the bad guys.”
“Oh.”
The little girl ignored her and continued reading her comic book.
Zhuang Zi’s gaze swept around the room. The office was very neatly and simply arranged. There was a long solid wood desk with a military green trench coat casually draped over the back of the chair. Behind the desk was a whole wall of black bookshelves, filled with books and awards in neatly arranged squares. On the other end of the bookshelf, near the balcony, were various model cars and a cool, miniature humanoid robot, currently charging.
The entire room was decorated in simple black, gray, and white tones, clean and organized. It was clear that the office’s owner was a principled, knowledgeable, and unique person.
But since the owner was not there, she left.
…
Half an hour later.
Si Hang came out of the interrogation room and walked into his office, where Xiao Mi was lying on the sofa, asleep.
He carefully closed the door, walked quietly, returned to his desk, and lit a cigarette, continuing to study the case files.
However, the child, having lost her sense of security due to previous terrifying experiences of brutal violence by her own mother, was highly alert. At the slightest sound—the rustling of paper as he turned a page—she immediately woke up.
Xiao Meng was out on duty today, and lately, whenever Xiao Meng wasn’t at the police station, Xiao Mi would run to Si Hang’s office.
Si Hang initially thought she was just playing around, casually wandering. Unexpectedly, the child inexplicably clung to him.
When he went to the office hall to ask his subordinates about their progress, her small footsteps followed behind him. When he reviewed case files in his office, she would sit quietly on the sofa all day. Wherever he went, she followed, like a little tail trailing behind him.
Si Hang asked her, “Why are you following me?”
Xiao Mi pursed her lips, her eyes fixed on him, and after a moment, she quietly replied, “Uncle Meng said you’re the captain, the most capable person at the Public Security Bureau, and it’s safest to stay with you.”
“……”
She remembered Uncle Meng’s advice well: as long as she stayed quiet and didn’t disturb the captain, he wouldn’t get angry and drive her away. Uncle Meng was right; as long as she obediently sat on the office sofa reading comics, without running around or speaking out of turn to disturb him, not only did he not mind her, but he also lent her his iPad at noon to watch cartoons.
Though Si Hang was much more serious and stern compared to Xiao Meng, the strength and reassurance he exuded came naturally, a quality ingrained in his very being. Unconsciously, it gave others the illusion of wanting to rely on him.
This might also be why female victims often brought flowers to the police station, finding various reasonable excuses to invite him to meals to express their gratitude.
Even young children were the same; despite Si Hang not fitting the image of a gentle, warm uncle, she still preferred to stay with him.
However, the air of nonchalance and aloofness he emanated seemed to carry its own pressure, causing people to instinctively keep their distance—the female officers called this an “austere charm.”
So, although Xiao Mi liked being around him, she was always careful, never daring to approach him proactively. Unlike the cheerful and lively Uncle Meng, who always joked and laughed with her.
Upon waking and seeing him return, Xiao Mi said brightly, “A pretty lady came to see you just now.”
Xiao Mi shook her head, “She didn’t say anything.”
Si Hang didn’t ask further.
He spent the entire afternoon in his office reading documents. It wasn’t until Xiao Meng came in to take Xiao Mi home that he realized it was already time to clock out.
After having dinner outside, he returned to the office to work overtime. Apart from regular visits to his parents’ old house, he was almost always the last to leave after work.
Finally, at around ten o’clock, he turned off the lights, locked the door, and left.
…
The dimly lit, open-air parking lot of the police station was quiet and empty.
Si Hang pulled out his keys from his pocket and walked straight to a black Toyota SUV. He unlocked it and opened the door.
In the deep night, the entire city was silent, and the parking lot was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
At that moment, a soft, delicate voice, mingling with the clear night air, drifted into his ears.
“Captain Si.”
His movement paused slightly, and he turned around.
Across a lane, in a diagonally opposite parking spot, there was a white BMW. In the dim light, a woman stepped out, closed the car door, and walked towards him.
She was wearing a light brown cashmere coat, with her hands in her pockets. She was tall and slender.
She stopped a few steps away from him, the pale light casting onto her thin face, revealing obvious fatigue in her delicate features.
He was tall, so Zhuang Zi had to slightly raise her head. “I need to talk to you about something.”
Si Hang’s handsome face was clean and sharp, his dark eyes fixed on her, his voice slightly cold. “Go ahead.”
Zhuang Zi looked back at him seriously. “If I don’t mind what happened two years ago, will you continue handling my case?”
There was a moment of silence.
Si Hang did not answer.
His dark eyes stared at her, the emotions within them hard to read.
Zhuang Zi waited quietly, looking at him openly, a hint of faint expectation in her eyes. After a while, she saw a slight, distant smile appear in his eyes.
This smile made Zhuang Zi feel a complex pressure, as if she already knew his answer.
Sure enough, he lazily rested his arm on the car door and spoke in an official tone, “It doesn’t matter who handles your case. We all follow the procedures.”
“It’s definitely not the same!” Zhuang Zi was exceptionally certain, even raising her voice a little.
The parking lot fell into a sudden silence.
Si Hang stared at her, saying nothing.
Zhuang Zi then faintly realized that her attitude had been too direct, giving the impression of a child talking back to a parent. After a moment of consideration, she decided to explain, “From what I know, Captain Si is the fastest and most successful detective in solving cases in Yicheng. You are also the fastest-promoted and youngest detective captain in the Beiyan district. These facts alone prove that you are more efficient and outstanding compared to others.”
Si Hang’s dark eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at her. He had heard such flattering words many times before, to the point of being numb to them. However, she was the first to deliver such praise with such straightforward seriousness.
“As a victim, of course I want the perpetrator to be caught as quickly as possible. Compared to Officer Xie, I believe Captain Si would solve the case faster.”
“So,” she looked into his dark eyes again, concluding slowly, “if it’s you, it is definitely different.”