Feng Ming and Zhao Qin confessed the names and addresses of Feng Ming’s relatives and the strangers.
With the names and addresses in hand, Zhuang Yanzheng arranged for people to go over.
The remaining detailed matters would have to wait until Feng Ming and Zhao Qin were brought back for interrogation.
The police officers who had gone to check with the neighbors returned, and the onlookers gathered around watching the commotion were also sent home.
Evidence was still being collected.
Su Miaoyi entered the room where Feng Ming was being held.
Feng Ming sat on the stool, clutching his head, curled up into himself.
Two police officers were in the room watching him.
Su Miaoyi looked around the room and found two sets of mahjong tiles under the cabinet, but nothing else.
She was about to leave when she passed by Feng Ming. She lowered her gaze to look at him.
They had already learned their basic information—Xiang Lianlian had only just turned eighteen two months ago.
A man worse than a beast.
Su Miaoyi cursed inwardly as she hooked her foot under his stool and gave it a hard yank.
Feng Ming suddenly crashed to the floor.
Bang—quite a loud noise.
The two police officers immediately stepped closer: “What happened?”
Zhuang Yanzheng heard the commotion and came in from outside: “What’s going on?”
Su Miaoyi took two steps back.
The officers helped Feng Ming up.
Zhuang Yanzheng looked at Su Miaoyi.
Su Miaoyi looked up at the ceiling, then touched her neck and quietly slipped out.
Zhuang Yanzheng kept his eyes on her until she walked out. He let out a sigh and followed her out.
…
Because many people were involved, the case was transferred to the branch bureau.
Feng Ming and Zhao Qin were also brought to the branch bureau.
Su Miaoyi and Zhuang Yanzheng’s team returned to the municipal bureau.
By the time they arrived at the municipal bureau, it was already two in the afternoon.
The car pulled into the parking spot. Zhuang Yanzheng had just gotten out when he received word that Xiang Lianlian was out of danger.
Once she recovered a bit, the branch bureau would go see her to understand the situation.
Knowing she was safe, Su Miaoyi was about to leave.
But just as she turned around, Zhuang Yanzheng grabbed the hood of her sun-protection jacket.
Su Miaoyi stepped back, looking at him: “Wh-what is it?”
“To the office,” Zhuang Yanzheng said.
Su Miaoyi didn’t want to go, but she didn’t dare say so, so she followed him back to the office.
Once inside the office, the door closed, and Zhuang Yanzheng said: “You deliberately kicked Feng Ming’s stool, didn’t you?”
Su Miaoyi raised her hand to touch her nose and gave a light cough.
Zhuang Yanzheng took a deep breath, hands on his hips, looking at her: “The officers from the police station had Law Enforcement Devices clearly visible on them, and you still kicked the stool.”
“Then I’ll watch out for the Law Enforcement Device next time,” Su Miaoyi said quietly.
Zhuang Yanzheng nodded, then realized what she meant. He clicked his tongue: “Was I talking about the Law Enforcement Device?”
Su Miaoyi said nothing.
Zhuang Yanzheng said: “As a police officer, you must control your personal emotions during the handling of a case.”
“But I’m not a police officer,” Su Miaoyi said, looking at him.
Zhuang Yanzheng’s eyes flickered slightly, and a memory suddenly surfaced in his mind.
A voice broke into the scene of his memories: “If I weren’t a police officer, I would have punched him just now.”
Zhuang Yanzheng frowned, looking at Su Miaoyi: “Even if you’re not a police officer, you can’t just act recklessly in front of police officers. Otherwise, I’d have to go bail you out—”
Su Miaoyi frowned at him, then… though she nodded, it didn’t look like she was actually taking it in.
The nod was to brush him off, not to agree.
Zhuang Yanzheng saw her expression: “Three-thousand-word self-criticism.”
As soon as he said it, he suddenly realized he’d spoken out of habit. She wasn’t even part of the bureau, so he had no authority over her—why would she write a self-criticism?
Zhuang Yanzheng furrowed his brow. Lately, he kept thinking about the past. Maybe he should book an appointment at the psychiatry department too.
“Oh,” Su Miaoyi responded.
Just as he was thinking, Zhuang Yanzheng heard her say “oh.” He looked at her, feeling like she hadn’t quite registered what he’d said and was just responding casually.
Zhuang Yanzheng was silent for a moment: “Come on, let’s go eat.”
Su Miaoyi followed him out: “Are you paying?”
Zhuang Yanzheng called Qi Feng and the others over, then turned to look at her.
Su Miaoyi took out her phone and pressed the power button—nothing happened. Her phone had been dropped while they were searching for people and had broken: “I can’t pay.”
“It broke just like that?” Zhuang Yanzheng took it and looked at it, then handed it back to her. “The glass at our municipal bureau is more durable than that.”
Su Miaoyi: “…”
There were no places to eat around the municipal bureau, so they had to drive a bit farther.
Sitting in the car, Su Miaoyi said: “In the novels I read, they always have a cafeteria.”
Qi Feng said: “There used to be one, but not anymore. It should be back in a few months.”
Su Miaoyi sat in the passenger seat, turned to glance at him, then looked at Lu Zhishen beside him.
Lu Zhishen had come out when he heard Zhuang Yanzheng calling Qi Feng and the others to eat.
He was curled up in the back looking at his phone, exuding a faint air of listlessness from head to toe.
Su Miaoyi said: “Does the cafeteria operate on a quarterly basis too?”
Qi Feng chuckled and was about to say something when Lu Zhishen suddenly spoke up: “Someone posted Xia Zhenghong’s case online.”
Hearing that, Qi Feng immediately pulled out his phone.
Zhuang Yanzheng was about to start the car but stopped and took out his phone to take a look.
Seeing all three of them holding their phones, Su Miaoyi sat up straight, then leaned back again after a moment, watching them with a face full of curiosity.
What is it? What case?
No phone, no phone!!
Zhuang Yanzheng turned his head, and seeing that she was so curious she looked ready to scratch her ears and cheeks, he took pity on her and said, “Xia Zhenghong’s case.”
“Who is Xia Zhenghong?” Su Miaoyi asked quickly.
Lu Zhishen watched them from behind.
Su Miaoyi was curious about the case; he was curious about Su Miaoyi.
Zhuang Yanzheng glanced at her again: “The one with a mole on the right side of his brow.”
Su Miaoyi recalled the man buried beneath the overpass.
“Why was it posted online? The killer’s already been caught.”
“The poster claims to be a classmate of the victim, demanding justice for the deceased, and also says the police have been negligent—it’s been a week and there’s still no resolution.” Qi Feng said.
Zhuang Yanzheng clicked his tongue and started the car: “Police negligent? Then what’s locked up in the detention center, a ghost!”
Lu Zhishen said calmly, “It doesn’t look like seeking justice. More like trying to gain traffic. The follower count is growing fast.”
This kind of thing is clearly someone who doesn’t know the details, posting nonsense online.
Zhuang Yanzheng said, “Call them and have it handled. As for this rumormonger, send someone to bring him in.”
Qi Feng immediately made the call.
After he finished, Su Miaoyi asked, “Was the victim a student?”
Since it had already been posted online, the case details would likely be released to the public eventually, to give everyone an explanation.
So she asked.
Zhuang Yanzheng nodded: “Xia Zhenghong was a graduate supervisor at Jingshi University. The victim, Li Xueyi, was his student.”
Su Miaoyi’s eyes widened as she listened to Zhuang Yanzheng speak.
Xia Zhenghong had promised Li Xueyi that after she graduated, he would help arrange a job for her.
That workplace had only one opening.
Their illicit relationship had lasted over a year.
As Li Xueyi was about to graduate, Xia Zhenghong developed feelings for someone else.
That single opening was then promised to another.
Li Xueyi, unable to swallow her anger, threatened Xia Zhenghong.
If that job opening wasn’t given to her, she would expose their affair.
She would post everything about them online, and tell his wife and their daughter as well.
Xia Zhenghong was unfaithful outside, but he cared deeply about his wife and daughter.
So after Li Xueyi threatened him yet again.
He went to her dormitory and silenced her for good.
Then he moved the body and buried it beneath the overpass, returned to the dormitory, and cleaned up the bloodstains.
On the fourth day after the incident, driven by fear, he chose to flee and hid in the old city district.
The surveillance equipment in the old city district was inadequate, so hiding there meant the police wouldn’t find him for a while.
Moreover, it was discovered on Xia Zhenghong’s phone that he had been contacting someone to forge his identity.
He wanted to go abroad.
The proper procedures took too long, so he had resorted to underhanded means.
Thankfully, there was Su Miaoyi.
Otherwise, this man might very well have gotten away.
And then there truly would have been no way to give everyone an explanation.
“What about that pocket watch?” Su Miaoyi asked. “Was it theirs?”
“It was a custom-made wedding anniversary gift from Xia Zhenghong’s wife.” Zhuang Yanzheng said.
Su Miaoyi’s lips moved slightly, but she said nothing in the end.
True feelings change in an instant, and people are no different.
……