Chapter 163 How Bold Can a Person Be?

Baolu Workers' School.

Built on farmland in the 1970s, the university was originally named Baolu Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University. As the wave of reform progressed, this university, which everyone once desperately wanted to attend, gradually faded from public view.

The school buildings were built early; four Khrushchev-style buildings surround the playground, two of which are used for education and two for teachers' and students' dormitories.

A tenement building and three red brick houses were built at the foot of the mountain as expanded housing for teachers' families.

In response to the newly issued "94 Housing Reform Plan" policy this year, some teachers' families gradually moved out of the workers' school last year, subletting or reselling their old houses and never returning.

Those who stay are either like Qiao Jinqiu, an elderly person who has been here since the workers' school was founded, and are nostalgic; or they are short of money and cannot afford the increasingly expensive commercial housing, but the environment here is nice, so they stay.

They were all neighbors for twenty or thirty years. Qiao Jinqiu was a renowned master of calligraphy and painting. Piles of wreaths were placed downstairs in the red brick building, and friends of calligraphy and painting, as well as many connoisseurs and fellow artists, came to see him off.

They crowded into the living room, and despite their grief, they didn't forget to praise Qiao Jinqiu's unpublished paintings and inscriptions on the wall.

"The brushstrokes flow smoothly, with powerful and elegant strokes. Master Qiao's skill in calligraphy and painting was superb, reaching a level of divine artistry in his later years. It's a pity that he passed away before he could sell his works to the public. These few pieces are truly rare, and rarity makes them valuable."

"This painting, 'Under the Red Apple Tree,' exudes a more rounded and beautiful vitality and charm, carrying a Zen-like tranquility that calms my mind."

"I particularly like the way the distant mountains and streams are depicted in this painting. The interplay of reality and illusion creates a profound artistic conception. I just don't know if Mr. Qiao's widow would be willing to sell this work."

......

Shen Zhenzhu squeezed her way up from downstairs and saw that there were agents guarding the bedroom door, but the living room, kitchen and other places in the house where she mainly painted were already full of people, sighing and lamenting.

"Liancheng Major Crimes Unit." Shen Zhenzhu flashed her ID and glanced at Qiao Jinqiu's former bedroom from the doorway.

Seeing some naughty children running around downstairs, Zhao Qiqi simply picked up the steering wheel and went upstairs.

Xiao Bai looked into the bedroom and said, "It's all ruined."

According to Yu Wanqing's testimony, when she entered the room and found Qiao Jinqiu dead, she touched his cheeks, collar, and blankets.

After Qiao Kaiyue and his wife arrived, they also lingered in the bedroom. Later, before Qiao Jinqiu was taken to the funeral home, relatives and friends who had heard the news came in and out of the house, destroying all the clues.

Shen Zhenzhu saw the overlapping footprints on the ground, and the doorknob was simply broken.

Based on her initial assessment of Qiao Jinqiu's condition in the photograph, Chen Zhenzhu believes he died within 36 hours of being discovered. A more precise time will depend on the results of the initial autopsy.

If Yu Wanqing is not lying, then the suspect must have committed the crime sometime between that night and the early morning.

Chen Zhenzhu walked to the door and examined it carefully. Because the door lock was broken, there were no fingerprints on the handle indicating that the lock had been turned.

"This is Qiao Jinqiu's grandson, Qiao Dongliang," someone in the living room introduced him to others, murmuring many words of praise. Some busybodies asked the child, "How much money did your grandfather leave you?" "Did he tell you to call her 'Grandma'?" "Is your dad going to sell that painting?" "Your aunt didn't get a penny, did she?"

Shen Zhenzhu beckoned Qiao Dongliang over, put her arm around his shoulder, pointed to the door, and said, "Does your grandfather usually close the door when he sleeps?"

Qiao Dongliang's eyebrows and eyes are somewhat similar to Qiao Jinqiu's. He pulled on a Big Big bubble gum and said, "Shut it up. He said there's a draft, so he has to turn it off every time he sleeps. Now that we have a nanny, we have to turn it off even more when we go into the room with her."

The child's incoherent speech caused a group of people behind him to exchange flirtatious glances and have all sorts of wild thoughts.

"How do you usually open the door when the doorknob is broken?" Shen Zhenzhu asked Qiao Dongliang.

Qiao Dongliang put the Big Bubble Gum back into his mouth and touched the door to demonstrate.

Xiao Bai grabbed him and said, "Don't touch the door, speak with your mouth."

Qiao Dongliang put his hands behind his back, stretched out his right foot and kicked: "Use your foot to open it."

This aligns with what Chen Zhenzhu saw: overlapping scratch marks at the bottom of the door, which is also reasonable.

She checked the window again, and after questioning the officers and Qiao Dongliang, she told Xiaobai and Zhao Qiqi, "It's still possible that someone nearby committed the crime. In the dark, the other party didn't open the door with their hands. They were either wearing gloves or gently pushing it open with their foot. If they were wearing gloves, they would have needed to go up the stairs and pick the lock. There were no signs of forced entry on the door, so I suspect it's the latter."

Looking at the bolted window and the large banyan tree outside, Zhao Qiqi said, "The soundproofing here is poor. The suspect didn't wake Yu Wanqing, but instead successfully killed Qiao Jinqiu. Perhaps it really was an inside job."

Xiao Bai said, "Could it be that Yu Wanqing heard the cries for help but was too scared to come out of the other bedroom?"

Shen Zhenzhu said, "That's also possible. During the investigation, some family members might cover up the truth in order to avoid feeling guilty."

The area had already been surveyed by the Bao Lü Criminal Investigation Team, and they were clearly targeting acquaintances. As a result, Captain Qiu was stationed at the funeral home, taking turns questioning people and preventing anyone from leaving.

During the investigation, taking the case back to any other criminal investigation team would be met with opposition from the other side. Since there are many people at the funeral home, it would be good to work nearby.

Seeing that Xiaobai and Zhao Qiqi were still carefully examining the scene, Shen Zhenzhu came out of Qiao Jinqiu's bedroom and walked to Yu Wanqing's bedroom across the street.

Chen Zhenzhu looked around the bedroom and found a suitcase under the bed. Opening the suitcase, she saw some simple, old clothes inside. There were no expensive mink coats, nor any delicate perfume.

Those who came to say goodbye, only to discover it was a murder, whispered amongst themselves. The agents guarding the door repeatedly told them to keep their distance and not to disturb the crime scene.

"If you ask me, it's the nanny's doing. Didn't you see how dressed she is today? She doesn't look like a fifty-year-old at all." Downstairs, Aunt Wang was chatting with a few old neighbors. Chen Zhenzhu opened the window and could see them all talking about other people's affairs with great interest.

Aunt Wang's voice kept coming up from the first floor, so Chen Zhenzhu simply checked Yu Wanqing's personal belongings while listening to her talk to the others.

Yu Wanqing's room wasn't cluttered, probably because she often worked as a nanny; even though she lived in her employer's home, she only had necessities. On the dressing table were several bottles of skincare products that hadn't been opened long, suggesting they were recently purchased.

Chen Zhenzhu looked through the drawer, and someone outside the door was asking the operative, "Is that nanny the murderer?"

The operator ignored him and told him to move away.

Without looking up, Chen Zhenzhu continued to examine Yu Wanqing's belongings. If anyone was a suspect, it was Yu Wanqing.

Some cases are unimaginably complex and have a profound impact, like the previous case. Other cases, however, are shockingly simple. Investigators need to maintain a balance between overthinking and being unable to process complex cases.

Aunt Wang and the others were still chatting, mainly slandering Yu Wanqing.

Shen Zhenzhu walked to the trash can by the bed and discovered the problem.

She crouched down and pulled out a few pieces of paper from beside the trash can, some of which hadn't been emptied completely. On them were incomplete messages: "I love you," "I miss you." Judging by the condition of the paper, it hadn't been there long.

Shen Zhenzhu put the fragments into the evidence bag. As she got up, she heard Aunt Wang outside the window still loudly criticizing, "We're all women, I can see through her tricks at a glance. Everyone knows that when she goes out to buy groceries every day, she's actually going out to meet men. Only those who can't come downstairs at home still treat her like a treasure, drawing and painting pictures of her every day. Bah! She's getting old, and her eyes have really gone blind."

A woman nearby asked, "A man? Have I seen him before? He's alright looking, but a bit hunchbacked?"

Aunt Wang seemed to want to announce to the whole world that Yu Wanqing was unfaithful, and said loudly, "Oh dear, you saw her having an affair outside? It was him! Maybe they conspired to murder someone, get the money, and then elope together."

Shen Zhenzhu quickly ran out of the house and called to Xiaobai and Zhao Qiqi, "Let's go downstairs."

When Chen Zhenzhu got downstairs, Aunt Wang started talking animatedly, her words practically dripping with spittle.

Shen Zhenzhu walked up to Aunt Wang and said, "Hello, I'm from the Criminal Investigation Team. Could you please recount what happened just now to me in detail?"

The group of people gossiping around Aunt Wang immediately wanted to leave, but Xiao Bai and Zhao Qiqi stopped them and said, "Everyone, please give us your statements."

Aunt Wang also wanted to leave, so she made an excuse, saying, "It's almost six o'clock, I have to go home and cook."

Shen Zhenzhu smiled and said, "It won't take up much of your time. I overheard a lot of conversations upstairs, so I'll just ask you a few questions."

Aunt Wang saw that although Shen Zhenzhu was smiling, she had no intention of letting her go. She swallowed and said, "Won't we be held legally responsible?"

Shen Zhenzhu said, "Yes, it is. Could it be that what you just said was all a lie?"

The uncle opposite Zhao Qiqi said angrily, "Old Wang, you can't just fool people like that! We've been listening to you all day."

The woman next to the man quickly distanced herself, saying, "I've heard that gossiping can lead to legal consequences. Anyway, let me clarify, I didn't say a word."

Aunt Wang said angrily, "You didn't say anything, but you heard everything. Who knows whose bed you're hiding under tonight to tell me?"

"Hey! How can you talk like that? You may not care about your reputation, but I do!"

Aunt Wang pointed at her and said, "You have no shame! If you have any shame, why don't you flirt with the butcher when you buy some ribs?"

"That's enough. Brother Aqi, take them over there." Chen Zhenzhu blocked Aunt Wang's way and said, "Come with me, please cooperate. Actually, there aren't many questions, we just want to find out about Yu Wanqing's affair partner."

Hearing her say this, Aunt Wang relaxed a little and said, "This isn't something I made up; many people saw it. She often talks to a man at the small gate in the back hill and even passes him envelopes. One night, I saw her try to kiss that man, and she got angry when he didn't kiss her back."

"What's that man's name? How old is he?"

"How would I know? Who would want to be seen having an affair?" Aunt Wang said smugly. "I only peeked at her from the air-raid shelter. She's hunchbacked, about 175 cm tall, about the same height as my son. She's not as old as Yu Wanqing, probably in her early forties. She's dressed very plainly, no one would notice her on the street."

Shen Zhenzhu asked, "What accent did you hear he had when he spoke?"

Aunt Wang said, "It's the accent of Zhuangshan County. I met him a couple of days ago, and he said he wanted to go back to Zhuangshan County. Yu Wanqing offered him money to take the bus at Huaniu Bus Station, but he refused."

Chen Zhenzhu hurriedly asked, "Did you hear him say when he's leaving?"

"Of course I heard it! I have such good hearing, I know exactly what's going on in every house." Aunt Wang said smugly again, "...Hiss...I remember it was the bus on the night of the 11th. Oh dear, isn't today the 11th? Could it be that he killed someone and is trying to escape? This is serious!"

Shen Zhenzhu said, "Could you describe its specific appearance for us?"

There was no time to find a portrait artist, so Shen Zhenzhu, Xiaobai, and Zhao Qiqi, three bumbling cobblers, drew an abstract figure based on Aunt Wang's description, a figure whose features only they could discern.

"This...this won't work!" Aunt Wang thought it didn't seem right at all.

Chen Zhenzhu patted her chest and said, "The difference isn't that big."

Aunt Wang: "..." It's not that big, it's practically the sea.

......

On the way to the bus station.

Xiao Bai analyzed, "Yu Wanqing's motive for murder is very simple: after obtaining the marriage certificate, she can get a large inheritance from Qiao Jinqiu. If the murderer is her and her lover, then her claim that she didn't hear anything can be explained away."

Shen Zhenzhu said, "She is highly suspicious and advocates for the immediate cremation of Qiao Jinqiu. I think there might be more to the story than meets the eye regarding the body."

Zhao Qiqi gripped the trembling steering wheel. The green light ahead turned on, and the three people in the car shook along with the engine, causing the taxi following closely behind to not only not move forward but also to reverse three or four meters.

The old police car drove slowly, but Chen Zhenzhu's mind was working very fast.

It was already completely dark outside, and the spring chill was still in the air, so she hunched her shoulders and said, "I'll call forensic doctor Rong."

Shen Zhenzhu left a message on Rong Chengcheng's pager. After a while, it was Section Chief Qin who called back. He said in a hoarse voice, "I've arrived at Jinshan Funeral Home. They've agreed to let us see the body and conduct an autopsy together with their forensic doctor. I hope they won't hold us back. I'll give you the autopsy report as soon as possible."

After hanging up the phone, Shen Zhenzhu said with relief, "Forensic Doctor Rong invited Section Chief Qin over."

Xiao Bai remembered Qin's fierce appearance and said with relief, "Thank goodness, there's finally hope. I have to learn this trick too."

They were still on their way when it was time for lunch. Xiaobai took out some King of Kings and mineral water from his bag, and the three of them shared them.

Upon arriving at Huaniu Bus Station, Chen Zhenzhu took out the suspect's portrait, looked at it several times, and explained the key points for the arrest.

Some Liancheng agents had already arrived and approached to examine the portrait closely. They all fell silent.

"Is this a person?"

"It's not a person, it's a mouse!"

One of the operators asked in a low voice, "Then why do they have holes in their faces?"

Xiao Bai pointed at the suspect's sketch with a pen and said, "It's not a hole, it's a pockmark. The sketch is just to build a foundation. I'll explain the specifics, and you can complete the rest in your minds."

"...Just arrest someone, why make such connections?" the agent muttered under his breath.

"Time is tight, and there's no other way." Shen Zhenzhu can do anything, but she's not very good at drawing. It's just that back then, art class was turned into Chinese class.

A dozen or so people spent about ten minutes at the bus station determining a search plan, with their main targets being buses heading to Zhuangshan County.

“There are three buses tonight, all passing through Zhuangshan County.” Zhao Qiqi had communicated with the bus station and, holding the passenger schedule, said: “Zhuangying Express, 103, and 906. The times are 8:30 pm, 10 pm, and 12:00 am tonight. I’ve already had someone keep watch near the platform.”

Shen Zhenzhu said worriedly, "The three of us will also split up and guard the platform."

Xiao Bai understood immediately; her sister Pearl was worried that others wouldn't be able to grasp the essence of the painting.

The three of them split up and waited. After Zhuangying Express and 103 had passed, Chen Zhenzhu met up with them in the waiting hall of the 906 station.

The passenger waiting room was not crowded late at night; the weather in Liancheng didn't warm up until the end of May. Even now, there were still passengers wrapped in military overcoats, sleeping on wooden chairs.

Shen Zhenzhu pretended not to know them and had already changed into plain clothes, acting as a waiting passenger in the waiting room.

Xiao Bai sat in the corner reading a book with a big backpack on her back, looking like a female college student on a trip.

Zhao Qiqi is like a child with ADHD, sometimes wandering around the waiting room, sometimes running outside, and when she can't hold back, she does push-ups next to the chair.

An older woman sitting across from him couldn't help but ask, "Young man, it's time to find a partner."

Zhao Qiqi blushed deeply and pretended not to hear.

Seeing that he was clean-cut, fit, and large, the old woman had an idea: "How old are you? Are you from around here? Where do your parents live?"

Zhao Qiqi pretended not to hear.

The old woman simply squatted down next to him and asked, "Have you bought a house in the city? What do you do for work? Can you accept a woman who is three or four years older than you?"

Zhao Qiqi was so frightened that she ran away, which made her friends secretly laugh.

It's already 11:30, and there's still no sign of the other person. No matter how abstract the facial features are, the fact that the target person is hunched over is something that cannot be missed.

Chen Zhenzhu walked to the thermos to prepare instant noodles. After thinking for a moment, she took out the instant noodles from her pocket, kneaded them a few times, tore open the bag, and planned to pour out the seasoning and eat them dry.

"I'll pour it for you." The man in the military coat, who had been sleeping on the bench, got up, glanced at Chen Zhenzhu's face with his hunched back, and said with a fawning smile, "Little sister, eating dry food isn't good for digestion. I have some bowls here, you can have some that haven't been used—"

"What do you mean, 'you'? You're under arrest." Shen Zhenzhu wiped her mouth and snatched the thermos from his hand. Before the target could react, Zhao Qiqi rushed out from behind and handcuffed his arms behind his back.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Don't shout, and don't move."

Shen Zhenzhu picked up the newspaper from the ground, wrapped it around the handcuffs, took out the walkie-talkie and said, "That's it for today. Get some rest. We've caught the guy."

The atmosphere in the waiting room was somber. Many people were dozing off and didn't notice that there were suddenly fewer people around them. They assumed they were just like any other passengers and went out to board the train.

Shen Zhenzhu followed the passengers who got off the train in twos and threes out of the station. She came to the police car and glanced at the other person: "What's your name?"

"I... my name is Guo Zhi, and I swear I didn't kill him!"

That's a big problem.

Chen Zhenzhu pinned the man to the car and began interrogating him directly: "What is your relationship with Yu Wanqing?"

Hearing the police car making noise that was as loud as a tractor back home, Guo Zhi swallowed hard and said, "I have nothing to do with Yu Wanqing."

"Nonsense, Yu Wanqing has already told us everything." Xiao Bai started to lie. She and Shen Zhenzhu sandwiched Guo Zhi between them, making it impossible for him to escape.

Although Guo Zhi is a bit hunchbacked, he is undeniably handsome. Despite being in his forties, his face doesn't appear greasy or sleazy; instead, his freckles give him a rare youthful air.

He honestly replied, "What could she possibly tell you?"

Shen Zhenzhu laughed: "Why are you interrogating us now? Tell me quickly, what was your plan? Confess and you'll be treated leniently, resist and you'll be punished severely. How long have you two been dating?"

Guo Zhi was terrified and said with a wronged expression, "I told you, we weren't in a relationship. She paid me 30,000 yuan to kill that old lecher for her. I agreed, but I never thought that taking the job would involve dating her. Every time I saw her, she would touch me inappropriately. I... I couldn't take it anymore, so I quit."

"..." Shen Zhenzhu looked at him with amusement and said, "How did she find you to commit murder? How did you two get in touch in the first place? You'd better tell the truth. If you say you didn't commit murder, you should cooperate with us properly, otherwise you won't be able to clear your name."

Guo Zhi hugged his knees and said in a low voice, "He didn't say he wanted to kill Qiao Jinqiu to my face. He wrote me a letter saying that if I was willing to do it, I should take some roses to Xinqiao Shopping Mall and pay him first before doing the job."

"Where's the letter?"

"It was destroyed."

Shen Zhenzhu asked, "What did you say to each other when you first met?"

Guo Zhi said, "She didn't speak to me, but she accepted my roses. After she left, I found a letter in my pocket that told me to go to a designated locker to get the money."

Do you remember what was in the letter?

Guo Zhi tried hard to recall, his appearance making people overlook the fact that his mind was blank. After waiting for half a minute, he scratched his head and said, "I have the locker combination, and I was told not to talk about killing people in front of them, lest the walls have ears."

"So that means you're not her boyfriend at all?" Xiaobai said, "But what others are saying is so detailed and convincing, are you sure you're not hiding anything?"

Guo Zhi was almost in tears. Pointing at himself, he said, "That old lecher likes her, but I don't. I'm only forty-two, and she's fifty. How could I date her? If I were to date someone, I'd want someone young and beautiful."

Shen Zhenzhu said, "Did you look in the mirror before you went out? Young and beautiful people have good eyesight, do you think they would be interested in you? Don't talk nonsense, did she tell you why she wanted to kill Qiao Jinqiu?"

Guo Zhi's arrogance was extinguished by Shen Zhenzhu, and he hunched over like a shrimp: "She said the old man was a lecherous old man who always wanted her to be his nude model. Not only did he want to paint nudes, but he also wanted to hold an art exhibition for others to appreciate her nude paintings. She had argued with the old lecherous old man about this several times. Maybe she lost patience and wanted to kill him to end it all."

"You said you didn't kill Qiao Jinqiu, where were you the night before last?" Shen Zhenzhu asked.

Guo Zhi remained silent.

"Where were you the night before last? Don't try to hide it; we definitely need to confirm your whereabouts." Chen Zhenzhu asked again, "Where exactly did you go? Was anyone else with you at the time?"

“I was playing mahjong with my friends the day before yesterday, and they can testify to that.” Guo Zhi seemed to have made a great decision as he confessed, “Although I didn’t kill him, I know who killed Qiao Jinqiu.”

Zhao Qiqi slammed on the brakes, nearly snapping the steering wheel off: "Tell us quickly, don't make us ask you like we're squeezing toothpaste."

Guo Zhi smacked his lips and said in a muffled voice, "I've never killed anyone, and I don't know who spread the word that I dare to kill. After getting the 30,000 yuan, I couldn't sleep for nights on end. Later, I found someone, gave him the money, and asked him to help me kill Qiao Jinqiu."

"You're even subcontracting this?" Chen Zhenzhu couldn't hold back any longer and asked, "What's the other party's name? Where do they live?"

“I only knew his name was Lao Dao, and it was rumored in the underworld that he had killed people, so I found him.” Guo Zhi said hesitantly, “I don’t know where he lives, I found him in a mahjong room where people play mahjong.”

"Your mahjong parlor is full of talented people, isn't it?" Seeing that he was hiding something, Shen Zhenzhu simply asked bluntly, "Are you gambling buddies you met while gambling together?"

Guo Zhi said in a low voice, "Yes."

Chen Zhenzhu asked, "Did you get a clear look at what Lao Dao looks like?"

Guo Zhi said, "Of course I looked carefully. I am his employer, and I was afraid he would lie to me, so I looked at it very carefully."

Shen Zhenzhu took out her phone to contact a portrait expert. Xiao Bai, who was standing next to her, asked curiously, "How much did you pay him to kill Qiao Jinqiu?"

Guo Zhi said somewhat embarrassedly, "Not much."

Zhao Qiqi asked from the front, "How much is 'not much'?"

Guo Zhi said, "They gave me seven thousand."

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Author's note: See you tomorrow, there are 100 red envelopes waiting for you! [Let me see]