Chapter 99 How Much Do We Know About the Past?

Gu Yanzheng glanced at her smug dimples, then looked away and smiled.

"Captain Gu, Sister Pearl, Hao Chunzhi's list has been checked, and it matches all the missing persons." Lu Ye returned after making the call and saw them talking in the corridor. After relaying the message, he said, "Why did Li Mancang kill so many people? Was it the same motive as Hao Chunzhi's?"

Gu Yanzheng said, "Li Mancang killed people to save money for IVF surgery, partly to curry favor with Hao Chunzhi."

Shen Zhenzhu nodded and said, "The two of them have been together for so many years and understand each other's mental state. It's impossible for Li Mancang not to know that Hao Chunzhi was using him. He just pretended not to know and was willing to be used."

Lu Ye clicked his tongue in amazement and asked again, "Then was he instructed by Hao Chunzhi to bury the body on Peach Blossom Mountain?"

Lu Ye carried the body up the mountain for most of the night, really wondering why, with so many places in the countryside where people could be buried, they had to go through all that trouble to bury it on the mountain.

"He didn't charge the villagers for their garbage because he was grateful," Gu Yanzheng said in a flat tone. "To help the village earn more money, he buried the body this year so that the peach blossoms would bloom even better next year. And when the peach blossoms are in full bloom, there will be even more garbage for him to collect."

"..." Lu Ye was shocked: "Then when the peach blossoms are in full bloom all over the mountains..."

Shen Zhenzhu said, "That is when corpses litter the fields."

"Holy crap, he's a demon!" Zhao Qiqi walked over from the side, startling Lu Ye, who was also taken aback by Lu Ye's reaction.

Gu Yanzheng held onto the seat next to Chen Zhenzhu, refusing to give way. Zhao Qiqi squeezed next to Lu Ye and said, "Someone from the provincial department just came to inform us that the 'Hongmei County Serial Disappearances Case' has been officially renamed the 'Hongmei County Major Serial Murder Case.' After it's sent to the procuratorate, there will be a public trial."

He said excitedly, "The comrades from the provincial department said that this is the largest serial murder case since the founding of the People's Republic of China. We solved it in just 19 days. Sister Pearl has made a great contribution."

Shen Zhenzhu never took credit for herself. Upon hearing this, she said, "Everyone involved in the case, including Xiaobai, has contributed to the investigation. I know what everyone has done and will report back truthfully. Everyone deserves credit."

Xiao Bai blushed and said, "I... I didn't do anything. Besides, I'm just a student, how can I compare to you guys?"

Chen Zhenzhu patted her on the back encouragingly, "No, you really helped a lot. Don't underestimate yourself. What's yours is yours. Accept it bravely. It's also a manifestation of self-confidence."

Lu Ye laughed and said, "Our Sister Pearl is particularly good at this. When working with her, you're not afraid to take credit. She's meticulous and always gets things done clearly."

Shen Zhenzhu looked at Gu Yanzheng and said, "I learned it from Brother Zheng. Brother Zheng never takes credit for his subordinates' work."

Gu Yanzheng chuckled and said, "Don't give me that. The case is solved, so let's call it a day. Come on, I'll take you guys out for a celebratory dinner."

Shen Zhenzhu stretched lazily, feeling much more relaxed in her shoulders. She walked down from the second floor, passing the first-floor meeting room, and suddenly stopped.

In the bustling venue, the red flag of the "-1" branch school in Case No. 1 was taken down and replaced with a huge banner that read "First Place in the Annual Martial Arts Competition".

Shen Zhenzhu said in astonishment, "The 'Grand Martial Arts Competition' isn't over yet, so how come it's already up?"

Gu Yanzheng said dismissively, "Number one in difficulty, number one in speed, number one in influence—if you're not number one, who is?"

Before Shen Zhenzhu could even feel smug, Yang Mei and the others swarmed around her, saying, "I heard Case No. 1 has been renamed 'Major Serial Murder Case'? With the addition of 'Major,' it's one of the most notorious serial murder cases in the entire country."

"Congratulations! Congratulations on solving this major case. Do you have time to chat?"

"Section Chief Shen, do you still have your business card? Let's be sister units of the Municipal Bureau and exchange ideas often!"

"Comrade Shen." The leader of the organizer walked over and squeezed through the crowd for a long time before finally reaching Shen Zhenzhu. He said politely, "Congratulations on solving Case No. 1. You truly deserve the reputation of the Liancheng Major Crimes Unit."

Gu Yanzheng said calmly from the side, "What is it?"

Lu Ye and the others were still bothered by the "-1" red flag, glaring at it and saying, "We want to eat. The case has been solved, what else do we need to do?"

The other party smiled and said, "It's like this, we heard that Comrade Shen Zhenzhu used a foreign technique during the interrogation, which, when combined with Li Mancang's criminal psychology, was like adding wings to a tiger. We would like to invite Section Chief Shen to hold a 'Detection Exchange Meeting' in a couple of days. I wonder if Section Chief Shen has the time?"

It's just about teaching criminals how to use criminal psychology and criminal investigation "fraud techniques" to fool them, right?

Gu Yanzheng looked at Chen Zhenzhu and respected her wishes.

Shen Zhenzhu patted her chest and said, "Okay, anyway, even if we don't hold a meeting, we will analyze the criminal psychology of each case privately."

Seeing that she shared everything so generously, the organizer was delighted and said repeatedly, "Great, thank you so much. I'll let you know in advance once everything is arranged."

After leaving the "Grand Competition" venue, Shen Zhenzhu once again got into the passenger seat of Gu Yanzheng's car. The Cherokee drove comfortably and smoothly through the night of Shenyang.

"Are you sure you don't want to eat at a restaurant and want to go to the night market instead?" Gu Yanzheng gripped the steering wheel. He had already arranged with his own restaurant to prepare the food, but Shen Zhenzhu and Xiaobai had already made their decision, and he didn't want to go against their wishes.

Lu Ye had been to Shen City several times and had had his fill of the fancy banquets at Gu Yanzheng's happy hometown, so he chimed in, "Little Bai said he'd take us to eat authentic Lao Siji pulled noodles and the most amazing hanging oven pancakes."

“Okay, let’s go then.” Since they would be staying for a few more days anyway, Gu Yanzheng didn’t need to look at a map. He drove smoothly through the bustling streets of the provincial capital and took them to the Tawan Night Market.

Xiao Bai acted like a tour guide. Everyone else had been here, but Pearl hadn't, so she guided Pearl alone, linking arms with her and saying affectionately, "This night market is nearly two kilometers long. It's said to be the largest night market in Asia, with thousands of stalls inside."

Chen Zhenzhu, looking like a country bumpkin again, swallowed hard at the sight of the colorful signs and the irresistible aroma, and said, "Let's go!"

Xiao Bai pointed to the street to the north and said, "Let's go buy roasted pig's trotters and tripe first, then I'll let you try our old-fashioned Cai Ta Menzi and traditional Guo Bao Rou. After we buy them, we'll take them to Lao Siji to eat. There's a hanging oven pancake shop right next door."

The charismatic Section Chief Xiao Shen, who was a force to be reckoned with in solving cases, obediently linked arms with Xiao Bai, her big eyes darting around, never going east when told to go west.

The night market stretched as far as the eye could see; it was easy to get lost. Section Chief Shen had just solved a major case; she couldn't afford to lose herself. She still cared a lot about her image.

After spending most of the hour buying all the food recommended by Xiaobai, the five of us sat down at the Lao Siji pulled noodles stall.

Xiao Bai was familiar with the owner, so he held up five fingers, and the owner nodded without taking any money, preparing to stretch the noodles.

The roasted pig's trotters placed in front of Shen Zhenzhu and the others were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a rich, savory aroma. The tripe was drizzled with sesame oil and chili oil, making it crisp, tender, and refreshing.

Xiao Bai took the bowls and plates from Zhao Qiqi and distributed them to everyone. She then placed the large pig's trotter with the tendons sticking out in front of her sister, Pearl.

Gu Yanzheng silently put the bowl back in his hand; this was hardly presentable. Faced with Xiaobai's blatant favoritism, he felt a strange sense of crisis.

"So this is what 'Rainbow Tower Stew' is served with mashed potatoes. The texture is wonderful." Chen Zhenzhu scooped up a large piece and ate it, her eyes squinting with satisfaction.

"Hey, don't forget the roasted chicken frames! This is the soul of Shen City's snacks. Try it, you'll be addicted to sucking on the chicken bones." Lu Ye placed a large plate of chicken frames on the small table, instantly filling it to the brim.

"The pancakes are ready!" the old chef next door shouted, and Chen Zhenzhu immediately stood up and rushed over.

In front of the oven fire, the master baker uses an iron hook to turn the pancakes over. When the pancakes puff up like little balloons, they become golden and crispy.

He first packed a few for the children in front of him in line, then stuffed two more in, saying, "Take them carefully, don't drop them again."

The little boy said shyly, "Thank you, Grandpa." He eagerly took out a baked flatbread, blew on it, and took a big bite. Seeing the sesame seeds falling, he quickly scooped them up with his hand and put them in his mouth.

Chen Zhenzhu couldn't bear to waste the fragrant sesame seeds, so she took the oven-baked cake from the master chef and planned to go back to the table to eat it. The master chef called her back and said, "Young lady, you just got off work, right? Let me pack a few more for you, so you can spread the word later."

"Hey! Thank you, Master." Chen Zhenzhu happily returned to her seat with five more round, plump oven-baked cakes in her bag.

Xiao Bai wanted to take the bag and distribute the oven-baked flatbread, but Gu Dui, being tall and strong with long arms, reached out and took it from him beforehand, and then distributed it to everyone.

Lu Ye found it really strange and laughed, "It's different when you're out and about; even the boss is taking care of us now."

The oven-baked cakes were all the same size, and the number of sesame seeds was hard to count... Gu Yanzheng reluctantly picked out two that looked like they had a little more sesame seeds and put them into the pearl bowl. Then he stuffed the one with the fewest sesame seeds into Lu Ye's mouth.

Holding the oven-baked cake, Shen Zhenzhu had no idea of ​​Gu Yanzheng's good intentions. She took a crispy bite, squinted her eyes, and savored the master chef's craftsmanship, her dimples gradually appearing.

On the crowded streets of the night market, an old man slowly walked along, pushing his bicycle and selling candied hawthorns. He gave out plenty of rock sugar and large hawthorns, which looked crystal clear under the red and green lights of his signboard.

Shen Zhenzhu glanced at him again, and Gu Yanzheng, who was sitting next to her, got up and went over.

Xiao Bai looked at him thoughtfully, then lowered her head and took a bite of the big pig's trotter.

Several children stood on tiptoe around the old man, trying to pick the biggest skewer of candied hawthorns. But then, out of nowhere, someone snatched the biggest skewer and then took a few more, leaving a piece missing from the candied hawthorn stick.

Gu Yanzheng took back four strings of candied hawthorns and, without waiting for Lu Ye to finish, shoved one into his hand. Lu Ye was about to say, "I don't want to—"

Xiao Bai leaned his elbow on Lu Ye's thigh, and Lu Ye almost jumped up in pain. He turned his head and heard Xiao Bai say with a smile, "Then I'll eat two. Brother Ye, can you help me get them?"

Lu Ye and Zhao Qiqi had been reminded by Gu Yanzheng to be mindful of their behavior. At this moment, Lu Ye couldn't glare at Xiao Bai, so he held up the two strings of candied hawthorns, intending to eat them all by himself.

Zhao Qiqi reached out her hand and said, "I want this."

Gu Yanzheng was stingy and didn't give him the big one, so he gave him a small one instead, and then naturally handed the biggest candied hawthorn to Chen Zhenzhu.

Shen Zhenzhu reached out and took it. The old master of the Four Seasons was slapping the dough, and she couldn't help but turn around to look.

She kneaded the dough on the work surface with a speed and dexterity that rivaled even her sixth sister's.

Show off your skills by stretching the noodles, then put them into the soup pot, and while waiting, add various condiments to the bottom of the bowl.

"The noodles are ready!" With this shout, both new and old customers at the stall turned to look.

Shen Zhenzhu held the pulled noodles in her hands and smelled them. The milky white soup had specks of oil floating on top, and a few sprigs of cilantro were floating around. When she stirred it with her chopsticks, the aroma wafted over her face.

He took a sip of the famous hand-pulled noodles and gave Xiaobai a thumbs up.

This authentic, down-to-earth flavor reminded her of the comforting food she would receive at Sixth Sister's shop after solving a case, a way to mend her wounded soul, scarred by the complexities of life.

But delicious food is never lacking. In the bustling night markets filled with the aroma of cooking, ordinary people savor the bittersweet experiences of their lives. Even if they are supporting characters in the eyes of others, they are the protagonists of their own lives.

Lu Ye was peeling garlic on the side. He took a bite and gasped because of the spiciness. He quickly drank some noodle soup, but then burned his tongue with the soup, earning him ridicule from everyone.

Just then, another group of people arrived at the low table next to them. They not only ordered pulled noodles, but also the Uyghur uncle's lamb skewers with beer.

After a few rounds of drinks, we chatted about everything under the sun, using the conversation as an accompaniment to the drinks.

As they were talking, someone brought up the big news from the past two days: "I heard there was a murder case, and a lot of people died on Peach Blossom Mountain."

"Which Peach Blossom Mountain? The one where the Peach Blossom Festival was canceled?"

"Could they have used the holiday as an excuse to kill people? My partner and I were planning to go."

"It was during the peach blossom festival in Tuanjie Village. The villagers even went to the provincial government to protest against the police handling the case, causing traffic jams on the main road. I was late for work that day."

“My colleague’s second aunt’s husband’s family lives over there. They said they dug up a lot of corpses, like terracotta warriors, neatly stacked. This has caused quite a stir.”

His girlfriend, who had long, wavy hair, rolled her eyes and said, "Stop talking nonsense. If so many people really died, why would there be police officers sitting there leisurely eating?"

"What does their eating have to do with the case?"

"Please, don't be fooled by messy news. This is a huge case with so many deaths, why would so many police officers be eating here? They would have all gone long ago, and it might take a year or two to solve the case."

The woman looked at them like they were idiots and said, "If the police are here eating leisurely, it means there's peace and tranquility, understand? What I'm afraid of is them being busy running around like crazy."

......

Shen Zhenzhu held the large bowl of noodles, took a sip of the soup, and breathed a comforting sigh of relief.

Yes, I really hope there is no harm in the world and that there is peace everywhere.

******

Three days later, at the "Grand Competition" venue, in the East Conference Hall.

The banner for the “Analysis and Discussion Meeting on the Investigation of the Major Serial Murder Case (Case No. 1) in Hongmei County” was immediately visible.

An hour before Chen Zhenzhu was scheduled to begin the meeting, the 260-seat hall was packed.

The first two rows of tables were set with bottled water, pens, and stationery, while the back rows had none. But that didn't dampen everyone's enthusiasm for participating. Everyone brought their own water bottles and notebooks and found an empty seat.

Shen Zhenzhu was dressed in a crisp, neat olive-green uniform, not a single strand of hair frizzy under her police cap. She stood on the left side of the podium, near the window, head down, checking the materials she would need for her speech.

Gu Yanzheng and the representatives of the invited martial arts teams sat in the second row, and unexpectedly, Director Zhou was sitting next to Director Tu in front of them.

Sensing the high regard Director Zhou held for Shen Zhenzhu, Gu Yanzheng seemed to see her wings grow even larger.

"After more than half a month of investigations with no progress, Xiao Shen did not get discouraged at all. In the end, she found a subtle clue in the testimony of the relatives of the 25th person, who was also the last missing person, and solved the case by peeling back the layers." No matter how dark Tu's face was, he still couldn't hide his admiring smile when he saw his proud subordinate.

Director Zhou said with a smile, "Her wisdom, strength, and patience, coupled with the courage to fight evil to the end, perfectly match my requirements for frontline criminal investigation officers. Most importantly, she never holds back, always answers questions, and is happy to share. This spirit is something that frontline personnel should learn from again."

Tu Ju sensed Director Zhou's appreciation for Shen Zhenzhu, nodded, and said no more.

Xiao Bai served tea and water next to Shen Zhenzhu. Looking at the packed room, she nervously swallowed and asked, "Sister Zhenzhu, aren't you nervous at all?"

Chen Zhenzhu closed the materials, took the water glass and took a sip. Hearing this, she said, "Whether you're nervous or not, you still have to go. Thinking too much is too mentally taxing. I choose not to think about anything and just say what I need to say in a meeting as usual."

She handed the water cup to Xiaobai and patted the spot where she was sitting: "There's no room over there, so you can sit here and take notes. If you don't understand anything, I'll explain it to you later."

"Thank you, Sister Pearl." Xiao Bai, having secured a prime spot near the podium, smiled broadly at her father, who was now facing her.

Director Zhou, mindful of his public image, nodded slightly and then looked straight ahead.

Shen Zhenzhu did not see the father and daughter interact. She walked up to the stage, and all the spotlights on it were turned on. Shen Zhenzhu's figure appeared in front of everyone, and thunderous applause immediately followed.

When Shen Zhenzhu saw that there were many comrades she knew or did not know in the audience, she first introduced herself and then introduced the members of the No. 1 case task force: Lu Ye, Zhao Qiqi, and Xiao Bai to everyone.

As the main speaker, Shen Zhenzhu selected representative cases from the 58 victims to recount their experiences. From the moment she received the case to its eventual resolution, she presented the entire story from the perspective of an objective law enforcement officer, in a vivid and fair manner.

From the very beginning, some police officers in the audience had already raised their hands to ask questions. After all, criminal psychology has not yet been widely implemented at the grassroots level, and many people had not even heard of some of the simple, basic terms.

Chen Zhenzhu simply explained concisely on the blackboard while speaking, striving to ensure that everyone could share what they had learned this time and not waste the precious time for discussion.

Just as Director Zhou knew, Shen Zhenzhu answered every question, providing insightful analysis on everything from criminal investigation techniques to criminal profiling. Many police officers raised their hands in the audience, but due to time constraints, Shen Zhenzhu couldn't answer everyone, which conveniently created an opportunity for interaction among the audience, fully embodying the spirit of the "grand competition."

"Does Chai Mengwen have antisocial personality tendencies?" someone in the audience asked.

“Yes, Hao Chunzhi has antisocial personality tendencies.” Shen Zhenzhu chose another name to answer and said, “From the perspective of criminal psychology, Hao Chunzhi’s psychology and behavior can be analyzed by combining theories such as post-traumatic stress disorder, antisocial personality, extreme revenge mentality, and self-destructive tendencies to dissect her psychological evolution process.”

Shen Zhenzhu wrote four parts on the split blackboard: "Initial Trauma", "Manipulating Husband", "Serial Killings" and "Self-Destruction".

“I’ll start by breaking down the first part, ‘initial trauma,’” Shen Zhenzhu said in a clear and firm voice. “Hao Chunzhi suffered double psychological trauma when her boyfriend was killed, trafficked, and forced into prostitution. She and her boyfriend were at the stage of discussing marriage. His murder represented the violent deprivation of their intimate relationship. Her trafficking and prostitution, and loss of autonomy, forced her psychological defense mechanism to shift from ‘passive victimhood’ to ‘active revenge.’ She was in a state of high vigilance for a long time after the trauma, and developed extreme hostility towards men. Her boyfriend’s death to save her made her obsessively determined to avenge him, which led to cognitive distortion. She generalized her personal hatred into the punishment of the entire male group, forming a moral rationalization for killing.”

Shen Zhenzhu paused, answered questions from her two colleagues, and then continued, "The second part, 'Manipulating the Husband,' is her transformation from victim to perpetrator."

Then someone asked, "As a trafficked woman, Hao Chunzhi was exploited and coerced. How could she possibly control Li Mancang?"

When Shen Zhenzhu saw that the person asking the question was Song Xinchen, she was surprised that he had also come to participate in the meeting. She replied, "I once handled a 'basement imprisonment case' where the imprisoned women developed 'Stockholm syndrome' towards the murderer. Everyone should have heard of this by now, right?"

Song Xinchen nodded to the crowd. The document distributed to study the "spirit of Shen Zhenzhu, a first-class meritorious official" had highlighted this case.

It seemed unbelievable at the time; not only did the female victims kill each other, but they also fell in love with the murderer. If he had encountered this situation, he might have secretly gone to a place to offer incense and prayers.

Shen Zhenzhu paused for a few seconds, looked around, and then raised the microphone to continue: "Hao Chunzhi's control over Li Mancang is a form of reverse manipulation. She takes advantage of Li Mancang's guilt towards her, sometimes being gentle and obedient to him, and sometimes using cold violence to make him psychologically dependent. She then reinforces this intermittently to achieve the purpose of emotional blackmail."

Song Xinchen read "emotional blackmail" from below the stage and wrote it in his notebook with a big circle drawn around it.

I need to learn more about this later; he needs to understand what others understand!

Shen Zhenzhu doesn't need to spend time explaining "Stockholm syndrome," saving a lot of time. I sincerely think that everyone has gained a lot from learning the "spirit of Shen Zhenzhu, a first-class meritorious official."

She then continued, “In the third part, during the ‘serial killing’ period, she projected her boyfriend’s death and her own experiences onto all ‘cheating’ men, because they ‘cheated’ and therefore deserved to be punished. She used a fixed method of killing, like a recurring ‘revenge ritual’ to relieve the anxiety caused by traumatic stress, believing that she was cleaning up the scum of society.”

"Part Four, 'Self-Destruction'." Shen Zhenzhu paused here, then continued, "After a long period of killing, she suffered from severe psychological exhaustion. Hao Chunzhi herself had received a university education and had a basic understanding of the law. After each murder, she experienced conflicting emotions, subconsciously hoping to be stopped and discovered. Making Li Mancang carry the body up the mountain was her destruction of Li Mancang, and also a form of self-destruction, a mixture of a desire for control and a suicidal mentality. It could also be seen as her subconscious final cry for help from the outside world. Hao Chunzhi possessed both a sympathetic traumatic background and a terrifyingly cold-blooded quality, which gave rise to a self-destructive heroism complex, making her a high-functioning antisocial personality disorder individual."

Many people present had witnessed Hao Chunzhi's alluring figure firsthand. Even though she was somewhat disheveled when she was arrested, her beauty was still undeniable.

It's unimaginable that she and her husband could kill 58 people. After all, from an outsider's perspective, a woman who still has her charm poses far less of a threat to life than a threat to her allure.

Hao Chunzhi's criminal psychology analysis took up a large portion of the meeting, with many police officers asking questions about basic criminal psychology terminology and the logic of solving cases.

Shen Zhenzhu's criminal psychology analysis enabled her colleagues to set aside their experience in solving cases and developed a certain interest in psychological techniques.

The barrage of questions from everyone made Director Zhou and Director Tu realize the urgency of advancing criminal psychology.

After answering most of the questions, Shen Zhenzhu concluded by saying, "If I were to assess her level, Hao Chunzhi would be far more dangerous than Li Mancang, and would be considered an extremely antisocial and dangerous individual."

Hao Chunzhi's criminal psychology took a lot of time to analyze, so much so that Shen Zhenzhu only gave Li Mancang a brief analysis when the meeting was almost over.

"A reverse victim in Stockholm syndrome, a perpetrator who objectifies women. After purchasing a 'wife' for the purpose of procreation and sexual needs, he believes that 'once the money is spent, she is mine,' reflecting a strong sense of ownership. He appears honest and simple on the surface, but inwardly possesses passive-aggressive personality traits. In reality, he is repressed and subjected Hao Chunzhi to a long period of imprisonment and violent 'taming.'"

However, under Hao Chunzhi's emotional manipulation, he was transformed from a dominant figure into a subservient one. Coupled with the hatred stemming from his inability to produce an heir, he willingly allowed himself to be driven by Hao Chunzhi to kill. Because he couldn't sexually connect with Hao Chunzhi, he voluntarily participated in the killings, thoroughly enjoying the connection and pleasure of sharing the 'secret of murder' with her. He believed she was always his woman, constantly brainwashing himself into thinking this was an act of righteous vengeance, a different form of 'procreation'.

After Shen Zhenzhu finished speaking, Yang Mei asked, "Section Chief Shen, will Li Mancang have a change of heart in court after being subjected to such emotional manipulation?"

Shen Zhenzhu shook her head and said, "It is very likely that he will continue to protect Hao Chunzhi. Every killing is Hao Chunzhi's way of controlling his mind. Given his psychological level, even if he understands, he will not openly admit that 'carrying on the family line' is just an excuse for killing. Their criminal connection has created a symbiotic relationship between them. Without the intervention of a senior psychologist to break it apart, he will only have two outcomes: being shot, mental breakdown, or remaining loyal to the death."

"Section Chief Shen, I have a question—"

"Section Chief Shen, I also have some questions about Li Mancang's psychology that I would like to ask."

"Look here, Section Chief Shen. If Li Mancang hadn't been with Hao Chunzhi, would he have committed a crime?"

"..."

Shen Zhenzhu originally thought the meeting would end in an hour at most, but she didn't expect it to last from nine o'clock to 12:30. In the end, it was stopped by Director Tu.

Chen Zhenzhu's voice became hoarse from standing for more than three hours, using her brain cells intensely for analysis. After returning to the small conference room, she lay sprawled on the sofa, like a salted fish that couldn't be turned over.

Xiao Bai squatted down beside her and fanned her, feeling both sorry for her and admiring her.

After fanning herself for a while, Xiaobai said from the side, "Sister, you didn't mention that Hao Chunzhi doesn't admit she's Chai Mengwen, and everyone's overlooked that, but I want to know why..."

Shen Zhenzhu stared at the ceiling and slowly said, "'Chai Mengwen' represents Hao Chunzhi before she was abducted. Acknowledging her original name is equivalent to reconnecting with the terrifying memories after the abduction, while refusing to acknowledge it is a subconscious form of self-protection. She developed 'another self' to adapt to the environment and commit murder, while 'Chai Mengwen' remains forever in the innocent and beautiful moment. This is a dissociative identity experience, which does not help much in advancing the case, so I did not conduct an in-depth analysis of 'Chai Mengwen'."

I see.

Xiao Bai pondered for a moment and said, "Many trafficked women don't acknowledge their original names, which is probably for this reason as well."

Shen Zhenzhu nodded and said, "Yes, to traumatically dissociate from one's past self, to isolate oneself from one's identity and brainwash oneself... otherwise, there might be even fewer survivors."

Xiao Bai quickly jotted it down in her notebook, then hesitated, biting the tip of her pen, and said, "I can understand it as Hao Chunzhi not acknowledging her original name because she wants 'Chai Mengwen' to forever remain in the beautiful memories of her boyfriend's dreams. Is that right?"

“Yes, you’re very smart.” Shen Zhenzhu sat up again, and Xiaobai stopped her solicitous massage of Zhenzhu’s shoulders and said, “I saw you call on Song Xinchen to ask a question in the venue. It would have been better to ignore him.”

Shen Zhenzhu said, "At that time, only Song Xinchen raised his hand. The provincial leaders were all there, so they couldn't pretend they didn't see it."

Xiao Bai pouted: "He got off easy."

Lu Ye came in from outside carrying a bag of food given to him by a fellow villager. Upon hearing this, he said, "Song Xinchen? Is he causing trouble again?"

Shen Zhenzhu turned into a tattletale: "I don't know why, but she always looks down on our Liancheng team and criticizes us whenever she gets the chance."

Lu Ye was silent for a moment, then closed the door and said furtively, "I asked him about this matter beforehand, and guess what he said?"

Chen Zhenzhu and Xiaobai leaned over and said in unison, "Fight back!"

Lu Ye said, "Let us suffer."

"Huh?!" Shen Zhenzhu looked like she'd seen a ghost. "Are you kidding me?"

Or maybe her brother Zheng has been possessed!

"Tsk." Lu Ye said, "Seriously, I've wanted to fight Song Xinchen for a long time, but after hearing what the boss said, I don't want to anymore."

There was even a strange urge to feel pity for him.

Xiao Bai asked gossipily, "Why?"

“That happened ten years ago.” Lu Ye suppressed a laugh and said, “There was a new police special training camp in the province at that time. It was a sensitive period, and the theme was ‘anti-fraud and anti-subversion.’ They organized a hundred-day field training. Song Xinchen was in a group with the leader. They went over mountains and valleys and their skin was tanned. They worked day and night, sharing the same hardships. They ate, drank, and even slept together, and developed a deep camaraderie.”

Shen Zhenzhu's gossipy mouth opened, but sensing something was wrong, she slowly closed it. What her brother Zheng was capable of couldn't be anything good.

Little White was still craning its neck to listen.

Lu Ye continued, "The two of them went through all sorts of hardships and arrived at their destination first. Song Xinchen was still happy, but guess what? 'Bang!' He got shot in the head by the boss!"

Xiao Bai was taken aback: "Why?"

"Why? Because he was the representative of the affirmative side, and the boss was the representative of the negative side! He was tricked by the boss all the way north, and even at the enemy base a hundred miles away, he was still carrying the thirty-pound marching pack for the boss who was pretending to be lame!"

Lu Ye chuckled as he said, "Sigh, his journey was heavier than Mount Tai, but his death was lighter than a feather. He even became a negative example, being revisited every year during new recruit training. He was the first and last person in history to send himself to the opposing camp. Now, whenever the anti-fraud training camp is mentioned, he's used as a negative case. Later, the boss rose through the ranks, while he remained stagnant. He never forgot this humiliation, and when he couldn't win, he resorted to talking, but his constant arguing only annoyed people more. I suspect that his inability to get promoted is partly due to the boss's influence."

"Ha ha ha ha."

"Hahahaha." Chen Zhenzhu and Xiaobai burst into laughter.

“Song Xinchen hates everything about the house because of the crow. He originally wanted to take revenge on Sister Pearl this year, but he got a beating instead.” Lu Ye finished speaking in one breath. Seeing them laughing so hard they were doubled over, he slapped the coffee table and concluded, “So what the boss means is, give way if you can. Even a cornered dog will jump over the wall.”

The phrase "even a cornered dog will jump over the wall" made them burst into laughter.

Xiao Bai collapsed onto the sofa, tears streaming down her face. Chen Zhenzhu covered her face with her hands, laughing uncontrollably. Realizing Zheng Ge's good intentions, she said with a smile, "I'll give way next time!"

-----------------------

Author's Note: Song Xinchen: Woof woof woof woof

Gu Yanzheng: Old buddy, you're sending voice messages again?

***

See you tomorrow, there's a red envelope! [Let me see][Let me see]

This chapter references "Criminal Psychology", "Criminal Profiler", and online resources.