Chapter 92 Mentoring Newcomers: Let's Get Started

The simple wooden door to the police station's interrogation room closed behind her, and Jiang Ling took a deep breath.

At the end of the first-floor corridor, the two familiar jasmine plants were well cared for by the new colleague. Their branches and leaves were lush and green, and the pure white flowers bloomed among the leaves, filling the air with fragrance.

The morning sunlight shone down, casting its light on the two jasmine plants that were lush with leaves and in full bloom.

It also gently draped over Jiang Ling, who was exhausted after a busy night without rest.

The sunlight did not dispel the heavy chill in Jiang Ling's heart.

To be honest, Jiang Ling felt uncertain about handling such a case of domestic violence.

Although Jiang Ling spoke with absolute certainty, she knew that my country's judicial practice was constantly improving and developing, and that it would be extremely difficult to truly punish Zhang Minghui now.

Under the current legal framework, the threshold for conviction of family member abuse is high, but the starting point for sentencing is very low. For egregious cases, the penalty is imprisonment for up to two years, detention, or public surveillance. Only cases resulting in serious injury or death of the victim will carry a sentence of two to seven years imprisonment.

What constitutes "serious circumstances"? In situations where evidence collection is difficult, forensic standards are outdated, and the child cannot clearly identify the perpetrator, determining such circumstances is extremely challenging. Psychological trauma like Xiaoyu's is unlikely to be accepted by the court.

The judge might think that the child needs to be raised, and that excessive punishment of the father would be detrimental to the child; or, under the influence of the prevailing idea that "the home is a lawless place," the judge might think that if the father was a little too harsh in disciplining the child, it was a family matter and should be addressed primarily with criticism and education.

Zhang Minghui is Xiaoyu's only guardian. This is both the reason why Wei Changfeng handled the case leniently in the past and a concern for judges, prosecutors and social workers: if the father is severely sentenced or imprisoned, who will raise the child?

Sending him to an orphanage? Orphanages in the 1990s were poorly equipped, overcrowded, and unable to provide a proper environment for psychological rehabilitation. Sending him to relatives? Zhang Minghui was transferred from Hubei Province; most of his relatives lived in other provinces, their relationships were complex, and they were generally not well-off. Who would be willing to take on the responsibility of raising a seven-year-old child?

More importantly, Zhang Minghui is such a great actor!

Jiang Ling had already noticed this in the interrogation room. Although he was a scholar, he was very good at humbling himself when it mattered. He sat down on the ground, grabbed Wei Changfeng's leg, and cried and begged. His words were sincere and heartfelt, and anyone who heard them would be moved.

If he breaks down in tears in court, saying "it was a momentary impulse," "I deeply regret it," "it was all for the child's good," and "I promise I won't hit him again," the court is likely to accept this as "repentance" and "a high possibility of education and rehabilitation," thus using it as a basis for leniency or mitigation of punishment.

Even if Wen Xiufen and the neighbors testify in court, accusing Zhang Minghui of long-term abuse of Xiaoyu, so what? A seven-year-old child is easily influenced, or may not be able to express himself clearly due to fear. As long as the towel factory leaders step in to protect Zhang Minghui, they could incite Xiaoyu to recant his testimony...

Thinking about this, Jiang Ling felt very uncomfortable.

All the police can do is file a case, investigate, find evidence, and submit it to the procuratorate. Ultimately, the verdict for Zhang Minghui is not up to the police, nor is it up to Jiang Ling alone.

What should we do?

Jiang Ling's gaze fell on the two potted jasmine plants. The tiny flowers, delicate and shy, bloomed in the sunlight, beautiful in their fragility and purity.

Children are the flowers of our motherland.

This statement should not just be a slogan.

"Jiang Ling!" A clear and loud voice woke Jiang Ling from her reverie.

Jiang Ling looked in the direction of the voice and saw Zheng Yu.

Zheng Yu jumped out of the car and strode towards her. Her neat short hair swayed slightly with each step, and her face showed undisguised seriousness and anger.

Two plainclothes police officers followed behind her, also walking hurriedly.

"Zheng Yu." Jiang Ling took a few steps forward to greet him.

“I’ve taken over Zhang Minghui’s child abuse case. I just came from the hospital, and Xiaoyu’s condition is not optimistic. Can you tell me the details?” Zheng Yu’s voice was very low, and her sharp gaze swept across the police station, as if she wanted to find and kill the beast who had beaten Xiaoyu into autism.

Zheng Yu is married with a two-year-old son, a time when her maternal instincts are at their peak, and she can't stand seeing children being bullied. As soon as Jiang Ling reported the case, she was filled with righteous indignation and volunteered to take it on.

Jiang Ling concisely recounted the facts of the abuse, Xiao Yu's condition, Zhang Minghui's performance of "remorse," and how his father had also beaten him when he was young, as well as his incoherent explanation of the cause of his wife's death.

"Beast!" Zheng Yu spat out the word through gritted teeth after hearing it. Her maternal instincts and her duty as a police officer made her unable to suppress her anger any longer.

“You beat the child like this and call it discipline? One minute he says his wife is sick, the next he says he fell and hurt himself, it’s just…” She suddenly stopped and looked up at Jiang Ling.

Their eyes met, and both understood each other's meaning. They said in unison, "The cause of death is questionable!"

The thought that Zhang Minghui might be involved in a murder case sent a chill down Zheng Yu's spine: "It seems we're on the same page. Jiang Ling, you're more professional in criminal psychology, can you help analyze this?"

As a reborn person, Jiang Ling understands the horror of domestic violence better than anyone else.

She has seen too many criminal files, and often the damage within families is deeper, more severe, and has a longer-lasting impact.

"Zheng Yu, take Zhang Minghui back first. Come to my office later to talk." Jiang Ling's voice was clear and steady. "Let's discuss and see how to proceed with the next step of the investigation."

Zheng Yu nodded without hesitation: "Okay."

At this moment, Zheng Yu and Jiang Ling were surprisingly in sync—Zhang Minghui must be severely punished to protect Xiaoyu. Even if gathering evidence was difficult, even if it was time-consuming and laborious, they had to get to the bottom of Zhang Minghui's case.

--

The office of the psychological profiling team.

Jiang Ling, Li Zhenliang, and others gathered around the blackboard to discuss Zhang Minghui's child abuse case. By the time Zheng Yu arrived, Jiang Ling's thoughts had become clearer.

After solving the June 24 alleyway murder case, Jiang Ling and Zheng Yu became increasingly close.

The proportion of female police officers in Yanshi Public Security Bureau is relatively small. Jiang Ling and Zheng Yu were able to stand out in this male-dominated system because of their strong work ethic.

Therefore, the two felt a mutual respect and appreciation for each other.

As soon as Zheng Yu entered the office, Jiang Ling waved to her and said, "Zheng Yu, come here. We were just discussing Zhang Minghui's criminal motive for abusing his biological son."

Zheng Yu laughed heartily: "I understand. It's the first step of the three-pronged investigation method: determining the nature of the crime."

Jiang Ling stood in front of the blackboard, pointing to the keywords left from the discussion and explaining: "There are only four possible motives for inflicting such brutal abuse on one's own son."

"First, severe emotional instability and aggression transference. Such people are often those who are unhappy in life, and they vent their negative emotions on the weaker ones, such as their wives and children."

"Second, an extreme desire for control and a distorted sense of authority. Such people often regard their sons as private property, and will use harsh methods to suppress them if their sons resist in the slightest."

"Third, possible intergenerational trauma. Such people often have an unhappy childhood, have experienced violence from their parents or other elders, and learn by example, habitually using violence as a means of control."

"Fourth, resentment transference. Such people are often psychologically distorted by hatred and project this dissatisfaction and hatred onto their children."

Zheng Yu nodded: "Your analysis is quite comprehensive. I think Zhang Minghui is very likely a mixture of these four motivations. First, he is a loser. Think about it, if he had done well in his original unit, he wouldn't have been transferred to a towel factory that was about to go bankrupt."

Li Zhenliang hummed in agreement. "That's right. Although the Peony Towel Factory used to be very famous, its performance has been declining in recent years. The warehouse is piled high with unsold inventory, and the workers are worried about being laid off. At this time, Zhang Minghui was transferred here, supposedly because he has patents and is being given important responsibilities, but who knows the real situation? They say water flows downhill and people strive for higher positions. He used to work at the Hongxing Towel Factory in Jiangcheng City, Hubei Province, which was a large state-owned factory with nearly 10,000 workers. It was much more powerful than our city's factory."

Zheng Yu really enjoyed the discussion atmosphere in Jiang Ling's group, and enthusiastically pointed to the second motive for the crime, continuing to express her personal opinion: "This is quite obvious. Zhang Minghui has only been here for less than half a year, and the neighbors have already called the police twice. He has been abusing Xiaoyu for a long time, and his punishment methods include beatings, starvation, and confinement. He has an excessive desire to control."

Jiang Ling pointed to the third point: "Zhang Minghui said in person that his father often beat him when he was a child, breaking several firewood sticks in the process. Alas, this is the intergenerational transmission of violence."

Zheng Yu slammed her hand on the blackboard: "The first three points are relatively easy to prove: the injuries on Xiao Yu's body, the neighbors' testimonies, and Wen Xiufen's two police reports. These can all prove that Zhang Minghui had the aforementioned criminal motives. It's this fourth point that needs to be proven: that Zhang Minghui hated his wife and transferred that hatred onto Xiao Yu..."

At this point, Zheng Yu shook her head: "Difficult! Very difficult."

Liu Haoran shook his head in agreement: "Yes. Collecting evidence across provinces, plus the fact that Zhang Minghui's wife has been dead for over two years, it'll be difficult to even find a witness. What are we going to do?"

Zhou Wei pondered for a moment and said, "Although the process of obtaining evidence across provinces is complicated, as long as we are determined, it is not impossible to have Director Zhong coordinate. It's just that the cause of death of Zhang Minghui's wife... Although we all think it is questionable, two years have passed, the body has been cremated, and the house has been returned to the original unit. It's troublesome to have witnesses and physical evidence."

Zheng Yu gritted her teeth: "No matter how troublesome it is, we have to do it! For the first three points, even if we provide enough evidence, as long as Zhang Minghui has a good attitude in admitting his guilt, the court may give him a lighter sentence because he is Xiaoyu's only guardian. Only for this fourth point, if we can prove that Zhang Minghui not only abused Xiaoyu, but also beat Xiaoyu's mother to death, and that both crimes are punished together, can this beast be severely punished and Xiaoyu be able to grow up healthily."

At this moment, Jiang Ling felt a tacit understanding of "resonance": "Zhang Minghui is a habitual domestic abuser, and I also highly suspect that his wife's death was a murder caused by escalation of domestic violence. We must investigate thoroughly from all angles!"

Zheng Yu looked up at Jiang Ling, her eyes gleaming: "I'll handle the cross-provincial evidence collection! I spent over a month catching that kid Li Qiang last time, so I have experience."

Jiang Ling was truly moved that Zheng Yu took on the most difficult task.

Who says women are inferior to men?

Who says that women's work ability declines or their enthusiasm for work decreases after they get married and have children?

Jiang Ling didn't express her gratitude verbally, but instead raised her right hand and gently placed it on Zheng Yu's shoulder: "Come on, let's set the scope next."

Feeling the slight pressure on her shoulder and the warmth of Jiang Ling's hand, Zheng Yu felt her eyes well up with tears for some reason, deeply moved.

Zheng Yu knew that Jiang Ling disliked physical contact with people and even resisted shaking hands.

But now, Jiang Ling took the initiative to touch her shoulder.

Does this mean that Jiang Ling has already considered her a friend?

Zheng Yu blinked, suppressing the tears that inexplicably welled up inside her, and grinned, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

Jiang Ling said to Li Zhenliang, "I'll say it, you take notes."

Li Zhenliang nodded repeatedly and took out his notebook to start taking notes.

"The first key point of the investigation is to interview neighbors and acquaintances. The focus is on whether Zhang Minghui has a long history of domestic violence, the pattern of previous arguments between the couple, whether any neighbors witnessed or heard any unusual noises, and especially the circumstances surrounding the death of his wife, An Xiaohui."

"The second key focus of the investigation is to review the case file of An Xiaohui's death. We need to examine the forensic report, the scene investigation record, and the witness statements from that time. We need to look for any suspicious points that do not match the accidental death. If it was a fall, we need to focus on whether there are any old injuries on her body, any injuries that do not fit the angle of the fall, or any contradictions in the neighbors' testimonies. Zheng Yu, this is the key breakthrough."

Zheng Yu nodded emphatically: "Okay."

Jiang Ling continued, "The third key focus of the investigation is Zhang Minghui's personal background and social relationships. This includes his work situation at the Hongxing Towel Factory, his financial pressure, whether he has any vices such as alcoholism or gambling, his relationship with An Xiaohui's family, and whether he has any romantic entanglements or third parties involved."

At this point, Jiang Ling sighed: "Unfortunately, too much time has passed, and there is no way to conduct an in-depth investigation of Zhang Minghui's former residence."

Liu Haoran chimed in, "Not necessarily. Zhang Minghui has only been in Yanshi for less than half a year. The house he was assigned at the Hongxing Towel Factory back then might still be unoccupied. After all, someone in his family died, and other people might find it unlucky?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ling immediately perked up: "Liu Haoran is right, there might really be such a possibility. Zheng Yu, after you get to Jiangcheng, ask around. If Zhang Minghui's house was still unoccupied at the time, then look for any possible traces of violence that might have been covered up, such as bloodstains covered by paint on the walls, traces of moved furniture, discarded bloodstained items, etc. Also, check if there are any hidden weapons."

Hearing such a detailed focus of the investigation, Zheng Yu was truly convinced: "Good."

Jiang Ling's eyes were firm: "Don't worry, I will conduct a more detailed psychological assessment based on Zhang Minghui's confession, behavioral patterns, and background to predict his possible hiding points, cognitive loopholes, and potential criminal motives. We will stay in touch and work together to find the truth behind An Xiaohui's death."

Zheng Yu quickly jotted down the key points while nodding, her eyes growing brighter and brighter. Jiang Ling's analysis had made her thoughts exceptionally clear: "Understood! I'll lead the team to handle the interviews and review of old cases. The physical evidence examination will be handled by the technical team. I'll contact the forensic center immediately regarding Xiao Yu's injuries and any possible forensic doubts in the old case..."

Jiang Ling suddenly had a thought.

Solving cases requires ability, but even more so, it requires conviction, especially for domestic violence cases that demand extreme patience and empathy.

Perhaps she can use this case to train more female police officers.

She looked at Zheng Yu: "This case involves minors, women's rights, and requires a lot of patience to collect evidence. I want to mentor a newcomer."

Zheng Yu was somewhat surprised: "Who?"

Jiang Ling said, "Li Qiuyun from Jinwu Road Police Station. She has a clear mind, strong logic, and acts calmly and methodically. She is a promising candidate."

Zheng Yu looked at Jiang Ling, and after a brief exchange of glances, she quickly understood Jiang Ling's intention. In this male-dominated field, the trust and support among outstanding female colleagues is especially precious.

“Okay!” Zheng Yu made the decision decisively. “Since you think she’s good, she’s definitely worth training. I’ll talk to Captain Lei and have her work with you on preliminary data collection, organization, and investigation. You should mentor her and don’t be afraid of the hard work.”

"Don't worry." Jiang Ling nodded. "Let's get started. For Xiao Yu's sake, and for An Xiao Hui's sake. Although An Xiao Hui didn't have a chance to cry for help, we can't let her die in domestic violence without knowing why."

Zheng Yu raised her right hand.

Jiang Ling also raised her right hand.

"Clap!" After a crisp clapping sound, the two looked at each other and smiled brightly.

Then, the two coordinated figures quickly separated and headed off in their respective directions.