Chapter 68 A man who lacks a sense of security...
"Among the colleagues in the company who are close to Sheng Nan, there is a vice president, several department managers, as well as her driver and secretary." Fu Panxia invited Chen Zhenzhu and Zhao Qiqi to sit on the sofa and introduced Fu Sheng Nan's working relationships.
Shen Zhenzhu unfolded her notebook, which clearly recorded her questions to Fu Panxia and Liang Zhiya. She said to them, "Please excuse me for a moment. I need to take turns questioning them."
Fu Panxia was much calmer than Liang Zhiya. She comforted her future brother-in-law, went outside and called Secretary Mai, saying, "Call General Manager Zhang and the other department managers first."
Secretary Mai glanced into the general manager's office. He recognized the plainclothes policewoman on the sofa from a television program. Although two or three months had passed, he vaguely remembered Shen Zhenzhu's appearance.
Shen Zhenzhu also saw Secretary Mai from the doorway. She was probably 180 centimeters tall, with a beautifully proportioned figure thanks to years of working out at the gym. She had fair skin, big eyes, and dimples. No wonder President Fu had placed his desk by the door; it was quite pleasing to the eye.
"Ahem." Zhao Qiqi coughed twice beside him. Seeing Shen Zhenzhu looking over at him with a gloomy expression, he pretended to ask a question: "How should we take the statement later?"
Shen Zhenzhu immediately switched to work mode and instructed Zhao Qiqi: "First, we need to find out who she has had a conflict with or who she is too close to in her work relationships. In addition, we need to find out if the company has enough technology and competitiveness to cause business rivals to kill her to cover it up. We also need to find out if there are any changes in the missing person's behavior or habits in her daily work, or if she has come into contact with strangers at the company."
Zhao Qiqi quickly wrote down the question prompts, and then listened to Shen Zhenzhu say: "We will use the time anchoring method to pinpoint her actions in the 48 hours before her disappearance to between 30 minutes and one hour. Pay attention to detailed questioning, observe emotional reactions, and cross-examine the timelines of different interviewees."
"Understood." Zhao Qiqi was a novice in criminal investigation, but he was quite sharp when working. Shen Zhenzhu took his statement from behind, occasionally offering a few pointers.
The department manager and Fu Shengnan mostly maintained a business-like attitude, probably because she was a female general manager, and four of the five department managers under her were women, with only one middle-aged man poached from another company being male.
"Hello, I'm Ye Zhimao, Ms. Fu's driver." Fu Shengnan's driver was a retired female soldier who entered the office with a smart and capable demeanor. Besides being a driver, she was likely also responsible for safety.
"Please provide a precise description of the vice president's driving route and time two days before his disappearance, from September 9th to September 10th." Zhao Qiqi inwardly lamented the decline of female dominance in Xingsheng Company, while also feeling a sense of kinship with fellow veterans.
"Mr. Fu attended a youth economic forum at 9:30 a.m. on the 9th. He left the venue halfway through and I drove him back to the company. He didn't ask me to drive again until the afternoon of the 10th."
"Has she been at the company the whole time?"
"No, Mr. Fu can drive himself. Sometimes it's inconvenient for me to go with him, so he'll drive away by himself," Ye Zhimao said honestly.
Shen Zhenzhu suddenly asked, "Under what circumstances would she usually drive away alone? She didn't ask you to come out; she drove off by herself? Do you have a specific time in mind?"
Zhao Qiqi held the pen and looked at Ye Zhimao. Ye Zhimao hesitated for a moment, glanced at the door, and said in a low voice, "Since the end of last year, she has often gone out on business with Secretary Mai. Secretary Mai can't drive, so it is usually President Fu who takes Secretary Mai to social events. Sometimes they drink too much outside and ask me to take them home. Sometimes they stay out overnight."
Zhao Qiqi asked, "Isn't Liang Zhiya going to pick her up?"
Ye Zhimao said, "No matter how late it is, President Fu and Secretary Mai will never inform Mr. Liang when they go out on business."
Zhao Qiqi asked, "Why? I heard they are engaged."
Ye Zhimao was still hesitant.
Shen Zhenzhu said, "We have some information, so you can tell the truth. We will also keep your statement confidential."
Ye Zhimao still has the same hairstyle she had when she was in the army. She is straightforward and eager to get back to President Fu. At Shen Zhenzhu's suggestion, she said, "Mr. Liang doesn't like seeing President Fu and Secretary Mai together, and he even came to the company to make a scene."
"Understood, thank you for your cooperation." Shen Zhenzhu nodded, her face deep and expressionless. After Ye Zhimao left, Zhao Qiqi couldn't help but whisper, "Female CEO and male secretary!"
Shen Zhenzhu glanced at him: "It's considered romantic for a man to keep a mistress, but why are you making such a fuss when it's a woman?"
Zhao Qiqi smacked her lips and whispered, "It's a bit of an overreaction, but doesn't she have a fiancé?"
Shen Zhenzhu lowered her voice and said, "Maybe their relationship wasn't good. I heard Liang Zhiya say that they had a fight, and they hadn't been in contact for several days before she disappeared. If Fu Panxia hadn't found out that Fu Shengnan hadn't come home at night and asked Liang Zhiya, Liang Zhiya wouldn't have known about her disappearance."
Zhao Qiqi saw Mai Hai standing at the door waiting to be questioned, and looked up and said, "Please come in, Secretary Mai."
During the brief moment Mai Hai entered, Chen Zhenzhu once again surveyed Fu Shengnan's office.
The mahogany desk, befitting Fu Shengnan's status, was carved with imposing eagle patterns along its edges. Several handwritten approval documents requiring stamps were placed on one corner of the desk, while two dial-up telephones and a "Domestic Long Distance Area Code Yellow Pages" sat at the other end. An unopened bottle of vodka sat next to a glass ashtray, which contained a few cigarette butts.
The black leather executive chair had its armrests polished to a shine. Behind it was a tall mahogany filing cabinet, crammed full of document bags, some topped with half a carton of Zhonghua cigarettes. The calendar even had the words "Meet Taiwanese Businessmen" written on it.
Behind them, on the wall, hung an oil painting of gold everywhere, while the certificates of merit, such as "Outstanding Entrepreneur," "Municipal March 8th Red Banner Bearer," and "Major Taxpayer," were framed in mahogany.
The overall impression is that they are wealthy, powerful, and very capable.
Mai Hai walked over and saw the half-open blinds. Sunlight slanted in front of him and the two plainclothes policemen, and dust floated and sank in the beams of light.
This CEO's office represented power and money to him, and at Shen Zhenzhu's suggestion, he sat down opposite her at the coffee table.
"What were the last tasks assigned by President Fu?" Shen Zhenzhu asked, while Zhao Qiqi took notes and rested his mind.
"It's about a reception itinerary for Taiwanese businessmen. We have an idea to jointly develop a factory area." Mai Hai's words were consistent with what Shen Zhenzhu saw on the calendar.
Have you recently been dealing with any special documents or information?
"No, it's all normal business content."
Did she experience anxiety or other unusual emotions before she went missing?
Mai Hai is handsome and energetic, with the drive of an athlete. He placed his hands on his knees and recalled earnestly, "I joined the company last November as the CEO's secretary. During that time, Ms. Fu behaved normally, except for two months ago when she started going out alone every few days, especially at night. Sometimes when I asked her, she wouldn't tell me. As the boss's secretary, I could only do my job and had limited access to information."
Do you remember the exact date?
"Sorry, I'm not a perverted voyeur, I don't have that kind of voyeuristic desire."
Chen Zhenzhu nodded slightly and asked, "How do you two usually get along?"
Mai Hai made no secret of his admiration for Fu Shengnan, saying at length, "President Fu is the most charismatic woman I have ever met. She never hesitates when making decisions. She also led everyone out of the predicament of being surrounded by other companies. The more chaotic the situation, the more composed she is. I have learned a lot about how to conduct myself and how to do things from her. She never scolds or blames me. She has guided my growth in many ways."
At this point, he caught a whiff of the cigarette smoke left by President Fu in the air, forced a smile, and said, "It's just that I smoke too much due to the heavy workload. I've tried to persuade him many times, but he won't listen."
"Do you have a relationship that goes beyond that of superior and subordinate?" Shen Zhenzhu suddenly asked.
Mai Hai unexpectedly denied it, saying, "Our relationship is simply that of a superior and subordinate."
At that moment, Liang Zhiya burst in from outside, her face grim. Hearing his rival praising his fiancée so enthusiastically, he was furious: "How could a simple-minded subordinate like her give you a house? How could she transfer tens of thousands of yuan to you? She even insists you accompany her when she goes out drinking tonight, and you're not allowed to go? What kind of logic is that?"
Mai Hai lowered his head, holding his teacup, his eyelashes trembling slightly, and said, "Mr. Liang, please don't misunderstand, and don't always focus on the money. President Fu is rewarding me purely for my dedication to the company, showing his willingness to mentor me. Unlike some people who openly want money but pretend to be noble..."
Mai Hai deliberately left his sentence unfinished, which infuriated Liang Zhiya: "I'm her fiancé, you'd better show some respect!"
Mai Hai shrugged and continued, "Unlike some people who don't even know that President Fu is allergic to coffee, I still have to bring her coffee every day. Have you also inquired about how the post-marital stock dividends will be distributed?"
"Don't talk nonsense here, it's not true at all." Liang Zhiya's face turned purple with anger, and she kept glancing at Fu Panxia.
Fu Panxia ignored them, showing no interest in their feelings or money, which fits the image of the Fu family as a scholarly family that disdains money. What she was thinking was hard to guess.
Fu Panxia comforted Liang Zhiya, clearly indicating that Liang Zhiya was no match for Mai Hai.
"I'm not talking nonsense." Mai Hai smiled mischievously and said, "Because I have a good memory, President Fu also told me the combination to the office safe. If you have a better memory than me, then tell me what the combination is?"
Liang Zhiya didn't even know where the safe was, let alone the password. These words seemed to have been poured cold water on him. He stood stiffly in front of Mai Hai, his eyes filled with a murderous intent.
This was the first time Shen Zhenzhu had witnessed a man being jealous. Her mouth opened slightly as she turned to look at this man and then at that man, her handwriting scribbling away, perhaps recording gossip.
Sigh, Liang Zhiya might as well just ignore her like before.
Mai Hai seems to be at a disadvantage, but... Cha Cha seems to have super strong attack power.
If she were willing to keep Mai Hai by her side, it would be quite effective at killing without shedding blood.
Zhao Qiqi stood up dumbly and pulled Liang Zhiya, saying, "It's just a safe combination. Even if you don't know it now, you'll find out sooner or later, since you're my fiancé. Let's not worry about this short time."
Caught off guard by another attack, Liang Zhiya turned ashen-faced with rage. This refined, cultured woman, who wouldn't resort to violence, slumped onto the sofa, breathing rapidly, and said, "When she comes back, when she comes back, I'll make sure you're kicked out of the company!"
Mai Hai said sarcastically, "Whether I'm in the company or not doesn't matter. With President Fu's abilities, all the talented people are willing to work for her. But if some people join the company, their entire families might end up relying on President Fu for everything. President Fu is a person, not a bank or a god. She knows better than anyone who is after her vanity and money!"
After watching the dramatic scene of men fighting over a woman, Shen Zhenzhu felt compelled to add insult to injury for Liang Zhiya: "Secretary Mai, could we take a look at the contents of the safe? You can supervise us, and we'll make sure no trade secrets are leaked."
Mai Hai said politely to Shen Zhenzhu, "You see, as long as we can find President Fu sooner, you can look at him however you want. But some people will have to go out!"
Shen Zhenzhu finally understood; "some people" was, in Mai Hai's eyes, a specific pronoun used to refer to Liang Zhiya...
Clearly, Liang Zhiya was aware of this as well. With Fu Panxia helping her up, she walked to the door and said with a sorrowful expression, "My fiancé was actually kicked out of his fiancée's office. How tragic!"
Mai Hai said with a smile, "On the day you marry President Fu, I will definitely be at the door to respectfully welcome you in."
The word "接" (jie, meaning "to receive") is used cleverly to satirize Liang Zhiya for arriving late.
Shen Zhenzhu gained a deep understanding of Secretary Mai's sharp tongue. If Liang Zhiya had been a little more thin-skinned, she probably would never have been mocked by Secretary Mai like that at the company in the first place.
Fortunately, he wasn't too thin-skinned.
Even though he's not very good at it, he's still quite funny.
The items in the safe were mostly official seals and contracts.
Fu Panxia is a math teacher and has math classes in the afternoon. At the company, she and Shen Zhenzhu "escort" Liang Zhiya out.
"Can I treat you to dinner tonight?" After seeing Liang Zhiya off to a taxi, Fu Panxia also hailed a taxi herself.
As Chen Zhenzhu put on her helmet, his eyes swept over her round head, which was indeed shiny and smooth.
"Sister Pearl, can we have dinner together? I'd like to talk to you more about my sister."
Zhao Qiqi, though seemingly oblivious, wasn't truly stupid. Seeing that Chen Zhenzhu was hanging on by the case and was about to agree, she spoke first: "Okay, Mr. Fu, don't eat anything too expensive tonight, just something simple will do. Or how about we go to Sixth Sister's restaurant? The crayfish season is almost over, you should definitely try them."
Fu Panxia hadn't expected that Zhao Qiqi would agree to a private meeting with Chen Zhenzhu first, but she still gave a polite smile: "Then I'll wait for you at the restaurant after get off work tonight. Could you give me your pager number if it's convenient?"
Shen Zhenzhu gave out her pager number, and after Fu Panxia called a taxi and left, she gave Zhao Qiqi a light tap with a hammer.
Shen Zhenzhu brought back Fu Shengnan's cup and extracted her fingerprints from it.
Back in his office, Wu Zhongguo had already pulled out a copy of the Wubi input method table and handed Shen Zhenzhu a copy of her household registration: "This is the report of the missing persons case. I discovered that both Fu Shengnan and Fu Panxia have changed their names."
Zhou Chuanxi and Lu Ye were following Gu Yanzheng on another case, so he naturally had to assist with Shen Zhenzhu's disappearance case.
“Fu Panxia’s former name was Fu Congqian, and Fu Shengnan’s former name was Fu Lianshu.” Zhao Qiqi read it aloud and said, “I still think their current names suit them better.”
Shen Zhenzhu also felt that Sheng Nan was more suitable for President Fu's domineering temperament than Lian Shu.
In Xingsheng Company, it's like entering a land of women, where women are more hardworking, more adventurous, and more trustworthy than men, while men have to rely on the favor of women, which is completely opposite to other companies run by male bosses.
"And here's the account information we found. The missing person made monthly payments to a man named Mai Hai, with the amounts fluctuating between four and five figures. This is the account information, and there's also a three-bedroom apartment in Zhuhai Jiayuan that was given to Mai Hai. It should be a residential complex developed by her own company."
Shen Zhenzhu glanced at the documents. Mai Hai himself hadn't denied these things; he openly admitted them to her. Unfortunately, his conversation with Liang Zhiya was terribly sour, and contained very little useful information.
The forensic department quickly extracted Fu Shengnan's fingerprints and handed them over to Shen Zhenzhu.
Shen Zhenzhu was in a case meeting with Wu Zhongguo and Zhao Qiqi when her colleagues from the trace evidence department arrived. She wrote down an address for them. After they left, the meeting continued.
“We already know that she would go to a certain place alone two or three months before she disappeared, but no one around her knows about this place. We must find out where this place is and why she went there.”
She instructed Zhao Qiqi, "Go through their statements, compile a list of the dates she went out alone, and see who she came into contact with or what information she had before those dates. If you can find witnesses who saw where she went, that would be even better."
"Yes." Zhao Qiqi received the task assigned by Shen Zhenzhu, and then asked, "When are we going to her house?"
Shen Zhenzhu said with a smile, "Uncle Wu and I will go there later to see if there are any strangers' messages at her house. You keep an eye on the house and try to find some clues."
Wu Zhongguo got up, stretched, and his eyes gleamed: "An old general like him is worth two men. I'll come and see what's going on. How can a living person just disappear into thin air?"
Shen Zhenzhu said, "I suspect it was someone close to her who did it. If it were an outsider, she wouldn't drive alone at night. Maybe she was afraid of being recognized, but this is just speculation."
Zhao Qiqi had already had this idea, and upon hearing this, she said, "Could it be a crime of passion? Something like jealousy?"
Shen Zhenzhu smiled and said, "Anything is possible. Keep thinking. Continue to send people to keep an eye on the actions of those around her. I don't want anything to go wrong in our group."
Zhao Qiqi said, "I think Liang Zhiya is very suspicious. He seems to love Fu Shengnan a lot, but he doesn't know that she is allergic to coffee or when she disappeared. In addition, he doesn't know as much about her height and weight as Fu Panxia does."
"According to your analysis, what was his motive?" Shen Zhenzhu said, "Mai Hai means that Liang Zhiya is still eyeing Fu Shengnan's equity dividends, and a more reasonable way would not be to kidnap and kill her before marriage."
Zhao Qiqi shuddered and said, "They should have killed her after marriage. After seizing the family property, they could have bought a huge insurance policy and made a fortune. Recently, many people have been buying insurance, and I've heard of several cases of people killing their wives for insurance money. Some even strangled their wives in bed without understanding the compensation principles. They only thought that their wives' deaths would bring them money, and in the end, their families were ruined... It's terrifying. How could a married couple do such cruel things? I really hope Fu Shengnan won't encounter this."
“Perhaps he has feelings for her, but the burden of ‘family prosperity’ is heavier.” Shen Zhenzhu recalled Bai Luofu’s words: “The Fu family is a scholarly family, and it has only produced one business tycoon like her. She already has a heavy burden to bear.”
After leaving the office, Chen Zhenzhu drove Wu Zhongguo to Fu Shengnan's home. Unlike her imposing office, her home was on the top floor of a small villa in Zhuhai Jiayuan.
The four-bedroom apartment contained numerous books on economics and real estate, clearly indicating Fu Shengnan's interest in architecture. She was even seen studying blueprints for a new building development at her desk. The kitchen was spotless, with pots and pans, and the bedroom was similarly tidy. The clothes in the wardrobe were simple and neat, and freshly washed clothes were drying on the balcony.
The forensic investigators who arrived early are searching for clues in every corner.
Chen Zhenzhu searched the area but found no bloodstains or traces of strangers. It was clear that Fu Panxia, Liang Zhiya, Mai Hai, and the driver Ye Zhimao were frequent visitors. Their fingerprints and footprints overlapped significantly.
"Such a big boss still has to clean his own room." Wu Zhongguo put down the collection marker, stood up and said, "Living in a big villa with a maid, having everything done for you, isn't that great?"
Shen Zhenzhu lowered her head, her gloved hand picking up a key: "The car key?"
Wu Zhongguo glanced at it and recognized it, saying, "It's a Santana. It's really strange of her. The company has luxury cars, so why does she drive such an inconspicuous Santana?"
A thought flashed through Shen Zhenzhu's mind: "'Not conspicuous'? Could it be because it's not conspicuous?"
She rushed to the wardrobe and carefully searched to confirm: "Uncle Wu, look, there are two outfits here that don't match her usual style!"
She was carrying a Wang Shuo T-shirt, a popular item on the street. Many middle-aged women were fans of Wang Shuo, and these slogan-themed T-shirts were very popular recently. Both of them were white with black lettering, similar to the T-shirts worn by fans passing by on the street. One read "Enthusiastic, Generous, and Ignorant," and the other read "Love, if you can't feel it, it's not love," which was exactly the trendy style.
"She wants to hide herself?" Wu Zhongguo pondered and said, "Let's go back and investigate."
They returned to the criminal investigation team from Fu Shengnan's home, travel-worn and exhausted.
Zhao Qiqi had already marked the special dates and couldn't wait to say, "Sister Pearl, there were five days when Fu Shengnan didn't have any contact with anyone. There were three times in August, on August 1st, August 3rd, and August 15th. There were two times in September, once on September 1st and once on September 3rd, and then she disappeared."
The last time she was seen was on the afternoon of the 10th after work; everyone in the company saw her leave and go to the parking lot. On the morning of September 11th, Fu Panxia, on her way to school, passed by Zhuhai Jiayuan to bring breakfast for Fu Shengnan, but the door was unopened. She called Liang Zhiya but found Fu Shengnan wasn't there. Family and friends searched for three days and reported the incident to the police on the morning of the 14th.
Shen Zhenzhu wrote all the information down in her notebook, holding her pen as she said, "I asked the security guards at Zhuhai Jiayuan, and they didn't remember her leaving the house. We found an abandoned Santana sedan in the parking lot, and the key matched the one on her coffee table. There were also clothes in her closet that didn't match her usual middle-aged or elderly style. Uncle Wu and I think she's hiding herself from being tracked."
Zhao Qiqi understood: "She has a secret, and that place is her secret."
“Yes, finding out her motive for going alone might be the key to solving the case.” Shen Zhenzhu contacted Fu Panxia, Liang Zhiya, Mai Hai, and driver Ye Zhimao by phone. They knew nothing about Fu Shengnan’s whereabouts during those five days.
"Any clues?" Gu Yanzheng strode into the office. It was already past closing time when he saw Shen Zhenzhu still working overtime in the office. It was rare to see Zhao Qiqi and Wu Zhongguo there as well.
"I'm starting to get a clue." Chen Zhenzhu wrote down her case-solving plan and handed it to Gu Yanzheng, saying, "Brother Zheng, take a look."
Gu Yanzheng, contrary to his usual behavior, said, "I won't look at it anymore. You're in charge of this case, and I believe you can solve it successfully. I'm working overtime today. We can discuss it again if there are any problems."
The young policewoman sat back down silently. Actually, it would have been fine if Gu Yanzheng had just glanced at her without saying anything, as it would have meant that her thinking hadn't gone astray. But to suddenly dump a new case on her from start to finish was rather disconcerting.
Gu Yanzheng saw this and, wanting to cultivate Shen Zhenzhu's ability to lead crime-solving teams, looked away without saying a word.
Shen Zhenzhu obediently rested her chin on her hand, thinking carefully, her pen constantly organizing her mind map. Soon she felt that her analysis was sound, so she called the traffic management department to help trace the movement of the Santana's license plate number and to find eyewitnesses who had left the company on the 10th.
"We should go, Pearl Sister." Zhao Qiqi put on her sportswear, walked to Chen Zhenzhu's table and said, "It's almost time for our agreed dinner."
"Okay." After tidying up the table, Shen Zhenzhu stood up and, noticing Gu Yanzheng's gaze, reported, "Fu Panxia said she wanted to have dinner together to help her understand Fu Shengnan. I thought it would be helpful, so I agreed. We'll eat at my house if we don't go anywhere else."
Gu Yanzheng unexpectedly shut down his computer, stood up, picked up the jacket that Chen Zhenzhu had given him, and said, "Sixth Sister invited me over for some clay pot soup a couple of days ago, so we can go together."
Chen Zhenzhu was happy to have dinner with Gu Yanzheng, and blurted out, "No more overtime?"
Gu Yanzheng glanced at her and said, "Eating is the most important thing in the world, remember that."
Shen Zhenzhu believed Zheng Ge's words one hundred percent, and this time she believed his nonsense again: "Remember that."
"You guys go ahead, I'm going home for dinner," Wu Zhongguo said slowly. "I need to take a good look at our cycad to see if it's about to bloom."
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Author's Note: Little Pearl: Brother Zheng isn't working overtime anymore? That's weird.
***
See you tomorrow, there's a red envelope coming! [Let me see]
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