Chapter 142 Inserting a Sharp Sword into the Heart of an Enemy
The Xinghai Garden Hotel was already brightly lit.
The security guard saw Ouyang Hao arriving in a taxi from afar and ran to open the door.
He recognized this person and made no attempt to hide his relationship with the big star Ouyang Qing, giving him an incredibly generous tip.
"Mr. Ouyang, have you eaten?" The security guard opened the taxi door and tried to strike up a conversation with Ouyang Hao.
Ouyang Hao sat in the back seat, his face pale, his cheeks puffed out from clenching his teeth. He exuded a fierce aura and completely ignored the security guard.
He handed the money to the taxi driver and got out of the car anxiously without waiting for change.
His suitcases, which he hadn't had time to dispose of at the villa, are still here! He has to get rid of them before the police arrive! Otherwise, none of the three of them will escape.
The security guard, having made a fool of himself, chuckled self-deprecatingly and watched Ouyang Hao walk into the hotel lobby: "Tch, if I had an aunt who was a big star, I'd be way more arrogant than you."
Ouyang Hao couldn't wait for the elevator to arrive, so he ran up the stairs. When he got to the room door, he was panting and his fingertips were trembling as he tried several times before he finally managed to insert the key.
He pushed open the door and ran to the cupboard, pulling out his suitcase. Ouyang Hao couldn't control himself and burst into tears. He trembled as he took out a copper basin and sobbed softly.
He thought Gai Duoduo had drugged and killed his father, never imagining that it was his mother who had killed him.
In order to cover up Shao Li's crime of murdering his father, he had to run back and destroy the copper basin.
"Why did my mother kill my father... Why treat our family like this?" Ouyang Hao walked back and forth carrying the copper basin, accidentally dropping the lighter and charcoal ash inside onto the ground.
"Where should I throw it?" Ouyang Hao's mind went blank, and he kept leaning out of his seat to look downstairs.
Oh, and take it to the hotel kitchen!
"Damn it, God really knows how to play jokes." Ouyang Hao had just reached the door with his suitcase when he suddenly stopped.
"Maybe it's your family's fault?" Shen Zhenzhu's clear voice rang out at the door. After she finished speaking, she kicked up the door!
Just as he was about to touch the frightened Ouyang Hao, a powerful long leg flew past from the side!
Lu Ye kicked Ouyang Hao hard in the stomach, causing him to kneel on the ground and gag in pain, with beads of sweat the size of soybeans rolling down his face.
Lu Ye twisted his arm and handcuffed him, saying smugly, "I got it. Sister Pearl was already very fast, but—"
He stood up, pulled Ouyang Hao up, gestured to his own thigh, and continued, "It's a pity it's a little short."
The truth is more insulting than abuse; it's like grinding your teeth at a pearl.
“You’re so tall, I’m a whole lot shorter than you,” Wu Zhongguo said fairly, then went into the room and picked up the lighter with tweezers.
These words resonated deeply with Pearl.
She was magnanimous and forgiving: "Whether it's a black cat or a white cat, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat, and I'll give it a verbal commendation."
Lu Ye knew that Shen Zhenzhu wouldn't hold it against him. Of course, credit would be shared for catching people together, and he was just joking around.
"Let me go! Let me go!" Ouyang Hao couldn't break free from Lu Ye's hold. His face was ashen as he shouted, "Why are you arresting me?"
Lu Ye pointed at the copper basin and said, "Why is there this thing out of the blue?"
Ouyang Hao shouted, "It's just a copper pot for hot pot, what's wrong with that?"
Shen Zhenzhu recognized the lighter at a glance and said, "Good heavens, the lighter used to light this is Ouyang Aihua's. I saw him use it at Sixth Sister's place. The pattern is a black cross, which is easy to identify."
"That's a bit creepy. His own wife used his own lighter to set herself on fire and poisoned him. And his son even helped his mother destroy evidence." Seeing the case was about to be solved, Wu Zhongguo asked Ouyang Hao in a relaxed tone, "Your mother wants to change partners? Let me interview you, how are you feeling right now?"
Ouyang Hao's heart was breaking, but he still stubbornly insisted, "Stop talking nonsense! My mom and dad have a great relationship! My mom would never kill my dad!"
"You can't sleep in the same bed with two different kinds of people, neither of them are good." Surrounded by her own people, Chen Zhenzhu felt comfortable complaining.
She carefully lifted the copper basin and placed it into the large evidence bag, trying her best not to damage the fingerprint clues on it.
These words enraged Ouyang Hao so much that his eyes almost popped out of their sockets, and he wished he could tear Chen Zhenzhu to pieces right then and there.
Ring ring—
Ring ring.
The cell phone rang, and Chen Zhenzhu answered the call, said a few words, and hung up.
“Ouyang Aihua’s mistress has been found and has been sent over.”
Ouyang Hao was dumbfounded: "Kept? Who's keeping me as a kept man?" He couldn't believe his ears.
"You'll find out when we get back," Chen Zhenzhu said, then went to search the room.
Lu Ye pulled Ouyang Hao to the door: "What's wrong?"
Chen Zhenzhu said, "Just browsing."
Lu Ye said, "Okay, I'll take it down first."
Wu Zhongguo picked up the charcoal slag from the ground and began searching the room. He didn't know what he was looking for, but until physical evidence appeared, who could know its exact shape?
Chen Zhenzhu couldn't find the raincoat in the living room cabinets and various corners, so she went to the bedroom.
If the raincoat can be found here, the chain of evidence will be even stronger. In every case she handles, Shen Zhenzhu strives to bring every murderer to justice, never giving them a chance to escape the law.
The wardrobe in the bedroom contained Ouyang Hao's clothes from the past two days, some of which had been dry-cleaned at the hotel and still had tags on them.
It wasn't in the closet either.
Shen Zhenzhu searched around the room and heard Wu Zhongguo mutter outside, "Hey, so rich and yet so rude."
Shen Zhenzhu went out and saw Wu Zhongguo, who was squatting in front of the food cabinet, pull out a military green raincoat, which was exactly the same as the one she was looking for!
“What’s so great about stealing this?” Wu Zhongguo said.
Shen Zhenzhu ran over, grabbed the raincoat, and smelled it under her nose.
Wu Zhongguo also took a sniff and exclaimed in surprise, "It smells like charcoal!"
He quickly put his hand down and said, "Sister Pearl, could it be...?"
The raincoat that Shen Zhenzhu saw through her Heavenly Eye was exactly the same as this one. She carefully opened the raincoat and saw a burn mark on it.
I see. No wonder they took it back instead of leaving it on set.
"The smell of charcoal fire is mixed with...is that perfume?" Wu Zhongguo frowned and asked, "Is this the smell on Shao Li?"
Shen Zhenzhu said, "It's not perfume, it's the scent of imported cosmetics. I've smelled Shao Li's scent before, and it's the same as this."
Wu Zhongguo was also shocked: "Good heavens, Shao Li really killed Ouyang Aihua, mistaking her for Ouyang Qing?"
Shen Zhenzhu said, "I asked the director and the others. When they first saw the body, Ouyang Aihua was wrapped in a blanket. Shao Li didn't dare to pull off the blanket during the murder, for fear of waking Ouyang Qing. She completely broke down when she discovered in the morning that she had killed Ouyang Aihua, not Ouyang Qing."
"Now I understand. No wonder Shao Li kept saying Ouyang Qing was the murderer. Turns out he tried to kill but got killed instead. Tsk tsk, I really don't know how else to describe it except 'serves him right.' Hey, didn't they coordinate beforehand?"
"Go back and ask, and you'll understand."
After they went downstairs, on their way back, Chen Zhenzhu called Gu Yanzheng to report the progress, but unfortunately Gu Yanzheng did not answer the phone.
Shen Zhenzhu called the office again, preparing to re-interrogate Shao Li. The details of the entire crime still needed to be examined.
As for Ouyang Hao, needless to say, his arrival at the hotel early, pretending to be arriving today, already proves he was part of the conspiracy to murder. Furthermore, he was caught red-handed while attempting to destroy evidence, leaving him with no chance of escape.
Unfortunately, Ouyang Qing's deep affection and care for him was wasted.
Back in her office, Chen Zhenzhu washed her face. She found Ouyang Aihua's mistress, and miraculously, this woman named Li Jing didn't seem like a prostitute; instead, she was dressed like a virtuous wife and mother.
She was gentle and elegant, wearing an expensive wool coat, and was talking to Zhao Qiqi in the interrogation room.
He remained calm and composed even after entering the interrogation room, which astonished Shen Zhenzhu.
"Sister Pearl, this is the transcript." Zhao Qiqi took the transcript outside for Shen Zhenzhu to see.
After flipping through a few pages, Chen Zhenzhu realized that she had judged people by their appearance.
Li Jing was undeniably attractive, but her words betrayed a deep disdain for Shao Li. She repeatedly referred to Shao Li as an "old woman," displaying considerable self-confidence.
“Take Shao Li outside and let her hear what she’s up to. Doesn’t she still claim to love Ouyang Aihua and refuse to admit their affair to the death? Let me see how deep her love really is.”
Shen Zhenzhu entered the interrogation room and opened the transcript in front of Li Jing.
A noise came from outside, and Shao Li met Ouyang Hao face to face. She immediately burst into tears, crying, "My son, you...you...how come you're still here?"
Upon hearing Shao Li's voice, Li Jing spit out a stray hair and gave a disdainful smile: "Idiot."
"Tell me briefly about your relationship with Ouyang Aihua." Shen Zhenzhu didn't ask the same questions over and over again. Li Jing must have been there many times before, and she was very familiar with detention and interrogation. She was a seasoned veteran who didn't match her appearance.
"Oh, Officer Qiqi and I were just having a great chat, and now a tough character has arrived." Li Jing squinted and scanned Shen Zhenzhu. People like them, who came from this line of work, had exceptional eyesight.
"Don't try to play tricks on me. Just tell me everything that needs to be said. Wasting your time won't do you any good."
"Ha, I thought I had committed some serious crime." Li Jing understood Shen Zhenzhu's arrangement perfectly.
She crossed her legs and swung them around, saying, "Ouyang Aihua and I were introduced by a drug addict, and I took a cut. Ouyang Aihua was very good to me, the most generous person I've ever met. He treated me well, providing me with good food and drink. Unfortunately, I contracted a disease from him because of my drug addiction. But he loved me so much that he said he infected me and told me not to be sad. He even put my picture in his wallet. He took me everywhere he went and bought me a car."
Shen Zhenzhu asked, "Do you know that Ouyang Aihua has a family?"
Li Jing scoffed, "How many men who hang out with people like us don't have families? They play around with us during the day, but go home at night and still act all lovey-dovey with their wives and kids. He told me a long time ago that he infected his wife with the disease, but he deliberately said that his wife gave it to him."
Li Jing imitated Ouyang Aihua's tone before his death and said: "He said it himself, 'My wife dreams of being a star all day long. She is old, unsophisticated, and loose. She doesn't even take care of her hair. I feel disgusted when I see her. I don't even think she's good enough to be your baby's nanny. You should take aphrodisiacs before you sleep with her.'"
"Ahhh—you're talking nonsense! You bitch, you bitch!" Shao Li's shouts suddenly came from outside the door, but did not interrupt Li Jing's words.
"Heh, I don't know who's the more pathetic one here," Li Jing shrugged, then said with even more interest, "He gives me a sum of money every month so I can enjoy life, and he even said he'd divorce his wife if I had his child. I even tried to persuade him not to divorce her, saying things were fine as they were, if we got along well, we'd stay together, if not, we'd break up. Oh, you have no idea, that made Ouyang Aihua so angry, he was about to call his wife right then and there to get a divorce..."
But then he said he needed to get some money before getting a divorce, and then he'd sell Shao Li into a brothel, run off with the money, and take me far away. Haha, I'm not going with him! What if this kind of man eats me alive? I'll just earn some pocket money from him. I'm not like his wife; he doesn't treat this scumbag like a treasure…”
......
Outside the interrogation room, Shao Li's sobs gradually subsided, and when she finally returned to her own interrogation room, she seemed like a body whose soul had been emptied.
She only found out after her husband died that he had been having an affair and had even spoken ill of her to the other woman. Divorce wasn't enough; he also sold her.
Thinking of the gleaming silver handcuffs on Ouyang Hao's wrists, Shao Li knew that everything was already irreversible.
"I've given you enough time. Now you can confess?" Shen Zhenzhu came over from next door and sighed. Shao Li was caught up in the situation, but she didn't see things as clearly as the women in the entertainment industry.
"What do you want me to say?" Shao Li clasped her hands together, supporting her forehead. Her lips were pale, and she swayed precariously even while sitting in the chair. "I...we will treat Qingqing well even if we get the money. She's too easily fooled. How could we treat her badly?"
"Really? You'll treat her well once you get the money?" Shen Zhenzhu stared directly into her eyes as if she could cut through her heart and see through her lies.
Shao Li felt a chill run down her spine. She dared not meet Shen Zhenzhu's gaze and turned her head away to avoid it.
"How long have you been planning this? What methods have you used?" After waiting for five minutes, Shen Zhenzhu slowly spoke, controlling her pace, just as Shao Li was on the verge of emotional collapse.
"...Two months ago, Ouyang Qing wanted to change the finance department. I had been managing it all along, but I was afraid she would discover the deficit and that we wouldn't be able to raise any more money." Shao Li, who had lost all will to live, said with a deathly pale face, "That was the first time I saw Ai Hua have a drug addiction attack. He desperately needed money; money was his life."
"Why don't you go and be honest with Ouyang Qing?"
"She'll definitely send Aiwa to rehab; she's too honest. Black is black, white is white."
Shao Li said dejectedly, "I heard that even those who have quit drugs can relapse. Since he has money, let him use it. He said he wanted to kill Ouyang Qing, and I agreed. We arranged for her to take stimulants during the day so that we could give her sleeping pills at night. In the long run, she would at least become mentally confused. But we couldn't wait any longer, so last night Mingming changed her to a larger dose of pills. As long as she takes them, she will definitely fall asleep."
Shao Li cried out in despair, "She must have been on guard! Why didn't she take sleeping pills! She takes them every day, why didn't she take them yesterday!"
Thinking of how Ouyang Qing put the medicine bottle back by the bar, practiced his boxing back and forth, and then went swimming, Shen Zhenzhu felt extremely fortunate.
Sister Qing treated people with sincerity and did not ignore Chen Zhenzhu's advice, which saved her life.
Shen Zhenzhu watched her quietly. A few minutes later, the agitated Shao Li sobbed, "How could my man have eaten it? She killed Aihua."
Shen Zhenzhu said, "There's something I don't understand. You all conspired to kill Ouyang Qing, so why did Gai Duoduo, Ouyang Aihua, and you all act separately?"
Shao Li said, "Gai Duoduo didn't dare to kill anyone; she just wanted the role in 'The Epang Palace.' She would panic if we sent her a threatening letter. When she found out we were going to kill someone, she withdrew."
Who left the threatening letter at Sixth Sister's restaurant?
“It was me,” Shao Li said. “I slipped it to her while she was signing it.”
"And who is in the film studio's lounge?"
"Gai Duoduo."
Shen Zhenzhu brought the question back to itself: "Why didn't Ouyang Aihua act with you?"
Mentioning "Ouyang Aihua," Shao Li cried and trembled all over: "We agreed to take action last night. I thought, I thought he had a drug withdrawal and went to do drugs. I wanted to cheer him up. It's just burning charcoal. Ouyang Qing took sleeping pills again. I'll just light some. Anyway, we still have our son to help us deal with it."
"And then?" Chen Zhenzhu asked. "Are you sure it was Ouyang Hao who helped you clean up the charcoal brazier?"
“Yes, I took it to the villa, but Xiao Hao said it wasn’t safe to leave it there.” When she mentioned Ouyang Hao, Shao Li’s eyes were filled with more despair. She cried and said, “I’m the one who ruined him. He was studying foreign languages in Shanghai and was about to go abroad. He was worried about me and his dad… I’m so grateful that he helped me this morning, otherwise you would have found out very soon. I’m the one who ruined him.”
"Did he know about the plan?"
"......"
"Shao Li, are you still going to hide it now?"
"He...he knew, but I forced him to. He—"
"He thought he could get a large sum of money from his aunt, so he came over to help with great enthusiasm, right?"
"Don't talk nonsense! My son is very kind; he has been kind since he was a child."
"Kindness can be involved in the murder of one's own aunt?" Lu Ye couldn't help but say, "Kindness in your family is always different from that in other families."
Even Shen Zhenzhu thought so; in her previous life, Ouyang Hao had never treated Ouyang Qing as well as Ouyang Qing had treated him.
Knowing that Ouyang Qing was no longer useful, Ouyang Hao, who was abroad, didn't even bother to make arrangements for his funeral. It was his former fans who raised money to organize the ceremony.
Shao Li rambled on and on, her words incoherent.
Having understood the working methods of this criminal gang, the case of Shen Zhenzhu is nearing its end.
As Shen Zhenzhu was about to leave and opened the door, Shao Li suddenly said, "Ouyang Qing killed Ai Hua, killed Xiao Hao, and killed me. Originally, we could have lived a good life and wouldn't have depended on her."
"Speak," Chen Zhenzhu said, sitting down again and placing her hands naturally on the table, waiting for her to continue. There was still some time; she could analyze their criminal psychology.
Shao Li stared blankly at the ceiling and murmured, "I used to be a television actress."
This surprised Chen Zhenzhu: "When did this happen?"
Shao Li said, her voice a mix of laughter and tears: "When I was 26, I played a role in a small play. The play was a failure, but I still gained a loyal audience member, Ouyang Aihua."
Ouyang Aihua pursued Shao Li intensely, knowing that she had a dream of pursuing fame and fortune. Instead of opposing her like her family, she supported her in every way.
After they obtained their marriage certificate, at the Honghe Valley Film and Television Base, Ouyang Aihua introduced the young Ouyang Qing to her.
The moment she saw Ouyang Qing, she felt that he radiated a captivating charm. Every smile and gesture was so alluring.
"Director Hong was casting for the female lead in the film 'Red River Town' across the country. For this audition, I practiced songs and mannerisms at home for seven months. I studied the inner world of the women in the town, went around to learn, and even visited the villagers of Red River Town. Finally, the audition came, and I made it to the final round. Just when I was dreaming that I could become the focus of the big screen, Director Hong actually took a liking to Ouyang Qing at first glance."
Shao Li will never forget that day when Director Hong led Ouyang Qing to all the auditionees and said to them, "Some people's acting skills are honed through experience. Although they are good, they have a heavy sense of craftsmanship. It's not that they are bad, but they lack spirit and simplicity, and they don't have the local charm that people from the same hometown like. Ouyang Qing's acting skills are natural. She has a face that is both photogenic and appealing to the audience. When I saw her, I knew that my leading lady had appeared. As long as she is herself in front of the camera, the box office is guaranteed. Don't be discouraged if you lose to her. She will definitely become a big star in the future. Being able to participate in the same film audition as her will be an honor for you."
"In the end, Director Hong actually chose her! He actually chose her! Ouyang Qing stole the spotlight that should have been mine. She became an overnight sensation, while I kept hitting walls at every turn—"
"You're talking nonsense!" Ouyang Qing, who had appeared at the door at some point, said with Wu Zhongguo's company, "I didn't want to see Director Hong at first, but you persuaded me to go! You even said that girls all over the country wanted to meet him, and since you were here, you should give it a try! I didn't want to put my brother in a difficult position, so I went. How was I supposed to know that Director Hong would actually take a liking to me!"
"You're talking nonsense! You, you must have slept with that old man to get the role. You're shameless!"
Ouyang Qing couldn't believe her ears. After a few seconds, she said, "During filming, a staff member told me that when you tried to 'talk things over' with the assistant director, he directly passed it on to Director Hong. Shao Li, it wasn't that I stole your lead role; you were completely cut from the cast! Remember this carefully, and stop trying to glorify your past! Did I ever give you acting opportunities later? You were the one who was so hesitant and awkward in front of the camera that you were completely incapable of being an actress!"
"Look...look..." Shao Li laughed through her tears, "You knew all along that I wanted to seduce the assistant director. You just look down on me, you're just laughing at me. In your eyes, I'm no different from a nanny, always groveling to take care of you. You even kept your plans to get married abroad a secret from me and your brother. You don't treat us like family at all."
"I think you've really gone mad," Ouyang Qing said through gritted teeth. "When am I going to get married abroad? Haven't you released enough dirt on me already?"
Shao Li said, "You've already bought a house abroad, and you still need to hire someone to manage your finances. It's because you're wary of me and your brother."
"I'm setting up a family fund! Even if I lose money filming, even if I'm gone one day, you, Xiaohao, and even his next generation will have money to spend!" Ouyang Qing said angrily. "Shao Li, the house I bought is in the country Xiaohao is going to. I wanted to give him a surprise. Don't you understand who I bought the house for?!"
"Impossible... Why would you do so much for us? You're hypocritical, you're a fraud!"
"Because I considered you my family!" Ouyang Qing said furiously, "But you wanted to kill me! You've fed my heart to the dogs!"
"So that's how it is..." Shao Li covered her face and sobbed.
After a long while, she raised her head and said, "Ouyang Qing, do you really not know we're going to kill you?"
Ouyang Qing suddenly laughed and said in front of Shen Zhenzhu and the other police officers, "I know, I deliberately killed Ouyang Aihua. Are you satisfied now?"
Shen Zhenzhu glanced at Ouyang Qing, knowing full well that she was lying.
Ouyang Qing had spoken with Gu Yanzheng, who then dismissed any suspicions he might have had about Ouyang Qing. Shen Zhenzhu also saw through her Heavenly Eye that Ouyang Qing had acted on impulse and hadn't taken his medicine, thus excluding him from suspicion.
But Shao Li seems to have attributed all her failures to Ouyang Qing over the years, habitually shifting her jealousy and disappointment in herself onto him.
Hearing Ouyang Qing say this, Shao Li, still obstinate, shouted to Shen Zhenzhu, "Hurry up and arrest her! She confessed to killing Aihua herself! You must avenge Aihua!"
After figuring out everything, Shen Zhenzhu didn't want to continue arguing with Shao Li. She stood up, placed her hands on the table, and said, "Shao Li, you all deserved to die."
After saying that, she walked to Ouyang Qing's side and left with him.
Behind her came Shao Li's frantic screams. Forgetting her previous dejection and pain, she kept shouting, "Ouyang Qing admitted to killing Ai Hua. She's the murderer!"
Ouyang Qing didn't stop walking; she knew her words had been enough to pierce Shao Li's heart.
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Author's note: See you tomorrow, there's a red envelope coming! [Let me see]
I need nutrient solution!
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