Chapter 136 Death Countdown
"They used the media to put pressure on us, and they deserved to be attacked in the end." Qin An received condolences from Shen Zhenzhu and others in the forensic room.
After taking the soda and snacks from the four teams, Qin An's anger subsided considerably. He sipped his drink through the straw and said, "At least you guys have a conscience."
Rong Chengcheng originally wanted to confront them, as he was the person in charge of the forensic department, but Qin An didn't give him the chance and stood aside with a regretful expression.
Honestly, work pressure is high, and throwing a tantrum is a great way to relieve stress.
Gu Yanzheng leaned against the door and said, "You've become famous overnight. I saw the guy with the camera run away without even taking the lens cap off."
"What do you mean? If he can get into the criminal investigation team, I can get into Dalian University." Qin An tore open a jelly and slurped it up. Knowing the dangers of jelly, he chewed it slowly before saying, "Unfortunately, they ran away before they even had half their strength. They still want to cover up the truth. Today is truly laughable. I wonder how they will survive in the cultural circle after this."
Shen Zhenzhu asked curiously, "Section Chief Qin, where did you learn all these skills?"
Qin An said, "In the past, the environment was not good. As forensic doctors, we had to perform autopsies. We not only had to outwit the suspects, but also the family members. We learned how to do it over time. My mentor was really amazing. He could carry a corpse for twenty miles."
Shen Zhenzhu burst into laughter: "So it's because of a long-standing family tradition."
“But they’re really something else. They know how to use the media to put pressure on us. If we really let them control public opinion, how will we ever get by?” Lu Xiaobao said with a sigh, “They make it sound so convincing that anyone who doesn’t know the truth would believe it.”
Shen Zhenzhu sighed, "The media is like a knife." In the era of the internet explosion that followed, it became an even sharper blade.
The phone in front of Qin An rang. He picked it up casually, listened for a few minutes, covered the receiver, and said, "Stop reminiscing. Someone you know has reported a case. Director Liu specifically asked you to come to his office to explain the case."
Just as Shen Zhenzhu was about to run away, she heard this and asked in confusion, "An acquaintance? Director Liu is explaining the case?"
Gu Yanzheng said, "Either the case is complicated, or there's more to it than meets the eye. Let's go together."
"good."
When Shen Zhenzhu and Gu Yanzheng arrived at Director Liu's office, Director Liu had already opened the door and was waiting for them.
"Please sit down."
Shen Zhenzhu asked anxiously, "What's the situation with the case?"
Director Liu said, "You should know that big star Ouyang Qing, right?"
Shen Zhenzhu was taken aback for a moment, then immediately asked, "I know, what's wrong?"
Director Liu said, "At 3:30 this afternoon, Ouyang Qing personally reported to the police that she had received an anonymous death threat letter, which threatened that she should stop her activities or her life would be in danger. You will know the details when you get there."
Gu Yanzheng asked, "Could it be from an extreme fan or a competitor?"
Director Liu said, "Regardless of the circumstances, it has already caused panic on set. As a well-known movie star both domestically and internationally, she has a huge social influence. She came to Liancheng to film last year and was invited by the municipal government to serve as Liancheng's publicity ambassador. The leaders of the municipal bureau attach great importance to this case, and you must handle it properly after you go there."
He sighed and said, "Don't throw a tantrum like Lao Qin. It's one thing if it's just at your own doorstep, but there are too many media reporters on her side. If they take pictures and publish them, not only will you lose face, but I will also lose face."
Shen Zhenzhu patted her chest and said, "Don't worry, I'll just do my job and I definitely won't throw a tantrum."
Director Liu, recalling the recent news of Ouyang Qing's diva-like behavior, felt uneasy. He hesitated, then said, "...It's at the Changhe County Film and Television City. You should hurry over there. There probably won't be enough time for a round trip today. Bring a change of clothes; don't drive overnight."
Shen Zhenzhu went to the office again to get a spare luggage bag.
Gu Yanzheng opened the food cabinet and said, "Want some instant noodles?"
Shen Zhenzhu said, "Okay."
Gu Yanzheng naturally unzipped the luggage bag and stuffed in a few packets of instant noodles and bottled water.
Chen Zhenzhu squatted down behind and whispered, "Meat, meat, luncheon meat. Quick, before Brother Aye sees it."
Gu Yanzheng stuffed the last two boxes of luncheon meat into the bag, zipped it up, and then picked up his luggage bag: "Who's coming with me?"
Lu Ye said, "Me? We've met before."
Wu Zhongguo hesitated for a moment and said, "Could you please bring me an autographed photo? Changhe County is too far, so I won't go. There are cases here, so I'll go with A-Ye."
Chen Junsheng wanted to raise his hand, but lowered it again when he saw Gu Yanzheng's sweeping gaze. Turning around, he saw Chen Zhenzhu walking towards the door, and chased after her, saying, "Sister Zhenzhu, I'm going back next week."
"So fast?" Shen Zhenzhu said, "Then let's have a meal when I get back from the case."
Chen Junsheng had a lot to say to Shen Zhenzhu, but he couldn't waste time. He stepped aside to let Zhao Qiqi pass and quickly said, "I have something else to tell you."
Shen Zhenzhu completely forgot about his past pursuits, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Okay, I will never hold back when I bring people. Feel free to ask me any questions."
Chen Junsheng: "...Thank you."
Gu Yanzheng chuckled from the front.
Chen Junsheng watched the three of them walk away, filled with envy.
As Gu Yanzheng was coming down the stairs, he said, "I'll still cooperate with you on this case."
Chen Zhenzhu said, "Oh."
Lu Ye said, "I will cooperate with you on this case as well."
Shen Zhenzhu raised the small hammer: "Stop talking nonsense, let's go."
Lu Ye: "......" Hehe.
As the Cherokee drove out of the Criminal Investigation Team's gate, Lao Huang and Hong Le, who were off work at the police station, made plans to go for barbecue. When they saw Chen Zhenzhu in the passenger seat of the Cherokee, they were speechless for a long time.
Three years ago, who could have imagined it would turn out like this?
......
Liancheng Film and Television City.
The film set of a period drama is a strange place that travels between the past and the present.
The palace corridors, with their carved beams and painted rafters, are actually made of wood and foam upon closer inspection, with paint showing the marks of time.
Under the glaring lights and high-hanging cameras, actors in elaborately embroidered costumes recited their lines, and all else was silent. But the director's shout of "Cut!" brought them back to life. The actors, carrying their robes, walked to plastic stools, took the scripts from their assistants, and continued memorizing.
The crew members jogged over to adjust the reflectors. Replica swords and boxes were piled up on the side of the set, and the microphone was carefully suspended off-screen like a fishing rod.
"Sister Qing is in the backstage lounge. Luckily, there are no reporters at the entrance." The staff member waiting for Chen Zhenzhu and the others led them in from the entrance of the film studio. If you're not familiar with the area, it's easy to get disoriented by the surrounding buildings.
The backstage area was a rest and props area, piled high with costumes and prop boxes. Shen Zhenzhu saw a makeup artist touching up the actors' makeup in a nearby tent, tidying up their elaborate headdresses and hairstyles.
The entire crew appeared chaotic, but everyone performed their duties efficiently and quickly. The juxtaposition of ancient and modern times gave Chen Zhenzhu a strange sense of time travel.
They seemed unaware of the existence of the "death threat letter," but once inside the backstage area, Chen Zhenzhu noticed the panicked and tense expressions on everyone's faces, and the instant sense of security that surged forth upon seeing their olive-green uniforms.
The largest dressing room backstage was packed with Ouyang Qing's staff. Compared to the crew members, these people were more closely connected to her as she traveled from south to north.
"The police are here."
"You're finally here. Let's see what to do."
Everyone made way and started talking all at once.
The woman crying next to Ouyang Qing is also a well-known actress, Gai Duoduo. She has a delicate face, with a kind of bewitching charm amidst her innocence. With teary eyes, she complains, "It clearly says not to call the police, or they will retaliate and kill you. Why did you have to call the police?"
Shen Zhenzhu remembers that Gai Duoduo later won an international Best Actress award for her role in the famous director's film "The Epang Palace," and her popularity was unparalleled afterward. Even at the age of fifty, she still had high-end luxury brand endorsements.
...As for Ouyang Qing, her fate was not so good. She had been taking sleeping pills for many years, and it is said that due to a misuse, she became paralyzed and bedridden. The once-famous actress died of bedsores and inflammation.
Thinking back carefully, it should have happened in the last two years.
Chen Zhenzhu was a little sad and looked at Gai Duoduo.
She was still standing beside Ouyang Qingming's yellow phoenix robe, sobbing, "Sister Qing, if anything happens to you, all of us will die."
"What nonsense are you talking about? Now that the police are here, they won't let anything happen to me." Ouyang Qing, dressed in heavy empress attire, exuded a dignified and imposing aura, as well as an undeniable star quality.
Ouyang Qing, the person involved, was not afraid at all. Instead, he comforted the staff around him and said, "This is not the first time they have written threatening letters. The people who want to harm me have not taken any action yet. They must be trying to scare me. Don't be afraid. Let them come at me. Whether they kill me or torture me is none of your business."
Shao Li came over with a coat and draped it over Ouyang Qing: "Everyone is doing this for your own good. Saying things like this will only make those who care about you sad."
Gai Duoduo immediately said, "Yes, I won't allow you to say that."
"Okay, I won't say that next time." Ouyang Qing walked to the door of the lounge and immediately saw Chen Zhenzhu.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. I was wondering if it would be you. I'm so lucky. Lu Qiao told me you've solved many major cases. With you here, I can rest easy." Ouyang Qing didn't care about Chen Zhenzhu's gender or age, and was even more pleased that she was a female police officer.
Shen Zhenzhu introduced them to her: "This is our team leader, Gu Yanzheng, and this is Lu Ye, who is also my senior. We've met before."
"Of course I remember. Hello, Captain Gu and Officer Lu. It's great that you've taken the time out of your busy schedules to come all this way." Ouyang Qing extended his hand and shook hands politely with Gu Yanzheng and Lu Ye, then stepped aside and said, "Come in and let's talk."
With tears streaming down her face, Gai Duoduo said, "Sister Qing, I think we should send the police officers back quickly. There are too many people and too many eyes around here. They might be spotted by the criminals as soon as they come in. You're in the open, and they're in the shadows. What if..."
“That’s what we should be worried about.” Shen Zhenzhu walked around the floor-standing coat rack next to her and went to Gai Duoduo’s side. “I can understand the panic caused by the threatening letter. If we don’t find out who is making the threat, he will always be a ticking time bomb.”
Lu Ye was a little curious. He looked around and then walked over to Shen Zhenzhu to wait for Ouyang Qing to take out the threatening letter.
“Duoduo, now that the police are here, we should trust them.” Shao Li, dressed simply and neatly, gently advised, “Section Chief Shen is right. I really don’t want a time bomb next to her.”
"I'm only thinking of her. If you won't listen to my advice, then so be it." Gai Duoduo's temper was even worse than Ouyang Qing's. She got up and left the lounge.
Shen Zhenzhu stopped her: "Were you present when you discovered the death threat letter? If you were, please do not leave."
Gai Duoduo angrily said, "I'm resting next door. Come find me anytime."
Shen Zhenzhu lowered her hand: "Alright then."
"What's all this fuss about! She'll be happy when something happens to my sister." Ouyang Aihua walked in from outside, almost bumping into Gai Duoduo.
Upon seeing Shen Zhenzhu and the others at the scene, he didn't say much. He sat on a chair by the door and looked at them with a scrutinizing gaze, seemingly unsure whether they could find the person who wrote the threatening letter.
Shao Li handed him a bottle of mineral water: "Stop arguing. It's all for Aqing's sake. Let the police take a look at what's going on."
Ouyang Qing lifted his robe and pulled out five threatening letters from his inner clothing, handing them to Shen Zhenzhu: "I've carried them with me ever since I received them. I always thought they could deliver them to me without anyone noticing, maybe they'd scare me and then steal them away. I can't let the bad guys get away with it."
Shen Zhenzhu said approvingly, "Sister Qing, you did the right thing. This is crucial evidence."
Gu Yanzheng remained silent after entering, continuously observing the expressions of everyone present. After receiving the threatening letter, he quickly glanced at it and carefully placed it in the evidence bag.
"It's time, the director wants you to come over." A stagehand ran over and called Ouyang Qing to start filming.
Ouyang Qing said embarrassedly, "The crew's work can't stop; hundreds of people are waiting."
Gu Yanzheng nodded: "I understand. We can discuss any issues after you finish filming. Remember not to leave alone; I'll stay with you."
"Okay, thank you."
Gu Yanzheng and Ouyang Qing went to the filming location. Shen Zhenzhu nodded to him and continued to stay in the lounge.
Lu Ye glanced at it again and muttered to himself, "How come it's different from what the gossip magazines said? Isn't he supposed to have a good temper? He even comforts others when he's in trouble."
Shen Zhenzhu asked Shao Li, "Where did you find the death threat letter?"
Shao Li turned around and pointed to the large bouquet in front of the makeup mirror, saying, "It was in these flowers; we all saw it back then."
Chen Zhenzhu walked over and glanced at it: "Do you know the person who delivered the flowers?"
“I know her. She works at the flower shop near the entrance of the film studio. We're quite familiar with each other. When she delivered it, I didn't notice if there were any threatening letters; I just left it there.”
Shen Zhenzhu arranged for someone to find the florist, then turned back and asked, "Is everyone else here?"
"Yes. Oh, Duoduo is next door."
Shen Zhenzhu looked around at the people; including Ouyang Qing's brother and sister-in-law, there were seven people in total. She put on gloves and opened the five threatening letters. The first one read, "No filming allowed! If Ouyang Qing films again, he will surely die!"
Shen Zhenzhu told Lu Ye, "The letter paper is common lined paper. The words are not handwritten, but are pieced together from different fonts cut out from magazines."
Lu Ye took a photo and made a record of it.
The second and third threatening letters were actually two photos, but more inflammatory than the first. They were taken when Ouyang Qing was attending an event; her face was marked with a large "X" in red pen, and the edges of the photos were scratched by the pen tip due to the force applied. Her body was covered with the word "death."
Standing beside Shen Zhenzhu, Shao Li said in fear, "Look at the fourth letter, it says, 'I know you got up at three in the morning to drink water. Thief, liar, hypocrite, I will use the fruit knife on your hotel coffee table to slit your throat.' This threatening person, he actually knew my sister drank water in the middle of the night! He's spying on her!"
Who was in the room at the time?
Shao Li said, "Just her alone."
Shen Zhenzhu continued reading the fifth threatening letter, which was the latest one she received at 3 PM today.
Bright red bloodstains were splattered on pure white paper, and a newspaper clipping read, "Your time is running out. Enjoy your last performance." The letter ended without a signature, but with a date cut from an old almanac.
After reading the letter, Shen Zhenzhu handed it to Lu Ye next to her and asked Shao Li, "What special day is October 30th?"
Shao Li thought for a moment and said, "I really don't remember. Let me check my workbook."
She picked up her black handbag from the dressing table and rummaged through it. Susan, the makeup artist waiting in the lounge, said, "Sister Qing mentioned to me that she's going to audition with Director Zhang at the end of the month. I heard it's a big production with an overseas co-production. The personnel are still being kept secret, and I don't know anything else."
Shao Li pulled out her work notebook. Her husband was Ouyang Qing's agent, and she was Ouyang Qing's personal assistant, responsible for coordinating all his needs, including food, clothing, and accommodation. She was easier to communicate with than Ouyang Aihua.
“Susan was right. She said she would set aside the 30th to meet with the director.”
Shen Zhenzhu considered the pace of the investigation. Solving the case still depended on herself; her brother Zheng was clearly only there to provide support and act as her driver. Perhaps he would also observe whether she could become a qualified criminal investigation captain in the future.
Since the film set wasn't old enough to have surveillance cameras, they still had to use the core methods of police investigation from the 1990s: manpower, handwriting analysis, and interpersonal relationship investigation.
"The scene has been sealed off. Our captain is protecting Sister Qing." Shen Zhenzhu called over an agent, handed him the death threat letter, and said, "Send it for testing to see if there are any other people's fingerprints."
"Yes, Section Chief Shen."
Shen Zhenzhu said to Lu Ye, "Brother Ye, you take your men and arrange the statements. I'll take care of Sister Shao Li."
"good."
Before Shen Zhenzhu could speak, Ouyang Aihua, who had been silent, suddenly recognized her and loudly questioned, "So it was you! Weren't you the one who chased us to the driving school to take pictures last time? You wouldn't be impersonating a police officer, would you?!"
He was on edge because of the death threats and grabbed Shao Li, saying, "It's her! She keeps saying she's a fan. What a coincidence that she came here right after this incident? There must be something wrong!"
Shen Zhenzhu took out her ID to show Ouyang Aihua. Seeing him pushing other people over, Shen Zhenzhu stopped him, saying, "Don't move around or touch anything in the lounge. If you have any questions, you can call the Municipal Bureau to verify my identity."
Helpless, Shao Li walked over to Ouyang Aihua, patted his back, and said, "I know you're worried about your sister, but he's a real policeman. We just happened to run into him last time, and I was the one who gave him the autograph. Go sit over there and calm down. Don't say anything out of line. Solving the case as soon as possible is good for all of us."
"Damn it, what's going on!" Ouyang Aihua cursed, then walked to a corner and sat down again.
Shao Li glanced at Shen Zhenzhu apologetically.
Shen Zhenzhu stood at the door and glanced at them, noticing that there were still empty rooms next to Gai Duoduo's lounge.
“Let’s talk over there.” Shen Zhenzhu took out her notebook and led Shao Li over.
Two operators stood guard outside the lounge.
"May I ask you, do you have anyone in mind you suspecting? Or has Sister Qing offended anyone recently?"
Shao Li brought over a stool for Shen Zhenzhu to sit on. The two faced each other, and Shao Li said sincerely, "There are just too many people I suspect. She's very dedicated to her acting, and she's willing to lower herself to fight for roles she likes... to the point that several popular actresses have competed with her but all failed. Recently, there was a jewelry advertisement that she didn't like, so she didn't take it, and I heard the boss was very angry. In addition, there are some crazy admirers who follow her car, acting like lunatics. If I had to pick them out one by one, there would be quite a few."
"What's Qingjie's temper like usually? Is she the type to easily offend people?" Shen Zhenzhu observed that Ouyang Aihua had a bad temper. If Chen Junsheng was right, perhaps Ouyang Qing was good at hiding it and might be putting on a facade in public.
Although she didn't want to believe it, she couldn't rule it out.
“She…” Shao Li hesitated, then sighed and said, “She has a bit of a temper. Mainly, she has been suffering from insomnia. When filming goes on for a long time, she can’t stand it. She’s emotionally sensitive and irritable.”
Shen Zhenzhu recorded it truthfully.
"Besides the florist being a suspect, people in the next room could have put the threatening letter in the bouquet. Do you know who went in alone?"
"I've been by her side all day, constantly going over to take pictures, so I really don't know anything about this."
Does she have many enthusiastic fans?
Shao Li sighed again, her face full of worry, and said, "Last February, some fans even broke into our house."
"You live together?"
"Yes, so it's easier to take care of her."
Shen Zhenzhu then asked a few more questions, and Shao Li answered all the questions she knew, showing no suspicion.
When it came to Ouyang Aihua, although he had a bad temper, he was not impolite. He just looked at Chen Zhenzhu with a questioning look: "You even made my sister the city's publicity ambassador, but you don't seem to care about this after what happened."
"Where were you before and after you discovered the threatening letter?" Shen Zhenzhu ignored his complaints, not wanting to waste too much time on him.
"I was sleeping in the corner, but I was woken up by Susan screaming."
"Did you see any suspicious people approaching the bouquet while you were there?"
"No, officer, my sister has had a tough time getting to where she is today. Instead of investigating the people around her, why don't you investigate the Hong Kong actresses who competed with her? They're really ruthless. I heard they can trick people into drinking poison and make them lose their voices!"
“I’m working on a case right now, calm down.” Shen Zhenzhu put down her notebook and glared at Ouyang Aihua: “I know you’re a close family. If you want to catch the suspect as soon as possible, just answer whatever I ask.”
Ouyang Aihua looked directly into Chen Zhenzhu's eyes, but after less than three seconds of eye contact, she turned her head to the side and asked, "What do you want to ask?"
His slicked-back hair and oversized suit made Shen Zhenzhu purse her lips. They were born of the same parents, yet the difference between Ouyang Qing and his brother was too great. It was practically like winning the genetic lottery.
Ouyang Aihua took the cigarette off her ear and smoked it in front of Chen Zhenzhu.
Chen Zhenzhu asked a few more questions, while smoking one cigarette after another.
"Sorry, I had a night shoot last night and I was really sleepy," Ouyang Aihua said with a forced smile at the end.
"Thank you for your cooperation. You can go back now. Please ask Susan to come over," Chen Zhenzhu said.
After Ouyang Aihua left, Lu Ye came out from next door and fanned the air in front of him: "I thought there was a fire."
"How are things on your end?" Shen Zhenzhu asked Gai Duoduo.
"I was just about to tell you, but she said she didn't want to talk to male police officers and wanted to call you over for questioning," Lu Ye said.
"Okay." Chen Zhenzhu coughed, choked by the smoke, and fanned herself as she walked. "Tell Susan to wait for me."
Gai Duoduo is not as famous as Ouyang Qinghong yet. She always plays supporting roles that are not very popular, but she has become a well-known supporting actress.
She was touching up her makeup in front of the mirror when she saw Chen Zhenzhu arrive. She raised her chin and said, "Sit down."
"No need, there weren't many problems." Chen Zhenzhu stood in front of her, opened her notebook, and asked condescendingly, "Did you notice anything suspicious in the lounge at the time?"
"No, and it wasn't just me, Brother Aihua was there too. Later, Sister Shaoli and Susan came back from the meeting, and a group of us found the threatening letter together."
"Has Sister Qing offended anyone before?"
Gai Duoduo pouted impatiently and said, "Is that even a question? She's such a famous actress, there are too many people who want to replace her. I told her to be careful a long time ago, but she has a bad temper and doesn't like to listen to advice meant for her."
"Bad temper?" Upon hearing this again, Shen Zhenzhu frowned and said, "Tell me more about it."
Gai Duoduo sighed and said, "You can't tell anyone else what I'm about to say. Actually, she has a pretty fiery temper. She's often jealous of other female celebrities who are young, beautiful, and have connections. She gets so angry that she can't sleep all night and often throws tantrums because of it."
She winked slyly and said ambiguously, "Of course, I only send them to my staff. I'm quite nice to my fans. But I got some sleeping pills from the doctor, and I've been sleeping well lately, and I'm not as anxious or agitated as before."
"She's started taking sleeping pills now?" Shen Zhenzhu blurted out, recalling Ouyang Qing's final cause of death in her previous life, "How long has she been taking them? Who prescribed them for her?"
"It was prescribed by the doctor. I've been taking it for about six months." Gai Duoduo pulled a bottle of sleeping pills from her bag and shook it. "There's a lot of pressure in our circle, so taking sleeping pills isn't unusual. Is there a problem?"
-----------------------
Author's Note: Pearl: Hello everyone, I'm Detective Conan Pearl.
***
There's a red envelope! See you tomorrow! [Let me see]
I've drafted a new copy and will release it tomorrow.
"I'm working for the King of Hell's Criminal Investigation Team" (I'm still undecided on the title "I Solve Cases by Interrogating Ghosts")
The copywriting is now available in the column. I was planning to post my author's note today, but I didn't have time. I'm confident in this copywriting and feel pretty good about it! (I'll still make some minor revisions.)
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