Chapter 8 Internship

◎Are there no female suspects?◎

Zhao Chenyang was sure that she had not made a mistake. She would not admit her mistake even if Zhao Xiangwan, the man she envied and hated in her previous life, was skinned and burned to ashes.

Compared to her childhood, Zhao Xiangwan is now taller and prettier. Although her clothes are not as fashionable and luxurious as in her past life memories, the strong character in her bones, which can be seen from her eyebrows and eyes, has not changed at all.

The girls who were hanging out with me shouted, "Stop daydreaming and go shopping. It's a rare weekend when I have time to hang out with you guys, so we have to hurry up and buy enough."

With an unprecedented sense of crisis coming over him, Zhao Chenyang was in no mood to go shopping. He made up an excuse and hurried home.

Walking into the provincial party committee compound, the neatly arranged unit buildings, the flower beds full of colorful roses, and the lush trees, everything seemed so peaceful and beautiful, which made Zhao Chenyang's uneasy heart relax a little.

Having lived in the provincial party committee compound for six years, Zhao Chenyang has already gotten used to everything here.

My father, Zhao Qingyun, was a member of the first batch of college students after the resumption of the college entrance examination in 1977. In 1981, he was assigned to work in the Zhuxian Construction Committee. Because of his strong professional ability, he was soon transferred to the provincial party committee. From then on, he rose rapidly and was promoted to the position of deputy secretary-general of the provincial party committee.

After returning home, my mother, Wei Meihua, found connections to work for the Hunan Machinery Factory Union. After getting married and having children, she focused on taking care of the family. Because of Zhao Qingyun's connections, she became the deputy director of the machinery factory office. Although she was called the deputy director, it was actually a leisurely position. She didn't have much work to do, and it was common for her to be late and leave early.

The younger brother Zhao Chengzu was born in 1982 and is in the third grade of elementary school this year. Although he is willful and domineering, Zhao Chenyang is always tolerant and trying to please him, and it is quite pleasant to get along with him.

Zhao Chenyang cherishes her current life very much. There are no cramped adobe houses, no dirty rammed earth, and no dilapidated country schools. She finally became a city dweller and became the daughter of an official family. She will never allow all this to disappear.

Zhao Chenyang was a hard-hearted man who had not been in contact with his biological parents since he left home at the age of ten. But now seeing Zhao Xiangwan appear in Xing City, Zhao Chenyang ran straight to the phone in the corner of the living room as soon as he entered the house out of guilt and fear.

On weekend nights, there was never anyone at home. The nanny went home at night, my mother played mahjong with her friends, my father was out socializing, and my younger brother went to live with his grandparents who loved him the most. Zhao Chenyang was the only one in the spacious four-bedroom, one-living room apartment.

“Beep…beep…beep…”

The phone number that was deeply engraved in his memory was dialed. This was the phone number of the director of the Zhaojiagou Village Committee. In his previous life, Zhao Chenyang worked outside, and when he missed home, he would call this number and ask someone to ask his mother to pick up the phone.

After struggling for a while, I finally heard the voice of my mother Qian Shufen.

Qian Shufen's voice on the phone was trembling, as if she was too excited to believe it: "Fourth sister, fourth sister, is that you? Do you remember to call me..."

Zhao Chenyang interrupted her and got straight to the point: "Where is Zhao Xiangwan now?"

Qian Shufen hesitated for a long time.

Zhao Chenyang said bluntly: "I saw her in Xing City, why did she come into the city?!"

Qian Shufen explained guiltily: "I didn't want to send her to junior high school after she graduated from primary school, but you know she was very insistent on studying. She was very noisy. The junior high school teacher, the primary school principal, the village committee leaders, and the elderly in the village all came to our house to talk to your father. We really had no choice but to continue sending her to school."

"Let me ask you, why is she in Star City? Is she working or..."

A hope suddenly rose in Zhao Chenyang's heart. Maybe Zhao Xiangwan graduated from junior high school and went to the city to work as a nanny? When I saw her tonight, she was holding a little girl and walking with another middle-aged woman. Yes! It is very likely that she came to Xing City to work as a nanny.

However, Qian Shufen's words shattered her fantasy: "Well, she is studying at the university in Xing City."

Zhao Chenyang was so shocked that his voice became sharp and high-pitched: "How is it possible? I only studied at a junior college, how did she get into university?"

In her previous life, Zhao Xiangwan was admitted to Kyoto University, which is ranked first in the country. After graduation, she married into a wealthy family arranged by her parents. She was noble and happy. But what about Zhao Chenyang? She dropped out of junior high school to work outside, and returned to her hometown at the age of 20 to get married and have children. When the two sisters stand together, the difference is obvious.

After Zhao Xiangwan was taken back to the city by Zhao Qingyun, she did not forget the kindness of raising her. She came back to visit her parents and aunt during the holidays and took care of her brother and sister. Everyone in the village praised Zhao Xiangwan for having a conscience, but only Zhao Chenyang was full of insatiable resentment, thinking that she was deliberately showing off in front of him.

Zhao Chenyang was overjoyed to be reborn at the age of six, and decided to win this game. He usually took advantage of his younger sister's identity to deliberately let Zhao Xiangwan do more work and not let her study well, and felt secretly happy when he saw her being wronged and wiping away tears. When Zhao Qingyun came to look for someone, he urged his parents to swap their identities.

Zhao Chenyang took advantage of Zhao Xiangwan's resources and successfully moved to the city to attend the best elementary, junior high and high schools. She thought she could be admitted to the top university in the country like Zhao Xiangwan, but she didn't expect that she didn't have enough talent for studying. Even if she read it again, she felt it was a mystery. She failed the college entrance examination and was able to enter the Hunan Finance School as a sponsored student through connections.

Originally, Zhao Chenyang was very happy, thinking that if she had a chance to do it all over again, she would definitely be better than Zhao Xiangwan - she was a rich girl in the city, was admitted to a technical college, and had a bright future; Zhao Xiangwan suffered in the countryside, where the conditions were difficult and she would never be able to enter the city in her life.

Who would have known that Zhao Xiangwan actually managed to get into university based on his own abilities!

Zhao Chenyang was unwilling to admit that he was no match for Zhao Xiangwan, so he vented his stress and hatred on his biological mother, with whom he had not contacted for eight years: "What the hell did you do? You knew I was in Xing City, but you still let her go to Xing City. Were you hoping that she would find out the truth and come here? You are really stupid. No one will be in trouble when that happens!"

Qian Shufen was so anxious after being scolded by her daughter that she almost cried.

"You, you damned sister, you left for eight years without a single letter, and now you start cursing me when I finally get in touch with you by phone. You are so heartless! Who is the pig-brained one? I think you are the pig-brained one! Zhao Xiangwan is going to school, what can I do? You know she had good grades in elementary school!

When she was in junior high school, her class teacher paid for her tuition. She ranked first every year. She got the first place in the county in the high school entrance examination and was specially recruited by the No. 1 High School in the county. The school not only did not charge a penny for tuition, but also gave her money, rice and bonuses. This year, she got the first place in the county in the college entrance examination and was admitted to the Public Security University. What should I do? That's the Public Security University. The huge police badge on the admission letter hurts my eyes. I dare not tear it off. I... I can't force her not to go to college with a knife, right?"

Zhao Chenyang was stunned and didn't know where he was for a moment.

So many people helped her study. She ranked first in the middle school entrance exam and the college entrance exam, and was admitted to Hunan Public Security University with excellent grades! How could Zhao Xiangwan, who had her parents and resources stolen from her in the next life, still be able to overcome difficulties and find a bright future in the rural area where men are valued more than women and where there is poverty and ignorance?

"Fourth sister, fourth sister?"

Hearing the sudden silence on the other end of the phone, Qian Shufen called out repeatedly. Mother and child are connected by heart, and Qian Shufen had countless things to say to her daughter. She wanted to ask her daughter how Zhao Qingyun and Wei Meihua treated her, whether she had enough food and warm clothes in the city, whether anyone bullied her, and why she had not contacted her family for so long...

But Zhao Chenyang no longer had the interest to continue the conversation. He hung up the phone with a "click" and sat on the sofa in a daze, thinking quickly about countermeasures.

A few days later, Xu Songling handed Zhao Xiangwan a copy of Zhao Chenyang's household registration information.

As expected, the public security system is easy to handle as long as you find the right person. Officer Xu not only asked his colleagues in the household registration department to find Zhao Chenyang's file, but also specially copied down her student information, parents' units, and home address.

"Zhao Xiangwan, the Zhao Chenyang you are looking for has the same birthday as you."

Zhao Xiangwan took the information and examined it carefully without looking up: "Yes. Before I was ten years old, I always thought that she and I were twins. After I was ten years old, I found out that we were not real sisters."

Officer Xu, who had read the information, was confused: "Zhao Chenyang's father, Zhao Qingyun, is now a provincial party committee leader. Why would he send his child to the countryside to be raised?"

Zhao Xiangwan raised her eyes and glanced at him. Xu Songling always felt that she had a lot of things hidden in her heart. An eighteen-year-old girl should be laughing and making noises without any ulterior motives, but this girl's eyes were deep and quiet, as if she had experienced a lot.

Zhou Qiaoxiu asked with concern: "Zhao Xiangwan, the Zhao Chenyang you are looking for has parents who are both leaders. If you go looking for her after not seeing her for so many years, will she recognize you? There are many heartless people in this world."

Because of what happened with Meimei, Zhou Qiaoxiu had a very bad impression of Zhao Chenyang.

Before the age of ten, Zhao Chenyang and Zhao Xiangwan lived under the same roof and called each other sisters. After the age of ten, Zhao Chenyang went to the city and there was no news or contact. People say "If you are rich, don't forget each other", but she forgot the kindness of her parents and the companionship of her childhood friends as soon as she went to the city.

For such heartless people, the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment.

Zhou Qiaoxiu was afraid that Zhao Xiangwan would be disappointed and sad, so she deliberately said it.

Hearing Zhou Qiaoxiu's words, Zhao Xiangwan looked down at the white paper filled with information in his hand, and twitched his lips: "Zhao Chenyang...she will recognize me."

How could a calculating thief, a robber who steals other people's resources, a person who climbs up by stepping on other people's shoulders, forget the face of his victim?

The Public Security University has strict management. Students need to apply in advance and go through relevant procedures before going out. Zhao Xiangwan applied according to the school's procedures and was granted permission to go out on Sunday, December 15.

The autumn is getting deeper.

Early in the morning, Zhao Xiangwan walked out of the dormitory building wearing a bright green sweater sent by her aunt, a dark red polyester jacket on the outside, and two braids.

“Gah—”

A police car stopped next to Zhao Xiangwan.

Xu Songling, who was wearing a police uniform, poked his head out from the co-pilot's seat and shouted, "Get in the car, I have something to talk to you about!"

Zhao Xiangwan hesitated for a moment.

Xu Songling urged, "We have a mission, hurry up."

Mission? Zhao Xiangwan suppressed the thought of visiting his relatives and quickly got into the car.

As soon as they sat down, Xu Songling asked, "Do you still remember the secret mission you guessed last time?"

Zhao Xiangwan: "Two headless female corpses?"

"Yes. After nearly a month of investigation, the identity of the deceased has been confirmed, but the suspect is still not talking. The higher-ups have issued a strict order to hear our report tomorrow, Monday, and we must make a breakthrough. I have no choice but to come to you in a hurry. You can judge whether someone is lying by their facial expressions and movements. Why don't you come with us now to listen to the interrogation and help find evidence?"

Xu Songling recognized Zhao Xiangwan's ability, but other colleagues in the Criminal Investigation Brigade of the Municipal Public Security Bureau did not agree. In fact, he had proposed to let Zhao Xiangwan join the case investigation process earlier, but was collectively rejected by the leaders and colleagues. How capable can a freshman at the Public Security University who has not even studied a few professional courses be?

The reason why I waited until today to find her was because I was desperate and had no choice. Tomorrow, Director Peng, who is in charge of criminal cases in the bureau, will come with the leaders of the Provincial Department's Criminal Investigation Corps to listen to the case report, but now everyone is at a loss, so I had to try my best and follow Xu Songling's suggestion to come to Zhao Xiangwan early in the morning.

Zhao Xiangwan looked at Xu Songling. The sudden work pressure gave her a sense of mission. She nodded gently, her voice very calm: "Well, then I'll give it a try."

The driver was a young man in his twenties, handsome in his uniform, but with a serious face, the corners of his mouth drooped, and he looked unconvinced.

[How old is this girl? She's only a teenager! What's wrong with Captain Xu? He has to come to her desperately. I don't believe she can get any information out of him. Humph.]

[Try, try, hehe, Wang Qiankun is cunning and Wu Shengli is stubborn, these two are very difficult to deal with, let's see how you try.]

Hearing the young policeman's dissatisfied hum, Zhao Xiangwan twitched the corner of his mouth, lowered his head and said nothing.

Xu Songling first introduced his colleagues: "This is Xiao Zhu from our Serious Case Team 1, Zhu Feipeng." Then he introduced Zhao Xiangwan who was sitting in the back row, "Xiao Zhu, this is Zhao Xiangwan from the Criminal Investigation Department of the Public Security University, your junior sister."

Zhu Feipeng placed his hands on the steering wheel, his eyes looking straight ahead. After hearing Xu Songling's introduction, he quickly turned his head and smiled at Zhao Xiangwan: "Hello, Junior Sister."

Zhao Xiangwan didn't smile, his eyes were like stars, passing across his face, and nodded: "Hello, Senior Brother Zhu."

Zhu Feipeng's heartbeat quickened when she looked at him. He didn't know why he felt like he was being seen through. Thinking of Captain Xu's praise of her for her ability to read people's minds, he suddenly fell silent, not daring to continue criticizing her.

The police car had no siren, but it was running very fast. The scenery outside the car window moved rapidly backwards, and the rustling sound of the tires rubbing against the ground could be heard.

Thinking of the vicious criminal case that had troubled the serious crime squad for more than a month, Xu Songling's expression became more and more serious.

"Two headless female bodies were found on a wild mountain in the northern suburbs of the city on November 4. They were aged between 20 and 22, neatly dressed, and showed no signs of being violated. The estimated time of death was a month ago, and the heads have not been found yet."

The young women died, and they were not violated before their deaths. However, they were beheaded and their bodies were thrown into the wilderness. Moreover, two women were killed at the same time. What hatred and resentment caused these two young women to be brutally killed?

"The Serious Case Unit 1 spent a lot of manpower investigating, looking through all the missing persons reports in the city during that period, and finally confirmed the identities of the deceased through interviews. One was Wei Lili, an announcer at the Hunan Towel Factory Radio Station, and the other was Gu Xiaoling, a junior student at the Hunan Finance and Trade School. The two did not usually interact with each other, and their social relationships did not overlap, but they had a common hobby, they both liked to sing karaoke.

We investigated several karaoke bars that the two of them frequented and identified two suspects.

One was Wang Qiankun, the owner of a glamorous karaoke bar across from the gate of the Finance and Economics School. Wang Qiankun had a wife, but he pursued both Wei Lili and Gu Xiaoling at the same time. The other was Wu Shengli, a frequent visitor to the karaoke bar. Because of his naturally curly hair, white skin, and blue eyes, he looked like a foreigner, so he gave himself a foreign name called David. Wu Shengli first had a hot relationship with Gu Xiaoling, and later turned to Wei Lili, and had very close relationships with both girls.

After introducing the basic situation of the case, Xu Songling shook his head: "At present, we have no direct evidence to identify these two suspects as the perpetrators. Today, we will invite them to the police station for questioning again. You can listen to them at the side then... just think of it as an early internship."

Zhao Xiangwan, a professional criminal investigator, was immediately interested in the case as it was his first time to solve it. His eyes sparkled and he asked softly, "Are there only these two male suspects? Are there no female suspects?"

Zhu Feipeng couldn't help but interject: "The incision on the neck is smooth and flat, which shows that the attacker was very strong. How could an ordinary woman be so brutal!"

Zhao Xiangwan did not refute Zhu Feipeng's words and turned his gaze to the window.