Chapter 17: Beautiful Girl Visits the Set
In the Criminal Investigation Division's conference room, a ceiling fan hummed low overhead, stirring the stagnant air of the summer afternoon. Except for a few on field duty, all the team members sat around the conference table.
Jiang Bo sat at the head table, his expression solemn. He slowly scanned the crowd with his gaze. His voice was low, but each word was clear: "Today's meeting has three topics. The first is the analysis of the case, focusing on the murder of Shen Zhaoran. The second is to launch a charity fundraiser for the entire team. Comrade Ji Chuan's family is temporarily experiencing some difficulties. Please lend a hand and donate your love to the veteran comrades in the team. The third is Comrade Ji Feng's self-criticism for his previous violations of regulations." He paused, his gaze fixed on Ji Feng, his tone steady but unquestionable: "First, please allow Comrade Ji Feng to report on the case."
Ji Feng was wearing a black T-shirt with a huge three-dimensional crayfish embroidered on the chest. The bright red stitching was wrapped in reflective silver flakes. It trembled slightly in the breeze of the ceiling fan, with its claws raised high and its antennae supported by nylon thread swaying gently, as if it was about to jump out of his clothes at any time.
He lazily leaned back in his chair, exuding an air of uninhibited laziness, a faint smile playing on his lips. He glanced at Jiang Bo and broke the silence, "Captain Jiang, colleagues. Since the violation of regulations is related to the case, I will discuss both matters together."
Jiang Bo nodded slightly, which was considered as tacit agreement.
He took a deep breath, as if to expel the pent-up air in his chest. "It's been almost six months since I took over the Shen Zhaoran murder case. Based on the clues I have, I believe the Lan family is the biggest suspect right now. As the investigation deepens, their suspicion grows. Especially recently, the Lan family has been traveling to England with a large number of precious antiques, and their motives are highly suspicious. The reason I took the initiative and intercepted them at the airport was precisely because of this: I was worried that they were using the exhibition as a pretext to ship out a large number of antiques and never bring them back, in reality, transferring assets in disguise to prepare for their escape."
The conference room was silent, with only the hum of the ceiling fan overhead.
"Although the antiques are the Lan family's private property, legally they have the right to dispose of them freely. However, considering the circumstances of the case, once they've achieved asset-lightness, they can escape unscathed with just a plane ticket. By then, even if we have irrefutable evidence, it will be difficult to prevent them from fleeing." His voice was low and firm. "I understand the rules and procedures. But I also know that for some things, once the procedures are completed, it's too late."
After the words fell, the air seemed to freeze for a few seconds.
After presenting the case, Ji Feng offered a profound self-reflection on his earlier actions at the airport, his words filled with promises of "deep reflection," "resolute correction," and "never repeating the same mistake," even though he knew he couldn't do it. He knew—if he had the chance to do it again, he would still do the same thing. So, he braced himself for Dean Lu's furious criticism.
After all, he was a deputy captain, even if it was just a temporary position, so Jiang Bo had to give him some respect. He first affirmed Ji Feng's professionalism in the past, then expressed his understanding of Ji Feng's actions. But at the same time, he emphasized that no reason was an excuse for violating regulations.
The team members all understood that Jiang Bo had both given them a way out and drawn a red line. To put it nicely, this was leadership; to put it bluntly, it was political maneuvering—neither condoning violations nor undermining their subordinates' enthusiasm. Jiang Bo, a seasoned and sophisticated figure, was already adept at handling such matters.
Afterwards, the case was discussed, with Xin Xiao, Ji Chuan, Gu Xiaozheng, and other team members expressing their opinions. Finally, Ji Feng suggested that if the Lan family could indeed return on schedule, the detachment should continue to monitor them 24 hours a day.
After Jiang Bo agreed to Ji Feng's suggestion, he was about to announce the final item on the agenda - fundraising for Ji Chuan, but Ji Chuan raised his hand and said, "Wait a moment, I have something to say."
Jiang Bo looked at Ji Chuan strangely and said, "You say."
"A few days ago, someone transferred 5,000 yuan to my bank card. I don't know who it was, but I can guess..."
"What? You received it too?" Gu Xiaozheng next to him interrupted Ji Chuan in surprise.
"Did you receive it too?" Ji Chuan turned to Gu Xiaozheng and asked with wide eyes.
"Yes, I also received 5,000 yuan."
The two looked at each other and thought for a moment. Ji Chuan then said, "I know that this money is to help Xiaozheng and me. The only ones who know that Xiaozheng and I are in trouble and know our bank card numbers are the people in our team. I won't say anything else. I'd like to thank you in advance. I will definitely repay you when I have the chance." As he said that, he pulled Gu Xiaozheng's sleeve and stood up. Gu Xiaozheng also stood up and bowed deeply to everyone.
Jiang Bo was obviously moved, and said sincerely: "We are colleagues at work and brothers after work. It is a fate to be able to work together, and we should cherish each other." After that, he took out five hundred yuan from his pocket, solemnly threw it into the donation box, then patted the box lightly, as if to soothe some emotion, turned and left, his back upright and silent.
The other team members also stood up one after another, silently put the money into the donation box and left quietly.
The conference room gradually fell silent, leaving Ji Chuan alone sitting in the corner, smoking quietly, smoke lingering on his face, his eyes empty, as if he was thinking, or reminiscing.
It was already dusk, the setting sun was golden. Xin Xiao walked up to Ji Feng and said, "The child is going to grandma's house tonight. I'm free, so I'll go to the beach with you."
"Are you trying to comfort my wounded little heart?" Ji Feng made a wronged and tearful expression towards Xin Xiao.
"Haha, it's no wonder that Dean Lu and the others said that about you. You really do have both the attributes of 'naughty' and 'tough'." Xin Xiao said half-jokingly with concern in his tone.
"It's not a sin for a man to cry. Even the strongest man has the right to feel tired..." Ji Feng seemed not to hear Xin Xiao's 'criticism'. He hummed a song while pulling Xin Xiao out.
Xin Xiao shook his head helplessly and said, "That's fine, it's better than being so sensitive."
The two walked out of the building side by side, the evening breeze blowing on their faces, bringing the scent of the sea. On the way, Ji Feng suddenly asked, "How many days has it been since the Lan family left?"
"It's the eighteenth day. There are only two days left until they are supposed to come back. I'm counting on my fingers."
"There are still two days left. Let's see whether they will come back or not." Ji Feng narrowed his eyes and looked at the intersection of Haitian in the distance.
"Even if they come back, it only means that they are not in a hurry to escape, or they haven't made all the preparations to run away. It doesn't mean anything else." Xin Xiao analyzed.
"Indeed." Ji Feng nodded. "I haven't had time to ask you yet, but do you have any valuable clues in your investigation of the Thuja sutchuenensis circle?"
"Not many. Most of the information has nothing to do with Shen Zhaoran. Shen Zhaoran is a big shot in the circle, and ordinary people can't get in touch with him."
"Is it well-known?"
"Many people know him, but few interact with him. He's almost a legendary figure in the circle."
"What do others think of him?"
"A sophisticated egoist." Xin Xiao sneered. "To put it bluntly, his reputation is average. There's nothing wrong with making money through business, but he's too unethical in his actions."
As they talked, they reached the beach and found a rock to sit on. The waves lapped gently, the sound of the waves was like a complaint.
"Are there any specific examples?"
"Yes. Two years ago, at a Thuja arborvitae exhibition, he bought a piece of high-quality spice from a small vendor at a very low price. Within ten minutes, he resold it at the next stall for ten times the price, making a net profit of twenty or thirty thousand. The vendor was so angry that he scolded him for the entire afternoon at the exhibition."
"This aligns with what Zhou Wenlan said: 'All he cares about is money.'"
"The circle of cliff juniper is small, and everyone sees each other every day. Everyone calls each other friends. Others sell to him at a low price and treat him as a friend. But what about him? He treats his friends as leeks." Xin Xiao shook his head.
"He's quite a scumbag. But even if he has bad character, he shouldn't be killed."
"Will it arouse public outrage and lead to a mass attack?"
Ji Feng thought about it and shook his head: "No, who would kill for tens of thousands of dollars? The cost is too high, the risk is too high."
"Did you gain anything from Zhou Wenlan?" Xin Xiao asked.
Ji Feng briefly explained to Xin Xiao the content of his conversation with Zhou Wenlan, then said thoughtfully, "After returning, I thought about it carefully. Zhou Wenlan gave me the same feeling as when you called him. He seemed to have something to hide. He wanted to cooperate with us, but he was also hesitant. Therefore, the information he provided seemed to be just the tip of the iceberg."
"for example?"
"For example, although he and Shen Zhaoran are close partners, he also has some complaints about Shen Zhaoran's extreme money-first mentality. Also, he mentioned the Lan family's low profile several times. I think this is more like a hint to me - the Lan family is deliberately hiding something."
"If this is the case, it at least means that the Lan family does have an unknown side, but Zhou Wenlan doesn't dare to say it due to some kind of pressure." Xin Xiao pondered.
"Especially when it comes to Lan Renxuan, he seems reluctant to talk more. Of course, it's not ruled out that he really doesn't understand Lan Renxuan."
Ji Feng paused, his eyes gradually becoming stern: "Since the Lan family has a secret that cannot be revealed, we cannot rule out the possibility that they are worried that Shen Zhaoran will leak the inside story and simply kill him to silence him. After all, Shen Zhaoran and the Lan family are not in harmony." Ji Feng frowned and said thoughtfully.
"That's right. We absolutely cannot rule out this possibility." Furthermore, Xin Xiao continued, "That little thug looks like he's brave but not wise."
"Don't judge a person by their appearance. Captain Jiang once said that everyone in the Lan family is a shrewd person. The more reckless they seem, the more likely they are to be scheming. They can serve as a backup to open up the situation in the future."
"Yes. As a family member, he definitely knows more than Zhou Wenlan."
Ji Feng sighed, "Unfortunately, apart from Zhou Wenlan, we don't have any other insiders right now. He is the only clue."
"That's right, he is very important to us. Also, should we go to Lan Ruojin's teahouse to find out the situation?" Xin Xiao asked.
"I thought about it," Ji Feng mused, "but then I gave up the idea. To outsiders, it's just an ordinary teahouse. They're talking about antiques, which has nothing to do with the case."
"I think when you are not busy, or when you are on your way, it is not a bad idea to go and take a look as a tea drinker." Xin Xiao expressed his opinion.
"That's right, don't miss any clues." Ji Feng nodded in agreement.
"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Tomorrow is the weekend, Hua Ailing is coming, and she didn't let me tell you in advance. You pretended not to know when she came. Don't sell me out."
"You kid, are you still afraid that she'll blame you for not keeping your mouth shut? Fine, I'll pretend I don't know. Then call a few classmates around to get together. You're responsible for notifying, and I'll pay the bill."
"Alright, I won't compete with the rich for the bill. You pay, I do the work. I'll let you know right away."
"Well, you are really generous. Haha." Ji Feng deliberately tried to make Xin Xiao happy.
"You kid, wait and see how I'm going to deal with you when Hua Ailing comes." As he said that, he punched Ji Feng in the chest.
The setting sun slowly sank below the horizon, its golden afterglow scattering across Lover's Dam. Couples cuddled quietly, their silhouettes reflected against the orange-red sky, a tranquil painting. In the distance, fishing boats returned, their lights twinkling like stars, complementing the sunset glow on the horizon.
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