Chapter 160 Giving Birth to a Daughter: A New Chapter Begins!
The lights in the small house instantly came on. Xiao Wenjuan calmly directed the operation, while Liang Jiushan, though flustered, tried his best to remain composed and helped Jiang Ling rush to the hospital.
Outside the delivery room of the Provincial People's Hospital, the atmosphere was tense yet warm. Xiao Wenjuan, dressed in sterile clothing, stayed inside, holding Jiang Ling's hand tightly. Liang Jiushan also wanted to go in, but was pushed out by the doctor, who sternly told him, "Male colleagues, please wait outside the delivery room and don't disturb our work."
Li Zhenliang, Liu Haoran, and Zhou Wei, three old comrades-in-arms, also came spontaneously and stood guard in the corridor outside the delivery room, both to care for Jiang Ling and to be ready to deal with any possible emergencies at work.
As Jiang Ling endured intense labor pains in the delivery room, Liang Jiushan's work phone rang shrilly. It was an urgent report from Yao City: after investigation, three suspects had been identified, but all were ruled out after a surprise interrogation. It was suspected that the perpetrator was not a permanent resident of the old city and had not been detected. With the arson time fast approaching, pinpointing the target was urgently needed!
The worst-case scenario has occurred!
Liu Haoran had previously stated that the suspect might be a resident of the old town, or someone who had previously lived there but had since moved away. Due to the tight schedule and heavy workload, the Yao City police concentrated their efforts on a population screening of the old town in the north of the city, but all of this was based on the assumption that the suspect currently lived in the old town.
However, the three suspects identified based on the sketches were all ruled out, leaving only three possibilities:
First, Liu Haoran's judgment was wrong; second, the Yao City police discovered a flaw in their investigation; third, the suspect did not actually live in the old town; he had only lived there for a long time.
Regardless of the possibility, it has brought the case into an extremely urgent situation!
The other party was about to make a move, and the police had no clue whatsoever.
Liang Jiushan was heartbroken and didn't want to leave his wife at this moment. But Jiang Ling was currently suffering in the delivery room. She was such a kind and responsible person, and she absolutely could not allow the suspect to go unpunished and triumphantly carry out the arson after giving clear instructions!
Li Zhenliang and the other two understood the urgency of the situation and said in unison, "Jiu Shan! You take charge! We'll listen to you!"
“Sister Ling…” Liang Jiushan looked at the tightly closed delivery room door, feeling extremely reluctant to part with her.
Li Zhenliang urged him, "Don't you know what kind of person Director Jiang is? The case comes first! We must catch the suspect before he makes a move!"
Liang Jiushan gritted his teeth: "Let's go! We're going back to the center!"
Liang Jiushan and Li Zhenliang rushed back to the analysis center, and Liang Jiushan immediately went into command mode.
"This is Liang Jiushan! I'm initiating remote command now! Li Zhenliang, Liu Haoran, Zhou Wei, you immediately connect to the central system and take over on-site data analysis and technical support!" His voice was calm and powerful.
Relying on his intuition and experience as a veteran criminal investigator, Li Zhenliang quickly communicated with the front lines in Yao City, guiding the on-site evacuation and search priorities, and emphasizing precise investigation after "defining the scope".
Zhou Wei then took over the task of geographic profiling. Combining Jiang Ling's previous judgment with the real-time data from Yaoshi police on the surrounding environment, field of vision, and passageways of District D, he accurately deduced the most likely observation points and device placement points of the criminals.
Liu Haoran insisted on the previous sketch results and investigated the surveillance video data in the surrounding area in an attempt to locate the arrogant arsonist.
Liang Jiushan, stationed at the central command, sharply scanned the information displayed on multiple screens—scenes from the front lines in Yao City, and the data analysis interface of Li Zhenliang and his team. He quickly integrated the information from all sides and made a decision.
"Xinwan, Jianbai!" Liang Jiushan answered the phone at the criminal profiling room, speaking rapidly but clearly. "The suspect's preliminary psychological profile is clear: male, 30-45 years old, paranoid and withdrawn, with a strong desire to perform and a punitive mentality, familiar with the old city area, and may have acted prematurely due to pressure. He is very likely observing the scene right now! I need you to immediately create a criminal investigation profile based on these psychological characteristics and the scene environment, focusing on describing his possible external appearance, attire, and behavioral characteristics, to provide more specific identification evidence for the frontline arrest!"
"Understood!" Su Xinwan and Zhuang Jianbai replied in unison on the other end of the phone, their voices filled with a mixture of tension and excitement before battle.
The atmosphere in the forensic sketch room instantly became highly focused. The whiteboard on the wall was quickly filled with the key psychological elements Jiang Ling had analyzed. Su Xinwan's gaze was sharp; she spoke first, her voice clear and rapid, as if sketching a dynamic mind map:
"Based on his paranoid and reclusive personality, coupled with a strong desire to perform, he would tend to choose low-key, inconspicuous, and even somewhat rigid and outdated clothing, such as old navy blue, gray-black, or military green jackets, faded shirts, and loose-fitting work pants or dark jeans. The overall attire might appear slightly bulky or ill-fitting, which aligns with the assumption that he may not care much about his appearance or have a moderate economic situation, and is also a way of concealing himself. However, it should be noted that although the clothes are old, they may be relatively clean and tidy, reflecting his underlying sense of order and a certain importance he attaches to this operation."
Yao City police responded quickly: "Received!"
Liu Haoran's eyes shone brightly as he stared intently at the monitor screen: "Received!"
Su Xinwan continued, “The other party might carry an old, inconspicuous dark-colored backpack or crossbody bag to carry remote control devices or other tools. They might wear a baseball cap or hood and habitually pull the brim down to cover their face, both to avoid being recognized and to satisfy their psychology of observing from the shadows.”
"The core of his attire is a combination of concealment and everyday life, striving to blend into the crowd and remain inconspicuous, but subtle details may reveal a certain sense of alienation from the surrounding environment."
Zhuang Jianbai immediately took over, picking up his paintbrush and further refining the external appearance and physical characteristics based on Su Xinwan's analysis and environmental information.
"Based on his age, psychological state, and familiarity with the old city environment, the suspect is of slender or medium build. He may appear somewhat hunched over or slightly stooped due to long-term inner repression. When walking, his stride is not large, and his gait may appear slightly restrained or dragging, showing traces of living in a repressive environment for a long time. However, when he observes the scene, his posture may unconsciously tense up and lean forward, showing his inner focus and tension."
"Due to his reclusiveness and paranoia, his facial expressions are relatively stiff and lack vividness, and he may have a melancholy or indifferent look for many years. But the key point is his eyes—when he thinks no one is paying attention and is observing the fire scene, his eyes may flash with an unusual focus, excitement or even fanaticism, which contrasts with his usual numbness. He may habitually avoid eye contact with people and look down or quickly scan the ground."
Su Xinwan quickly drew a line drawing, outlining the suspect's image.
He was an ordinary-looking, even somewhat unremarkable, middle-aged man, wearing a dark, worn-out coat, a hat, and carrying a bag. He looked somewhat tired or gloomy, blending seamlessly into the crowd in the old town. But upon closer inspection, one could detect a sense of alienation from his surroundings, as well as a tense and engaged feeling that he couldn't completely conceal at certain moments, a feeling that was inconsistent with his usual demeanor.
Upon receiving the faxed image, Liang Jiushan immediately forwarded the suspect's sketch to the Yao City police, clearly stating: "The current operation is to wait and see! One team will conduct a surprise inspection of all buildings in Zone D to eliminate fire hazards. Another team will monitor the area surrounding Zone D and search for suspicious individuals."
Liu Haoran added: "The suspect must have been observing the scene. He would most likely have chosen an open space opposite Building 7 where he could stay, such as a parking lot, convenience store, phone booth, or restaurant. He needed a location where he could both hide himself and clearly observe the results of the arson."
"He might stay for a long time, but he won't stay still. He might pretend to read a book or newspaper, but in reality, his attention will be highly focused on the opposite corridor. He might frequently check his watch, showing anxiety and anticipation about the time. When making an arrest, pay attention to the fact that if it is a restaurant or cafe with a large flow of people, he will most likely choose a seat with his back to most customers, facing the window, and in a position that makes it easy to observe the movement at the door. This is a manifestation of his aloofness and vigilance."
The police officers on the front lines in Yao City were all excited: "Attention all units! Target male, 30-45 years old, wearing a dark old jacket, possibly a hat, and carrying a dark bag. Slim to medium build, possibly hunched over, with a gloomy and reserved demeanor, but his eyes may be unusually focused when observing. He may currently be located at the convenience store, phone booth, newsstand, restaurant, or coffee shop opposite Building 7. Conduct a thorough search! Pay close attention to suspicious individuals at the entrance of Building 7 across the street!"
The power of teamwork was on full display at this moment. It was no longer Jiang Ling carrying the burden alone, but rather everyone fulfilling their responsibilities and working closely together.
"Report! A large amount of unusual debris has been found in the west stairwell of Unit 3, Building 7!"
"Report 1! Suspicious garbage found on the third floor of Unit 1, Building 8."
"Second team report! Suspicious individuals spotted on the second floor of the coffee shop opposite Building 7. We have set up a perimeter!"
"Second team report! Suspicious individuals have been spotted at the convenience store near Building 9; surveillance has been established!"
...
As messages flooded into Liang Jiushan's mind, his brain raced like a sophisticated processor.
"Attention, arrest team! Team one, blockade the coffee shop and convenience store; team two, in coordination with bomb disposal personnel, conduct a surprise inspection of the debris piled up in the corridors of buildings 7 and 8! Move out!" Liang Jiushan decisively gave the order.
Inside the delivery room, between contractions, Jiang Ling grasped her mother's hand and asked, "Where...where's Jiu Shan? How...how's the case going?"
With tears in her eyes, Xiao Wenjuan said, "Don't worry, Jiu Shan has gone to the center to handle the case. Don't worry, he will definitely be able to catch the bad guys."
Jiang Ling knew that her team was fighting. An indescribable sense of relief welled up in her heart, mixed with intense physical pain, causing tears to slide down her cheeks.
Xiao Wenjuan kept encouraging her, "Lingling, did you hear that? Everyone is working hard! Jiushan will definitely handle it, Zhenliang and the others are all very capable... Your main task now is to give birth to the baby. Keep going, Zhaozhao and everyone else are waiting for you!"
As if inspired by something unseen, Jiang Ling mustered her last bit of strength.
Meanwhile, good news kept coming from the front lines in Yao City:
"Report! The device has been safely removed! It was a makeshift electric spark connected to an alarm clock!"
"Report! The suspect has been apprehended on the second floor of the coffee shop! Remote control seized!"
A suppressed cheer came from the command channel.
At that very moment, Jiang Ling used all her strength—
A loud and clear cry from a newborn broke the tense atmosphere in the delivery room!
"It's a girl! Mother and daughter are both safe!" The nurse's voice was filled with joy.
Jiang Ling lay down, utterly exhausted, her body drenched in sweat, yet a smile of extreme fatigue mixed with immense satisfaction and contentment bloomed on her lips.
The Yao City police acted swiftly, immediately conducting a surprise interrogation after apprehending the suspect and quickly verifying his identity.
The suspect, Zhao Yonggui, male, 38 years old, was originally a resident of District D in the old city of Yao County. His parents passed away one after another a year ago, and he and his siblings had a falling out over property division, leading to a complete rift. Zhao Yonggui subsequently moved away from the old city and now lives alone in a simple bungalow in the south of the city. He has no fixed occupation and makes a living by doing odd jobs, and his personality has become increasingly withdrawn.
According to Zhao Yonggui's confession, his criminal motives were highly consistent with the psychological profile that Liu Haoran had previously created.
Zhao Yonggui was a very filial son, but his father suffered an acute myocardial infarction and missed the critical time for rescue because no one was home. Subsequently, his mother passed away less than three months later due to her grief. In his grief, Zhao Yonggui blamed his sister for her negligence and also blamed his parents' deaths on their old neighbors, believing that his father's myocardial infarction was entirely caused by their indifference and heartlessness.
Zhao Yonggui and his family of four have lived in Block D of the old city in the north of the city for two or three decades. The father is a serious, conscientious, and hygienic man who often quietly cleans the stairwell. He is unhappy with the neighbors piling up clutter in the stairwell and has advised them many times. Unfortunately, the neighbors not only do not appreciate his efforts to clean the stairwell, but also mock him, saying that he is meddling in other people's business.
Zhao Yonggui's father got into a heated argument with his neighbors. Pointing to the old furniture, old cotton wadding, old newspapers, and other items piled up in the stairwell, his voice echoed through the building: "Look! Look! Just one cigarette butt and these things can ignite quickly. This is an old urban area; we don't have any fire safety equipment. If a fire breaks out, none of us will be able to escape!"
Unfortunately, the houses in the old city are small and the population is large, so there's not enough room inside. It's become common practice to pile up clutter in the stairwells. Everyone scoffed at Zhao Yonggui's father's agitation: "You're not a street-level official, you're just meddling in other people's business!"
Because of this, Zhao Yonggui, who had broken with his sister and was living alone in the south of the city, harbored resentment and developed the twisted idea of "punishing" and "warning" her through arson.
When he was arrested, Zhao Yonggui was wearing a dark gray old jacket, navy blue work pants, a black baseball cap, and carrying a badly worn dark backpack. He was thin, slightly hunched over, and his eyes were darting around most of the time, making him appear gloomy and uneasy. However, when the police stormed in, he chose a seat in the corner of the second floor of the coffee shop, facing the window and with his back to the door, making it easier to observe and escape. This perfectly matched the judgment that he was aloof and wary.
The Yao City police called: "Your Criminal Behavior Analysis Center is amazing! Your criminal profiling and psychological profiling are incredibly accurate! We were able to solve this case entirely thanks to you!"
Liang Jiushan only said one sentence: "I hope you will strengthen fire safety management in the old city area to prevent similar tragedies from happening."
The Yao City police nodded repeatedly: "Yes! Yes! We will immediately conduct a city-wide fire hazard inspection!"
Finally, the case was over, and Liang Jiushan quickly drove to the hospital. On the way, he received a call from Xiao Wenjuan. His mother-in-law's voice was filled with joy: "She gave birth! She gave birth! Mother and daughter are safe!" He suddenly shook his head, his eyes instantly filled with tears of joy, and his right hand holding the steering wheel trembled.
Mother and daughter are safe!
It's a daughter!
My sister Ling, my little Zhao Zhao, they are both safe and sound!
When Liang Jiushan pushed open the ward door, the first thing he saw was a tiny, pink bundle wrapped in soft swaddling clothes in his mother-in-law Xiao Wenjuan's arms. The little one was sucking on his lips, his eyes not yet fully open, his hair black, and he was making soft whimpering sounds.
The second thing he saw was his wife, who, though pale and exhausted, radiated a gentle light he had never seen before.
“Sister Ling…” Liang Jiushan’s voice choked instantly, and his steps faltered. He rushed to the bedside, bent down and hugged Jiang Ling tightly and very carefully, kissing her forehead and cheeks repeatedly, his words incoherent, “You’ve worked so hard…Sister Ling, I’m sorry…Thank you…You’re amazing…The case is solved, everyone is safe, don’t worry!”
Then, trembling and almost reverent, he took the tiny, yet heavy, life from his mother-in-law's hands. His arms were stiff, as if afraid that the slightest misstep would hurt her, and the love and care in his eyes were almost tangible.
“My darling Zhao Zhao… I’m your dad…” he murmured softly, his voice so gentle it could melt your heart.
Looking at her husband, travel-worn and disheveled yet overjoyed, and at her daughter sleeping peacefully in her arms, and hearing the news that the case was completely solved and no one was injured, Jiang Ling felt her tense nerves finally relax. An indescribable, immense sense of happiness, like a warm current, instantly enveloped all her fatigue and hardship.
She reached out her weak hand and gently placed it on Liang Jiushan's arm as he held their daughter. Liang Jiushan immediately understood and carefully lowered his daughter so that Jiang Ling could see the child's face more clearly.
Xiao Wenjuan stood aside, watching this scene, constantly wiping away tears of joy with her handkerchief. She watched her daughter finally achieve her goal after going through hardships, saw her son-in-law as responsible and capable, and as loving as he was to his wife and daughter, and saw her newborn granddaughter. She felt that all the storms of life had turned into a beautiful rainbow at this moment.
Li Zhenliang, Liu Haoran, and Zhou Wei also crowded at the door, watching this scene with simple and happy smiles on their faces. Su Xinwan and Zhuang Jianbai then called, their voices full of excitement and congratulations.
Outside the window, the first rays of dawn break, casting a magnificent glow.
A new day, a new life, a new hope. Surrounding Jiang Ling are not only her family, but also a team that has grown up and can fight alongside her to protect the light.
Their story has begun a new chapter.
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