Chapter 59 Watercolor Painting: A Landscape Painting Hangs in the Living Room
The sound of a key turning in the lock was particularly jarring in the quiet room. Then, the door was pushed open, and a whiff of cheap tobacco, outdoor dust, and a faint smell of sweat rushed in.
Chu Jingen stood at the intersection of light and shadow at the doorway.
The light and shadow behind him outlined Chu Jingen's features. He was of medium height, with a slightly plump and sturdy build, broad shoulders, short and thick limbs, and bulging arm muscles. He wore a short-sleeved polo shirt, and a black leather bag was tucked under his left arm, with a bunch of keys hanging from the side of the belt, jingling.
His appearance and attire perfectly match the image of an ordinary, nouveau riche brick factory manager in a rural town.
Chu Jingen closed the door with extremely slow but powerful movements. His thick palm pressed down on the door panel, making a dull "bang" sound, as if he were not closing the door, but sealing off an exit. His movements carried an undeniable sense of control.
The heavy door closed, and the light and shadow behind Chu Jingen disappeared.
His eyes, seemingly unfocused in the dimly lit hallway, appeared somewhat dull and lifeless. But in the instant he raised his eyes to scan the room, a sharp, cold, and probing chill would flash across them.
Hu Shuifen, who was bending down to get his slippers, didn't dare to meet Chu Jingen's eyes, but when his gaze fell on her, she seemed to sense something, as if she had been burned by something, and her body trembled slightly uncontrollably, and she lowered her head even further.
Liu Haoran got a clear look at Chu Jingen's face.
It's a very ordinary face.
Square-shaped, slightly chubby, with a slightly hooked nose, thick eyebrows that slant upwards and spread out like a broom at the ends, and small eyes that always seem to squint.
For some reason, Liu Haoran suddenly recalled the conversation between Jiang Ling and Lin Weidong during yesterday's lecture.
"Years of clenching his teeth have caused sunken cheek muscles, making his face appear like a 'knife-cut' rock when viewed from the side. He has a square face with prominent cheekbones and a square jaw."
"Paranoiacs typically have sharp brow peaks, slanted brow tails, and thick, broom-like eyebrows."
"Drooping eyelids and pupils that involuntarily shrink to pinpoints when looking at people are signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder causing excessive focusing."
Hate towards society, paranoid personality, obsessive-compulsive disorder—almost all of these apply!
Lin Weidong and Jiang Ling's summarizing abilities are amazing! They can deduce appearances just from personality.
Lin Weidong is experienced, has seen countless people, and is a criminal profiling expert, so it's not surprising that he can draw accurate portraits. But Jiang Ling is only 21 years old and lacks social experience. To be able to predict someone's appearance based solely on criminal psychology is simply genius among geniuses!
At what should have been a crucial moment to meet the suspect, Liu Haoran was distracted.
By the time he came to his senses, Chu Jingen was already standing in front of him.
Liu Haoran quickly smiled and extended his hand: "Hello, Uncle..."
Chu Jingen leaned forward slightly, his feet firmly planted on the ground, exuding a heavy, undeniable weight. He completely ignored Liu Haoran's outstretched right hand, his eyes narrowing as he asked in a hoarse voice, "Who are you?"
These three simple words, spoken by him, carried no hint of inquiry but rather sounded like a cold command.
Liu Haoran introduced himself honestly: "My name is Liu Haoran, I am..."
Chu Jingen's gaze held the arrogance of someone in a superior position: "No matter who you are, get out of here."
Liu Haoran, who had prepared all those questions, was now completely stumped. He opened his mouth but remained silent for a long time. This person was incredibly rude! How could they tell someone to get lost without even asking a question?!
Su Xinwan stood in front of Liu Haoran, her gaze meeting Chu Jingen's, refusing to back down: "He's my boyfriend, we're back to see Mom."
Chu Jingen's pupils contracted slightly, his gaze like a viper's hiss, sending a chill down Su Xinwan's spine.
The shadows of her youth washed over her, and Su Xinwan's hand trembled.
A warm hand touched Su Xinwan's arm.
Upon skin-to-skin contact, Su Xinwan immediately calmed down.
She turned her head and looked at Liu Haoran.
Liu Haoran grinned at her, his smile sunny and bright, without a trace of gloom.
Liu Haoran's smile stung Chu Jingen's eyes. He frowned irritably, tightened his grip on the black leather bag under his arm, and gritted his teeth as he looked at Hu Shuifen: "Is this the girl you raised! Does she even have any respect for me as her father?"
Su Xinwan gave a mocking laugh: "Ha, stepfather."
Chu Jingen's face was gloomy. He nodded and said, "Very good. It seems that you've become too powerful since becoming a policeman."
Su Xinwan straightened her back: "My boyfriend is also a policeman."
Chu Jingen didn't look at Liu Haoran again, but instead turned his gaze to Hu Shuifen: "Bring the food up to the second floor." After saying that, he turned and walked upstairs.
As he walked, he vigorously rubbed his face with his large, bony hands, as if trying to erase some mark or adjust the mask on his face.
When his figure finally disappeared at the top of the stairs, Su Xinwan's tense nerves finally relaxed.
Hu Shuifen also relaxed along with them.
She quietly let out a long sigh of relief and glanced cautiously at Su Xinwan and Liu Haoran: "Why don't you stay for dinner? He's eating upstairs."
Su Xinwan and Liu Haoran exchanged a glance and nodded, saying, "Okay."
A glint of light flashed in Hu Shuifen's humble and pitiful eyes. Her hands, with knuckles large from years of labor, twisted the corner of her apron repeatedly, turning the rough fabric into a crumpled ball: "Then... I'll go cook, you all sit down."
Su Xinwan took her mother's arm and said, "I'll help you."
The mother and daughter headed towards the kitchen.
Liu Haoran was left alone in the living room.
Liu Haoran kept his mission firmly in mind. Feigning boredom, he got up and wandered around the living room, his sharp eyes observing and searching for any possible evidence.
The mosaic marble floor, the elaborate crystal chandelier, and the beige tulip-patterned wallpaper—judging from the decor, it must have been renovated in recent years; this strong European style wasn't popular in town ten years ago.
A watercolor painting hangs on the back wall of the living room.
painting?
Isn't Wen Mo an artist?
An alarm bell immediately rang in Liu Haoran's mind. He walked over to the watercolor painting with a walnut wood frame and examined it closely.
The colors in the painting are light and somewhat grayish.
The withered reeds, the quiet river, the birds suddenly startled into flight... everything seemed rather desolate, not matching the luxurious style of the living room.
The painting was unsigned, and Liu Haoran, being a connoisseur, couldn't discern anything about it.
After glancing at it a few times, he turned his attention elsewhere.
The furniture was very clean, spotless.
The floor was mopped until it shone.
The placement of each item follows a set pattern, resulting in a neat and orderly arrangement.
It seems that Chu Jingen really does have some obsessive-compulsive tendencies and has very high expectations for Hu Shuifen's housework skills.
The curtains are dark green.
The leather sofa is dark red.
Red and green are contrasting colors, but strangely enough, the whole living room looks very pleasing to the eye and comfortable.
Liu Haoran looked at it carefully, focusing his gaze on the small, delicate embellishments.
The cushions on the sofa are made of oatmeal-colored fabric with subtle silver patterns.
A light beige tablecloth was laid on the coffee table.
On the TV cabinet sat a warm white vase, with a few withered lotus pods inserted inside.
...
Strange, Chu Jingen was a brick factory worker with little education and no artistic talent. Where did he find the decoration team that knew such advanced color matching principles?
With this question in mind, Liu Haoran looked around the living room and slowly walked towards the stairwell.
As soon as he looked up, he was met with Chu Jingen's face.
Seeing Liu Haoran look up and spot him, Chu Jingen's lips twitched upwards for an extremely brief moment, forming a cruel, fleeting arc that was far from joyful, but rather more like the cruel satisfaction of catching the subtle fear of prey. The smile was so quick it was almost an illusion, yet it was enough to make Liu Haoran feel a thick, chilling coldness in the air.
Liu Haoran gasped.
He quickly took a few steps back, rubbing his arms vigorously, trying to smooth down the bristling hairs on his arms.
What the hell?! This Chu Jingen is terrifying!
Living with someone like that will surely shorten your lifespan!
Fortunately, Hu Shuifen had prepared the food, sending some to the second floor and leaving the rest in the dining room.
Hu Shuifen is a very good cook and she prepared a five-dish meal with a soup, including both meat and vegetables, which was delicious and visually appealing.
However, both Liu Haoran and Su Xinwan seemed somewhat distracted.
After finally finishing their meal without tasting anything, Hu Shuifen began urging them to leave.
As they parted, Hu Shuifen suddenly reached out and gripped Liu Haoran's arm tightly, pleading, "After we get married, be good to Wanwan. She, she's very good. It's me, it's my fault."
He was rambling a bit, but Liu Haoran understood him.
He suppressed the bitterness welling up inside him and replied in a hoarse voice, "Okay!"
After receiving Liu Haoran's affirmative answer, Hu Shuifen pushed her daughter forward: "Go, go, don't come back."
Bang!
The door slammed shut behind Su Xinwan.
Su Xinwan stood blankly in the lobby, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
It wasn't until Liu Haoran stretched out his hand and waved in front of her that Su Xinwan exclaimed, "Ah!" and then said, "Let's go back."
Where to go? Of course, to the Changhe Town Police Station, the agreed meeting place.
When they were quite a distance from the villa, Liu Haoran asked in a low voice, "What did you see?"
Su Xinwan said, "Chu Jingen never goes to the kitchen, so my mother puts things she considers important in the kitchen. I found a stack of watercolor paper under the cupboard, which my mother said was for starting a fire."
Liu Haoran asked, "What painting?"
Su Xinwan said, "It's a sketch, depicting the back of a woman. It's very well drawn, with simple lines and just a few strokes, yet it's very expressive."
Liu Haoran glanced at her: "Didn't you take it out secretly?"
Su Xinwan also felt it was a bit of a pity: "I didn't bring my bag, so there was nowhere to hide the painting. My mom stuffed it in the very back of the cupboard, piled up with bottles and jars. When I took it out to look at it, she snatched it away."
Liu Haoran thought for a moment: "Is the drawing of your mother?"
Su Xinwan shook her head: "Unlike my mother, although she is about the same height and weight, she has never been this fashionable in her life when wearing a skirt and high heels."
Liu Haoran pressed on, "Who is that painting? Didn't you ask your mother?"
Su Xinwan said, "I asked her, but she wouldn't say. She said it was a gift from someone else, and the painting depicted her."
Liu Haoran asked, "Is there an autograph or anything like that?"
Su Xinwan shook her head: "There was no signature."
They both knew what the other was thinking, but neither of them said it aloud.
Su Xinwan asked, "What did you discover?"
Liu Haoran: "There's a landscape painting hanging in the living room. It's unsigned and the colors are a bit pale, which doesn't match the living room's decor. Also, I think the overall color scheme of the living room is quite artistic. Although I don't understand these things, my sister studied interior design and she's a designer. She often talks about these things at home, so I've heard it quite often."
Su Xinwan also remembered something: "Ah, right, after my brother went to college, the house was renovated. There weren't those decorations in the living room before, I don't know when they started appearing."
Liu Haoran sighed: "I had prepared a whole set of questions with great ambition, intending to clash with Chu Jingen, but I didn't expect him to not give me that chance at all. The first thing he said when he saw me was: Get lost!"
Su Xinwan comforted him, saying, "He's a pervert. Getting angry with him will be bad for you. Besides, those lie detector tests you mentioned are only suitable for use in a closed interrogation room. If you're at home, he might just walk away if you press him too hard. What can you do then?"
Liu Haoran thought about it and realized it made sense. He could only say dejectedly, "It feels like we didn't find any clues this time. I don't know if Liangzi and Dawei found anything either. Sigh! That Chu Jingen is a real pervert. He was secretly standing at the stairwell watching my every move. It was so scary."
The scene of looking up at the top of the stairs and seeing a face flashed through Liu Haoran's mind again, and he began to feel a chill run down his spine once more.
The five people finally met up at the entrance of the police station.
Jiang Ling raised her hand to stop Liu Haoran from speaking: "Let's go back first."
On the way back, Zhou Wei drove.
He felt like an old friend was returning when he touched the steering wheel, and he was reluctant to let Su Xinwan take it. Meanwhile, Su Xinwan was in a state of utter anxiety, and had no interest in driving.
After the car drove out of Changhe Town, Jiang Ling finally spoke: "Haoran, tell us about your discovery."
Liu Haoran recounted everything the two of them had experienced and discovered.
Jiang Ling inquired carefully about the watercolor painting hanging in the living room.
Liu Haoran said, "The reeds were withered and yellow, and the river water was a very pale blue. The sun was about to set, and a faint red tinge was reflected in the river, but it still looked cold. Oh, right, there was also a flock of dark water birds, flying away in a panic. It all looked really strange."
Jiang Ling and Li Zhenliang's eyes lit up.
Li Zhenliang slapped his thigh: "Maybe this painting was done by Wen Mo!"
Liu Haoran looked at Jiang Ling: "But there's no signature, and we've never seen Wen Mo's previous paintings. Besides, does Chu Jingen have the audacity to hang his paintings up directly?"
While driving, Zhou Wei joined the discussion: "Let's find one of Wen Mo's earlier paintings to compare it with."
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.
Li Zhenliang said, "However, Wen Mo's case falls under the jurisdiction of the Jiangcheng police."
Liu Haoran also said, "They're not even from the same province, so transferring their files is a hassle."
Li Zhenliang suddenly shoved Liu Haoran excitedly: "Didn't you save Wen Mo's mother's phone number? Why don't you just ask her?"
Liu Haoran hesitated for a moment: "Didn't they say that the mother and son had a bad relationship? He was missing for a whole summer and his mother didn't even ask about him. How could she possibly recognize his paintings?"
Jiang Ling said, "Give it a try." A mother who still insists on commemorating her son's death every year may not be as cold-hearted as people think.
After hesitating for a long time, Su Xinwan finally said, "My mother gave me some things, including money and a jade pendant."
Liu Haoran took out the small metal box that he had been keeping in his bag and presented it to Jiang Ling.
Su Xinwan's voice was hoarse: "I asked my mother if this jade pendant was left to me by my biological father, but she avoided my gaze, so I have my doubts..."
After a pause, Su Xinwan closed her eyes, her face showing struggle and pain. When she opened her eyes again, her gaze became calm and firm: "I suspect that it belonged to one of the victims."
Jiang Ling gestured for Li Zhenliang to put it away.
Li Zhenliang immediately took out an evidence bag, put on gloves, picked up the jade pendant and a bundle of money, and put them into the bag.
Only then did Liu Haoran have a moment to ask Jiang Ling, "How's your investigation going?"
Jiang Ling shook her head: "These three victims don't seem to be related. Judging from the surroundings, Zhang Lei was probably taken away in a back alley, and the perpetrator had a car. Wen Mo was taken away while painting on a waterfront platform covered by reeds, and the perpetrator had accomplices, at least a small boat or a cart. As for Zhao Rui, he probably had an appointment outside the town and then never returned. Similarly, the perpetrator had a car, which made it convenient to take him away."
Su Xinwan's face turned deathly pale.
She had initially held onto a sliver of hope.
Although she hated Hu Shuifen for pushing her brother out and letting him be humiliated, she was still her mother who gave birth to her. Su Xinwan only hoped that Hu Shuifen had not been involved in these cases.
Kidnapping, illegal imprisonment, torture, murder and burial of bodies...
Each and every one of these crimes is a capital offense deserving of execution.
Upon hearing Jiang Ling say "there are helpers," Su Xinwan's heart sank completely.
My home was suddenly renovated;
The watercolor painting in the living room that doesn't match the decorating style;
The sketches Mom hid in the kitchen;
And the living room decor is full of artistry.
All of this silently tells Su Xinwan that Wen Mo's disappearance was Chu Jingen's doing. And Hu Shuifen was an insider, even... an accomplice.
Jiang Ling knew what she was thinking and called her name: "Su Xinwan!"
Su Xinwan instinctively replied, "Here!"
Jiang Ling asked her, "Before I started investigating the case, I asked you what your plans were. What was your answer?"
Su Xinwan suppressed the nausea rising in her throat, raised her head and straightened her chest, her voice loud and clear: "Find out the truth, draw a clear line, and seek justice."
Jiang Ling: "Very good. So, what are your plans regarding your mother?"
Su Xinwan's voice lowered, but remained clear: "Put the guilty accountable, and the virtuous accountable."
Jiang Ling said, "This case involves your family, so you will need to recuse yourself from the investigation. I will contact you if I need your cooperation. Please keep this strictly confidential, can you do that?"
Su Xinwan: "Yes!"
Jiang Ling nodded: "Don't worry, everything will come to light."
It was already past 3 p.m. when we got back to the city.
The car drove directly into the parking lot of the Yan City Public Security Bureau.
Jiang Ling headed straight for the first brigade.
Upon meeting Lei Xiao, Jiang Ling's first question was: "Who was in charge of the murder case of Zhang Lei, a senior high school student at Changhe Town Middle School, in May 1990?"
Lei Xiao originally wanted to talk to Jiang Ling about the details of the rope murder case, but when she suddenly asked him this question, he was a little confused: "Ah, don't rush me, let me think."
Zheng Yu answered from the side: "This case is in the hands of Team Leader Fan. He led a team to investigate in Changhe Town for a month, but they couldn't find the murderer, and it became a cold case."
Jiang Ling then asked, "Who was in charge of the case of Zhao Rui, an employee of Zhouji Auto Repair Shop in Changhe Town, who went missing in November 1991?"
Lei Xiao shook his head: "I don't know."
Zheng Yu quickly replied, "The Second Brigade is in charge, but they didn't find anything and it's been treated as an unsolved case."
Lei Xiao was pleasantly surprised by Zheng Yu's good memory, so he simply said to her, "That's perfect, take Jiang Ling to the archives department, the case files are all stored there."
Zheng Yu readily replied, "Yes!"
After making the arrangements, Lei Xiao asked Jiang Ling, "Why is the case file so urgent?"
Jiang Ling was a bit tired after running around all day. She found a chair and sat down: "I have some clues about these two cases and I'd like to take over and investigate them."
Lei Xiao asked with great interest, "Did your 'three-fixed investigation method' come in handy again? These two cases have been closed for three or four years now, why did you suddenly think of investigating them?"
Su Xinwan followed Jiang Ling into the office, her lips pursed, her shoulders slumped, and she remained quiet.
Lei Xiao slapped his forehead: "Look at me, I'm so confused. Today, Xiao Su asked for a car, saying she needed to talk to you. So you went to Changhe Town to investigate a case?"
Jiang Ling waved her hand: "Don't ask about the specifics yet. I just want to ask you one thing: can I investigate these two cases?"
Lei Xiao chuckled: "Why not? Of course it will work!"
Lei Xiao was overjoyed that someone was taking over the cold case that had been shelved for three or four years; how could he possibly stop it?
Zheng Yu took Jiang Ling to retrieve the case file.
She didn't ask any more questions, but instead took the initiative to talk about the aftermath of the rope murder case.
"Jiang Ling, you are my lucky star. After listening to your lecture, Team Leader Lei transferred me to Lao Fan's group."
"The suspect was quite stubborn, but Lao Fan was experienced. After two rounds of interrogation, he used reverse psychology to get him to back down."
"Xiao Qi found a rope in his room, which matched the wounds on the deceased's neck perfectly. The fingerprints on the work ID and the blood type on the blood-stained clothes also matched."
"His house was very tidy, but apart from a bed, a table, a chair, and a clothes rack, there was no furniture. This guy had a strange habit of drawing circles on the ground with chalk. There was a fixed order to where the shoes were placed, where the teacup was placed, and where each piece of clothing was hung."
Li Zhenliang listened with great interest.
Small chalk circles were found at the scene; it turned out to be the murderer's quirk.
Jiang Ling is really amazing; she found the murderer for them so quickly.
Jiang Ling was also very pleased: "In less than a day, your chain of evidence is basically complete. That's great."
Zheng Yu smiled at her and said, "I have to thank you."
Jiang Ling hurriedly waved her hand: "It's all thanks to your meticulous work, I..." Luckily, she almost said "my dad," "Officer Lin Weidong also deserves credit for drawing the suspect directly."
Zheng Yu's smile deepened as she said goodbye to Jiang Ling at the entrance of the archives room: "Jiang Ling, come visit often in the future. I really like you."
Jiang Ling looked up and met Zheng Yu's smiling eyes.
This was the first time in my life I had ever heard the words "I like you," and I never expected it to come from a female colleague.
Jiang Ling nodded: "Okay."
After reporting the case file to Director Zhong, Jiang Ling returned to the police station.
I didn't expect my parents to be there already, having tea with Director Yao.
As soon as Xiao Wenjuan saw her, she went up to her, reached out and brushed the grass leaves stuck to her arm, her eyes full of concern: "Why have you been running around all day? Are you tired? Are you thirsty?" As she spoke, she poured a cup of cold tea and placed it in front of her.
Jiang Ling was indeed a bit thirsty, so she took the tea and drank it all in one gulp.
Xiao Wenjuan patted her back: "Don't rush, don't rush, drink slowly."
Lin Weidong also came over and asked with concern, "Are you investigating a case? Do you need any help?"
Jiang Ling was about to say no, but then she suddenly remembered the painting in Chu Jingen's living room and nodded, "There really is one!"
Lin Weidong was currently overflowing with fatherly love and wholeheartedly wanted to help his eldest daughter. Upon hearing Jiang Ling say that she needed his help, he immediately asked happily, "What do you need me to do?"
Jiang Ling said, "Could you paint a watercolor for me?"
Lin Weidong nodded without hesitation: "Okay."
My daughter has a request, and I have to comply even if it's not my responsibility.
Outsiders might think that criminal investigation sketch artists only know how to sketch and draw portraits, but in fact, Lin Weidong learned to paint with his mother from a young age, and his watercolor painting skills are also superb.
Half an hour later, Luo Yunchen arrived at the police station with a full set of painting tools.
After everything was prepared, Lin Weidong said to Liu Haoran, "Come on, you tell me, and I'll draw."
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