Could it be a sketching pencil?
The langur nodded and then retreated back behind the leaf.
"Is that wooden stick still there?"
Oh dear, we need to look for it...
Several monkeys immediately turned around and began rummaging through nearby tree holes, rock crevices, and vine nests.
In less than two minutes, a little monkey timidly handed over a sketching pencil that was covered in mud but whose original color was still visible.
Xia Zhining held her breath and carefully took it with her gloved hands.
At the end of the pencil, a blurry brand logo and a small... dark red mark are faintly visible.
She gently placed it into the evidence bag, then turned and exchanged a glance with Ji Shuyun—
This is very likely the pen that Zhong Manqing was clutching tightly in her hand before she fell off the cliff.
The marks on it might be bloodstains left during the struggle, or paint smeared on it.
Xia Zhining made a quick decision to send this crucial piece of evidence back to the police station's forensic department.
Before leaving, she squatted down and carefully explained to Gray Cub and the langurs who were still peeking out from among the branches and leaves:
"Grey Cub, Monkey Brother and Monkey Sister, I'd like to trouble you all to help me find out if there were any other witnesses in the mountains when that female two-legged creature fell off the cliff four years ago?"
"Birds, squirrels, or nocturnal creatures... any clue will do."
As she spoke, she and Ji Shuyun took out a batch of fresh tender leaves and nuts that had been prepared in the car and carefully placed them in a clearing in the woods as a thank-you gift.
The monkeys' eyes lit up instantly, and a few of the bolder ones even took two steps forward.
Grey Cub patted its chest and said in a clear, crisp voice, "Leave it to us! I know every bird on this hillside how many eggs they lay!"
On the way back to the city, Xia Zhining carefully held the evidence bag containing pencils, her fingers tightening.
Ji Shuyun glanced at her in the rearview mirror: "What do you think might be up there?"
“I don’t know,” Xia Zhining said softly, “but I feel… it must have waited a long time, wanting to tell us something.”
The test results came back quickly, but were far more surprising than they had expected.
—On the sketch pencil, not only was the DNA of the deceased Zhong Manqing detected, but also biological traces of Su Jianxue were found.
More importantly, the brand and model of this pencil have been confirmed by investigation to be the same one that Su Jianxue has been using for a long time. The same model has appeared many times in the art supplies she has posted on her social media accounts.
Su Jianxue was summoned to the police station again.
She had obvious dark circles under her eyes, looked tired, and even her voice was hoarse, indicating that she was not in good mental condition.
"I've said everything I need to say... I really didn't kill anyone."
Su Jianxue rubbed her temples, her tone filled with a familiar helplessness and weariness.
However, when her gaze swept across the interrogation room and landed on Xia Zhining, who was sitting quietly to the side, she was shocked!
"Who are you……"
Su Jianxue's eyes flickered, as if she suddenly remembered something, and her voice suddenly tightened, "Xia Zhining? The one who can talk to animals..."
Xia Zhining met her gaze and nodded calmly: "Yes. I solve cases using information from small animals."
She leaned forward: "Su Jianxue, eyewitnesses and small animals have confirmed that you were at the scene before Zhong Manqing fell off the cliff and called her name."
—Illustration of Phayre's leaf monkey—
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