Chapter 23: The Case of the Headless Female Corpse (11)
After Zhou Lin’s car disappeared into the distance, the rats living in the sewer scurried over to Xiao Man, squeaking incessantly.
“Man, your policeman dad said the most important thing is to find Tang Hong’s head.”
Xiao Man reached out a small hand to touch her forehead. “Where would the killer have buried her head?”
The rats squeaked, “Our rat team is large and widespread. We’ll go ask around.”
Xiao Man nodded eagerly. “Great! Thank you, rat friends!”
The grass swayed in the wind as the rats scattered, disappearing without a trace in no time.
Basking in the winter sunlight, Xiao Man leaned against Dao Feng, squinting as the sun warmed her eyes. “Brother Dao Feng, what do you think? A killer like Li Ping buried Zhu Yan’s head on the mountaintop so she could see the Kelly Biological Center every day. So what about Tang Hong’s head? How would he have handled that?”
Dao Feng barked, “That’s a question for you two-legged cops! I’m ‘Police Pup’!”
Xiao Man shook her head helplessly. “Even I can’t think of it. It’s too hard! I wonder if Dad can figure it out.”
Dao Feng gently nuzzled her head, tilting his head softly. “Enough. You’re still a little pup. Why think so much about murderers all day? You should watch cartoons, have a lollipop, and then go to the amusement park.”
Xiao Man turned back and smiled. “Brother Dao Feng’s right, but this is Changjing University…”
Dao Feng hummed approvingly. “Changjing University should build a slide just for you, Man.”
Xiao Man laughed. “You’re so bossy, Brother Dao Feng!”
That retired police dog, the one no one wanted to see, now guarded her like a treasure. Her heart felt so warm.
Dao Feng stood up. “Just lying in the sun is boring! Let’s go explore!”
Xiao Man nodded in agreement. “Moving around might get my brain working too, maybe I’ll think of a way to solve the case!”
Dao Feng looked up at the sky with exasperation. “One Zhou Lin is already enough! Now another one! It’s killing me! Even a dog’s life is a life, you know?”
So, Xiao Man rode on Dao Feng’s back as he took her roaming all over campus.
When the child and dog reached the medical school, Xiao Man sighed, “If this killer had the chance to study medicine, maybe he wouldn’t have committed crimes! If it weren’t for his sister’s heart condition, would he have been a good person?”
Li Ping’s grades were excellent, and he had a strong interest in medicine. Though he had no chance to attend the top university, he taught himself medical courses.
Yet, he used that knowledge to kill and dismember…
He killed Zhu Yan for money, but why did he kill Tang Hong?
...
Kunhai Group – the company founded by Zhou Lin’s second uncle, Zhou Zhengkun.
---
In the vice president’s office, Zhou Kai leaned back in his chair, his feet clad in custom-made high-end leather shoes resting on the black desk.
Zhou Kai was Zhou Zhengkun’s second son, ranking fourth within the entire Zhou family.
An assistant knocked and entered. “Mr. Zhou, the police are here to see you!”
“Not seeing anyone!” Zhou Kai waved his hand dismissively.
The assistant turned to leave but was caught off guard when Zhou Lin strode in boldly.
Gu Ye followed closely behind the captain, naturally.
The assistant gawked in disbelief. Are all cops this fierce now?
Zhou Kai, who had just been somewhat arrogant, obediently put his feet down, stood up, and greeted Zhou Lin with a broad smile.
“Second brother, if I had known it was you, I would have come to the company gate to pick you up.”
The assistant, hearing they were family, quickly brewed two cups of tea and brought them over.
Zhou Lin’s face was serious as he looked at him. “This is my colleague Gu Ye. We’re here to ask you about something. Among your girlfriends, is there a girl named Tang Hong, or perhaps someone called Yi Nan?”
“I have too many girlfriends, probably thousands. How could I remember who is who?” Zhou Kai shrugged.
Gu Ye showed him a photo of Tang Hong. He shook his head. “No impression.”
“I’ll give you a hint. She left with you from Chaoyang Bar!” Zhou Lin’s eyes were sharp.
“Second brother, I really don’t remember,” Zhou Kai sighed. “Every day there are girls following me like fish in a river. How could I remember which fish is which?”
Zhou Lin’s voice deepened. “If you keep being so slick, you’ll be spending some time at the police station!”
“Don’t! Let me think!” Zhou Kai took the photo from Gu Ye and studied it for several minutes. “I remember now. The bar hostess at Chaoyang Bar—I don’t like that kind of innocent girl. I dumped her on Cheng Lu.”
“Cheng Lu?” Gu Ye looked up and met Zhou Lin’s gaze.
“Right!” Zhou Kai nodded. “Cheng Lu likes that pure and pretty type the most.”
“She’s a person, not an object to just toss aside,” Gu Ye narrowed his eyes.
“Since you’re investigating her, you know she targets rich second-generation heirs. She pretends to be a high-achieving student to trap men. She’s after material things. She’s just an object!” Zhou Kai snorted, clearly thinking Gu Ye was naive.
Zhou Lin signaled Gu Ye to take out another photo—this time of Zhu Yan.
“Know her?”
“Never seen her,” Zhou Kai said impatiently. “What’s the matter with these two women?”
Zhou Lin ignored him and motioned for Gu Ye to leave.
---
But Zhou Kai grabbed Zhou Lin’s arm. “Second brother, please, tell me what’s going on?”
Zhou Lin’s sharp eyes glanced coldly at him, and Zhou Kai obediently let go.
He quickly added, “Second brother, I just like to play around. I can guarantee with the Zhou family ancestors that I’ve never done anything illegal!”
“In the eyes of the law, that means nothing.” Zhou Lin strode away.
The two got into a car. Gu Ye was driving. Starting the engine, he asked, “Captain Zhou, Tang Hong’s death has nothing to do with Young Master Zhou IV, right?”
“First, let’s head back to the station and interrogate Cheng Lu and Li Ping.” Zhou Lin buckled his seatbelt.
...
At the police station, the interrogation room was solemn and austere.
Cheng Lu was still agitated, the handcuffs clinking loudly.
“Zhu Yan was my student. Tang Hong met me a few times, but she wasn’t interested in me! She wanted to marry into a wealthy family. Before I joined Kelly Biological, I was just a teacher. Their deaths have nothing to do with me. Who knows which rich person these two women offended?”
“Did Zhu Yan and Tang Hong know each other?” Zhou Lin asked calmly.
“Yes.” Cheng Lu nodded. “The three of us had dinner together.”
Gu Ye produced bank transaction records. “Cheng Lu, we found that you transferred two million to Zhu Yan from an overseas account. Why did you send her that money?”
“She said she wanted to start a business. I thought it was an investment, that’s all.” Cheng Lu was indifferent.
Zhou Lin’s slender fingers tapped lightly on the table. “Cheng Lu, you were Zhu Yan’s boyfriend!”
Gu Ye showed the letters exchanged between them, all found and preserved intact at Li Ping’s home.
Cheng Lu’s spirit seemed to deflate like a punctured balloon. “I’m guilty of corruption and dereliction, but I really didn’t kill her…”
He could lose his reputation but would not bear the burden of murder.
In another interrogation room, Li Ping remained silent.
Finally, he said slowly, “If you find her head, I’ll tell you everything.”