After Liangang City’s Public Safety Bureau picked them up, the serious crimes squad temporarily stayed in Liangang City, working together with team seven’s captain, Zhong Yuxiu, to solve the case.
“Should I call this…” Zhong Yuxiu looked down at the papers in his hand, “Du Chengxian and ask him to come to the Bureau?”
“No need.” Lu Hui declined, “We’ll go to his house.”
When Ji Fanyang heard this, he stood up and grabbed his jacket and said to Zhong Yuxiu: “Is Chief Zhong coming too?”
“Of course, of course.” Zhong Yuxiu had already heard of a miraculous sleuth named Lu Hui in Zhuchuan Province’s Public Safety Bureau. He had looked forward to meeting him in the flesh immensely, wishing nothing more than to follow in his footsteps.
Lu Hui’s gaze skimmed over Zhong Yuxiu, like he was taking measure of him once again. He said: “It’s five people, then.”
Actually, there was no reason to bring so many people. Rao Feifei pointed this out: “Five people?”
“Ji Fanyang, read out the information on the suspect’s family.” Lu Hui said.
Ji Fanyang opened the folder and read aloud: “Du Chengxian, accountant, works for Peacock Foods, Ltd. Married to Wang Jing, an elementary school language teacher. Has a daughter named Cheng Huanyue, five years old.”
“All ordinary citizens. A visit from five cops should be enough to scare him.” Lu Hui said, “If not, then that would be interesting.”
Rao Feifei nodded in sudden understanding.
Xi Junhong couldn’t help but ask: “What about me?”
Lu Hui hesitated for a moment, then looked at Xi Junhong with sincerity: “Apologies. I forgot about you.”
“I…” Xi Junhong blinked a few times.
Rao Feifei continued: “You’ll go for a walk around the downtown area and pick up a few pretty girls while you’re out shopping.”
“In my eyes, you’re the prettiest.” Xi Junhong scattered sweet nothings at no charge.
“How long are you two going to keep flirting with each other?” Lu Hui’s voice broke up the young people’s conversation. He frowned, “Let’s go.”
Rao Feifei held a pen and notebook as she followed the squad out, leaving Xi Junhong behind in Liangang City’s Public Safety Bureau.
Once they exited, Lu Hui was unable to enjoy the reception of Liangang City. The five of them packed into a minibus, with Zhong Yuxiu responsible for driving them. Lu Hui could only be pulled into the backseat by Ji Fanyang, entirely unwilling.
“Du Chengxian is an only child?” Yang Jie asked.
Ji Fanyang answered: “He lost both parents when young and was entrusted to the care of his uncle’s family. His residential code is registered under the name of his uncle.”
“How young?” Lu Hui asked.
“Too young for his parents to register him, about seventeen years ago. Hospital and census records weren’t online back then.”
Lu Hui nodded: “So we have no alternative but to eliminate the possibility of identical twins.”
“Identical twins.” Rao Feifei repeated, “The deceased could be his identical brother?”
“Then, we’re just going to tell him, “Hello, your long-lost twin brother died, we’re very sorry?’” Ji Fanyang asked.
Lu Hui shook his head: “This is just a guess. Sister Yang and Feifei, afterward, go investigate the hospital where Du Chengxian was born and his birth certificate.”
“Understood.” Rao Feifei and Yang Jie nodded.
The minibus stopped. Zhong Yuxiu said: “We’re here.”
The group got out of the minibus. Lu Hui and Zhong Yuxiu walked in front.
“Chief Lu, back then, when you left the Provincial Public Safety Bureau, we were worried for a while.” Zhong Yuxiu said.
Lu Hui said: “Just a change in personnel.”
Seeing that Lu Hui wasn’t willing to elaborate, Zhong Yuxiu tactfully dropped the subject. He knocked on the door.
“Peng peng peng.”
Not a moment later, the door opened, revealing a middle-aged woman: “You are…?”
“Hello, we are with the City’s Public Safety Bureau, criminal investigation division.” Zhong Yuxiu showed her his badge, “Excuse me, is Du Chengxian at home?”
“Y-yes.” The woman opened the door further and invited them in, “Please come in.”
Lu Hui stepped into the room and raised his eyes to look around the living room. A middle-aged man was reclining on the sofa, watching TV. His five-year-old daughter was snuggled up next to him, mumbling something.
“Are you Du Chengxian?” Zhong Yuxiu asked.
The man sat up: “I am. You all…”
“We are criminal investigation team seven with the City’s Public Safety Bureau.” Zhong Yuxiu said. He pointed at Lu Hui, “This is Lu Hui, the chief of the serious crimes squad with Linhua City’s Public Safety Bureau.”
“On the mountain behind Yangliu Village in Gaotao County, near Linhua City, we found a dismembered corpse that was left there about two years ago whose DNA matched with yours.” Lu Hui said. He took the stool offered by Wang Jing and sat down, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll go make some tea.” Wang Jing said.
Zhong Yuxiu waved his hand a few times, “No need, no need. We won’t trouble you.”
“It sounds like a big case, so you’ll likely be sitting for a while.” Wang Jing said, “You all talk while I go make tea.”
“Then, thank you.” Zhong Yuxiu said.
“The problem is, I’m still alive.” Du Chengxian said, “What use is there coming to see me?”
Lu Hui narrowed his eyes. He reached out and picked up the remote controller, passing it over: “Turn the TV off.”
Du Chengxian watched his movements and hesitated for a moment before taking the remote. Lu Hui grabbed the back of Du Chengxian’s wrist and turned it over so his palm was facing upward. He stood up, “You don’t have fingerprints?”
Du Chengxian relaxed his hand: “An accident when I was boiling some water a long time ago.” To show that he was telling the truth, he showed his other palm of his own accord. Sure enough, both hands were covered in burns.
Lu Hui stared doubtfully at Du Chengxian: “When were they burned?”
“I know.” The five-year-old girl said with her child-like voice, “When I was three, I wasn’t careful and flipped over a pot of boiling water. Dad got burned protecting me.”
Lu Hui continued to disbelieve him. He turned and looked at Wang Jing: “Is that true?”
Lu Hui’s gloomy, imposing appearance intimidated Wang Jing: “Y-yes.”
“Your daughter was about three years old…two years ago?” Ji Fanyang asked.
A corpse from two years ago, a burn from two years ago. Lu Hui narrowed his eyes. This was rather too coincidental.
“Just about, yes.” Du Chengxian ruffled the girl’s hair, “Xiao Yue, what do you want for dinner?”
“I want shrimp!” The girl answered excitedly.
Lu Hui returned to the question at hand: “Two years ago, you brought your daughter to go sightseeing in Zhuchuan Province. Can you tell us about the particulars of the trip?”
“I won a small award, a trip for one person to see some historical sites in Zhuchuan Province. You could take a child with you if they were under one meter tall, so I brought Xiao Yue with me.” Du Chengxian replied, “All of the hotel and travel costs were reimbursed by the award organizer.”
“Which award?” Lu Hui asked.
“It was through an event held by a hotel in Liangang City, the Lühui[1]A different ‘lu’ and ‘hui’, rest assured Hotel. It was part of a hotel chain.” Du Chengxian said, “In total, the trip was seven days long.”
“Which scenic spot was the closest to Linhua City’s tour route?” Lu Hui asked.
“Linhua City?” Du Chengxian scratched his head, “I was born and raised in Liangang City. I’m really unfamiliar with Zhuchuan Province, and I’m even less familiar with an unknown city like Linhua City.”
“The tour route. Do you still remember it?” Lu Hui changed the question slightly.
“I do. I can mark it on a map.” Du Chengxian said.
Wang Jing went into the bedroom, took out a country-wide map, and gave it to him. Du Chengxian took the map and wrote on it.
Rao Feifei stood next to Du Chengxian as he traced the route.
“Alright.” Du Chengxian put the pen down, “Is there anything else you want to ask?”
While Du Chengxian drew the route, Lu Hui looked around the house with Wang Jing. Only Ji Fanyang, Yang Jie, and Zhong Yuxiu remained sitting.
“None of you should leave the city for the time being. We may reach out and contact you again.” Zhong Yuxiu instructed.
“Okay. Us ordinary wage-earners don’t have the money to be running around, anyway.” Du Chengxian agreed.
Zhong Yuxiu nodded, satisfied. He stood and followed Lu Hui, who had finished investigating, out of the room.
Footnotes
| ↑1 | A different ‘lu’ and ‘hui’, rest assured |
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