Huang Xiaotao said, "But how could a normal girl and a gang boss have any grudge? Are you saying Chu Yan is actually a professional killer? That's just absurd."
I replied, "Let's talk to her father. The suspect is already in custody. I feel like the truth is close to being uncovered…"
The next day, Huang Xiaotao called again. She said Chu Yan's father had been found and asked me to come over for questioning.
Wang Dali and I arrived at the police station. Huang Xiaotao was waiting for me in the interrogation room. Chu Yan's father was a man in his forties, wearing glasses and looking quite refined. As he sat down, I glanced at the file—he was highly educated, formerly a researcher, then turned entrepreneur in telecommunications, a self-made platinum-level businessman.
Huang Xiaotao said, "Mr. Chu, we can begin now."
Chu Yan's father took a sip of water and said, "Yan'er was a pitiful child. She was born with a rare illness, and doctors said she wouldn't live past twenty. Her mother was frail too, passed away when Yan'er was very young. I worried endlessly about her health—she's been on medication and treatments constantly. Because of her condition, she couldn't attend school, so I hired a private tutor. Yan'er was always so sensible, never causing trouble. Sometimes when I felt low thinking about them, I'd shed tears, and Yan'er would comfort me beside me."
"These past few days she went missing. It terrified me. I stopped working and mobilized my entire company to find her. Thank you all for bringing her back safely. As for the murder charge, I think it was just self-defense. Yan'er grew up isolated—how could she possibly have a grudge against a gang boss?"
I watched his expression closely and believed what he said. I asked, "Does Chu Yan have any friends?"
He shook his head. "She rarely went outside. The only friend she had was the tutor we hired."
...
...
I asked, "Male or female?"
He answered, "A female college student, majoring in Chinese literature. She treated Yan'er very well—they were like sisters, sharing meals and even a bed. Later, the tutor's family had troubles, and she stopped coming. Yan'er was very sad for a long time."
At that moment, he subconsciously adjusted his glasses. I sensed he was hiding something about the tutor.
I gave Huang Xiaotao a subtle look. Huang Xiaotao offered him another cup of tea. After thanking her, he drank it. Huang Xiaotao asked, "Could you tell us more about this tutor?"
"I'm busy with work and rarely home. I don't know much about their relationship…"
Noticing his nervousness, I urged, "Tell us whatever you know."
Reluctantly, he said, "Her name was Xiao Lanlan. I heard her family wasn't well-off. She took the tutoring job to earn tuition money. I felt sorry for her. Though we paid well, she did more than just teach—she cared for Yan'er. Both Yan'er and I were very grateful to her."
His microexpressions betrayed him—he still wasn't telling the full truth. But he wasn't a suspect, so unwillingness to speak was understandable. Huang Xiaotao and I exchanged looks.
"Thank you for your cooperation. You may go now."
Before leaving, he anxiously asked, "What will happen to Yan'er?"
Huang Xiaotao answered, "That's up to the court."
He said, "She's frail and can't stay in custody. I'll hire a lawyer for her and hope the police will understand."
Huang Xiaotao nodded. "Don't worry. Given the circumstances, she can stay at home before the trial."
"Thank you," he said, then left.
As soon as he left, Huang Xiaotao ordered a background check on Xiao Lanlan. We found a match at Nanjing City University's Chinese department—but the girl was already dead.
We visited the hospital where Xiao Lanlan died. The doctor pulled up her medical record and told us she died of a brain hemorrhage. It was actually treatable, but she arrived too late and passed away in the ambulance.
Brain hemorrhage. I mused, "Caused by a blow to the head?"
The doctor said, "Yes. She was hit and then hit by a vehicle."
Huang Xiaotao asked, "Did you witness it?"
The doctor said the ambulance was called by a passerby who found her lying by the roadside. Possibly the driver who hit her fled the scene to avoid a homicide charge.
Xiao Lanlan's body was already cremated—no body left for autopsy. My first thought was the crime might have been caused by Chu Yan's father, but what did that have to do with the gang?
I asked the doctor if he remembered anything else. He hesitated, seeming reluctant.
"Tell us everything. The police will keep it confidential," I assured him.
The doctor sighed, "It's embarrassing to say… When she was brought in, there was some sticky fluid on her lower body and legs. I'm not a forensic expert, but I could tell—it was a man's semen. A poor girl like that… who knows what kind of monster took advantage of her while she was unconscious. Such cruelty…"
Hearing this, something clicked in my mind, but I wasn't entirely sure yet. Lost in thought, I walked out almost unaware of my surroundings.
Huang Xiaotao caught up, calling me back to reality. "Song Yang, what's wrong? You look like you're sleepwalking."
I said, "Get Xiao Lanlan's photo and take me to see someone."
That someone was none other than the bald thug currently in custody.
I showed him Xiao Lanlan's photo and asked, "Do you recognize her?"
He stared for a long time and said, "I do… I remember the beauty mark on her lip. She worked at Tianxiang Pavilion."
My heart leapt as the pieces started falling into place—the case was coming together perfectly.
I asked, "How did she die?"
He narrowed his eyes and suddenly said, "Sorry, I was mistaken. I don't know her."
Huang Xiaotao scolded, "Baldy, tell the truth or I'll put you in the Blood Wolf Gang's cell."
His cheek twitched, but he stubbornly denied it. "Officer Huang, Brother Song, I really don't know her. Girls these days all look the same. Mistakes happen."
I said, "Don't you want the truth about your boss's case to come out?"
He wavered. I pushed further, "Your boss killed that girl, didn't he? You know why he's been having bad luck lately? Because he's haunted by vengeful spirits. Until this injustice is settled, he can't rest—he'll wander the world forever."
Gangsters are superstitious—I said this deliberately to provoke him. The "bad luck" part was a guess, but anyone in their position knows life is never peaceful.
The thug burst into tears, "Boss… boss… I'm sorry."
After crying, wiping his tears, he said, "That girl wasn't killed by the boss. I killed her."
It turned out Xiao Lanlan came from a poor family with a mother suffering from cancer. Even though Chu Yan's father paid well, it wasn't enough for her mother's treatment. A classmate introduced her to work at Tianxiang Pavilion. She thought it was just a waitress job, but it was a dangerous place.
At first, she resisted fiercely, but the gang had ways to bend girls like her. After threats and coercion, she accepted reality. The work was only slightly less degrading than selling herself—serving middle and upper-level members of the Black Panther gang. The pay was actually quite good.
After six months there, one day the thug had a bad day and came looking for a girl. Xiao Lanlan was late. Furious, he threw an ashtray, knocking her unconscious. Checking her pulse, he found she wasn't breathing.
The thug panicked. The worst thing for the gang is a murder charge. Fortunately, it happened in their territory, so they could handle it.
He smoked a few cigarettes to calm down, cleaned the blood, and planned to bury her in the suburbs. Then he had an idea—since she was already dead, and he'd never been with her, why not give her to the boss as a 'gift' to try?