Chapter 170: Campus Murder Case (Part One)

Chapter 170: Campus Murder Case (Part One)

The next day, Tang Qingqing went to work in the car driven by her driver, Xiao Wang.

Zhai Hongyi worked at the opposite end of town, and it was not on the way for her. Unless he had nothing much to do that day, Xiao Wang would usually pick her up and drop her off.

At first, Tang Qingqing considered taking the bus like everyone else, but her residence was quite far from the bus stop, making it inconvenient for her to commute. Moreover, Zhai Hongyi persuaded her that while they should maintain a low profile, there was no need to lower their quality of life just to blend in. It made no sense to waste time and energy on unnecessary things when they had the means to avoid it.

The bus stop was not only far away but also very crowded, with frequent stops that were time-consuming. Driving herself allowed her to take shortcuts and save half an hour on the road.

They worked hard to improve their lives; otherwise, they would have no motivation.

Tang Qingqing found his reasoning sound and followed his advice, though she tried to keep a low profile. The car driven by the driver was a relatively inexpensive domestic model, which did not draw too much attention if seen by others.

"Teacher Tang!"

Xu Nan saw Tang Qingqing at the entrance of the police station and greeted her enthusiastically, offering her a pancake.

"Teacher Tang, would you like to try this pancake? It's really delicious."

Tang Qingqing smiled and replied, "No, thank you. I've already eaten at home."

Xu Nan didn't insist and said, "Teacher Tang, are you currently investigating the fire at the East Suburb Match Factory? Can I join you?"

"Sure, come over later. The photos we took yesterday should be developed by now. I'll bring you along to analyze the scene."

Tang Qingqing appreciated Xu Nan's straightforward and eager-to-learn nature. She also wanted to train more people to strengthen their team.

"That's great! I've never analyzed a fire scene before. I didn't do well in that subject at school. With your guidance, Teacher Tang, I'm sure I'll learn a lot."

Tang Qingqing and Xu Nan analyzed the scene photos together, and Tang Qingqing shared the details of the interviews with the neighbors and firefighters who participated in the rescue efforts.

As noon approached, Jiang Minghao walked up to Tang Qingqing's desk and asked,

"Teacher Tang, when do you think you'll find the cause of the fire?"

Tang Qingqing replied, "I already have a lead, but I need to confirm it. What's the matter?"

"The son of the homeowner, Xu Guoqing, got into a fight with the old lady's son."

Li Guizhi's son, upon learning that Li Guizhi was seriously injured, rushed over to take care of her.

He encountered someone who believed Li Guizhi intentionally set the fire, killing his father, and demanded that she pay with her life. This led to a conflict.

It was more accurate to say that Xu Guoqing was beating the other person, as Li Guizhi's son was only defending himself and did not retaliate.

The foundation of the subsequent work depended on identifying the cause of the fire, so Tang Qingqing needed to provide a quick assessment.

Tang Qingqing glanced at her watch, "I'll give you the report by three o'clock this afternoon."

"Alright, thanks for your effort."

After saying this, Jiang Minghao hurriedly left. He had many cases on his plate, and this one was the smallest.

During lunchtime, Tang Qingqing asked Xu Nan to bring her food back to the office, and she kept her eyes on the photos on the desk while eating.

Before she finished her meal, the other children of Xu Dachuan arrived at the bureau, wanting to know the truth about the fire and whether Li Guizhi had intentionally set it.

Li Guizhi was out of danger and needed rest to recover fully.

If she could not be identified as the arsonist, she would also inherit a portion of the old man's estate, which they could not accept.

Although these people were not as aggressive as Xu Guoqing, they also harbored no good feelings toward Li Guizhi and suspected foul play in the fire.

"My father's passing is most beneficial to her. She no longer needs to take care of my father and can get a sum of money, and even a share of the house."

"Our family never used the stove at home; we cooked in the communal kitchen. My father didn't smoke, and the weather wasn't cold enough to require a charcoal brazier. How could the fire start unless it was intentional?"

They all spoke in turn, firmly believing that the fire was caused by human action and that Li Guizhi was responsible.

Sister Wu, in the reception room, mediated without contradicting or agreeing with them, allowing them to vent their frustrations.

Xu Nan checked on the situation and reported back to Tang Qingqing,

"Sister Wu is calming them down. The deceased's family members have become much calmer."

Tang Qingqing nodded and quickly completed the report, handing it over to Captain Jiang along with the evidence.

Captain Jiang glanced at it, "The cause of the fire is due to a 'quick heater' being left on for too long?"

"Yes, the quick heater was plugged into an outlet near the door. The dry burning caused the fire, which spread rapidly due to the excessive amount of garbage and paper in the house and hallway, blocking the escape route."

The windows were also barred with iron rods, preventing anyone from escaping through them, resulting in one death and one injury.

From then on, the matter was no longer related to Tang Qingqing. Knowing the cause of the fire directed the investigation, and the results would soon be determined.

Tang Qingqing moved on to other tasks, including those assigned by the City Bureau and analyzing footprint photos sent by other units.

Xu Nan, who had been closely following the match factory fire case, mentioned it during lunch after the cause was identified.

"The fire was an accident, and the 'quick heater' was bought by Xu Guoqing for his father. Li Guizhi could have escaped when the fire started, but she wanted to help her husband, which delayed her. When they were found, Li Guizhi was indeed carrying the deceased and had fainted in the living room."

Although Li Guizhi was not old, her memory had declined in recent years, causing her to frequently forget things.

Neighbors could testify that she often forgot why she had gone out while buying groceries.

She had intended to bathe Xu Dachuan, so she heated water. However, she got busy with other tasks and forgot about it.

Initially, everyone suspected that the fire was an accident, but without concrete evidence, they could not make a definitive conclusion, as doing so could easily lead to misdirection.

Tang Qingqing was deeply regretful about the outcome, but at least there were no more heart-wrenching secrets that would make one feel the world's cruelty.

"What's the current situation with the old lady and the deceased's children?"

"The other children are fine, but Xu Guoqing might cause some trouble. He's obsessed with stock trading, claiming to have insider information, and is trying to get money."

Many people are now addicted to stock trading, all hoping to make a fortune in the market, dreaming of becoming rich overnight.

Some are so obsessed, it's like they're gamblers.

Xu Guoqing is one of them. From the beginning, he had his own selfish motives for accusing Li Guizhi of arson.

Once Li Guizhi was in prison, everything the old man left behind would be his. The other siblings were all out of town, and usually, he was the one helping out, so none of them would compete with him.

The day before Tang Jixue planned to return to Yang City, he had a private dinner with Tang Qingqing.

"I met Tang Zhenzhen later on."

Tang Qingqing remained calm, not showing any surprise.

Tang Jixue held an unlit cigarette, looking somewhat melancholic.

"Although I had a premonition, seeing her in her current state was still... hard to accept."

Though Tang Jixue didn't meet Tang Zhenzhen face-to-face, he secretly went to see her, and this last bit of hope was shattered.

The house Tang Zhenzhen lives in and the car she drives were gifts from a man in his fifties from Hong Kong.

A man of that age is definitely married, and it's not uncommon for Hong Kong bosses to keep mistresses on the mainland.

Tang Zhenzhen's rise to become a public relations manager at a prestigious company was also thanks to this man.

What Tang Jixue found even more unacceptable was that Tang Zhenzhen wasn't just involved with this man; she had intimate relationships with several others. In just two days of following her, he discovered she had ambiguous relationships with at least three men.

"I asked her if she knew what she was doing. Not only did she show no shame, but she defiantly said she was merely using her resources. Others sell their brains or labor to get what they want, so why can't she use her beauty?

All parts of the body are equal, so why distinguish between high and low, noble and base? They exchange on equal terms, willingly, with nothing to hide. She even told me that men conquer the world, and women who conquer men can own the world."

As Tang Jixue spoke, his expression was as if he had swallowed a fly.

Tang Zhenzhen even said that many girls don't lack the desire to do this, but they lack the capital.

Ordinary girls who want to be the center of attention among men often don't have the conditions to do so.

Tang Jixue didn't mention these words, finding them too shameful to repeat.

He couldn't believe how such bizarre words could come out of Tang Zhenzhen's mouth, as if she was trying to convince him that this was normal.

Tang Qingqing couldn't help but frown when she heard this.

"I'm not here to complain about her. I'm worried that she's not only falling into depravity herself but is also dragging other girls down."

Tang Qingqing: "What do you mean?"

"Though she didn't say it outright, her words clearly implied that many college students under her sell themselves at high prices, and this is very common and not unusual."

Tang Qingqing was surprised: "How did she tell you this?"

"She was trying to persuade me, and she was quite drunk at the time."

Tang Zhenzhen told Tang Jixue that when she recruited at the university, the female students eagerly followed her example. Some who didn't meet her standards cried bitterly and privately begged her for leniency.

At the time, Tang Zhenzhen mocked them: "Looking so ugly, they should look in a mirror and know their place. They deserve to be poor for life."

Besides the college students, Tang Zhenzhen also mentioned some girls who looked decent but were only middle school graduates, not good enough to mix with her, mocking them as low-quality goods.

Tang Qingqing felt increasingly uneasy: "She can't be on drugs, right?"

Otherwise, how could she say such things to Tang Jixue? Although Tang Zhenzhen had always tried to win over Tang Jixue, she wouldn't reveal everything.

If Tang Jixue were someone without principles, it would be one thing, but he clearly isn't.

"Probably not? She was just a bit drunk...?" Tang Jixue said, sounding uncertain.

Tang Zhenzhen's state that day was indeed off, but Tang Jixue only thought she was drunk and didn't consider anything else.

Although he knew the world was chaotic, he didn't have such people around him, so he felt it was far from him.

No matter how bad Tang Zhenzhen was, she couldn't be so foolish!

Once addicted, it would ruin her life.

Tang Qingqing was also skeptical, but her professional instincts made her think it wasn't impossible.

"Third Brother, if you have the chance, get her to take a urine test."

Tang Qingqing believed Tang Zhenzhen wasn't a fool and should know the dangers of drugs, but in that environment, she might have been forced into it.

Some organizations employ these substances to manipulate individuals, rendering them compliant and devoid of any disloyal intentions.

Tang Zhenzhen is smart, but sometimes naive, always placing her hopes on others, never thinking of strengthening herself to achieve her goals. She wants others to bring good things to her without putting in the effort.

But such good things are rare and often traps.

Dongguan City College of Arts and Sciences.

"Auntie, wait, don't close the door!"

A girl rushed in as the dormitory manager was about to lock the door after the lights were turned off.

The building manager frowned: "Li Yujiao, why is it always you? I’ve told you many times not to come back so late, as it affects everyone’s rest. If this happens again, I definitely won’t open the door for you."

Li Yujiao responded with a smile, but she didn’t really take it to heart. As she walked past the building manager, she took out a lipstick from her bag and forcefully placed it in the manager’s hand.

"Auntie, don’t worry, I’ll be more careful in the future."

"Don’t give me that."

The building manager tried to return the lipstick, but Li Yujiao dodged her.

"Auntie, I have plenty. You keep it; I don’t like this color anymore."

Li Yujiao didn’t care whether the building manager liked it or not and went upstairs, leaving behind a trail of fragrance.

The building manager shook her head unhappily, muttering a few words, but ultimately kept the lipstick.

When Li Yujiao returned to the dormitory, it caused another commotion among the roommates.

She made quite a noise, disturbing everyone’s sleep. Someone couldn’t help but complain, thinking that Li Yujiao’s constant late returns disrupted their rest.

Li Yujiao continued to act as she pleased, completely ignoring her roommates’ words.

Zhou Li, who had a straightforward temper, said, "Li Yujiao, this isn’t just your dormitory. Can you consider others a bit more? We have classes tomorrow, and you coming back so late every day and making noise is affecting our sleep."

"I’m not stopping you from sleeping. If you can’t study well, don’t blame others."

"How can you be so selfish!"

Just as they were about to argue, someone quickly intervened, asking Li Yujiao to be quieter and Zhou Li to say less.

Zhou Li, unhappy, said, "Why are you all taking her side? She dresses up every day, no one knows what she does, and comes back very late, causing us to suffer because of her."

"Zhou Li, are you jealous of me?" Li Yujiao sneered.

"Who’s jealous of you!" Zhou Li became flustered and sat up on her bed.

"Hmph, you steal my skincare products and secretly ask about Jessica. Don’t think I don’t know."

In Dongguan City, where the economy is rapidly developing, many college students are not as enthusiastic about the guaranteed job placements after graduation.

These jobs are often ordinary, and even if there are good ones, they are usually reserved for those with connections or exceptional abilities.

Ordinary students end up in very ordinary positions, earning a fixed salary each month.

Those who have seen the prosperity of Dongguan City look down on such fixed salaries.

Dongguan City has many companies with high wages, especially foreign or joint ventures, which are even more attractive.

Working in these companies also offers the chance to go abroad, which is very tempting for many.

Therefore, some people plan to find their own way after graduation, aiming for better jobs and higher salaries.

"I, I..." Zhou Li stammered, unable to speak.

Li Yujiao sneered, "Dream on. With me around, you won’t get close to Jessica. Give up on that idea!"

Zhou Li was furious and was about to speak when the building manager called from the door, "Quiet! Go to sleep! Or you’ll lose points!"

The dormitory immediately fell silent. After the building manager left, they did not continue the argument.

The next morning, everyone except Li Yujiao got up and prepared to go to class. Li Yujiao didn’t wake up.

Someone wanted to wake Li Yujiao but was stopped by another person.

"Forget it. She’s skipped class before. If you wake her, she’ll get angry."

Hearing this, the person gave up.

Everyone was used to Li Yujiao skipping class frequently.

The girl who wanted to wake her felt that it was a waste not to attend classes after working hard to get into college, but thinking of Li Yujiao’s temper, she gave up.

However, when they returned at noon, they found that Li Yujiao still hadn’t gotten up. Her mosquito net was still tightly drawn, and even as they prepared for afternoon classes, there was no sign of movement.

Feeling strange, they braved the risk of being scolded, lifted the curtain and mosquito net, and called out to her, but there was no response.

The girl who called out felt odd and pushed her. The originally side-lying Li Yujiao was turned over—

Li Yujiao’s eyes were rolled back, staring blankly, her face pale and blue, devoid of normal color.

"Ah—"

A scream echoed through the room.

The City Bureau received the call and assigned the case to the Fourth Squad.

Zhao Ke frowned when he heard it was the College of Arts and Sciences: "Again, the College of Arts and Sciences!"

"What’s wrong?" Tang Qingqing asked while packing her things to leave.

Before Zhao Ke could answer, Du Jiabao chimed in.

"Teacher Tang, a female student was murdered at the College of Arts and Sciences a year ago. Although we caught the culprit, he hasn’t confessed, and we lack key evidence, so the case is still stuck."

Tang Qingqing remembered the incident. The female student had been sexually assaulted and killed.

It caused a significant stir at the time. A promising female student being murdered on campus made people feel unsafe, even in schools.

This led to a period of fear among female students, not just in Dongguan City but in many other places.

Female students no longer dared to go to the library or classrooms alone at night, fearing they might encounter such perverts. Places once considered safe now seemed unsafe, easily causing panic.

All major universities under construction also strengthened the management of workers, preventing problematic individuals from entering or leaving the campus.

Now there was another case of a female college student being murdered, and this time it was even more outrageous, as she died in her dormitory. It was unknown what kind of uproar this would cause.

Captain Jiang was handling other cases, so Chief Zhao led Tang Qingqing, Du Jiabao, Xu Nan, and Forensic Doctor Liu to the College of Arts and Sciences.

When they arrived at the scene, many students were gathered outside the dormitory, all very agitated.

Especially the girls, who felt an overwhelming sense of fear.

Seeing so many people, Chief Zhao frowned and asked the head of the College of Arts and Sciences Security Department:

"Has the scene been compromised?"

"We sealed off the scene immediately after we found out, and no students have entered since."

Chief Zhao looked at the few pale-faced girls shivering beside him.

Two of them looked particularly bad, as if they were about to faint at any moment.

"These are the girls who discovered the body?"

"Yes, they all shared the same dormitory with the deceased." The security chief pointed to one of the girls and said, "This is the first one to discover the deceased."

Huang Jing shrank back when she was pointed out, her breathing quickening as she recalled the scene, looking like she was about to faint.

Chief Zhao tried to reassure her: "Don't be nervous, take deep breaths."

Huang Jing followed his advice; although her face was still pale, she wasn't gasping for air as before.

"You were the first to find the body?"

Huang Jing nodded, "I, I saw her, she, she didn't move at all, so I went to wake her up. We can't skip Professor Wang's class in the afternoon."

Huang Jing recounted the situation, while Tang Qingqing, having put on gloves and shoe covers, entered the scene.

Xu Nan finished taking photos of the deceased's bed, and then Tang Qingqing lifted the curtain and mosquito net.

Tang Qingqing looked at the girl lying on the bed, just twenty years old, in the prime of her life, a college student, now gone. Her parents must be heartbroken.

Forensic Doctor Liu glanced over, sighing deeply, "Such a beautiful young lady, who could be so heartless?"

"It looks like the time of death was quite long ago."

Though not a forensic expert, Tang Qingqing had seen enough crime scenes to make some observations.

Forensic Doctor Liu: "At least ten hours."

"So, the person was already dead while everyone was asleep?" Xu Nan said.

Forensic Doctor Liu nodded, and Xu Nan couldn't help but draw a sharp breath. The impact on the other girls in the dormitory would be immense.

Tang Qingqing opened Li Yujiao's wardrobe, which was packed full of clothes. As soon as she opened it, the clothes almost spilled out. Tang Qingqing quickly pushed them back in.

Xu Nan hurried over to take photos: "Hey, I've seen this dress in the mall; it's quite expensive, over eight hundred yuan. This female student must be quite wealthy."

Not only this dress, but the other clothes were also expensive. Some brands were familiar to Tang Qingqing, as Zhai Hongyi had bought them for her.

Looking at Li Yujiao's desk, it was filled with skincare products and cosmetics, all international brands, not only expensive but some had to be brought from Hong Kong as there were no counters in mainland China.

"Does Li Yujiao come from a wealthy family?" Tang Qingqing asked Chief Zhao as he walked in.

Chief Zhao had obtained some basic information about the deceased, Li Yujiao, from her counselor and shook his head:

"The deceased's father is an ordinary worker, and her mother is a housewife. Their family is very ordinary, even somewhat poor."

Xu Nan was surprised: "No way, these items aren't something an ordinary family can afford. Just this bottle of cream costs several months' salary for an ordinary worker."

Chief Zhao: "She worked part-time at a joint venture company, where the pay was quite high."