Chapter 172: Campus Murder Case (Part 3)

Chapter 172: Campus Murder Case (Part 3)

Zhao Ke leaned forward slightly. "How did you know? Did you see it?"

"I didn't see it with my own eyes," Zhou Li shook her head. "A senior student saw Li Yujiao struggling with a man one evening when she returned. At the time, there were other male students with her, and they even went to help. They initially thought the man was a hooligan and wanted to call the police, but Li Yujiao stopped them.

The senior student told me that she felt the man and Li Yujiao had a close relationship, but the other male students didn't believe it because Li Yujiao said she didn't know him. For a while, Li Yujiao was in a bad mood and had a particularly short temper, but things have been better recently."

"When did this happen?" Tang Qingqing asked.

Zhou Li thought for a moment and said, "It should have been three days ago."

Based on Zhou Li's account, Tang Qingqing and Zhao Ke found several students from that day.

The female student recalled the incident quite clearly. "That day, after our group finished the experiment, we went to a restaurant near the school to celebrate and came back quite late. Near the school gate, we saw a man harassing Li Yujiao."

The female student immediately recognized that the two knew each other, though she didn't know what they were arguing about. The male students with her didn't realize this and thought Li Yujiao was being harassed, so they rushed over to beat up the man. She tried to stop them but failed.

After they helped Li Yujiao, she didn't admit that she knew the man. She spoke ambiguously, making herself seem like a victim. It wasn't really any of her business, but one of the boys mentioned that she had tried to stop them, which made her feel very cold.

This left her feeling very uncomfortable, and she vented to Zhou Li when she met her.

"Do you remember what the man looked like?"

The female student nodded. "I do. I even saw him again near the school yesterday."

Tang Qingqing then questioned the male students who were there that night. They remembered the incident clearly, but as the female student had said, they all thought the man was a hooligan. They believed Li Yujiao was too kind and didn't want to get them involved in trouble, so she said she was fine.

Based on the female student's description, Zhao Ke found the man near the school.

The man's name was Yang Zhixin. He wasn't hard to find; he had been lingering around the school, asking people about what had happened.

The news of Li Yujiao's death had been suppressed by the school, but with such a big commotion, some details still leaked out. However, many people didn't know exactly who had died, only that a girl had disappeared from the dormitory.

When Yang Zhixin heard the news, his eyelids kept twitching, so he continued to inquire.

The area around the College of Arts and Sciences used to be desolate, with only a few scattered village houses. After the reforms, more and more small stalls appeared, and now a commercial street has gradually formed, selling various foods.

Yang Zhixin had been wandering around this area and was eating cheung fun at a small shop when Zhao Ke found him.

Upon learning Zhao Ke's identity, Yang Zhixin was initially stunned but quickly recovered and asked if something had happened to Li Yujiao.

Zhao Ke didn't answer and took him directly to the Public Security Bureau.

In the interrogation room, Yang Zhixin kept asking about Li Yujiao's condition.

Zhao Ke ignored him and asked, "Where were you last night?"

"Last night, I was at a small hotel near the College of Arts and Sciences," Yang Zhixin answered honestly, though he hadn't received an answer to his question.

"What brings you to Dongguan City?"

Yang Zhixin lowered his head, his voice low.

"I came to find my girlfriend, Li Yujiao. She suddenly broke up with me, and I wanted to win her back."

Yang Zhixin and Li Yujiao had been classmates since junior high school. Li Yujiao was a well-known beauty in their class and school, and Yang Zhixin had always liked her.

It wasn't until after high school that they officially became a couple.

"She said she only sees me as a brother and doesn't want me to contact her anymore. I couldn't accept it, so I came to find her and ask what was going on."

Yang Zhixin didn't get into college, but his family had connections, and he was arranged to work at the local tobacco bureau after high school.

Yang Zhixin's family was well-off, and he enjoyed good benefits at the tobacco bureau. Although he wasn't particularly handsome, he was quite popular locally.

However, he only liked Li Yujiao. Knowing that her family was poor and she couldn't afford tuition or living expenses, he offered to pay for her tuition and living costs.

After saying this, Yang Zhixin quickly added, fearing a misunderstanding:

"She borrowed the money from me; she didn't ask for it. When she broke up with me, she even returned two hundred yuan to me, not wanting to take advantage of me."

Ren Feiyue, who was interrogating with Zhao Ke, raised an eyebrow. "How much money have you given her over the years?"

Yang Zhixin stammered and fell silent for a moment before saying, "All the money I gave her was voluntary. She didn't want it, but I insisted."

Zhao Ke: "Why did she break up with you?"

"She said we're from different worlds, and she won't be coming back. She suggested we shouldn't contact each other anymore, not wanting to hold me back. I know she's a good girl, but I just can't bear to let her go. I really didn't mean to harass her; I just wanted to see her one last time before leaving, but she wouldn't meet me."

"When was the last time you saw her?"

"Three days ago, when I saw her get out of a taxi and tried to talk to her. Later, a group of students misunderstood..."

Thinking about that day, Yang Zhixin's expression turned grim.

Although Li Yujiao had stopped the students from calling the police, her words made it seem like she didn't know him at all, which deeply hurt him.

He just wanted to see her one more time and ask if they really had no future together, but she wouldn't answer his calls, and he didn't dare enter the school to look for her, so he kept waiting by the school gate.

"Comrade Officer, did Li Yujiao report me for harassment? I really didn't. I just wanted to clear things up and move on. You see, I didn't even enter the school to find her, afraid of causing her trouble."

Zhao Ke looked at him. "Are you sure the last time you saw her was three days ago?"

Yang Zhixin swallowed hard. "I saw her yesterday too, but she quickly got into a taxi..."

Yang Zhixin couldn't understand why Li Yujiao had changed so much. In the past, she could hardly afford meat once a month, but now she took taxis and dressed very well, which required considerable financial means.

Although she said she had found a part-time job, Yang Zhixin doubted that a student could earn much, even in the south.

This made Yang Zhixin feel uneasy, so he never left, wanting to get to the bottom of things.

"Tell me everything you know about Li Yujiao."

Yang Zhixin nodded repeatedly and recounted Li Yujiao's situation, but most of it was from the past. When Li Yujiao started college, they initially wrote letters to each other, and she would mention some details about her university life.

She would talk about how some of her classmates looked down on her because she came from a small town, feeling out of place with those around her. She couldn't afford to go out for meals with her classmates and was often mocked for it.

Yang Zhixin felt sorry for her. Despite Li Yujiao's repeated refusals, he still sent her half of his monthly salary.

However, after Li Yujiao found a part-time job, their communication decreased significantly. Yang Zhixin noticed a clear change in her. During the summer break, he saw that Li Yujiao had changed a lot, which deepened his unease.

So, Yang Zhixin proposed an engagement, but Li Yujiao refused, saying she only considered him as a brother and that they needed to think calmly about their relationship, not act impulsively.

After school started, Li Yujiao stopped writing back and even sent him 200 yuan, saying it was to end their previous relationship. Unable to control himself, Yang Zhixin came over.

"Besides the people you mentioned, did Li Yujiao ever mention anyone else who didn't get along well with her?"

Yang Zhixin shook his head, "No... Oh, right, there was one girl I remember Li Yujiao mentioning briefly."

"Who?"

"It was probably her junior. At the time, Yujiao complained about how good deeds don't always bring good returns. She helped this girl, but the girl ended up blaming her."

These were things Li Yujiao mentioned casually during their meetings when they talked about her university life during the holidays.

"Do you know who this person is?"

Yang Zhixin thought for a while, "I think her name had something to do with 'Meng,' but I can't remember the exact name."

Tang Qingqing received a call from Zhao Ke and went to the small hotel Yang Zhixin mentioned to investigate.

The hotel owner remembered Yang Zhixin clearly and knew exactly who Tang Qingqing was referring to.

"This handsome young man has been here for several days, wandering around the area, looking for his college girlfriend."

The hotel owner was a middle-aged woman who was somewhat overweight. She didn't need Tang Qingqing to ask many questions; she could provide a lot of information.

"This young man must be heartbroken. How could a college student still be interested in him? She would definitely want to stay in a big city."

Through her observations over the past few days, the owner had a good idea of Yang Zhixin's situation.

"What time did he come back last night? Did he go out at all?" Tang Qingqing asked.

"He came back around midnight and didn't go out again. He got up and left at seven in the morning."

"Are you sure he didn't go out at all?"

"Absolutely. Our hotel only has one entrance and exit, and we keep track of everyone who comes and goes. It's getting unsafe around here at night, so we take our responsibility to our guests very seriously. If someone leaves late at night, we definitely ask them about it."

When Tang Qingqing left the hotel, it was already dark.

The College of Arts and Sciences was quite remote, making it difficult to return. Not wanting to waste time on the journey, Tang Qingqing decided to take a taxi with Xu Nan.

Xu Nan: "Teacher Tang, will the bureau reimburse us for the taxi fare?"

Taking a taxi back to the city would be quite expensive.

"It doesn't matter if they don't reimburse us. I have some extra money, so I'll cover it."

Xu Nan laughed, "Teacher Tang, you don't need to say it like that if you want to treat me to a ride."

Tang Qingqing shrugged; telling the truth these days didn't seem to make anyone believe her.

Back home, Tang Qingqing asked Zhai Hongyi about the gallery.

"Gallery? I'm not very familiar with it. Wait, let me ask Old Su."

Old Su was a long-time friend of Zhai Hongyi. The paintings he had previously purchased were arranged through Old Su.

Zhai Hongyi didn't hide anything from Tang Qingqing and called Old Su right in front of her.

Watching his expression, Tang Qingqing sensed that the gallery was not what it seemed.

After hanging up, Zhai Hongyi looked serious.

"Old Su knows about this gallery. He said it's not a legitimate gallery. The works inside are not by famous artists but by third-rate painters, yet they are sold at very high prices, which is against industry norms."

"Old Su had heard of this gallery before and even went to check it out, but he was very disappointed. The gallery doesn't have any proper supply channels, at least not in Dongguan City. They operate through informal means."

"There's something fishy going on."

Zhai Hongyi affirmed, "Old Su is an expert in this field, knowledgeable about both domestic and international markets. Galleries like this are often fronts for other activities. We don't know what they're doing behind the scenes. He felt the water was too deep and didn't dare to get involved. The gallery's manager even approached him for a partnership, but he refused."

"Do you know the gallery's manager?"

"His description matches what you said. It could very well be Tang Zhenzhen."

"Can a part-time employee at such a gallery earn such a high income?"

Tang Qingqing had roughly estimated Li Yujiao's assets, including the savings book and cash found in her bag, which amounted to at least ten thousand yuan.

Li Yujiao had only been working part-time for a year, and this income was indeed surprising.

"The commission in this industry is indeed high, but that's usually for people like Old Su. A regular employee would just get a fixed salary. While special cases are possible, they are unlikely."

Zhai Hongyi fell silent for a moment before speaking carefully:

"I suspect Tang Zhenzhen is using the gallery to organize prostitution."

Tang Qingqing's pupils constricted. She had actually guessed in this direction before, especially since Tang Zhenzhen still worked at Huiguang, which made the possibility even greater.

But although she detested Tang Zhenzhen, it was still hard for her to imagine that Tang Zhenzhen would take such a path.

After all, Tang Zhenzhen was not ordinary; she wasn't just smart. According to various signs, she, like herself, had certain special qualities.

In this era full of opportunities, Tang Qingqing really couldn't understand why Tang Zhenzhen would choose this path.

Tang Qingqing had her own career and didn't have high material demands, believing her salary was sufficient, so she didn't go into business.

If she wanted a better life or to make some extra money, it wouldn't be difficult. Previously, she had done business with Zhai Hongyi and others, earning quite a bit.

Tang Qingqing now held shares in Zhai Hongyi's company, not only because they were close but also because she had invested in the early stages, and part of it originally belonged to her.

Although Tang Zhenzhen's relationship with the Tang family had deteriorated, if she truly needed help, the Tang family wouldn't completely ignore her, giving her more advantages than many others.

Yet, Tang Zhenzhen ended up taking this path!

Every time she thought about it, Tang Qingqing found it incomprehensible.

"But if that's the case, Li Yujiao... she must have been coerced, right?"

Tang Qingqing still found it hard to accept. College students were the pride of heaven, with bright futures after graduation. Why would they ruin themselves like this?

"I'm not sure how it started, but from what I can see now..." Zhai Hongyi ultimately didn't say those words, as it was currently just speculation.

"These days, people laugh at poverty, not prostitution. Don't think college students are any different. Education doesn't guarantee character. I've seen too much in the business world."

Nowadays, there are no shortage of highly educated women who, for better living conditions, interfere in others' marriages, sometimes even claiming it's true love, standing on moral high ground.

They don't feel ashamed but proud, believing they are liberated, pursuing spiritual satisfaction rather than a numb existence.

Zhai Hongyi often couldn't tell whether the so-called "true love" talk was more disgusting or the pursuit of money was more shameless.

And it's not just women; there are plenty of capable rich widows and men who target wealthy daughters, wanting not only their money but also to live off them.

After saying this, he felt a jolt and quickly swore:

"Rest assured, I absolutely have no such twisted thoughts. Everyone knows my shares are in your name. If I ever stray, I'll leave with nothing."

Tang Qingqing, whose nerves had been tense, couldn't help but laugh at his words.

By doing this, Zhai Hongyi avoided a lot of trouble. Although some still tried to win him over with "true love" or doubted that he would really leave with nothing, it still screened out many.

The next day, when assigning tasks, Tang Qingqing refused to investigate the gallery and didn't hide her reasons.

"The gallery manager, Jessica, is likely an old acquaintance of mine. We have a history, so it's best I avoid it."

Everyone listened with great curiosity.

Although they hadn't known each other long, everyone knew Tang Qingqing had a gentle temperament.

She was an honorary professor at the Public Security University, having mentored many talented individuals over the years.

Those who had worked with her praised her, finding her very different from capable but temperamental people. She was also beautiful, making working with her more pleasant.

Now, hearing her say she had a history with someone they thought was unrelated, and one that required her to avoid involvement, everyone knew there must be a lot to the story.

Though they were curious, they refrained from asking.

Jiang Minghao privately approached Tang Qingqing to inquire about the situation.

"I'm not being nosy; I just want to know if this grudge will affect our work. Based on current assessments, Jessica is involved in a lot, and we might deal with her frequently. One of the main tasks for our squad is to monitor Huiguang."

During the meeting, Huiguang had already been identified as a key focus.

Tang Qingqing hesitated for a moment but eventually explained her history with Tang Zhenzhen to Jiang Minghao.

Captain Jiang knew the story was complex, but he was still shocked by its twists and turns. It was too dramatic!

"This..."

Captain Jiang was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Professor Tang, you've had it tough."

After a long pause, Captain Jiang finally managed to say this.

A child who had been deliberately abused and yet grew up safely, developing such skills, had indeed had a difficult journey.

Tang Qingqing smiled. "I've had good luck."

This was called good luck...

"Alright, I understand. In the future, I'll try to keep you away from Huiguang. However, you know Tang Zhenzhen well, so you can't completely avoid involvement."

Tang Qingqing nodded. She wasn't afraid to face Tang Zhenzhen, but to maintain objectivity, she had requested to be excused.

Tang Qingqing needed to return to the College of Arts and Sciences, but the bureau's vehicles were insufficient, so she had to take Xu Nan along.

Tang Qingqing considered whether she should start driving to work, buying a relatively inexpensive domestic car, as constantly running back and forth was inconvenient, and always taking taxis wasn't practical.

Tang Qingqing still sought Zhou Li, who clearly knew the most about Li Yujiao.

"A girl with 'Meng' in her name?" Zhou Li pondered for a moment, then snapped her fingers. "I think I know who it is!"

"Who?"

"If I'm not mistaken, that girl is one year younger than us, her name is... yes, Wang Mengling! She has already taken a leave of absence."

"On leave? Why?"

"Apparently, she fell ill and needed to go home for treatment."

Tang Qingqing: "What's her relationship with Li Yujiao like? How did they meet?"

"They were both in the Student Union's Cultural Department before. Their relationship was okay. Li Yujiao even took the initiative to help her find a job, which I heard paid quite well."

"What kind of job?"

"It was also part-time work at a gallery." Zhou Li clearly pursed her lips when she mentioned this.

She knew about Wang Mengling’s situation because of this.

After all, she shared a dormitory with Li Yujiao, yet Li Yujiao introduced jobs to others but not to her. It didn’t matter that she didn’t get one; what bothered her was that other roommates who were close to her didn’t care either.

Tang Qingqing and Xu Nan exchanged glances; such a coincidence couldn't help but make them suspicious.

They went to see the department head and mentioned Wang Mengling, who expressed great regret.

"Wang Mengling is a very excellent girl, and she is also very beautiful. It's a pity that she had to take a leave due to illness. From the looks of it, she probably won't return to school."

"What illness does she have?" Tang Qingqing asked.

"They say she has a weak constitution and needs rest. When she came to process the paperwork, I saw her. She was so thin, just skin and bones, and looked extremely frail."

Tang Qingqing asked the department head for Wang Mengling’s home address. Wang Mengling lived in a small town in Yunnan Province, far from Dongguan City, and it would take two days by train to reach the city.

Tang Qingqing found some of Wang Mengling’s former classmates but couldn’t find any way to contact her by phone.

"They only communicate with her by letter, never by phone. Since she took a leave, I wrote to her, but she never replied. I don’t know how she is now."

Wang Mengling’s good friend felt sad and worried when talking about this.

"If she could reply, she definitely would. She values her friends a lot, but there’s been no word from her."

"Was there anything unusual about her before she took a leave?"

The female classmate nodded repeatedly: "She changed a lot. She used to be a very outgoing girl, but later she became quiet and withdrawn, barely speaking to me. At first, I was a bit angry. But then I noticed something was wrong with her. Sometimes she would scream and cry in her sleep at night, which scared us. When we tried to show concern, she would drive us away. We were quite puzzled at the time.

Then, not long after, she took a leave. That's when we learned she was sick, which explained her strange behavior. We all feel very regretful, thinking we should have shown more concern. We hope she can stay in touch and come back to school once she recovers."

As they left, Xu Nan, who had been suppressing her twitching eyelid, said:

"Teacher Tang, something doesn’t feel right."

Tang Qingqing pressed her lips together, a sense of foreboding rising in her heart.

Back at the bureau, they found the phone number of the local police station where Wang Mengling’s family lived and called to inquire about her current situation.

The response came quickly—Wang Mengling had passed away six months ago, and it was a suicide.