Chapter 181: The Missing Case

Chapter 181: The Missing Case

Lao Zhang came to his usual fishing spot as usual, set up his chair and sunshade, and was ready to start casting his line.

After retirement, this had become his only hobby. Out of the 365 days in a year, he could spend 300 days squatting by the river.

He always caught something every day, but rarely fish. Once, he even fished out an old bomb from the river, which shocked the entire fishing community.

Later, when he fished out things like guns, no one found it strange anymore. Lao Zhang had some real skills.

This river attracted many anglers, and they all caught various odd items, mostly shoes and other household waste, but few were as lucky as Lao Zhang.

"Lao Zhang, try hard today and catch the other shoe you missed yesterday. If you can get a pair, that would be quite a catch."

Old fishing buddy Li Yue walked over with a smile.

Others could catch shoes too, but Lao Zhang often managed to get a pair, which was quite rare.

Lao Zhang snorted, not willing to back down, "Just watch, I'll definitely catch a big fish today!"

Li Yue laughed, "Don't say that, or you'll end up empty-handed again."

Lao Zhang ignored him and focused on fishing. He had just changed to new bait, and this time he was determined to redeem himself.

Soon, there was movement at Lao Zhang's end, but he couldn't pull it in.

A big fish!

The commotion at Lao Zhang's spot was significant, and he almost got dragged into the water. Others rushed over to help.

Just as the fishing line was about to snap, they finally pulled the object up, but everyone gasped in shock.

It wasn't a big fish; it was a human corpse!

When Tang Qingqing arrived at the scene, she saw a crowd gathered around, shaking their heads and sighing.

They had received a report of a body found by the river, and it appeared to be a child.

Seeing the police arrive, the crowd quickly made way.

The child's body lay on the ground, and the stench was overwhelming as soon as they approached. It was summer, and the decomposition process was faster than usual.

Yet, no one wanted to leave and continued to gather nearby.

"Who knows whose child this is? Their parents must be heartbroken."

"Judging by the size, it's probably a primary school student. He might have sneaked out to play by the river and drowned."

"These days, you really have to keep a close eye on your children. Losing one is like losing everything."

It was summer, and many people went swimming in the river. Children also liked to play by the water, despite repeated warnings about safety. Every summer, several children drowned.

Recently, a child had gone missing after drowning, and the family had been searching frantically. They eventually found the child, but it was too late.

Forensic doctor Liu conducted a preliminary examination and quickly provided basic information about the victim.

"The victim is male, around ten years old, with multiple injuries sustained before death, the most severe being head trauma. There are no foreign objects in his hands, indicating that the body was dumped in the water post-mortem. The estimated time of death is two days ago."

"Post-mortem dumping?" Captain Jiang frowned. This wasn't a simple drowning incident but a murder.

Doctor Liu nodded. Pre-mortem and post-mortem injuries were different, and the body was still relatively fresh, making the distinction clear.

"Currently, this is just a preliminary assessment. Further confirmation will require an autopsy."

Based on her experience, the head injury was likely the cause of death, but without definitive evidence, she couldn't say more.

However, it was certain that this wasn't a simple drowning.

Tang Qingqing then questioned Lao Zhang about the specific circumstances when he caught the body. Lao Zhang remained relatively calm, though it was his first time catching a body. He was initially startled but quickly accepted the reality.

With so much experience, he didn't panic easily.

After understanding the situation, Tang Qingqing began to investigate the area.

The body was likely carried downstream from a distance, given the current flow rate and the condition of the body.

Tang Qingqing opened a map and examined the river, roughly pinpointing a few locations. She instructed Xu Fangran, who was back at the Public Security Bureau, to check for recent reports of missing children in those areas.

Xu Fangran worked quickly and soon called back with the most matching report.

"Zhang Mengmeng, male, ten years old, a fourth-grade student at Fengle Village Primary School. When he went missing, he was wearing a blue striped short-sleeve shirt, black shorts, and brown sandals. He has a palm-sized birthmark on his back. He went missing two days ago, on a weekend. He ran out to play and never returned. His family searched all night before reporting him missing."

Doctor Liu quickly confirmed that the body indeed had a palm-sized birthmark on its back, and the clothing matched Zhang Mengmeng's, although the writing had been washed away, and no other items were found nearby.

Captain Jiang: "Find the contact information of the person who reported the missing child and notify them to come and identify the body."

Zhang Mengmeng's father arrived at the Public Security Bureau soon after, looking haggard and anxious. "You said you found my child. Where is he?!"

Xu Fangran hurried to calm him down, "Please don't get too excited. Stay calm. We're not sure if the body we found is your child..."

"It's not Mengmeng, it can't be Mengmeng! I know my child best. He's very obedient; it can't be him," Zhang Dafa shouted, his eyes red with anger.

"After Mengmeng's mother left, he and I relied on each other. I raised him with my own hands. He wouldn't be so heartless as to abandon me! Comrades, you must have made a mistake. That can't be Mengmeng. He must have been kidnapped. You have to help me find him!"

Xu Fangran and another auxiliary police officer comforted him for a long time before Zhang Dafa's emotions calmed slightly. He kept muttering that it wasn't Mengmeng as he followed them to identify the body.

The moment he saw the body, Zhang Dafa couldn't hold back his sobs and burst into tears.

A tall, muscular man was sobbing so hard that he collapsed on the ground, unable to be pulled up.

If not for being restrained, he would have already thrown himself onto his son, unable to believe that his child was gone.

Seeing this, everyone sighed. These days, children were so precious; it was hard for parents to accept that they could be lost like this.

Too many similar incidents had occurred, and even after seeing them often, it still hurt deeply.

Only after Zhang Dafa calmed down a bit did Captain Jiang step forward to ask about the specific circumstances of the child's disappearance.

In the police report, Zhang Dafa had already provided detailed information.

Because it was the weekend, Zhang Mengmeng didn't need to go to school, but Zhang Dafa still had to go to work, leaving Zhang Mengmeng at home alone.

When Zhang Dafa returned in the evening, he found that his son wasn't at home as usual. He waited for a while, but when no one came, he went to the homes of the children who were close friends with Zhang Mengmeng to look for him.

After asking around, he found no sign of Zhang Mengmeng. Some said they hadn't seen him all day and wondered where Zhang Mengmeng had gone.

By midnight, Zhang Mengmeng still hadn't returned home, and Zhang Dafa realized something was wrong. He hurriedly went to report the incident to the police.

As Zhang Dafa spoke, he broke down in tears again. "This child has always been so obedient. How could he run to the river by himself! I always told him not to go near the river because it's dangerous. There have been accidents before. Why didn't he listen this time!"

"It's all my fault. I've been too busy with work and haven't spent enough time with him. I left him alone at home. If I had been there, this wouldn't have happened!"

Zhang Dafa cried, wiping his nose and tears, as Xu Fangran handed him a tissue.

After Zhang Dafa's emotions had calmed slightly, Captain Jiang asked, "On the day Zhang Mengmeng disappeared, when did you leave home, and when did you return? Did you come back at any point in between?"

These questions had already been answered when Zhang Dafa described the events of that day.

Zhang Dafa was momentarily stunned, then he spoke again:

"I left home at 7:30 in the morning and returned at 5:30 in the evening. I came back once around noon, around 11:00, and I saw my son then, but I didn't stay long."

"What was Zhang Mengmeng doing at home at that time?"

"He's very self-disciplined. He always does his homework on his own and only goes out to play after finishing. Despite his young age, he can already cook. When I came back at noon, I ate the meal he had prepared."

Captain Jiang: "Did Zhang Mengmeng eat with you?"

"Yes, we ate together."

Zhang Dafa paused, then added, "No, actually, I ate alone. He said he still had some homework to finish and would eat after he was done. I left in a hurry, so I didn't check if he had eaten."

"When you returned in the evening, were there any leftovers?"

Zhang Dafa thought hard. "There might have been some, but I don't remember clearly. I was frantic when I couldn't find my child and didn't pay attention to these things."

Zhang Dafa then asked suspiciously, "Why are you asking these questions? Didn't my son accidentally drown in the river?"

"Your son did not drown in the river."

"What?! Didn't you say you found him in the river? If not drowning, what else could it be?"

"We are still investigating the specifics." Captain Jiang paused, then continued, "Have you ever made enemies with anyone?"

Hearing this, Zhang Dafa's expression became even more tense, and he sat up straight.

"Is my son a victim of murder!"

"At this point, we cannot make a judgment. Please answer my question first."

"Oh, oh, I get along well with people and haven't offended anyone."

Captain Jiang asked a few more questions before letting Zhang Dafa leave.

Xu Fangran: "Captain Jiang, do you suspect Zhang Dafa?"

Having worked together for so long, Captain Jiang's behavior today clearly indicated he suspected something.

"Until the truth is uncovered, anyone is a possibility."

"But that's unlikely. I saw how heartbroken he was just now. He must love his child very much."

Captain Jiang glanced at her without speaking, but that glance was enough to convey his thoughts.

As a police officer, one must never be swayed by emotions, or they would be led astray.

Upon confirming that the deceased was indeed Zhang Mengmeng, Tang Qingqing drove with Zhang Xinyang, Ren Feiyue, and auxiliary police officer Zhang Chaoyong to Zhang Mengmeng's home.

Tang Qingqing currently had two apprentices, Xu Nan and Zhang Xinyang.

If she wasn't too busy, she would take both of them along, but if she needed to split up, she would take one at a time, rotating each time.

The forensic doctor had confirmed that Zhang Mengmeng had been thrown into the water after death. His fatal injury was a head wound, and he also had multiple fractures, most of which were sustained before his death.

The water current had caused additional damage.

Tang Qingqing needed to find the location where the body was dumped to locate the primary crime scene and gather more evidence.

Based on her calculations, the most likely place where the body was dumped was near his home.

"What a small child, I wonder what kind of person could be so cruel. It's inhumane."

Ren Feiyue had experienced many cases over the years, and the most frustrating part was always seeing children murdered.

Auxiliary police officer Xiao Zhang was the most moved, as the deceased shared his surname.

"The father was crying so hard, and without his wife, he and the child relied on each other. Now the child is gone too."

Tang Qingqing felt deeply distressed upon hearing this. After having her own child, she found herself loving and caring for the child even more than before.

Seeing such a young child being harmed like this, sometimes she could hardly catch her breath, fully understanding the pain of the victims' parents.

Upon arriving at the deceased's village, someone from the local police station was already waiting. Tang Qingqing asked an elderly officer to lead the way and search for the disposal site nearby.

Before their arrival, the local police station and village officials had already organized people to search the area.

Therefore, the elderly officer, Old Hu, could quickly brief Tang Qingqing on the situation and share his speculations.

Based on Old Hu's speculations and her own calculations, Tang Qingqing focused on investigating several locations first.

The first place they visited was the river closest to Zhang Mengmeng's home, which was his favorite spot. If he had gone there alone to play, it was highly likely he would be found there.

"I've asked the villagers, and they said this child used to love going there to catch fish. He was very capable, often catching fish in the river and almost always bringing something back," the elderly officer explained as he spoke.

Now, there were fewer fish in the river, making it difficult to catch any.

"Quite impressive."

"Indeed, poor children grow up fast. His mother is gone, so he and his father have been relying on each other. At such a young age, he knows how to contribute to the household. The villagers all say that if their children were as obedient and thoughtful, it would be wonderful."

Tang Qingqing: "When did Zhang Mengmeng's mother leave? Did she die of illness?"

The elderly officer, being from the area and having spoken with the villagers beforehand, knew a lot about the Zhang family.

"Not from illness, but she ran away with someone else, just two years ago."

Tang Qingqing was surprised, "Ran away? Are you sure?"

She had left early and thus did not know much about the specifics of the Zhang family. When Zhang Dafa said his wife was gone, she assumed she had died.

Due to the development of Dongguan City, Xinghua Village, where Zhang Dafa lived, had improved significantly, though it used to be a poor place.

Many marriages in the village were simply celebrated with a banquet, without necessarily registering the marriage.

When Zhang Dafa got married, his wife was still underage, so they did not register the marriage, and her information was not recorded in the household registration.

"Someone saw her outside, living with another man and even having a child. When Zhang Mengmeng found out, he wanted to go find his mother, unable to believe he had been abandoned. Because of this, Zhang Dafa flew into a rage and beat Zhang Mengmeng."

No man can tolerate being cuckolded, especially when the child wants to find his own mother, leading to uncontrollable anger.

"How does Zhang Dafa usually treat Zhang Mengmeng?"

The elderly officer understood what she meant.

"Ah, after his wife ran away, he often found his son annoying. Before, he wouldn't even lift a finger to discipline him, but now he beats the child frequently. However, he still loves his son and spends most of his earnings on him. It's just that whenever he drinks, he becomes very irritable and likes to pick fights with the child."

The elderly officer sighed, "I was called to mediate before, but he never went as far as to beat the child to death."

"Does he beat him severely?"

"Zhang Mengmeng has had injuries for the past two years. We and the village have been doing ideological work, and he would agree at the time, but then turn around and do it again. Ah, family matters are the hardest to manage. When parents discipline their children, we can't say much, only try to prevent it from getting too severe."

Although children are now fewer and more precious, some parents still believe in the old adage that good children are raised with the rod, and they don't hesitate to use physical punishment.

So when Zhang Mengmeng was beaten, they would only offer a few words of advice, not really getting involved, to avoid being caught in the middle while the parents were disciplining their child.

To say these parents don't love their children isn't entirely accurate; it depends on the specific situation.

But now that something has happened, everyone can't help but think about Zhang Mengmeng's injuries and begin to suspect Zhang Dafa.

His wife clearly ran away with someone else, yet he vaguely said she had left, which made him seem dishonest.

After arriving at the river, Tang Qingqing began to examine the scene.

This area was not large, with many grasses and mud, and it hadn't rained recently, making the investigation easier.

Tang Qingqing and her team searched several times but found no suspicious traces.

"This is neither the first crime scene nor the disposal site," Tang Qingqing stood up and confidently stated, popping a lollipop into her mouth.

There were indeed signs of Zhang Mengmeng's activities here, indicating that he often frequented this area, but he was not killed here.

Although Zhang Mengmeng was a child, he was ten years old, and an adult would still leave some traces when killing him.

There were also adult footprints nearby, including Zhang Dafa's, but based on his movements, it was clear he came here to look for someone and showed no abnormal behavior.

They moved to other locations but found no clues.

One day was not enough to search the entire area, so they needed to stay overnight and continue the investigation the next day.

Since the village was not far from the town, they found a hotel in town.

After dinner, they gathered to share the information they had gathered that day.

Ren Feiyue had visited the villagers and learned a lot about Zhang Dafa. According to the villagers, his behavior was quite different from what he claimed in the police station.

Zhang Dafa said he was kind to others and had no conflicts, but in reality, he was domineering and had offended many people in the village, making many enemies.

He had even fallen out with his own brother and had no contact with him for years.

He was also known for his petty thefts, stealing chickens and ducks from different households, shamelessly. If you confronted him, he might even come to your house and smash your pots, acting like a complete scoundrel.

Everyone in the area knew his reputation, and no girls were willing to marry him.

Later, he went out to work and brought back Zhang Mengmeng's mother.

At that time, Zhang Dafa was already thirty, about ten years older than Zhang Mengmeng's mother. Everyone speculated that he must have tricked her into marrying him, or even bought her.

Zhang Mengmeng's mother was fair-skinned and delicate, and it was hard to imagine her falling for Zhang Dafa.

When it came to Zhang Mengmeng’s mother, the villagers had a different attitude altogether.

Everyone thought she was a good woman, diligent, capable, and beautiful. After she married into the family, Zhang Dafa’s pigsty of a home finally became clean, even cleaner and more organized than many other households.

Zhang Mengmeng’s mother didn’t have a proper name; everyone only knew that she was surnamed Wang, and Zhang Dafa always called her Xiaomei.

Wang Xiaomei was truly kind-hearted. She had dimples when she smiled, making her very likable.

If Zhang Dafa ever offended someone, she would bring homemade pastries to apologize. Even if the other person was still upset, seeing her like this would often calm them down.

Because of her, Zhang Dafa’s reputation improved significantly.

“So why did she run away?” Xiao Zhang asked.

Such a person didn’t seem like someone who would be unfaithful or cause trouble.

Ren Feiyue snorted, “She was beaten away by Zhang Dafa.”

Having such a beautiful and capable wife, Zhang Dafa didn’t cherish her. At first, things were fine, especially after Wang Xiaomei gave birth to a son, their family of three lived quite harmoniously.

Everyone said that after Zhang Dafa got a wife, he wasn’t as reckless as before.

But good times didn’t last long. Zhang Dafa’s attitude towards Wang Xiaomei worsened over time. Initially, he only hit her when drunk, and the next day, he would apologize to her.

However, domestic violence has no middle ground—either it never happens, or it happens repeatedly. Despite Wang Xiaomei forgiving him countless times, Zhang Dafa not only failed to improve but became even more violent, starting to hit her even when sober.

Once, Wang Xiaomei merely smiled at a passing auntie, and Zhang Dafa slapped her, swelling her face.

The auntie was shocked. Although men beating their wives wasn’t uncommon in those days, it usually happened behind closed doors, not in public. Moreover, Wang Xiaomei hadn’t done anything wrong.

Wang Xiaomei endured for several years, but eventually, she couldn’t take it anymore and ran away.

“If she hadn’t run, she would have been beaten to death. The worst time, she even ended up in the hospital with broken ribs.”

Hearing this, Xiao Zhang was furious: “What kind of person is he! If he has the guts, he should challenge me one-on-one. People like him drag us men down!”

Tang Qingqing frowned, understanding Wang Xiaomei’s decision. If she hadn’t left, she might have lost her life.

Zhang Xinyang added, “He treats his son the same way. Could he have accidentally killed his son during one of his violent outbursts?”

Forensic expert Liu said, “I didn’t find any bloodstains or signs of renovation at his house today. If he was the murderer, he didn’t act at home.”

Tang Qingqing asked, “Why did he start beating his wife?”

Their relationship was initially good, so there must have been some trigger.

Zhang Dafa was emotionally unstable and extremely violent, easily provoked.

Ren Feiyue replied, “He thought Wang Xiaomei was unfaithful, often flirting with other men and smiling at them in a particularly ingratiating way.”

Tang Qingqing was puzzled, “Why would he think that? I heard from Old Hu that Wang Xiaomei has always been honest and never talked to the village men, only socializing with the village aunties and young wives.”

“Village gossip can be deadly. At first, everyone felt sorry for Wang Xiaomei, thinking she deserved better than Zhang Dafa. She was smart, beautiful, capable, and literate, and very young. But then she ended up with Zhang Dafa.

Although Zhang Dafa improved somewhat over the years, he was still a thug, just not harming the villagers anymore, but others outside.

Somehow, the sympathy for Wang Xiaomei turned into rumors that she looked down on Zhang Dafa and was seeing other men. Even though these were baseless, they spread widely.”

Even though Zhang Dafa became wealthy, people envied him but also looked down on him. So, the rumors spread even faster, aiming to deflate his arrogance.

Forensic expert Liu added, “Zhang Dafa used to be a nobody, but after a few years outside, he changed. His house is the best in the village, with televisions and washing machines. From being the worst, he became the best, which naturally made the villagers jealous.”

Although Zhang Dafa’s activities weren’t legitimate, people still envied him, especially those who couldn’t achieve what he did, making them even more resentful.

Although Liu didn’t interact much with the villagers, she overheard a lot of gossip from the crowd nearby.

Zhang Dafa was a rough man, and people didn’t dare provoke him, so they gossiped about his wife instead.

Since Zhang Dafa often went out at night, various rumors started.

Some people sympathized with Wang Xiaomei, while others spread lies to Zhang Dafa, making it impossible for their marriage to remain harmonious.

Human jealousy can be terrifying, driving people to do unimaginable things.

They thought they were just venting their frustrations, without considering the consequences for the parties involved.

Even those who sympathized with Wang Xiaomei didn’t hesitate to spread gossip.

Tang Qingqing asked, “Did Wang Xiaomei really run away with someone else?”

This, the villagers couldn’t confirm, as it was all based on their one-sided accounts.

Efforts are being made to contact Wang Xiaomei, as she is Zhang Mengmeng’s biological mother. Given Zhang Mengmeng’s murder, it’s their duty to inform her and seek her assistance in the investigation.

After Wang Xiaomei ran away, Zhang Dafa became even more suspicious, thinking she had cheated on him. He also began to look at Zhang Mengmeng unfavorably, constantly doubting whether Zhang Mengmeng was his biological son.

Zhang Xinyang said, “That’s not true. I’ve seen Zhang Mengmeng’s photos, and he looks a lot like Zhang Dafa. He must be his biological son.”

Forensic expert Liu reminded, “Many people in the village are related to Zhang Dafa, so there are some similarities. Today, I noticed several people in the village who resemble Zhang Dafa.”

Therefore, appearance alone can’t determine paternity.

So, Zhang Dafa remained skeptical, and his attitude towards Zhang Mengmeng fluctuated.

On the other hand, once Zhang Dafa realized he was under suspicion, he dared not pretend anymore and quickly pointed out several suspects.

Among them, the one he suspected the most was his own brother, Zhang Dagao.

Zhang Dafa had five children; Zhang Dagao was the eldest, and he himself was the third. The rest were daughters, all of whom had married out.

When Zhang Dafa and Zhang Dagao split their household, it was a very unpleasant affair. The brothers quarreled over every pot and pan in the house. At one point, Zhang Dafa almost smashed the only large iron pot, determined that if he couldn't have it, neither would his elder brother.

"I was once injured and can no longer have children. If my son dies, then all my property will be inherited by my good elder brother! So it must have been him who killed Mengmeng, thinking of taking over my property!"

Zhang Dafa said with hatred, the more he thought about it, the more convinced he became.

He had been in a daze at first and didn't react, but now that he had sorted things out, he immediately identified the suspect.

"His son used to bully our Mengmeng, saying all sorts of inappropriate things to him. My good elder sister-in-law has been sowing discord between me and my wife for years. After Wang Xiaomei ran away, she even tried to marry her foolish niece to me! What kind of man do they think I am, to end up marrying a fool?"

The more Zhang Dafa thought about it, the angrier he became. He was now certain that the person who killed his son was Zhang Dagao.

Otherwise, who would be so heartless as to kill their own child? No strangers had entered the village that day, so it must have been someone from the village.

Since Zhang Dafa became successful, Zhang Dagao's attitude towards him changed. He no longer insisted on having nothing to do with Zhang Dafa and often came around to try to get closer.

Especially that elder sister-in-law, whose schemes were written all over her face. She treated everyone like fools, thinking no one could see through her.

Wang Xiaomei was indeed foolish. Despite being told countless times to stay away from her, she never listened, always believing that they were family and should get along well.

"My wife was also incited by that good elder sister-in-law to run away, thinking that I would then marry her foolish niece. Ha! I spit on that!"

At the time, Zhang Dafa lashed out, smashing up Zhang Dagao's home. This made the couple hate him, leading them to want to harm his son.

"Did Zhang Dagao know you couldn't have children anymore?"

Such a thing is a devastating blow to a man, easily inviting ridicule and doubt about his virility. He certainly wouldn't tell anyone outside the family.

Zhang Dafa and Zhang Dagao's relationship wasn't good, so there was no way he would have told him.

Hearing this, Zhang Dafa's face turned red, and after a long pause, he finally said:

"It was that stupid woman, Wang Xiaomei! She asked someone for a secret remedy, and it spread from there."

Thinking about it, Zhang Dafa felt a deep-seated anger.

"I know you all think I'm not a good person, that I hit my wife, but sometimes that woman just deserves it! She can't keep anything to herself and tells everyone everything. I've told her countless times, but she never listens, so I have to beat her to teach her a lesson. If it weren't for my reputation, the villagers would have devoured me alive!"

Thinking about how people looked at him during that time, Zhang Dafa felt a pain in his chest.

Originally, his success was envied by the villagers, even though the money wasn't entirely clean. A group of people would stand up for justice, saying they would never earn such money, fearing it would leave them childless.

But Zhang Dafa knew very well that if given the chance, they would pounce like vultures.

Now, unable to get what they wanted, they could only console themselves behind his back, or else they would be consumed by jealousy.

So when everyone found out that Zhang Dafa couldn't have children, they rejoiced, saying, "See, we told you so."

Even if he had money, what did it matter? At least they were still capable, unlike Zhang Dafa, who was just a silver-tipped spear, not a real man. What good was money if he couldn't enjoy the basic pleasures?

Zhang Dafa had tried to defend himself, saying he wasn't incapable, just unable to have children.

With the one-child policy, he already had a son, so this function wasn't important anymore.

But no one believed him, insisting that Zhang Dafa was indeed incapable, thanks in part to Wang Xiaomei's efforts.

Whenever asked, she would speak vaguely and coyly, saying things like, "I will always stand by Dafa no matter what," which only confirmed that Zhang Dafa was indeed incapable.

Xu Fangran snorted, "A child like Zhang Mengmeng couldn't possibly do those things. Why did you beat him? Zhang Mengmeng has many old injuries, all caused by you, right?"

At the mention of Zhang Mengmeng, Zhang Dafa's face contorted in pain, and he grabbed his head, tangling his hair into a mess.

"I owe my child, I shouldn't have treated him like that! But it's not entirely my fault. Wang Xiaomei often took Mengmeng to my elder brother's house. My elder brother, who never showed any affection to his own children, was particularly attentive to Mengmeng, giving him candies and money. Don't you think that's suspicious?"

Zhang Dafa used to think Zhang Mengmeng looked like him, but one day, he noticed that Zhang Mengmeng also resembled his elder brother. This realization made him uneasy.

The more he looked, the more he saw that Zhang Mengmeng looked more like his elder brother than himself.

Once the suspicion took hold, it was easy to find more signs.

This made Zhang Dafa even angrier, and he beat Wang Xiaomei more frequently, sometimes involving Zhang Mengmeng as well.

But he couldn't be sure, so he remained uncertain.

Detective Jiang stared intently at Zhang Dafa, "So that day, because Zhang Mengmeng made a small mistake, you beat him again, and accidentally killed him!"

"No! I didn't!" Zhang Dafa protested vehemently, "I did hit him, but when I left, he was fine!"

"He is my son, whether or not he is related by blood, he is still my son. How could I kill him? He is my future support. Without him, I have nothing. How could I kill him!"

Zhang Dafa broke down in tears, almost sobbing uncontrollably.

Detective Jiang and Xu Fangran exchanged glances. They both sensed that Zhang Dafa was genuinely upset, but this didn't prove he wasn't the killer. It could also be a cry of regret and remorse.

The next day, Tang Qingqing and her team continued to search for clues separately.

In the afternoon, Tang Qingqing arrived at a stone bridge in the village.

The bridge connected the two banks, with the eastern side being where people lived and the western side being farmland. The bridge was over a hundred years old, but since the road was built, the village layout had changed significantly. This area, once a main thoroughfare, had become a corner, less convenient than the new road, and few people walked here anymore.

The riverbed here was narrow, and the water was not deep, so the span of the stone bridge was not large.

Tang Qingqing first went up the bridge to investigate. It was difficult to see footprints on the stone ground, and several days had passed, leaving almost nothing behind.

However, because few people now passed by, there was a lot of dust, which revealed some clues to Tang Qingqing.

She almost lay on the ground, examining the surface from various angles.

After searching for a while, she finally found an angle and quickly picked up her brush and sketchbook to start drawing.

Her current posture was extremely awkward, her whole body twisted in a way that looked very uncomfortable.

Old Hu had never seen anyone investigate a crime scene like this before and felt very curious.

He tried to see something as well but couldn't make out anything at all.

He whispered to Zhang Xinyang, "What is she looking at?"

"Footprints on the ground. Whenever someone walks, they leave footprints," Zhang Xinyang explained.

"But I can't see anything."

Zhang Xinyang couldn't really see much either; he could only faintly discern an arc, which he noticed only because of Tang Qingqing. If he had come to investigate alone, he definitely wouldn't have seen anything.

Although he had learned from Tang Qingqing for a while, it was still too short a time, and his skills were far inferior.

"This is where Teacher Tang's expertise lies; I still have a lot to learn."

Tang Qingqing was also struggling, as the prints were too blurry, and even a slight tilt would make them unrecognizable.

Therefore, when she finished drawing, she was so stiff that she couldn't get up, and it was only thanks to Zhang Xinyang's quick reflexes in helping her up that she didn't twist herself further.

Even so, it took her quite a while to recover, and after eating two lollipops, she finally felt she had regained control of her body.

"The murderer likely dumped the body here," said Tang Qingqing, though not with certainty. Those familiar with her knew that this was probably the truth.

Zhang Xinyang looked at the footprints in the sketchbook and said, "Male, approximately 173 to 150 centimeters tall, slender build, around forty years old. However, based on the pressure marks, his weight must exceed 200 pounds, indicating he was carrying a heavy load."

The footprints also showed slight rotational marks, suggesting that the murderer pushed off with his feet forcefully while dumping the body, leaving such traces.

The shoes worn by the murderer were very common in rural areas and provided little additional information.

Hearing this, Tang Qingqing nodded approvingly, "Your analysis is very accurate."

Zhang Xinyang was delighted, "It's because Teacher Tang drew so well, marking all the important details."

While Tang Qingqing was copying the prints, she subconsciously emphasized the more significant parts.

Based on these clues, Zhang Xinyang could quickly analyze the relevant data.

Old Hu could only admire their skills; to be able to deduce so much information so quickly was truly impressive, no wonder the City Bureau sent down such talented people.

Old Hu: "According to your analysis, Zhang Dafa fits this description quite well."

Zhang Xinyang also sensed this. Zhang Dafa often beat his children, sometimes without restraint. This time, he might have accidentally killed the child and then disposed of the body, pretending everything was fine and even reporting the child missing.

If it weren't for the fisherman catching Zhang Mengmeng's body, who knows where the child would have drifted, and the longer the case dragged on, the more evidence would have been lost, making it harder to uncover the truth.

Zhang Dafa could have easily claimed the child had fallen into the water by accident and avoided any punishment.

Tang Qingqing pursed her lips, holding the plastic stick of her lollipop, deep in thought.

"Teacher Tang, is something wrong?" Zhang Dafa asked cautiously.

Tang Qingqing did not rush to answer but said, "Let's search the area thoroughly to see if we can find any other clues."

She had found footprints on the stone bridge, so there must be more elsewhere.

The group began to carefully examine the surroundings, scrutinizing every inch of the area.

Before long, Tang Qingqing found another set of footprints, though they were blurrier than those on the bridge, the outline was still visible.

"The murderer came from that direction," Tang Qingqing pointed to a fork in the road.

"That direction leads to Zhang Dafa's house," Old Hu's voice rose, "What a monster! That's his own son!"

Tang Qingqing remained silent, as she could not yet be 100% certain that Zhang Dafa was the murderer.

On the way back, they found no more clues, as the main road was heavily trafficked, making it difficult to find any traces like those on the bridge.

Tang Qingqing walked back to Zhang Dafa's house. As she approached, she noticed a neighbor peeking around, who quickly retreated upon noticing her gaze and gave her a nervous smile.

The neighbor was an old lady who, once caught, hurriedly climbed down from the wall and quickly entered her house.

But soon she came out again, waving to Old Hu.

Old Hu walked over, and the old lady curiously asked how the investigation was going and if they had made any discoveries.

Tang Qingqing joined them, "Auntie, were you at home the day Zhang Mengmeng disappeared?"

"I wasn't..."

Old Hu glanced at her, "Aunt Zhou, don't lie. Lying has legal consequences."

"Why are you scaring an old lady like me?" Zhou Aunty was startled at first but quickly recovered, rolling her eyes at Old Hu, "How can I stay at home all day? I need to go out for a walk sometimes."

"Were you there when Zhang Dafa beat the child?"

"I was there, I'm used to seeing Zhang Dafa beat the child. At first, I would try to stop him, but the more I tried, the worse he beat the child. The poor kid, his mother abandoned him when he was young, and then his father beat him daily. It's truly heartbreaking. Now he's gone for no reason, and it seems heaven has no eyes!"

Zhou Aunty spoke angrily, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Did you see Zhang Dafa leave after beating the child?"

"Yes, his motorcycle is so loud, it's impossible not to hear it," Zhou Aunty said with a pout.

Zhang Dafa was the first in the village to buy a motorcycle, which was still a very expensive item at the time.

In recent years, although life in their village had been quite comfortable, few people were willing to spend money on cars. After all, the village was close to town, and with the roads now well-maintained, bicycles sufficed.

"When he left, did you see what he had on his vehicle?"

After thinking for a while, Grandma Zhou said, "I didn't pay much attention at the time. It seemed like there was something big tied to the back, but I couldn't see clearly. I'm old and my eyesight isn't good, so I couldn't make it out."

"After Zhang Dafa left, did you see Zhang Mengmeng? Could you hear any noise from next door?"

Grandma Zhou shook her head. "I didn't notice that. It's hot during the day, so I stay inside. My hearing isn't great either, so I wouldn't have noticed if Zhang Mengmeng made any noise. There are too many such things, so I don't always check. The commotion today didn't last long, so I thought it was just a scolding and didn't go over."

Tang Qingqing asked a few more questions before returning to Zhang Dafa's house.

With the shortage of personnel, Dr. Liu often helped with the investigation work. She had already gone through Zhang Dafa's house again today but found no clues.

"Check one more time. I didn't find anything," Dr. Liu said.

Tang Qingqing trusted Dr. Liu's skills but still conducted another search, finding nothing.

"The first crime scene is not here," Tang Qingqing confirmed.

Dr. Liu: "The victim's wounds are severe; there should be bloodstains. Did you see any blood near the disposal site?"

Tang Qingqing shook her head. "No, the disposal site and the first crime scene are not the same place. There are no suspicious areas nearby. The murderer must have transported the body to the disposal site after confirming the victim's death."

"That area, though rarely visited, is occasionally seen by people. Therefore, the murderer likely disposed of the body at night when the road was clear."

Zhang Xinyang: "Many people came out to help search that night, making it easy to be spotted."

Old Hu: "Not necessarily. In the dark, it's easy to slip away unnoticed. If someone saw him, he could hide for a moment, which would explain why he was out late at night."

That night, there were no stars, and the countryside had no streetlights. Everyone searching held flashlights, which provided limited illumination.

As long as he saw someone coming, he could move the body aside and avoid being discovered.

"Where is the first crime scene?" Zhang Xinyang rubbed his chin. "If it wasn't at Zhang Dafa's house, then the possibility of him killing Zhang Mengmeng is low."

Zhang Dafa's departure time can be confirmed, and the noise from his motorcycle supports his statement. If he killed Zhang Mengmeng, it could only have happened at home.

Dr. Liu: "Zhang Dafa suspects his brother, Zhang Dagao, of killing Zhang Mengmeng to cut off his lineage and let his children inherit his property. We should check his house."

Zhang Dagao's house is not far from Zhang Dafa's. Taking a shortcut through a vegetable garden, it's just a short distance.

The vegetable garden belongs to their family. The two brothers once fought over it.

Zhang Dafa doesn't actually grow vegetables, but he refuses to share his land with Zhang Dagao.

Zhang Dagao believes that since Zhang Dafa doesn't farm, as the older brother, he should be allowed to use the land.

Unable to reach an agreement, they ended up splitting it equally.

Before Zhang Dafa married, he rented the land to others. After marriage, Wang Xiaomei took over the farming.

After Wang Xiaomei left, Zhang Dafa rented it out again.

Zhang Dafa only required daily vegetables as rent. With a small family, they didn't consume much, and Zhang Dafa often ate out, so the tenants were very happy.

Tang Qingqing walked around the vegetable garden and found Zhang Mengmeng's footprints.

"Did Zhang Mengmeng often come to pick vegetables?"

Old Hu: "It was always him. Zhang Dafa never entered the garden."

When Tang Qingqing arrived at Zhang Dagao's house, his wife, Wang Cuifang, reacted strongly.

"This has nothing to do with us. It's definitely Zhang Dafa causing trouble! Having such a brother is a curse!"

Wang Cuifang was furious, filled with anger whenever she mentioned Zhang Dafa.

"The village rule is that the elderly live with one family, which gets more benefits. But Zhang Dafa insisted on equal division. How is that fair! After the division, he never gave the elders anything, yet he complains about them favoring us."

"It's shameful how he talks. My in-laws treated him so well, saving the best for him. He caused trouble from a young age, and my in-laws and husband had to clean up his messes. Yet he is so ungrateful, showing no brotherly affection."

"He wants the money and property but never showed any filial piety to the elders."

Wang Cuifang vented her frustrations, feeling much better afterward.

"I'm not being naggy, but I've been so wronged these past years. Ever since he got money, he looks down on us, always suspecting we want to take his wealth. With someone like him, we dare not take any advantage, or it will only bring more trouble."

Tang Qingqing didn't listen to her for long but stood up and walked around.

Zhang Dagao had already gone out to work, so she couldn't see him in person.

"When will Zhang Dagao return?" Tang Qingqing asked.

"He just left. It will be months before he comes back," Wang Cuifang sighed deeply.

Dr. Liu: "What a coincidence?"

"Isn't it? We earn our money honestly, unlike some who take shortcuts to make easy money. But we spend our earnings with peace of mind."

Wang Cuifang couldn't resist taking a jab at Zhang Dafa, revealing deep-seated resentment.

"Does the house have Zhang Dagao's shoes?"

Wang Cuifang was taken aback, unsure why Tang Qingqing needed the shoes, but she obediently brought them over.

"He always wears these shoes at home. When he goes out, he tries to look decent to avoid being looked down upon, so we bought him new shoes. These old ones are kept at home."

The shoes had never been washed, were dirty, and emitted an unpleasant odor.

Tang Qingqing remained unperturbed, put on gloves, and began her inspection.

For someone like her who conducted on-site investigations, this was just a minor scene.

After examining for a while, Tang Qingqing did not take the shoes but left directly.

Zhang Xinyang: "Not Zhang Dagao?"

"Not him. Although Zhang Dagao's height and build are similar to Zhang Dafa's, his left leg was injured before. Though it's not obvious in daily life, he subconsciously holds back when exerting force. Therefore, the wear on his shoes is different from that of ordinary people, and even more different from the footprints at the scene."

The two brothers are not much apart in age, and now that they are older, those few years mean even less.

The two brothers look very similar, with almost identical appearances and builds. Sometimes, even people familiar with them would mistake one for the other when seeing their backs.

"If it's not Zhang Dagao, and likely not Zhang Dafa, then who could have killed Zhang Mengmeng? Could it be someone who wandered into the village and killed him?"

Old Hu: "Unlikely. This village is quite remote, and outsiders are easily spotted when they come in."

"But if the murderer is from the village, what grudge or enmity could drive someone to harm a child?"

Nothing was stolen from Zhang Dafa's house, so the murderer clearly wasn't after money. Was the murderer simply out to kill, or deliberately trying to make Zhang Dafa suffer?

Or perhaps it was an accidental killing, and the murderer, unable to face the consequences, dumped the body.

Although Zhang Dafa didn't get along well with the villagers, there were no deep-seated grudges. Most conflicts were minor daily disputes.

After he became wealthy, such conflicts became even fewer. While he still looked down on others behind their backs, many people openly hoped to be helped by him to earn some extra money.

While others were conducting interviews and investigations, Tang Qingqing decided to use the old method—stake out at the village entrance and observe everyone.

Tang Qingqing kept watch for a day but found nothing.

She went to the village secretary to ask if everyone had returned.

"Some are still working outside."

"During the time Zhang Mengmeng disappeared, which of these people were in the village?"

The village secretary didn't know this, but it was easy to check. The next day, he brought a list.

The list was short; most of these people worked in town and often came back.

Based on the information on the list, Tang Qingqing went to town to find them.

After a day of searching, she still found nothing. The only person left on the list was Zhang Wen, the son of Zhou Ama, Zhang Dafa's neighbor.

"Where has Zhang Wen gone? When will he be back?" Tang Qingqing asked.

According to the list, he does small business and frequently travels around nearby towns. He hasn't been back for several days, and no one knows which town he is in now.

Old Hu: "He went to the farthest town from here. He should be back tonight. However, on the day of the incident, he returned very late, after Zhang Mengmeng had already disappeared. It's unlikely he's involved."

Zhang Wen and Zhang Dafa are from the same clan, but they are completely different.

Zhang Wen is diligent and honest, always steady and reliable, while Zhang Dafa likes to take shortcuts and exploit loopholes.

Living close to each other, they are often compared by others.

Although Zhang Wen is not as wealthy as Zhang Dafa, he is not poor either. He works hard, constantly traveling.

Zhang Wen is very good to his wife, mother, and two daughters, always bringing them small gifts when he returns from his trips.

In contrast, Zhang Dafa often beats and scolds his wife and children, making their lives a stark contrast.

Therefore, people generally speak well of Zhang Wen and believe that Zhang Dafa will eventually end up in jail.

Old Hu thought it was unnecessary for Tang Qingqing to waste time on Zhang Wen, regardless of his reputation, as he had no opportunity to commit the crime.

Tang Qingqing just smiled and insisted.

After waiting for two days, Tang Qingqing finally saw Zhang Wen.

When she saw Zhang Wen get out of the car and walk past her, her eyes narrowed slightly.

Zhang Xinyang immediately noticed her reaction and also took a closer look at Zhang Wen.

This man matched the description in the report perfectly, with his gait and other details much more similar to the previous suspects.

Zhang Xinyang and Tang Qingqing exchanged glances, and she nodded at him.

Zhang Xinyang remained calm and started to gather people.

When they decided to search Zhang Wen's house, many villagers who heard the news rushed over to speak up for him.

"Comrades, you're mistaken. Don't waste time searching Zhang Wen's house. He definitely isn't that kind of person."

"I said women can't handle things properly. Look, I was right! Why search anyone else but Zhang Wen? Are you just bored?"

"Zhou Ama has always been so good to Zhang Mengmeng, treating him like her own grandson."

Regardless of what the villagers said, the investigation proceeded systematically.

The village secretary was present to maintain order, and no one dared to interfere.

Zhou Ama wanted to object but couldn't. She just kept muttering curses.

Usually, Zhou Ama had a good temper and rarely got into conflicts with others. This was the first time people saw her so angry, showing how upset she was.

Who wouldn't be angry? To actually suspect them of killing a child they liked so much—how absurd is that?

"There's blood here." Forensic expert Liu found traces of blood on the first floor. Although it had been wiped away, spraying luminol made the areas where there was originally blood reappear.

Those outside couldn't see what was happening inside, but they could vaguely make out that something had been discovered.

As the owner, Grandma Zhou was closest and could see through the door. Watching the group huddle in one spot, clearly having found something, her expression grew increasingly grim.

Zhang Wen was visibly more nervous, and anyone with eyes could tell something was wrong. When he looked at Grandma Zhou, his face was a mix of fear and confusion.

They had cleaned up so thoroughly; how did these people find anything? Could they have missed something?

Grandma Zhou clenched her fists, but her face remained calm.

Tang Qingqing walked into the courtyard and looked around. "Where is your cellar?"

Zhang Wen was about to collapse, and if not for Grandma Zhou gently patting him, he would have given in long ago.

But he dared not hide anything and had to confess honestly.

The cellar door was opened, and after confirming it was safe to enter, Zhang Chaoyong volunteered and nimbly went down.

Soon, a voice came from below.

"There's blood down here too!"