Chapter 6: The Corpse in the Teaching Building (6)

Chapter 6: The Corpse in the Teaching Building (6)

After work, Meng Siqi didn't return to the police station but went straight home.

To her surprise, as soon as she entered, she saw her mother Ye Xiuhui waving at her from the sofa. "Come here, I have something to show you."

In Ye Xiuhui's hand was a photograph.

Meng Siqi put down her backpack and approached to take it. She rarely saw Ye Xiuhui so eager to discuss something with her.

The photo showed a middle-aged man who looked decent. The photo had been retouched, with some visible signs of editing, making him appear younger and fairer.

"Missing? Or murdered?" Meng Siqi rarely had heart-to-heart talks with Ye Xiuhui and asked directly.

"Tsk tsk tsk!" Ye Xiuhui reacted strongly. "What missing or murdered? This is someone your mom is introducing to you."

"Introducing?" Meng Siqi was taken aback; she never thought anyone would introduce her to someone, especially someone of this age.

She felt a bit repulsed. "This person must be in his forties."

"Forty-one," Ye Xiuhui smiled slightly. "A young and capable manager of a large company, with good looks and a successful career. He's been too busy with work to settle down. Your father knows him, and it took a lot of effort for him to agree to meet you. Oh, I forgot to show you his business card."

Unexpectedly, this was the most Ye Xiuhui had ever talked to her. Her expression was animated, suggesting they were very pleased with this match.

"Good looks and a successful career?" Meng Siqi threw the photo and business card onto the sofa. "No girlfriend? I don't believe it."

Seeing the carelessly discarded items, Ye Xiuhui's expression darkened. "What do you mean? Does your mother not know what she's doing?"

"If everything is perfect, there must be something wrong." Meng Siqi grabbed her bag and headed upstairs without another word.

Ye Xiuhui was so angry that her tongue stumbled. "You, you... have no manners!"

The next day at work, Meng Siqi remembered the man Ye Xiuhui mentioned and asked Zhao Leiting, "Can we find specific information about someone just by knowing their name and position?"

Zhao Leiting put down his pen, full of confidence. "Of course! I can do it without using any resources from the bureau. I can handle it myself."

Handing him a note, Zhao Leiting asked, "Is this person related to the case?"

"Not really. A friend of mine got cheated in business and thinks he was set up, so he asked me to help."

Zhao Leiting patted his chest. "Leave it to me; it's like killing a chicken with a bull!"

"Mmm!" Meng Siqi smiled. After spending some time together, she felt her relationships at the bureau were improving, especially with Zhao Leiting, who was around her age and easy to talk to. Thus, she often shared things with him.

Unexpectedly, the next day, Zhao Leiting placed a sheet of paper filled with information on her desk. Seeing the detailed information, Meng Siqi was impressed and smiled gratefully at him.

Zhao Leiting pursed his lips. "I've always said that if we were in ancient times, I'd be the top strategist of the East Bureau!"

The East Bureau, a famous intelligence agency during the Ming Dynasty, led by eunuchs. Meng Siqi laughed. "Chief Zhao, thank you!"

"Scholar Meng, watch your words!"

"Haha..."

Meng Siqi's laughter wasn't loud, but it still caught Feng Shaomin's attention.

The office wasn't large, and Meng Siqi's desk was near the entrance, close to Zhao Leiting. Feng Shaomin's desk was further inside, closer to Captain Han's. Everyone's desks were cluttered with books and office supplies, ensuring minimal disturbance.

However, sometimes loud voices could be heard. Meng Siqi quickly covered her mouth; she was wary of Feng Shaomin, who rarely smiled and seemed perpetually gloomy, making it hard for her to approach him.

After Zhao Leiting left, Meng Siqi picked up the "intelligence." It was actually a simple resume and schedule, not private information, but Zhao Leiting's effort was impressive.

Among the information, Meng Siqi noticed a few key words: "Investor," "divorced a few years ago," "son studying in America."

So much for being a bachelor focused on his career. Ye Xiuhui had indeed deceived her.

Sighing, she prepared to shred the paper when she noticed a familiar name: "Shangyin Shopping Center" — the mall run by her father and brother.

It turned out this man was currently in talks with Shangyin Shopping Center for investment.

With a forceful grip, Meng Siqi crumpled the paper into a ball.

Even a daughter connected by blood could be used as an investment tool.

That night, Meng Siqi stayed at the bureau. In fact, even if she didn't go home, Ye Xiuhui wouldn't ask about her safety, perhaps believing her daughter couldn't possibly get into trouble.

The next day, Zhou Jieli's husband, Zhao Guanghui, was discharged from the hospital and came to the bureau to identify the body. He still looked weak, but unlike their first meeting, he carried an air of remorse and gratitude, thanking each member of the second team individually.

Han Changlin called out, "Zhao and Meng, take Mr. Zhao to identify the body."

"Yes, Captain Han."

A few minutes later, Zhao Leiting led the way to the morgue. In the chilling cold, the staff skillfully unzipped the body bag.

Seeing the face revealed by the open zipper, Zhao Guanghui lunged forward, collapsing onto her body, sobbing, "Jieli... how could you leave me..."

The morgue was eerily quiet and somewhat sinister. Meng Siqi hated coming to such places, and Zhao Guanghui's cries only added to the eerie atmosphere.

She took a step back, trying to stay closer to the door. However, with Zhao Leiting beside her, she didn't retreat.

As Zhao Guanghui was leaving, Meng Siqi asked him a question: "Mr. Zhao, you love your wife deeply, but I heard you once had a big argument with her at school?"

Zhao Guanghui sighed, filled with regret. "She wanted a divorce, but I didn't agree!"

"So after that, she chose to live separately?"

In Meng Siqi's view, if Zhou Jieli had any lingering attachment to her family or if Zhao Guanghui had agreed to the divorce, her fate might have been different.

"Yes, it was my fault," Zhao Guanghui admitted, though his tone was calm. "I lied to her about driving a taxi. I just went out to play cards and drink. I liked that life... One day, she found out and demanded a divorce... Do you think I would have divorced her?"

"I loved her so much!" Zhao Guanghui almost gritted his teeth.

Love can be so terrifying sometimes!

Meng Siqi took out the paper she had prepared in advance, unfolded it, and placed it in Zhao Guanghui's hand.

The divorce agreement, folded countless times, was immediately recognized by Zhao Guanghui, causing his fingers to tremble slightly.

"Have you noticed," Meng Siqi said, "that your wife didn't sign her name on the divorce agreement?"

Zhao Guanghui was stunned, picking up the document and examining the signature line repeatedly, his gaze fixed as if nailed there.

"You were always drunk and lost in your misery, probably not paying close attention. At the end of the agreement, there is a sentence: If you can pull yourself together, she will return to you as she used to..."

"..." Zhao Guanghui clenched the paper tightly in his hand, gripping harder and harder, as if trying to hold onto a memory he could never grasp. His arm began to shake, and he finally broke down, sobbing with his head in his hands.

As he raised his arm, the cuff of his sweater fell, revealing the sleeve of the shirt underneath.

At that moment, Meng Siqi's nerves seemed to shatter.

The silver button on his cuff, with its unique leaf vein pattern, matched the one in her memory exactly.

She asked almost uncontrollably, her lips trembling, "Was it you who killed Zhou Jieli?"

Zhao Guanghui's sobbing suddenly stopped.

"Why did you kill her!" Meng Siqi couldn't control her emotions, almost accusing him.

Zhao Guanghui slowly lifted his head, and in that instant, his eyes changed, becoming dark and terrifying, "What are you talking about? What nonsense are you spouting?"

Meng Siqi felt as if a knot had been untied, and she shouted loudly, "That night when you found your wife being harmed, you didn't save her. When you entered the room and saw that she wasn't dead, she woke up just then, and you strangled her. You could have saved her, what hatred drove you to kill her!"

"What evidence do you have?"

"Evidence?" Meng Siqi gave a pale smile, "You never thought that your wife still loved you so much, did you? You thought she no longer loved you and wanted to leave you, so you decided to kill her! You will live the rest of your life in the pain of lovelessness!"

Her voice was firm and resolute, making Zhao Guanghui's entire body tremble. His grin was almost deranged, "Even if so, what does it matter? Where is your evidence, your evidence?"

Facing his madness, Meng Siqi remained calm, "Don't you find it strange? Why is there a deep ring mark among the strangulation marks on Zhou Jieli's neck... After you strangled her, even though you carefully wiped away your fingerprints, you couldn't erase this deep mark!"

She forcefully grabbed his wrist with the ring and held the gold ring, as wide as a coin, right in front of his eyes, "Come, let's go match it with the mark on her neck now."

In fact, Meng Siqi had long suspected what the small red marks on Zhou Jieli's neck were. When she saw the ring on Zhao Guanghui's finger while he held the divorce agreement, it was hard not to make the connection.

Zhao Guanghui, as if his inner demon had been exposed, his pupils turned red, and he suddenly pushed Meng Siqi's hand away, reaching out with sharp claws, grabbing her throat, and shouting hysterically, "You madwoman, you madwoman..."

"Ugh..." Meng Siqi's throat burned with pain, causing her to feel dizzy from lack of oxygen. She tried desperately to grab at his hand but was still held firmly.

Zhao Guanghui's veins bulged as he used all his strength to clamp her against the wall, causing her head to collide solidly with the wall, producing a massive dizziness. She was trapped between his iron grip and the wall, her arms gradually weakening.

She remembered the fear she felt when she saw the murderer strangling Zhou Jieli. Her hands and feet had gone cold, and she never imagined the pain Zhou Jieli must have endured, the stifled cries trapped in her throat, which made one shudder just thinking about it.

However, the sensation she was experiencing now was similar, a desperate need for air, a panic that made her want to vomit her heart into the open air!

"Bang!" A dull thud was heard as a heavy punch landed, loosening the iron grip around Meng Siqi's neck.

She bent over, gasping for breath, greedily taking in oxygen. Amid her coughing, Zhao Guanghui staggered backward, having been hit in the head.

Zhao Leiting delivered another fierce blow to his stomach, followed by a swift takedown, pinning Zhao Guanghui to the ground.

Zhao Leiting seemed unsatisfied, cursing, "Assaulting an officer, tired of living!" He pressed his knee hard against Zhao Guanghui's back.

Zhao Guanghui's face pressed against the cold concrete floor, struggling stubbornly and angrily, his eyes bloodshot, emitting muffled groans.

This was the corridor leading to the morgue, usually deserted. Hearing the commotion, several colleagues rushed over.

A female colleague hurriedly checked on Meng Siqi, offering to take her for an examination.

Meng Siqi rubbed her neck, feeling some stinging pain but nothing severe. She felt much better after clearing her throat, aside from the discomfort and dizziness.

Zhao Leiting handcuffed Zhao Guanghui, looked up at Meng Siqi with admiration and concern, "Impressive, I didn't expect the real culprit to be someone else. Meng Siqi, are you okay?"