Chapter 55 [VIP] The Man-Eating Flower (14)

Chapter 55 [VIP] The Man-Eating Flower (14)

Tang Xiaochuan asked, "What's wrong?" While he spoke, he slowed down and pulled the car to the side.

"Half a month ago, Zhao Leiting and I visited the mall. Hu Dingxiang’s colleague Liu Min mentioned that Hu Dingxiang had an unpleasant encounter with a woman. I suspect it was Song Xinran." She glanced back, seeing Zhao Leiting still asleep in the back seat, "Wait for me, I'll go confirm it."

Tang Xiaochuan said, "I'll go with you."

"Alright."

The two got out of the car and entered the mall together. It was close to the Spring Festival, so the mall was quite crowded. On the second floor, they found the clothing store where Hu Dingxiang used to work. Her colleague Liu Min was there, interacting with customers.

They waited at the entrance until the store was less busy before entering. Meng Siqi smiled and asked, "Do you remember me, Miss Liu?"

Liu Min looked closely and smiled, "Yes, you're Officer Meng. Let me get you some water."

"No need, I just came to confirm something and will leave right away." She took out her notebook and pulled out a photo of the suspect she always carried for such occasions, handing it to Liu Min, "Have you seen her before?"

Liu Min took the photo, examined it closely, and frowned as if trying hard to recall. After a moment, she said seriously, "Yes, I remember her. She was very beautiful. Didn't I mention her to you..." Liu Min looked up at her.

Meng Siqi nodded, and Liu Min continued, "That time, this lady tried on many clothes. Hu Dingxiang might have said something offensive, and the lady became upset, throwing the clothes on the counter and leaving."

Meng Siqi's guess was correct; Song Xinran had indeed been there that day. There was a record of her withdrawing money from a nearby bank, which was likely her first encounter with Hu Dingxiang. However, Song Xinran claimed she didn't know her at all.

The unpleasant comment could be the motive for Hu Dingxiang's murder. As for Jin Yaming's claim that she killed for art, it was probably a lie he made up.

Leaving Shangyin Shopping Center, they got back into the car. Zhao Leiting woke up groggily and asked in a drowsy voice, "Where did you go, leaving me here alone?"

"I bought you something to eat." Meng Siqi had bought a bag of hot chestnuts from the ground floor of the mall. She and Tang Xiaochuan had already eaten a few, and she handed him the remaining half-bag.

"You still have a heart," Zhao Leiting took a chestnut, peeled it, and started eating. "So, how much longer until we reach Cai Chunmei's place?"

Tang Xiaochuan laughed, "We've finished our investigation."

"Huh?"

Meng Siqi laughed.

The car started and arrived at a small villa on the outskirts of the city in less than half an hour. Although the villa wasn't large, it was beautifully decorated, with a small yard in front and bamboo screening the gate. It was a two-story house, likely with three bedrooms and one living room.

Meng Siqi was a bit puzzled, "Old Tang, are you sure this is where Cai Chunmei lives?"

Jin Yaming came from a poor rural background, and his photography studio didn't bring in much income. Art exhibitions wouldn't earn much either, and this villa was not cheap. Given his current situation, he couldn't afford it.

Tang Xiaochuan checked the address in his hand again, "It's definitely here." He went under the bamboo to check the door number, "It's correct."

Meng Siqi followed him to the gate, which was locked with a big padlock. She said, "She's not home?"

Zhao Leiting stood on tiptoe to look over the wall. The house door was also closed and seemed to be locked. He emphasized, "Both are locked. Did Song Xinran take her and run?"

Tang Xiaochuan's face darkened.

Meng Siqi was startled by his words but quickly calmed down. If Song Xinran had indeed fled, their work would become much more difficult, especially considering her intelligence. What if she had left the country? But after careful thought, she believed it was unlikely. She said, "Don't panic. I don't think she would run."

Taking Cai Chunmei along would be inconvenient, and Song Xinran was likely very confident. With Jin Yaming's confession, the police had no evidence against her. Why would she take such a risk?

"She might have hidden her somewhere else. Let's check the pharmacy where Song Xinran works."

Zhao Leiting and Tang Xiaochuan nodded.

The car drove to the pharmacy where Song Xinran worked. She wasn't there, and a new pharmacist was on duty. Zhao Leiting stepped forward and showed his badge, "We're from the City Public Security Bureau. We need information. Where is Song Xinran?"

The pharmacist hurriedly replied, "She's on leave."

"On leave?"

"Yes, she said she needed some rest."

"Do you know where she went?"

"I don't know. We work in shifts and don't usually ask about each other's personal matters."

The three left the pharmacy. Zhao Leiting said, "Since she's on leave, she must have returned to her rental, right?"

The car headed to Song Xinran's rental, but the door was locked, and no one was inside.

Zhao Leiting said anxiously, "Did she really escape? We should have kept her under control."

After Jin Yaming's confession, the police had relaxed their vigilance on Song Xinran. If she had indeed left Jinyang City and gone to a strange place or even fled the country, Meng Siqi thought it was possible.

But she still trusted her judgment. Song Xinran was extremely confident and had a meticulous plan. If everything was normal, she wouldn't flee voluntarily.

She insisted, "There's one more place: Jin Yaming's photography studio."

Song Xinran had stayed at the studio several times after Jin Yaming's arrest, indicating she had feelings for the place. She might be there.

The car sped to the photography studio. The studio, along with Song Xinran's rental and pharmacy, formed a triangle, and her daily route was very simple, seemingly chosen deliberately.

The car stopped in front of the studio. Through the window, Meng Siqi saw that the sign "Yizhihua Photography Studio" had been removed, but the door was open. Her first thought was that the studio had been sold.

She hadn't expected Song Xinran to act so quickly. She wondered if her hypothesis was wrong.

The three were tense as they rushed out of the car and almost ran into the studio. Meng Siqi, walking behind, stepped in just as Tang Xiaochuan and Zhao Leiting stopped in front of her.

Looking through the gap between them, her heart finally settled.

Song Xinran was standing in the studio, but she wasn't alone. She was pushing a wheelchair, and in the wheelchair sat a woman with gray hair, around fifty years old. The woman's head was slightly tilted to one side, and her eyes were somewhat vacant. When she saw people enter, she gave a faint smile.

Meng Siqi had seen such a smile on the faces of intellectually disabled individuals on TV.

It turned out that Jin Yaming's mother, Cai Chunmei, had been in this state all these years. Cai Chunmei was neatly dressed, with clean hair and nails, indicating that she had received good care for a long time.

Meng Siqi's heart was tumultuous. According to her psychological profiling, Song Xinran and Jin Yaming were both murderers. They had conspired to kill since they were ten years old, and their souls should have long been devoured by demons. Yet, they still retained a bit of humanity.

They had been taking care of a physically impaired and mentally unstable person for sixteen or seventeen years, something even a normal family might not be able to do.

Meng Siqi walked up to Song Xinran. Before arresting her with direct evidence, she decided to speak to her as if it were a casual inquiry: "Hello, Song Xinran, can we have a private conversation with you?"

"I've been waiting for you..." Song Xinran maintained her confidence and elegance. Her refined appearance seemed to protect her complex soul, making people automatically lower their guard against her.

After saying this, she slowly pushed Cai Chunmei into the inner room.

When she came out again, she held a water bottle and three cups. She moved gracefully and calmly, brewing three cups of clear tea and placing them in front of each person.

The photo studio had undergone a transformation. All the photos that once hung on the walls were gone. Now, it looked like a home, with tables and chairs, and only one photo on the wall—a group photo of Song Xinran, Jin Yaming, and Cai Chunmei.

If they hadn't committed crimes, this scene might have been touching. But Meng Siqi remained solemn. She took out her notebook and pen and said, "Song Xinran, this isn't an official interrogation. We're just having a casual chat. If you don't want to talk, we won't force you. But I hope you don't lie."

"I understand," Song Xinran sat across from the three at a round table, her red lips curving into a gentle smile, "Don't worry, I'll tell you everything I know."

"Do you know Hu Dingxiang?" Meng Siqi asked directly. She had records of Song Xinran withdrawing money from a bank near the mall that day and Liu Min's testimony. If Song Xinran lied, she could easily overpower her emotionally.

"Yes." Song Xinran unexpectedly nodded.

Meng Siqi was slightly surprised and quickly followed up, "Why did you lie last time?"

"At that time, I didn't know her name. Later, after Jin Yaming's incident, I found out."

"What else do you know about Hu Dingxiang?"

Song Xinran pursed her red lips, as if thinking, and slowly said, "I met Hu Dingxiang before. We had an unpleasant encounter at a clothing store. I didn't take it to heart, but I mentioned it to Jin Yaming once, maybe he cared a lot about it."

"You mean, Jin Yaming knew that Hu Dingxiang said something that upset you, so he killed her?" This motive had been suspected by Meng Siqi before, but she didn't really believe it. However, considering Song Xinran's childhood, she chose to believe it.

"I don't know how he did it. I only found out later that he killed Hu Dingxiang."

Song Xinran almost entirely blamed Jin Yaming for everything. If Meng Siqi's guess was correct, Jin Yaming would also have a similar statement. Since they were ten, they had been interdependent, forming a strong logical chain that seemed unbreakable by outsiders.

"Do you know Sun Beizhe?"

"Who?" Song Xinran seemed not to hear.

Meng Siqi repeated the question, and Song Xinran then said, "I don't know him."

"Sun Beizhe was kidnapped at a love hotel earlier this year. Someone saw him talking to you before the kidnapping."

"I go there every few days. Everyone from the bartenders to the waiters knows me. Almost every time, some men try to talk to me. I don't know who this Sun Beizhe is."

Meng Siqi realized the terrifying meticulousness of Song Xinran's mind. Despite being a potential suspect in the Sun Beizhe case, she continued to frequent the place, which paradoxically proved her innocence.

"Was the lady we just saw Jin Yaming's mother, Cai Chunmei?"

"Yes."

"Can you tell me about her?"

Song Xinran was silent for a moment and then said, "She wasn't always like this. Around when Jin Yaming was seven or eight, his father accidentally hit her, causing brain damage."

Meng Siqi had not heard this information before. The story had an even sadder layer. She began to believe that everything started from ugliness, and their fathers deserved severe punishment. She wished the law could punish them, which also confirmed that Song Xinran and Jin Yaming's motives for conspiring to commit crimes in their childhood were mature, and her psychological profiling was successful.

She asked, "Can you tell me how Cai Chunmei got the villa?"

With their current means, they couldn't afford such a villa. If Song Xinran couldn't answer, Meng Siqi was sure she could expose her lies.

But Song Xinran smiled calmly, "You already know in your heart. Do you think I would be willing to live in that dark and gloomy studio? Fu Songan wanted me. Besides buying me off with money, what else do you think could attract me?"

Meng Siqi felt a wave of intangible loss wash over her heart. Song Xinran was even more formidable than she had imagined. She had placed the final piece of the puzzle, completing her world.

Fu Songan had his own studio. Although he was an associate professor, the studio had private income from the illegal trade of organ specimens. If Fu Songan gave part of this income to Song Xinran, it would be more than enough to buy a villa.

Moreover, if Fu Songan's illegal organ trade was eventually exposed, Song Xinran could still remain unscathed, claiming she knew nothing about it and that the money she received was a gift from Fu Songan through their romantic relationship.

Meng Siqi had prepared many questions, but the ones she had asked had all been deflected by Song Xinran. Instead, Song Xinran's statements continuously reinforced her logic of innocence.

She would be like a white lotus, untouched by the world's filth, pure and noble, standing alone in the world.

Meng Siqi felt no need to continue questioning. She sensed the same regret on Zhao Leiting's and Tang Xiaochuan's faces.

She slowly stood up, thinking that once she stepped out of this door, all of this might remain an unsolved mystery.

She began to understand why Han Changlin and others had low case-solving rates. There were always people in this world who could design impregnable fortresses.

Perhaps time and technology could break through, but the frustration in her heart would follow her throughout her career, perhaps until her hair turned white and she was laid to rest.

She began to understand her father's dedication, his regrets, and his fearlessness. He worked hard and wanted to be the best, but he couldn't be a good father.

He had many unsolved cases; he had been hit by shrapnel in the head and never told his daughter; he was obsessed with catching criminals and was shot, leading to paralysis in his leg.

The highly praised detective captain, Lu He, who solved cases like a god, was still martyred during a pursuit, killed by a criminal. If it weren't for the bones discovered thirty years later, no one would have known his fate.

Life was full of disappointments and regrets, and she had to face them bravely.

"Sorry to disturb you," Tang Xiaochuan said politely.

As Zhao Leiting left the photo studio, he still noticed the stunning smile on Song Xinran's lips, but it looked like the smile of someone whose plan had succeeded.

Meng Siqi walked to the door, standing on the empty street, still feeling a deep sense of powerlessness. The ordinary photo studio made her feel deeply helpless.

Song Xinran stood inside the photo studio, her expression elegant and refined, her eyes like water, as if deeply sending her off forever.

Just as Meng Siqi was about to turn her head, a miraculous scene suddenly unfolded...