Chapter 70 09

Chapter 70 09

Just as they were speaking, a knock sounded at the door.

Officer Zhang entered, accompanied by a young woman.

She wore light makeup and had soft, wavy permed hair. Upon entering, she promptly handed over her ID for registration.

Li Shang took it and noted her name: Zhou Tianyi. She was the same age as Bai Ran, yet their styles of dress were strikingly different. The woman before them lacked the youthful innocence of a student, dressed instead in simple, fashionable professional attire with refined makeup, clearly a young professional.

Returning to the scene where her roommate had been killed, Zhou Tianyi wrapped her arms around herself as if chilled. A flicker of unease crossed her eyes, and her body trembled slightly.

After all, this was a murder scene, and the victim was her close friend. The fear and sorrow lingered in her heart.

Officer Zhang comforted her, "There's nothing to fear."

He Lin, sensing Zhou Tianyi's discomfort, asked, "Would you prefer to talk somewhere else?"

He aimed to ease her tension and help her relax.

Zhou Tianyi shook her head. "It's been nearly six months. I'm much better now. With so many of you here, I should be able to..." She paused, looking around. "Here, I should be able to recall more details."

The four sat at the dining table. Zhou Tianyi initiated the conversation: "That day, I received a call from the police and rushed back. I saw a pool of blood downstairs and came up crying to pack my things. Because I was scared, I kept crying during the police interrogation and couldn't recall many details. Later, I moved out that very night."

As she spoke, Zhou Tianyi's gaze drifted toward the master bedroom. "It was only recently that I worked up the courage to start recalling. Sometimes, I wondered if Bai Ran was still here. As her friend, I hoped to uncover the truth of her death. So when Officer Zhang called me today, I took time off work and came right over."

He Lin said to her, "Thank you for cooperating with the police."

Zhou Tianyi took a deep breath and began her account: "I was Bai Ran's university classmate and roommate. We rented this place together to prepare for the postgraduate entrance exam. However, I had health issues during the preliminary exam, missed it, gave up on the exam, and found a job instead." She smiled wryly. "Looking back, I feel like I had a narrow escape."

He Lin asked, "Why do you say that?"

"If I had persisted with the exam, perhaps my fate would have been the same as Bai Ran's..." Zhou Tianyi looked up. "I suspect Bai Ran's death wasn't what it seemed."

Officer Zhang's expression shifted slightly. "Why didn't you mention this during our initial investigation?"

Zhou Tianyi explained, "At that time, everyone—neighbors, the police, and even I—thought Bai Ran's death was undoubtedly a suicide. In the first few months after her death, I never even considered other possibilities..."

He Lin asked, "Then who do you suspect is behind these things?"

Zhou Tianyi bit her lower lip slightly, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes, and cautiously countered, "Have you discovered? Bai Ran had a close male friend named Tang Yanshuo."

When mentioning Tang Yanshuo's name, Zhou Tianyi's voice unconsciously lowered, as if she harbored some apprehension about him.

At the beginning of the inquiry, He Lin had deliberately avoided mentioning Tang Yanshuo, fearing it might influence her answers.

Now that she had brought it up herself, he felt relieved.

Li Shang, who was taking notes nearby, also looked at He Lin. They exchanged glances, confirming that their previous investigation and analysis had been correct.

Officer Zhang asked nervously, "This person wasn't at the scene, right?"

Zhou Tianyi replied, "Right, he was also taking the postgraduate entrance exam re-examination at the time and has an alibi."

He Lin followed up, "Then why are you suspecting him now?"

Zhou Tianyi took a deep breath, as if steeling herself. "Because recently, an old classmate suddenly told me that Tang Yanshuo had been accepted through supplementary admissions for postgraduate studies. That made me think of him. I tried to check his WeChat and found that he had blocked me."

"Then I started to suspect him, thinking he was very suspicious. Bai Ran and Tang Yanshuo hadn't defined their relationship; they were just close. They had gone on a few dates, something very few people knew about..."

At this point, Zhou Tianyi paused, seemingly lost in memories of the past.

"Actually, I knew Tang Yanshuo first. One day, I was studying in the study room when he suddenly came over and asked to borrow something. At the time, I thought he was quite polite and lent it to him. Later, he started chatting with me. He was handsome, so I talked with him a bit more and exchanged contacts."

"In the days that followed, he was very active in the study room, going almost every day. He was a smooth-talker and knew how to charm, making several girls who frequented the study room very happy. He seemed wealthy and generous, often treating people to meals, giving small gifts, and buying bubble tea was a regular occurrence. So, he had ambiguous relationships with many girls in the study room. Back then, everyone thought he was enthusiastic and cheerful, and no one thought much of it."

"Initially, we didn't know he was applying to be Professor Xu's postgraduate student. Everyone was busy with their own studies and didn't pay much attention to others' goals. Later, one day, I accidentally glanced at his textbooks and found they were similar to ours. Only then did I realize he was applying for the same field as us."

"After that, he started saying we might be future classmates and become good friends. He also said... his grades weren't as good as us students from this university, and his family had already made preparations. He was just testing the waters this year; if it didn't work out, he would study for another year. If we were admitted, we'd be his seniors and could tutor him. Hearing this, we didn't see him as a competitor and even thought we could help him if we got in."

"The day before the preliminary exam, I was studying in the study room as usual. After a while, I suddenly felt a severe stomachache, and it kept getting worse. At first, I tried to endure it, thinking it would pass, but later it became unbearable, and I had to go to the hospital."

"The doctor said it was food poisoning, but I hadn't eaten anything unclean that day, which I found strange. Later, I was sick for several days and missed the exam."

"Recently, I recalled that on that day, I had a cup of bubble tea that Tang Yanshuo treated me to..."

He Lin frowned slightly upon hearing this. They had heard similar accounts from previous students; it turned out the victim of that incident was the woman before them.

Zhou Tianyi's voice trembled: "He bought for several people that day. He personally bought the bubble tea and brought it in, specifically picked out a cup and handed it to me, saying it was my favorite flavor. That cup had a flip-top lid. I took a sip and thought it tasted strange, a bit astringent, different from usual. But I didn't want to be rude by throwing it away directly, so I ended up drinking half of it."

"I suspect I was secretly drugged by him." Zhou Tianyi finally voiced the suspicion she had long kept hidden.

Li Shang had been taking notes diligently. Hearing this, he and He Lin exchanged another glance.

A flicker of understanding passed through both their eyes.

Tang Yanshuo's methods were indeed clever. He didn't treat Zhou Tianyi alone but several people. The others were fine, and the unfinished bubble tea was collected and thrown away, destroying the evidence.

Even if someone suspected, it would be hard to suspect him initially. He could even easily shift the blame to the bubble tea shop.

And all this was likely just a small part of his overall plan.

In the room, Zhou Tianyi continued her recollection, speaking with mixed emotions.

"Later, I happened to get a good internship opportunity, so I gave up on the postgraduate exam. I stopped going to the study room often and gradually grew distant from Tang Yanshuo. Instead, he grew closer to Bai Ran."

"Bai Ran was beautiful, did well academically, and came from a good family. She had many suitors, and Tang Yanshuo was just one of them. They never confirmed their relationship; it was just somewhat ambiguous."

"But he acted like he was pursuing her. He gave her flowers and often treated her to meals."

"After the preliminary exam results came out, Bai Ran's bipolar disorder had initially improved but later relapsed."

Zhou Tianyi frowned slightly here, remembering something: "Once, Tang Yanshuo got tickets and invited Bai Ran to an exhibition she really wanted to see. Later, when Bai Ran returned, I asked her how the date was. She said Tang Yanshuo claimed she had the wrong time and made him wait, but she distinctly remembered she hadn't gotten it wrong."

"It was after that incident that Bai Ran started becoming distrustful. Every time she went to the study room, her stationery and books would go missing, later turning up in places she least expected. She felt her memory was failing, and her condition worsened."

"Because of Bai Ran's changing personality, some suitors backed off. But Tang Yanshuo became even more caring towards her, always looking after her, reminding her to take her medication. Their relationship grew closer."

"Later, during the New Year, Bai Ran would sometimes sleep for long periods or experience unexplained insomnia. Her temper also became unstable. Tang Yanshuo helped her pick out blackout curtains and came over to help put them up."

The matter of changing the curtains was finally confirmed in the testimony.

Li Shang's pen paused as he wrote this. He jotted down a few words beside it: gaslighting.

This is a common psychological manipulation tactic where the manipulator undermines the victim's self-awareness, including memory, perception, and judgment, to influence and control their behavior and thoughts.

Tang Yanshuo clearly used these tactics on Bai Ran.

"His relationship with Bai Ran grew better, and they often went to the study room together."

"During that time, Bai Ran often complained to me that her sense of time was getting increasingly fuzzy. I felt that her symptoms worsened whenever she was with Tang Yanshuo..."

Zhou Tianyi then added more details, all of which indirectly proved that there were serious issues in the relationship between Bai Ran and Tang Yanshuo.

He Lin asked her, "What about the day before Bai Ran jumped off the building? What happened?"

Zhou Tianyi recalled, "At that time, I was busy with my thesis defense and work. That night, I stayed at a colleague’s place to finish some documents, so I wasn’t aware of the specific situation."

He Lin then asked, "We suspect Tang Yanshuo messed with the clock in your living room. Did you notice anything unusual?"

Zhou Tianyi looked up and realized the clock on the wall was gone. Her brow furrowed, and she tried hard to remember, "I don’t usually look at the wall clock, but Bai Ran often did..."

At this point, Zhou Tianyi suddenly remembered something. Her eyes widened, and her voice grew excited: "The security camera! Right, there’s a security camera! It might have captured something."

Officer Zhang, listening nervously, asked, "Where is the surveillance from?"

"The... the living room." Zhou Tianyi pointed in a general direction. "Bai Ran and I once had a pet cat, so we bought a security camera. Later, we gave the cat to a classmate, but the camera stayed. It was originally over there."

Officer Zhang said urgently, "Why didn’t you mention the security camera earlier? This is crucial for the police."

"Officer Zhang, I’m sorry, really sorry." Tears started flowing in Zhou Tianyi’s eyes. "When it happened, I didn’t remember the camera. I was in a panic and completely disoriented. Later, after you finished talking with me, I saw the camera while packing, but I thought... even if it recorded her jumping, it couldn’t save her. The recording wouldn't change what happened. Also, I was afraid... I didn’t dare to watch what was on it... But now I realize, since it was facing the living room, it might have recorded something!"

This was the first time since the incident that she had carefully recalled the details, finally remembering the security camera.

He Lin didn’t blame her. Those involved in cases often endure tremendous stress, and it’s normal to overlook details under fear and panic. One of their duties as police was to help them remember these details.

He asked, "Where is it now?"

Zhou Tianyi said, "I took the camera with me when I moved. I haven’t touched it since then. It should be at my place."

The three of them followed Zhou Tianyi to her current residence.

Fortunately, the camera was found, and the memory card was still inside.

Li Shang inserted the card into Zhou Tianyi’s computer and opened the last file.

The surveillance angle was limited but clearly showed the direction of the clock. Around 8 p.m. the night before the incident, two people entered.

Walking in front was Bai Ran, followed by a tall, lanky guy—Tang Yanshuo.

Bai Ran went inside to look for something, while Tang Yanshuo stayed alone in the living room. His eyes followed Bai Ran as she walked away, and then the smile vanished from his face.

The young man cocked his head slightly, his eyes cold, as if observing whether Bai Ran had noticed anything in the living room.

Then, something incredible unfolded on the screen.

Tang Yanshuo turned around, quickly stepped onto a nearby stool, took down the clock, adjusted the time, wiped the dust from the stool, and then stood aside as if nothing had happened.

Seeing this, He Lin frowned.

This person really was this twisted.

But fortunately, while doing all this, Tang Yanshuo didn’t have time to wear gloves, so his fingerprints might be on the clock.

They had found the answer they were looking for. The surveillance footage continued.

Half a minute later, Bai Ran brought a book and handed it to Tang Yanshuo. Tang Yanshuo smiled and waved at her: "Good luck tomorrow. You must succeed."

Bai Ran smiled and said, "You too."

After watching the process, the surveillance continued to play. Li Shang hit fast-forward.

Bai Ran changed into her pajamas, washed some fruit to eat, and took out a textbook to review.

At this point, Bai Ran was completely unaware that the time on the wall clock had been changed.

She kept studying until the clock showed past 10 p.m. She stretched and went into her room, unaware that it was actually past midnight.

The last segment of the surveillance was the next morning. The clock showed a little past 7 a.m., but the room was filled with Bai Ran’s screams. She ran out crying, followed by the sound of shattering glass—she had smashed a cup. Something hit the wall clock, and it stopped.

Then, Bai Ran curled up on a chair, crying hysterically. The surveillance captured her gut-wrenching sobs: "Why didn’t my phone alarm go off..."

The scene was heartbreaking.

Sitting in front of the computer, Zhou Tianyi clutched her mouth, trembling, and began to cry as well.

After crying for about ten minutes, Bai Ran in the footage suddenly stood up unsteadily. Her eyes were empty, tears at the corners, and the girl walked out of the surveillance frame.

They heard the sound of the balcony door opening, and then...

Everything went quiet.

Those who knew the outcome understood what had happened.

The people in front of the surveillance screen fell silent for a moment, only Zhou Tianyi’s shoulders shaking as she continued to cry.

During the initial exam, he had found a way to prevent Zhou Tianyi from taking the test.

For the re-examination, the enemy Tang Yanshuo most focused on was Bai Ran, who had aced the initial exam.

From the moment he carefully started pursuing her, it was all part of a plan to target Bai Ran and drive her mad.

Changing the time was just the final step.

He had achieved his goal by whatever it took, and in doing so, he had taken the young girl’s life.

"So... he really did something." Zhou Tianyi wiped her tears, her voice trembling, "I once asked Bai Ran if we should turn off the security camera since it wasn’t being used. Bai Ran said, 'Since it’s in the living room, it’s not in the way. Let’s leave it there; it might be useful someday.'"

"Now, it really has come in handy." The girl’s voice grew more choked as she spoke. She looked up and asked, "Will this help you?"

He Lin nodded: "It’s more than enough."

It was as if the deceased Bai Ran was helping them. The evidence was complete.

All of this confirmed that Tang Yanshuo was responsible for Bai Ran’s death.

And he officially became a suspect in Lian Xuan’s disappearance case.

.

In the afternoon, He Lin and Li Shang returned to the Missing Persons Investigation Unit at the municipal bureau.

Wu Yunsheng and Fang Jue were still searching on Baiyu Mountain, with no updates yet, but progress was smooth in other areas.

The fingerprint results from the clock came out quickly. Combined with the surveillance footage, the evidence was rock-solid.

After confirming his suspicion, the investigation unit applied for an arrest warrant for Tang Yanshuo and also uncovered more information about him.

Cheng Xiaoyi, sitting in front of the computer, said while operating it, "Tang Yanshuo acts like he's rolling in money on social media, but in reality, his family's poor. He comes from a rural area, and both his parents are disabled. He himself has applied for multiple credit cards and various loans, using that money to keep up appearances. Also, I pulled his student records—his high school was also Hengtong No. 1 High School."

He Lin was immediately alert at this school's name: "The same school as Lian Xuan?"

Cheng Xiaoyi nodded: "Tang Yanshuo was a year behind Lian Xuan."

Li Shang looked up at that: "So maybe they knew each other back in school?"

He Lin said: "Even if they didn't, they were still schoolmates."

More connections emerged between the suspect and the missing person.

Cheng Xiaoyi sighed: "He did all this...just for the postgraduate entrance exam?"

He Lin nodded: "Yes, for the exam."

It was a battle only those who excelled in the college entrance exam could qualify for—a voluntary competition for adults.

It was even more brutal than the college entrance exam. In people's eyes, it was both a necessary step for academic advancement and a utopia to escape graduation and unemployment.

In what should have been the brightest and most beautiful years of their lives, countless young people fought for it, burning themselves out.

Some endured hardships, some burned the midnight oil—studying, toiling, survival of the fittest where winners take all.

But beyond the glamorous surface, there was also darkness lurking beneath.

For the sake of the exam, some fell into depression, some went mad, some jumped off buildings, some would do anything.

The pursuit of knowledge is endless.

Pushed to the extreme, the lucky ones finally made it through.

But was it worth it?

Perhaps it was—it was an inevitable path of continuous study. Once successful, one could gain more useful knowledge, make life more complete, and pave a broader, smoother path. Graduate studies extended campus life, brought pride to elders, and made finding a job relatively easier. To enter certain institutions or good companies, this degree was required.

Perhaps it wasn't worth it. For some, it might have been like fetching water with a sieve—working for nothing. Dreams shattered, after immense hardship, they found they had lost more than they gained.

Regardless, everyone had their own answer.

It was a path they chose for themselves in the face of life.

After lunch, in the office, He Lin's phone dinged. He opened it and glanced: "The arrest warrant is here. Time to move out for the arrest..."

.

In the scorching afternoon sun, several police cars arrived at Yuncheng University. That afternoon, Professor Xu happened to be teaching a graduate-level lab class in person.

Uniformed officers blocked several entrances and exits of the science building. He Lin led Li Shang and Cheng Xiaoyi upstairs, their footsteps echoing in the slightly empty hallway. The corridor smelled of various reagents, and the walls were lined with portraits and bios of famous chemists.

He Lin quickly walked to the front door of the classroom, his gaze fixed on the inside through the glass panel. Li Shang and Cheng Xiaoyi guarded the back door, ready to respond to any unexpected moves.

There weren't many people in the classroom. The students, all wearing white lab coats, sat quietly at their lab stations, intently listening to Professor Xu explain the key experiment steps.

Suddenly, the classroom door was pushed open with a "bang." Everyone was startled by the sudden noise, and all eyes turned to the door.

He Lin swiftly held up his badge: "Police, you're under—"

Before he could finish, a figure in a white lab coat moved quickly—it was Tang Yanshuo.

His expression panicked, he held a vial in his hand and frantically rushed toward the back door, trying to escape.

At that critical moment, Cheng Xiaoyi reacted swiftly.

As Tang Yanshuo charged out the door, she turned sharply and, with all her strength, delivered a heavy elbow jab to his back.

Professor Xu, seeing this, went pale and shouted urgently: "Be careful! That reagent he's holding—"

Tang Yanshuo's body went limp instantly, stumbling forward.

At the same time, Li Shang reacted quickly. With quick reflexes, he grabbed Tang Yanshuo's wrist with one hand and firmly secured the vial in his grasp.

Though his movements were fast, two drops of the liquid still spilled uncontrollably, landing on the back of his hand.

Cheng Xiaoyi took advantage of Tang Yanshuo's disorientation, quickly pinned him down, and expertly handcuffed him.

The entire arrest process was smooth—from Tang Yanshuo's attempt to flee to his successful subdual, it took only a few seconds.

He Lin, however, went pale when he saw this. Anxiously, he rushed forward, carefully taking the vial from Li Shang with one hand while tightly gripping his wrist with the other. He turned and asked urgently: "Is this dangerous? What if it got on him?"

His voice trembled with tension.

In that moment, his mind flashed back to all the chemistry knowledge he had learned in high school.

Which substances needed to be rinsed with water, which with alcohol... What if it was toxic, harmful, or corrosive? Would it leave scars? Could it cause poisoning or endanger his life?

Terrible thoughts flashed through He Lin's mind. He was even prepared to pull Li Shang to the sink for immediate rinsing as soon as Professor Xu responded, or carry him piggyback to the hospital...

Li Shang, whose wrist was being held by He Lin, remained remarkably calm. The substance felt cool, almost like water, and he felt no burning sensation or discomfort.

He patted He Lin's tense shoulder, gesturing for him to calm down.

Professor Xu adjusted his glasses and spoke slowly: "No, it's not. That's from today's experiment... If it all spills, we'd have to redo the entire experiment. Just wash it off if you get any on you."

Hearing this, He Lin's tense nerves finally relaxed. He released Li Shang's hand and breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, he placed the vial back on the rack and said to the students and Professor Xu, who were still shaken from the arrest: "Sorry for the interruption. We're taking the suspect away. Please continue with the class."