HH Chapter 33

Pei Qinghuai, noticing Yan Ya’s scrutinizing gaze, cleared his throat lightly, “I just know a bit.”

Yan Ya withdrew her gaze, “What about the other injuries? These don’t look like marks from abuse, but more like they were caused by fists or clubs.”

Just as she finished speaking, there was a knock on the door. Cheng Ye pushed it open, poking his head in, “We have a lead,” he said, looking at Pei Qinghuai.

Pei Qinghuai nodded, “Thank you, Forensic Expert Yan. I’ll be going now.”

Yan Ya smiled warmly at Pei Qinghuai, “You’re welcome.”

As soon as they stepped outside, Cheng Ye spoke, “I’ve reviewed the surveillance footage. I noticed that during our conversation with Guo Rui, Liu Lili seemed to be watching us the whole time. However, the crucial point is that Guo Rui kept glancing to her left.”

“I had Er Bao check the surveillance, and we found several issues.”

They walked over to the computer, and Cheng Ye signaled Zhang Yibao with his eyes. Zhang Yibao pressed the play button, and Cheng Ye explained from behind, “Look, while Guo Rui was talking, three people standing by the teaching building were watching this area the whole time. And when Guo Rui left, instead of walking straight past those three people, she chose a longer route that took her around them.”

Cheng Ye turned to Pei Qinghuai, “Do you remember what Guo Rui said before she left?”

Pei Qinghuai replied, “I haven’t prepared my materials for the next class; I need to go back.”

“Exactly!” Cheng Ye exclaimed. “It looks like this class has many secrets.”

Pei Qinghuai stared at the three people on the surveillance, murmuring, “It’s not just this class; maybe even the entire school.”

He turned to Zhang Yibao, “I need a favor.”

Zhang Yibao’s eyes lit up, “What is it, Professor Pei?”

Pei Qinghuai spoke, “The killer should be between forty and fifty years old. Could you check the records of all men in Beilin City within this age range who have sought treatment for sexual dysfunction?”

Zhang Yibao’s eyes widened, “Are you serious, Professor Pei? That’s like looking for a needle in a haystack!”

“Just do it,” Cheng Ye interjected. “No more questions.” He looked up and saw Jiang Fei coming out of the interrogation room and called out, “Jiang Fei, go with Er Bao.”

Jiang Fei’s eyes brightened, “Where to?”

“The hospital,” Zhang Yibao said, pushing up his glasses as he stood. “We’ll go through them one by one.”

Although he didn’t know the task, Jiang Fei nodded seriously, “We’ll get it done! Let’s go, Er Bao.” He threw an arm around Zhang Yibao’s shoulder, “Stop sitting around all day. Aren’t you afraid you’ll get hemorrhoids?”

Just then, Fang Yuan emerged from the hallway, sipping a cup of water, “Captain Cheng, should we keep interrogating? Li He has practically confessed his ancestors from eight generations back.”

Cheng Ye sighed, “Let him go for now.”

“Got it,” Fang Yuan nodded. “This guy doesn’t seem like he’d have the guts to commit such a crime.”

Cheng Ye turned to Pei Qinghuai, who was staring at the computer screen, “Do you have a suspect?”

“No,” Pei Qinghuai replied decisively. He enlarged the surveillance footage and adjusted the clarity, “Look at these three. They’re all wealthy or powerful. Their accessories and clothing are all extremely expensive.”

Following Pei Qinghuai’s line of sight, Cheng Ye snorted, “I think I know how Chen Yuxin got her injuries.”

Just then, a woman’s voice rang out. Jiang Fei and Zhang Yibao hadn’t left yet. Upon seeing who it was, Jiang Fei quickly used Zhang Yibao’s body to shield himself, afraid the woman would see him.

Ignoring the obstruction, the woman barged in. Unfortunately, she ran into Li He, who was being led out by Fang Yuan. The moment she saw Li He, she lunged at him, screaming, “You’re the killer! You killed my daughter, you bastard! Give me back my daughter!”

Li He, having been detained for several hours and already agitated by the public scrutiny, shoved the woman aside and shouted, “Get lost!”

Fang Yuan quickly stepped between them, “Li He, watch your language.”

Before he could finish, the woman pulled Fang Yuan aside, “Look, this bastard is trying to kill me! He wants to kill me!” She clawed at Li He, resembling a street brawler more than anything.

Fang Yuan, incredulous at her strength, was thrown against the wall, feeling the pain.

“Stop! Stop!” Fang Yuan ordered, “He’s just a suspect, not the killer. We’re still investigating!”

The woman, undeterred, wailed louder, “Oh, so you’re all in on this, huh? Protecting him! He’s the one who drugged my daughter! He’s the murderer!”

Seeing the woman about to cause more chaos, Fang Yuan looked to Cheng Ye for help. Cheng Ye stepped between them, raising his voice slightly.

“Ma’am, if you continue to act irrationally, we’ll have to remove you for obstructing justice!”

“Police are in cahoots with the murderer!” she cried, sitting on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. The crying drew a crowd, giving Cheng Ye a headache. He quickly said, “Crying will only delay us from catching the killer. Do you want to know who killed your daughter or not?”

Ignoring Cheng Ye, the woman wailed even louder. Frustrated, Pei Qinghuai stepped forward, crouched beside her, and whispered something in her ear. Instantly, the woman stopped crying and stared at Pei Qinghuai.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” Pei Qinghuai smiled.

As the woman left, both Fang Yuan and Cheng Ye looked puzzled. “What did you tell her?” Cheng Ye asked.

Pei Qinghuai shrugged, “I just told her that causing a scene here wouldn’t help and suggested she take it elsewhere.”

Fang Yuan gasped, nodding appreciatively at Pei Qinghuai, while Cheng Ye chuckled, “It takes an unreasonable person to deal with another.”

Pei Qinghuai stepped forward, looking at Cheng Ye, “Who are you calling unreasonable?”

Cheng Ye quickly looked away, “I didn’t mean you.”

Pei Qinghuai stared at Cheng Ye for a few seconds before turning, “Let’s go.”

“Where to?” Cheng Ye asked.

Pei Qinghuai smiled, “To watch a show.