In the end, under Yin Zhuo’s persuasion, Zou Shuyang pressed the play button.
The phone’s sound quality wasn’t great, filled with static, but Yin Zhuo’s and Zhong Langming’s voices could be heard clearly.
Yin Zhuo said, “Director Zhong, someone came to ask me about that medical accident from ten years ago today.”
Zhong Langming’s voice carried obvious anger, but he still tried to maintain his composure as he defended himself, “I’ve been a doctor for so many years and never had a medical accident. Dr. Yin, stop spouting nonsense.”
Yin Zhuo responded with a lighthearted “Oh” and then asked, “So, does Director Zhong still remember Shen Tinglan?”
Zou Shuyang could clearly hear the momentary pause in Zhong Langming’s voice, followed by a noticeable change in his breathing.
Yin Zhuo’s voice, still smiling but now carrying an eerie undertone, continued, “I heard that his injuries weren’t serious, yet he died under your care, Director Zhong. After that, your career took off, and wealth followed. I must say, I’m quite envious. How did you manage it, Director Zhong?”
Zhong Langming, trying to hold on, responded, “Accidents can happen at any time. Shen Tinglan suffered a sudden brain hemorrhage. Who could have predicted that?”
Yin Zhuo chuckled, “It seems Director Zhong cares deeply for his patients, remembering so clearly a case from ten years ago.”
Zou Shuyang glanced at Yin Zhuo, silently raising his guard against him even further.
What exactly did this Yin Zhuo know?
And what role was he playing in this case?
Having taken the conversation this far, Zhong Langming naturally understood Yin Zhuo’s implications. His panic faded, and his tone turned cold, “What do you know? What do you want?”
Yin Zhuo let out a low, unclear laugh, “I just think Director Zhong should set things right and let the truth come to light.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Compared to Zhong Langming’s anger and malice, Yin Zhuo’s tone remained much more relaxed, “Director Zhong, no need to get so worked up. Coming clean yourself is always better than being exposed in the end. That way, you won’t lose both your dignity and your reputation. Who knows, you might even end up with a few years of state-sponsored meals.”
Zhong Langming ground his teeth, “Are you threatening me?”
Zou Shuyang shifted his gaze from the phone to Yin Zhuo, who was now standing by the window, holding a thermos and staring blankly at the bright sunlight outside.
Then, Yin Zhuo’s amused voice came through the phone, “What do you think?”
The recording abruptly ended. After a long pause, Zou Shuyang set the phone down and rubbed his temples, “Dr. Yin, do you have any evidence?”
Yin Zhuo didn’t answer directly but instead took a detour, “You know, I do feel guilty about Ding Jing.”
Zou Shuyang followed up, “So, that guilt extended to some interest in Shen Tinglan as well?”
Yin Zhuo smiled.
Shen Tinglan was one of the few people who had remained kind to Ding Jing after her family went bankrupt.
If someone like that had died under normal circumstances, it might have been accepted. But Shen Tinglan’s murder case had been full of contradictions from beginning to end, naturally drawing Yin Zhuo’s attention.
Suddenly, Yin Zhuo remarked, “By the way, did you know that Zhong Langming and Jian Mengyan know each other?”
Zou Shuyang frowned but remained silent.
Because he realized that maybe, just maybe, he didn’t know his girlfriend as well as he thought.
“Team Leader Zou, don’t you find it strange that Jian Mengyan, who is so lively and mentally healthy, would suffer from retrograde amnesia just because of a little trauma?” Yin Zhuo stood in the sunlight, the brightness making it hard for Zou Shuyang to read his expression. “And the memories she lost just happen to be related to Ding Jing and Shen Tinglan.”
“Don’t you think that’s a bit too coincidental?”
Zou Shuyang’s lips moved slightly, and his expression softened a bit.
Yin Zhuo’s voice chimed in at just the right moment, “Isn’t it possible that Jian Mengyan saw something? But because her family has connections, the killer didn’t dare to harm her?”
When Zou Shuyang shot him a sharp look, Yin Zhuo slowly continued, “They couldn’t harm Jian Mengyan, but they couldn’t let her testify against them either. So, in the end, their only option was…”
“To make Mengmeng lose her memory.”
As if responding to Zou Shuyang’s words, the once bright sunlight suddenly dimmed, a large cloud covering the sky and blocking the light completely.
Yin Zhuo still stood by the window, but now his face seemed to carry a hint of satisfaction. “So, Team Leader Zou, maybe Zhong Langming really is the key to breaking this case.”
Zou Shuyang asked, “So, do you actually have any evidence against him?”
Yin Zhuo shrugged, “I don’t. I just bluffed him. Who knew he’d get that scared?”
At that moment, Zou Shuyang’s phone beeped. He glanced at it, and his face instantly darkened, “Zhong Langming wasn’t scared into that state. He was attacked.”
Yin Zhuo only raised an eyebrow, looking slightly curious, “Oh?”
——
Zhong Langming sat in his hospital room. Although his emotions had stabilized, his limbs were still weak, and he couldn’t muster any strength. His well-maintained face was pale, as if painted white.
Several young nurses passing by peeked curiously into his room.
“What do you think happened to Director Zhong? Why is he so shaken up all of a sudden?”
“The two young men inside seem to be police officers. Do you think Director Zhong is involved in some case?”
The young nurses, still filled with naive fantasies about life, felt a mix of pity for their director and excitement, imagining that this could be the start of a dramatic new chapter in his life.
Their gossiping continued until they reached the nurses’ station, where Head Nurse Fang, who wore a stern expression, was waiting for them. As soon as she saw the group of giggling young nurses approaching, her face grew even darker.
But the young nurses weren’t scared at all.
The prettiest among them winked and sidled up to the head nurse, lowering her voice to gossip, “Sister Fang, do you know what happened to Director Zhong? Why are the police here?”
Fang Jie’s thick eyebrows furrowed. “How would I know? Get back to work, and don’t waste any more time.”
The young nurse giggled and leaned in closer, “Sister Fang, I was on duty last night, and when I passed by Dr. Yin’s office, I overheard him on the phone with Director Zhong. He mentioned not forgetting something from ten years ago. Sister Fang, do you know what Director Zhong did ten years ago? Tell us!”
Ten years ago?
Head Nurse Fang’s hand stiffened on the desk, her fist subtly clenching before she placed it under the table to regain her composure. “Nothing happened. Get back to work.”
Seeing that Sister Fang was genuinely angry, the young nurses stuck out their tongues and left.
As they walked away, Fang Jie could still hear them whispering, “What’s up with Sister Fang today? Why is she so serious?”
It wasn’t until they were gone that Fang Jie finally let out a long breath.
Ten years ago…
——
Zou Shuyang sat across from Zhong Langming, watching as the director gradually regained his composure. “How are you feeling now, Director Zhong? Any better?”
Zhong Langming habitually reached up to adjust his glasses, only to realize that they were sitting on the bedside table.
Zou Shuyang asked again, “Do you remember when you started getting promoted, Director Zhong?”
Zhong Langming’s hand stiffened slightly.
Noticing this, Zou Shuyang raised an eyebrow, “Why aren’t you answering, Director Zhong? Have you forgotten?”
Seeing that Zou Shuyang wouldn’t let it go, Zhong Langming lifted his head and met his gaze directly. “2012. What about it, Officer Zou? Is there a problem?”
Zou Shuyang nodded slightly, “2012… Do you remember a patient named Shen Tinglan?”
At the mention of Shen Tinglan, Zhong Langming’s entire demeanor seemed to drain of color. After a long pause, he croaked, “I don’t remember.”
“Don’t remember?” Zou Shuyang wagged his finger back and forth, “That’s strange. Director Zhong’s surgeries have been almost perfect for the past ten years, except for one failure—Shen Tinglan’s surgery, ten years ago. And you don’t remember?”
Zhong Langming’s eye twitched, and he suddenly said, “I was attacked last night. Shouldn’t Officer Zou be investigating that first?”
Leaning back in his chair, Zou Shuyang replied, “Alright, tell me about last night.”
Zhong Langming suddenly felt like he had punched a pillow.
He reluctantly recounted, “Last night, I was at home, getting ready for bed, when I suddenly heard some noise in the living room. I went to check, but it was empty.”
He paused, waiting for Zou Shuyang to interrupt, but when nothing came, his face grew colder. “As I was turning off the lights to return to the bedroom, I felt like there was someone on the balcony. When I turned around, sure enough, there was a shadow. Before I could reach the balcony, I felt a pain in my neck, and then I blacked out.”
Xiao Tang quietly turned to Zou Shuyang and whispered, “Director Zhong would definitely be cannon fodder in a horror movie. He knew something was wrong but still went to check.”
Zou Shuyang shot Xiao Tang a glance, his lips curling slightly. True enough.
Perhaps feeling like the attack made him the victim, Zhong Langming seemed to regain some of his bravado, “So, Officer Zou, you need to thoroughly investigate who attacked me.”
Zou Shuyang nodded, “Of course.”
Zou Shuyang’s agreement came so quickly that Zhong Langming felt a pang of unease, a vague sense of foreboding creeping in.
Sure enough, the next moment, Zou Shuyang said, “But why isn’t Director Zhong telling us the whole truth?”
“What truth? I’ve already made myself clear.”
Despite his words, Zhong Langming’s hand under the blanket slowly clenched into a fist, his heart racing.
Zou Shuyang smiled innocently, his eyes soft and harmless like a puppy’s, “I seem to recall hearing you say just now that you don’t know, that you know nothing. Oh, and didn’t you also mention that Shen Tinglan is dead?”
Seeing Zhong Langming’s face grow paler by the second, Zou Shuyang pressed on, feigning regret, “Ah, I should’ve recorded that conversation. But then again, with two police officers present, that should be more than enough, right?”
The room fell into a heavy silence, so quiet that Zhong Langming could only hear the sound of his own shallow breathing.
Suddenly, Zou Shuyang spoke again, making Zhong Langming flinch.
“Director Zhong, what really happened last night? Why don’t you want to tell us the truth? Or is it that you’re hiding some unspeakable secret?”
Be my Patron ~ Buy me Ko-Fi
✨Be a part of the story – support my translations✨
✨Buy me some Ko-FI | Paypal to support my effort✨
✨✨Advance chapter at Patreon✨✨
