Chapter 64: Points of Suspicion

He Jueyun nudged Qiong Cang with his elbow to alert her, then stepped forward. Politely, he said to Shen Sui, “Please accept our condolences, ma’am. We came today mainly to confirm a few things with you.”

Shen Sui sniffled, ignoring He Jueyun. With tears welling in her eyes, she looked back at Qiong Cang and asked, “What is it?”

Only then did Qiong Cang look away, replying, “It’s nothing.”

Shen Sui stepped forward to open the door and invited everyone inside.

·

The moment Shen Sui appeared, He Chuanzhou wore a faint, ambiguous smile.

Fang Qi was observing her and did not miss this subtle change in expression. Leaving his seat, he walked over step by step and asked tentatively, “Do you think there’s something off about Shen Sui’s behavior?”

He Chuanzhou’s eyes shifted as she gave him a lukewarm, sideways glance. “What do you think?” she asked.

Fang Qi said, “Is a gut feeling useful?”

He Chuanzhou said, “It has some reference value, but you need to find the source of that feeling. Otherwise, it will likely turn into a bias.”

Xie Qimeng cast his gaze downward, staring at the floor. He blinked heavily twice, his face blank as he fell deep into thought.

Fang Qi pinched his chin, murmuring thoughtfully.

“People from different professions have different angles and methods of judgment. If I were to analyze it…” Fang Qi’s tone grew firmer as he spoke, crossing his arms. “Assuming Sanyao’s modeling is accurate, I don’t think Shen Sui is as heartbroken as she appears. Feigned emotions are quite different from genuine grief. Her facial muscles are slightly stiff, and their movements aren’t natural.”

He Chuanzhou said, “That could just be cosmetic injections.”

A few Sanyao technicians chuckled upon hearing this, but seeing how serious the others looked, they quickly suppressed their laughter.

Fang Qi said, “When she saw the two police officers, she instinctively pulled Ding Xihua’s arm to herself and turned her body slightly, avoiding their gaze. This is a defensive gesture, seeking security while showing resistance. When He Jueyun spoke to her, her first instinct was to focus on Qiong Cang. She’s very sensitive to other people’s attitudes. I’ve seen people in extreme grief; their ability to process external information slows down as they drown in their own emotions. I’ve also helped counsel the families of victims. When they face the police, their first reaction isn’t resistance, but a hope that the police can help catch the culprit. Ordinary people usually default to seeing the police as friends.”

He Chuanzhou nodded.

Fang Qi said, “Besides, she’s too beautiful. I mean, it’s a sort of overly manicured grief, like she’s acting in a play. You can’t say it’s wrong, but it just feels… a bit off.”

Several of their colleagues nodded. Clearly, they had also noticed the sense of incongruity about Shen Sui.

He Chuanzhou glanced at Xie Qimeng. “What do you think?”

Xie Qimeng said softly, “It’s hard to put into words. I don’t know yet.”

He Chuanzhou’s tone was calm. “She made a few major mistakes.”

Xie Qimeng froze.

But He Chuanzhou had no intention of explaining. She simply said, “Let’s keep watching.”

A faint pang of bitterness arose in Xie Qimeng’s heart, likely frustration, but he quickly suppressed it. He focused all his attention on the screen, staring at Shen Sui’s face as if trying to burn a hole through it.

·

Qiong Cang and the others walked into the living room and sat on the sofas, clearly divided into two sides.

Qiong Cang sat closest to Shen Sui, while the young officer at the edge of the group voluntarily pulled out a notebook, ready to record the key points.

Qiong Cang offered a few words of comfort before getting straight to the point.

“When was the last time you saw Ding Tao?”

“Yesterday morning,” Shen Sui recalled. “He actually came home the night before last, but it was very late and I was already asleep. He left very early the next morning before I woke up, so I don’t know exactly when he left.”

Qiong Cang continued, “Do you know who he went to meet yesterday?”

Shen Sui shook her head. “No. He’s very busy with business and has a lot of friends. He wouldn’t tell me about everyone he met, and even if he did, I wouldn’t understand.”

Qiong Cang asked, “He didn’t come home on time yesterday. Did he call to let you know?”

“He often doesn’t come home on time, or doesn’t come home at all, and he never lets me know.” Shen Sui gave a bitter smile and pulled out a fresh tissue. “He’s a bit chauvinistic. He decides everything himself and doesn’t like me constantly checking on him. Besides, it’s not like I could control him anyway.”

Qiong Cang stood up, picked up a bottle of beverage from the table, and gestured. “Do you mind?”

“Help yourself,” Shen Sui said, wiping her nose. “I’m sorry for not hosting you properly.”

As Qiong Cang unscrewed the bottle cap, she asked, “What was Ding Tao wearing yesterday?”

“A blue suit…”

Shen Sui paused noticeably as she spoke, then began to hesitate. “Probably. I don’t remember very clearly.”

Qiong Cang looked suspicious. “Hmm?”

Shen Sui continued to explain, “When he left, I opened my eyes in a daze and caught a glimpse, so I have a vague impression. Or maybe I misremembered. But he only has so many clothes in his wardrobe, and he usually wears blue.”

“Oh, I just wanted you to relax. It was just a casual question, so don’t be too nervous. It’s completely normal for people to have lapses in memory when they’re grieving,” Qiong Cang said. “The bureau takes this matter very seriously. We will definitely get to the bottom of it.”

Shen Sui clutched her chest and said, “That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

“Let’s continue then,” Qiong Cang said. “Do you know if Ding Tao offended anyone in his daily life?”

Shen Sui started crying again, sobbing, “My husband was a very good man, and he had so many friends. I can’t think of anyone who would want to kill him.”

Qiong Cang glanced at Ding Xihua, who had remained silent. The latter lowered his head to avoid her gaze.

Qiong Cang said, “For example, twelve years ago, Ding Tao deliberately blocked an ambulance, causing a pregnant woman to miss the window for optimal treatment and tragically pass away. The pregnant woman’s family should count as Ding Tao’s enemies, shouldn’t they?”

Halfway through hearing this, the veins on Shen Sui’s forehead began to twitch. By the time Qiong Cang finished, she was highly agitated. Leaning forward slightly, she said, “Is it related to him? Officer! Our Lao Tao^[1] really didn’t do it on purpose! My husband explained it many times; he was just a bit distracted at the time. Is the murderer that person? Is this revenge? Officer, you have to help my husband!”

Qiong Cang said, “We only found out about this while looking into Ding Tao’s past background. Please don’t get worked up.”

Shen Sui’s lips trembled in what seemed like surprise. “Is it really necessary to dig that deep?” she asked.

“Of course,” Qiong Cang said. “Our goal is to find the murderer, so naturally we have to start with the motive. Don’t worry, databases across various agencies are shared now. In this highly advanced information age, as long as someone has done something, they will leave a trace. We will investigate everything step by step, and we will catch the real culprit eventually.”

Shen Sui nodded thoughtfully.

He Jueyun quietly observed the changes in their expressions. He possessed a strong sense of empathy, so he could naturally sense the bizarre atmosphere in the room.

Qiong Cang leaned forward toward Ding Xihua and said, “You’re already twenty-five. You must know a bit about the company’s business, right?”

Ding Xihua shook his head. “I don’t want to inherit the family business. I want to go into scientific research.”

Shen Sui patted his hand and said, “My son doesn’t like doing business. My husband didn’t have much of an education and was ridiculed for it, so he really wanted Xiao Xi to focus on his studies. His grades have always been excellent, and Lao Tao wouldn’t bother him with company matters.”

Qiong Cang asked, “What kind of person do you think your father was?”

Shen Sui said, “He is Lao Tao’s son, so of course he admires his father!”

Qiong Cang asked, “Did you know about your father blocking the ambulance back then?”

“He was just a child back then, how could he possibly know!” Shen Sui shrieked.

Qiong Cang paused, her cold gaze sweeping over her.

“He was a child then, but he isn’t one now. He is an adult who is perfectly capable of answering my questions on his own, don’t you think?”

Only then did Shen Sui realize she had overreacted. With Ding Xihua’s comforting, she calmed down, leaning back in her seat and falling silent.

Qiong Cang nodded to He Jueyun, who pulled up a photo of Hong Jun and showed it to Ding Xihua.

“Have you seen him before?”

The muscles at the corner of Ding Xihua’s mouth stiffened as he shook his head.

Qiong Cang asked, “Have you seen him around here, or heard your father mention anyone like him?”

Ding Xihua replied, “Really, no.”

Qiong Cang asked, “And you don’t know anything about the company’s financial situation either?”

Ding Xihua said, “I only know that it seems to be doing well.”

Qiong Cang asked a few more questions but failed to gather any useful clues. The two of them had already grown guarded because of her previous questions. Qiong Cang simply stood up to take her leave, promising to let them know if there were any new developments.

The three of them walked out and got into the car parked by the roadside.

As soon as Qiong Cang pulled the car door shut, she said, “Assign a few people to go to Ding Tao’s company and ask around. See if they can find out where he went yesterday and who he met. A detailed itinerary would be best.”

He Jueyun asked directly, “Is there something off about Shen Sui?”

The young officer sitting in the back seat poked his head through the gap between the front seats and chimed in, “She looked like she was crying so hard, her eyes were all swollen. Captain, why do you seem to suspect her?”

Qiong Cang smiled faintly and reached up to adjust the rearview mirror, angling it to reflect the young officer’s bewildered face.

“What was she wearing when you came to notify her of Ding Tao’s death today?”

“Just the clothes she has on now,” the young officer said. “She was on the verge of a breakdown and wasn’t in the mood to change. I took her to the school after that.”

Qiong Cang said, “Shouldn’t she be wearing pajamas at home? Why would she be wearing a dress like that?”

“Maybe she was getting ready to go out?” The young officer tilted his head, hesitating. “A black midi dress with a shawl? Is there something wrong with that?”

Qiong Cang kept smiling. “If she was going out, she would have put on makeup, wouldn’t she? With so many cosmetics in her room, she clearly leads a very refined life.”

The young officer froze.

Qiong Cang said, “Her hair was styled, her clothes were changed, indicating she was ready to go out, yet she wore no makeup or jewelry. Haggard, grieving, simple, yet movingly beautiful.”

Hearing this, the young officer couldn’t help but start to doubt. “This…”

Qiong Cang asked again, “What time did you arrive?”

The young officer replied, “Before six-thirty. We received the call at five-thirty, and as soon as we confirmed the victim’s identity, I left the station to find his family.”

“Six-thirty. A very healthy routine, but if you’ll excuse my bluntness, the vast majority of people can’t manage that.” Qiong Cang’s eyes were reflected in the rearview mirror. The slight shift in her facial muscles from her cold smile made her gaze look even deeper and sharper. “Ding Tao came back late last night, and when he left in the morning, she was still asleep. This ‘morning’ probably wasn’t earlier than six-thirty, right? It was still dark outside then. So what exactly is her daily schedule?”

The young officer caught on immediately. “Please wait a moment, you two. I’ll go ask the neighbors right now to see if there are any clues. I’ll be right back!”

·

After watching this scene, He Chuanzhou nodded. She turned slightly toward Xie Qimeng and said, “There are many ways to interpret information. Don’t forget the impact of time, location, and other external factors. If you read it right, it becomes a clue.”

Xie Qimeng let out a heavy breath, relaxed his clenched fingers, and nodded. “Yes.”

Fang Qi sighed. “Being a homicide detective really isn’t for everyone.”

He Chuanzhou offered a rare smile, though it looked rather perfunctory. “It gets much better with experience. Police officers grow, but criminals usually don’t. In fact, many cases are solved through basic, boots-on-the-ground investigations^[2]. Because many murderers don’t have that strong of a psychological makeup; they leave plenty of clues along the way, make the same mistakes, and even like to play smart. Take it slow, there’s no rush.”