Chapter 8

Chu Wanning scanned the entries and made her arrangements: “Old Yang, take Hu Hua for a psychiatric evaluation. Xiao Chen, stay on Lan Hui. Little Liang, keep following up on the other victims Lu Zhenglin molested. Fanxin, with me. Let’s reconstruct Lan Hui’s route.”

Everyone moved to their tasks. Chu Wanning grabbed the car keys and spotted Pei Rong in the waiting room down the hall. She called out, “Attorney Pei, Lan Hui won’t be held overnight, but I’ll set a release time when I get back.”

Pei Rong nodded with interest. “Alright, I trust you, Captain Chu.” Dealing with police as a lawyer, she rarely encountered someone so agreeable. Most dragged things out, forcing her through the formal procedures until midnight before finally allowing her to take her client away.

Nie Fanxin waved at Pei Rong, signaling she had work, and followed Chu Wanning downstairs.

Chu Wanning released the handbrake as Nie Fanxin buckled in. Though autonomous driving existed, many young people still preferred the feel of the wheel. In over twenty years, this was the first time Nie Fanxin had been alone in a car with her. She couldn’t help stealing glances. There was something slightly different about Chu Wanning compared to that morning—behind the wheel, she seemed even more focused, her delicate profile catching the sunlight in a way that made her seem to glow, drawing Nie Fanxin in against her will.

It wasn’t until the car entered the Honghuai Yuanyang underground parking that Nie Fanxin snapped out of it, patting her warm cheeks and grabbing her notebook.

The two got out and Nie Fanxin spoke first: “Lan Hui’s car was in spot B301, about 200 meters from the stairwell. The stairwell camera was down for maintenance that night, so moving a body to the car could be done without detection.”

Chu Wanning headed to the stairwell and started up, one step at a time. “But Lan Hui is petite. Without tools, moving a body alone would be nearly impossible for her.”

Nie Fanxin hummed in agreement.

At the sixth-floor stairwell, Chu Wanning looked down. “Lu Zhenglin was 172 cm and 65 kg. Lan Hui is 165 cm and 54 kg. Fanxin, let’s run an experiment.”

Nie Fanxin looked up. “What kind?”

Chu Wanning’s voice was soft. “I’m 5 cm taller than you, and certainly heavier. So…”

Before she could finish, Nie Fanxin had already crouched. “Get on.”

The next moment, weight settled on her back, hot breath by her ear: “Fanxin, can you manage this?”

“N-no problem.” Police academy training had included 30 kg weighted cross-country runs. Now she was only going down a flight of stairs—more than manageable for her.

“Lu Zhenglin and Lan Hui had an 11 kg weight difference. We have a 4 kg difference.”

Nie Fanxin paused, her tone rising slightly: “How does Sister Wanning know my weight?”

“From the files. Is it wrong?”

“No, but I found out yours too.” 172 cm, 59 kg. Nie Fanxin filed that away. Her pace quickened. At the second-floor landing, she instinctively grabbed the railing for support.

“Fanxin. Tired?”

“No.”

“Tell me the truth.”

“A little.” Chu Wanning’s body hung limp against her back, like a corpse. All height and long limbs, which made it considerably harder.

Chu Wanning climbed off. “You’re fit and strong, yet struggling. What about Lan Hui?”

“She’d need breaks to catch her breath.”

Chu Wanning raised her phone. “Look at this.” Nie Fanxin followed her gaze. The railing showed clear fingerprints. Stairwell cleaning was often ignored unless inspections loomed, leaving the railing coated in dust that preserved any marks.

They returned to the sixth floor and, crouching, examined each floor one by one. The railings from the sixth floor down to basement level one were coated in dust, but apart from the fingerprints and clean patches Nie Fanxin had just left, there were no others.

Chu Wanning laid out her analysis: “Only three possibilities. First, Lan Hui had an accomplice. Second, the killer is male. Third, the killer is female, but was on a lower floor at the time, and physically fit with some strength to her.”

Nie Fanxin asked without hesitation: “Has everyone at the gym been ruled out as suspects? What about Lu Zhenglin’s personal trainer? The first-floor steam bath? Third-floor massage parlor?”

Chu Wanning got in the car and started the engine. “Little Liang and two other colleagues are handling the Honghuai Yuanyang sweep. On the night of the incident, Lu Zhenglin clocked out and left at 10:32 p.m. His trainer clocked out at 10:36 and exited the parking lot at 10:44. The steam bath closed at 10 p.m. The massage parlor has cameras, but Lu Zhenglin never showed up there.”

Nie Fanxin shut the door. “Guess we’ll have to go door to door.” She pulled out her phone. “Sister Wanning, let’s trace Lan Hui’s route to Wanhui Community first.”

Chu Wanning acknowledged and released the brake. The car rolled forward.

They reached the outer edge of Bajiao Street in eleven minutes and pulled over. Nie Fanxin enlarged the live map on her phone.

“There are two routes to the crime scene from here. The first option is what Lan Hui took: Section Two of Bajiao Street. But the camera at the restroom entrance shows she turned around and didn’t go further. The second is Section One. Let’s assume Lan Hui dumped the body first and then went to the restroom, or vice versa. We should time both scenarios at maximum speed.” Nie Fanxin finished, and Chu Wanning reminded her to grip the handrail.

Nie Fanxin grabbed the handle just as Chu Wanning floored the accelerator. The car shot forward, cold wind howling in their ears. Nie Fanxin kept her eyes locked on the road, her left hand steadying the phone.

At the trash collection point at the end of Bajiao Street, they got out. Half a minute later, they were back in the car, turning around toward Section Two and finally braking at the restroom entrance.

“Sister Wanning, it doesn’t work. Lan Hui left the previous camera at 12:05 and appeared at the restroom at 12:08. Three minutes. Our fastest is four and a half. And the footage shows her braking gently. We slammed on the brakes.”

“Ruled out. Try the restroom first, then dumping.”

Chu Wanning drove only halfway before Nie Fanxin called out, “Sister Wanning, time’s up. There’s only one possibility left. An accomplice got out mid-route and dragged Lu Zhenglin’s body to dump alone.”

If Lan Hui was the one who did it, an accomplice was essential. Ye Jun wasn’t with her. So who? If she’d hired someone, why not keep herself completely clean? By normal investigative reasoning, without a plausible accomplice, Lan Hui’s suspicion would drop significantly.

At 4:50 p.m., Chu Wanning and Nie Fanxin returned to the station and decided to release Lan Hui while keeping close surveillance on her movements. At 5 p.m., after signing the paperwork, Pei Rong pulled Nie Fanxin aside. Her red lips curved: “Treat me to dinner. Tonight.”

“Why the rush? I’m busy.”

Pei Rong glanced at Chu Wanning’s back and grinned. “Invite her too.”

“Pei Xiaorong!”

“Why? Oh, she’s your secret crush?” Pei Rong’s smile broadened. “Not bad. Good taste. I’ll think about whether to compete with you.”

Nie Fanxin scolded her: “What about your little girlfriend?”

Pei Rong raised a delicate brow. “Broke up on Double Twelve. Too young, too clingy. I couldn’t spare the energy. I want someone more mature.”

“Let me tell you, don’t even think about it.”

Pei Rong dropped the smile and turned serious. “What’s wrong? With your skills, after all this time, she hasn’t taken the bait?”

Nie Fanxin shot her a glare. “What skills.”

“Charm. In my third year of grad school, you were a senior, right? That dance at the New Year’s gala. Stole how many souls? I can’t compete. Honestly.”

…

“The past is too embarrassing to look back on.” Nie Fanxin remembered Gu Bei finding the video and learning the routine with her, saying something about contrast and ending her university years on a high note.

“But if we’re looking back—you’re bold in everything else. Why are you so timid and overcautious when it comes to love?” Pei Rong had known about Nie Fanxin’s crush for three years. After observing for two days, she’d chosen the tactic of provocation.

“You don’t understand.” Nie Fanxin felt she hadn’t found the right opening. She was afraid that three years ago, Chu Wanning’s hesitation was just her not knowing how to say no. And that three years was a long time, too long, with too much change.

“I really don’t. Keep this pace and I’ll steal her.” Pei Rong click-clacked toward Chu Wanning’s office in her heels, using the excuse of returning a pen. “Captain Chu, dinner tonight? Fanxin’s treating.”

“Sure.” Chu Wanning capped her pen and added, “What about Xiaoyu?”

The host, Nie Fanxin, had just stopped at the desk, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “I’ll let her know.”

Because of work that evening, Nie Fanxin reserved a restaurant nearby. Sichuan cuisine, which she and Wan Yi loved. If memory served, Chu Wanning could handle spice. Only Pei Rong had a lower tolerance, so they’d order a couple of non-spicy dishes.

At 6:10, the three settled into a private room. Wan Yi, the last to arrive, pushed aside the curtain just as Chu Wanning was ordering.

Pei Rong greeted her: “Forensic Doctor Wan, sit here.”

“Thanks.” Wan Yi took the seat beside Pei Rong.

Pei Rong asked, “Five dishes in total. Forensic Doctor Wan, what do you like?”

“I’m easy.”

“I ordered her favorite, yuxiang shredded chicken.” “She likes yuxiang shredded chicken.” Chu Wanning and Nie Fanxin spoke simultaneously.

Pei Rong glanced at Chu Wanning, then at Nie Fanxin, and buried her face in the menu. “Oh. Let me add a vegetarian dish.”

She marked her selections, closed the menu, and handed it to the waiter standing beside them.

Nie Fanxin instructed, “Please have the food served as quickly as possible.”

Wan Yi hung her pea-green coat on the rack in the corner and asked Nie Fanxin casually, “Work later tonight?”

Nie Fanxin was sipping tea. Chu Wanning answered for her: “Mm, we need to watch Lan Hui. Fanxin and I will relieve Old Yang.”

Wan Yi nodded. “I’ll head home after dinner.”

Pei Rong, who’d been scrolling on her phone, looked up abruptly. “Forensic Doctor Wan, interested in a movie? New Marvel release.”

Wan Yi declined politely. “I have plans. My grandmother…”

Nie Fanxin cut in: “She’s going home to keep her grandmother company. Once the New Year’s holiday starts, I’ll go with you.”

Pei Rong muttered under her breath, “Ice queen.”

Wan Yi noticed the half-drunk Coke in front of Pei Rong and offered genuine concern: “Attorney Pei, cold drinks in this weather aren’t good for you.”

Achoo! Pei Rong covered her nose and mouth as two sneezes escaped her.

Nie Fanxin said with concern, “You’ve already caught a cold. Just give up the cold drinks for now.”

Pei Rong gave herself an out: “Fine, I won’t.”

The food arrived quickly. Sichuan hosts typically serve their guests, so the waiter had placed an extra pair of serving chopsticks on the table. At first, everyone served themselves. Midway through, Chu Wanning picked up the serving chopsticks. First, she added shredded chicken to Wan Yi’s bowl, then placed a piece of Nie Fanxin’s beloved spicy diced chicken for her, and finally scooped some stir-fried corn with green pepper for Pei Rong.

Pei Rong, still smarting from the earlier rejection, barely spoke during dinner, watching the three converse.

Chu Wanning asked first, “Xiaoyu, how’s your health been?”

Wan Yi set down her soup and replied, “Fine. Not many flare-ups.”

Nie Fanxin caught her in the act. “Says who? You had to visit the clinic last month.”

Wan Yi smiled warmly. “That was because I misplaced my meds.”

Chu Wanning refilled her soup. “You should carry extra, just in case.” She then served soup for Nie Fanxin and Pei Rong as well.

Around 7:30, the four finished their meal. As they parted ways, Pei Rong stared thoughtfully at Nie Fanxin and Chu Wanning’s retreating backs. Something felt off, but she couldn’t place it.