The Brain Science Case 110

Chapter 110: Hibernating in the Dim Sunlight – 4

Cai Yuwei stared at the file, speechless for about two minutes.

“S-So this is why Jinglin couldn’t be selected…”

“She gets too emotionally involved when she’s investigating a case. I’ve always been worried that this would be used by a suspect, but,” Fang Zijun pointed to the mastermind on the whiteboard, “this is indeed the real reason.”

Li Yuejiao. Isn’t that Jinglin’s mother? Didn’t her mother die? Why is she now the head of this criminal organization?

He instantly heard the hidden meaning. “The chief didn’t recommend Jinglin to join? But didn’t the director just say…”

“That was just for show,” Zhou Zengxiang answered. “If I hadn’t comforted her like that, Officer Zhou would have probably found it even harder to accept.”

Because Li Yuejiao was the mastermind of a criminal organization, to avoid suspicion and to prevent infiltration… for all these reasons, the outstanding Jinglin had been eliminated in the first round.

Fang Zijun had not recommended her, and Zhou Zengxiang had done everything he could to exclude her.

“Senior Big Head, Dr. Tao, and… Teacher? You all knew?”

Lu Tingfeng and Tao Qianya both threw the pressure on her. She crossed her arms. “Ah, at least I knew Li Yuejiao wasn’t dead a long time ago.”

“But there was a test report…”

“We did a little something. The information Officer Zhou got was not complete… at least the part about the heparin found in the blood sample was removed.”

This meant that the entire division had colluded to deceive Zhou Jinglin.

Of all the people present, probably only he and Jian Minggui had just learned the whole story.

“Is this really okay? She’s been investigating…” he stammered, “trying to find out the real cause of her mother’s death, and in the end…”

“Although I don’t know Li Yuejiao’s intentions, I don’t think she would want to see her daughter become a member of the team that is investigating her criminal activities,” Yingli said, staring at the new face of Li Yuejiao on the screen. “What parent doesn’t want to leave a good impression in their child’s heart?”

From an angle she couldn’t see, Zhou Zengxiang’s body trembled slightly.

“Teacher…”

“And in terms of her physical condition, Li Yuejiao can’t hold on for much longer.” Perhaps it was the realization that her life was coming to an end, and some other unresolved reasons, that had pushed Li Yuejiao to take extreme measures.

“In any case, let’s get to work.”

“The teacher is right,” Fang Zijun quickly added. “Regarding the point the teacher just mentioned, we have already requested the medical records from the municipal hospital.”

Setting aside his surprise at learning the truth, Cai Yuwei slapped his face and sat down with the others.

“As the teacher said, from the medical records, Li Yuejiao is already in the final stages of liver cancer. If the diagnosis is correct, she can only live for another six months at most.”

“Six months may be the most optimistic estimate. Unless she uses a fake identity, no hospital will take her, and she probably doesn’t have the space or the time to receive proper treatment,” Tao Qianya said.

“A fake identity is no longer useful. Now, wherever she goes, she could be arrested immediately.” This was also the purpose of Zhou Zengxiang’s urgent launch of the special project.

“Ever since I found out she might not be dead, I’ve been thinking about two questions,” Yingli stared at another surgery that had been performed in the medical record, “one, she was in the hospital for so long before, why didn’t she have the cancer cells removed?” To be in the hospital for over a month and only have a minor surgery like a uterine fibroid, it just doesn’t make sense.

“Two, where did the blood that was used to stage the crime scene come from? Did she start planning this fake death a long time ago, so she drew her blood and saved it? Or did it come from another source?”

“Dr. Tang’s focus is very interesting,” Zhou Zengxiang walked to the whiteboard, “but our most urgent task now is to find out her real purpose as soon as possible, and the identity of the people who are helping her.”

“I think that by finding out the source of the stored blood and her situation during her hospitalization, we are already clarifying a part of her motive.” She crossed her legs. “As for who is helping her… Officer Zhou’s testimony can give us some clues.”

All eyes were on her.

“That person was the one who helped Li Yuejiao fake her death and escape and attacked Officer Zhou… and he was also her former cohabitant.”

Zhou Zengxiang’s face couldn’t help but darken slightly.

“I remember she said that person’s name was Wu Jianxiong, and he runs some businesses. The details still need to be confirmed.”

“But to ask Little Zhou again at such a sensitive time, is that appropriate?” Chen Huomu asked in confusion.

Fang Zijun suggested, “The teacher and Jinglin are living together. I wonder if we can use a probing method…”

“I’ve already hidden a lot of things from her. Besides, Officer Zhou and I just had an argument.” The implication was that she was not willing to get any more information from Jinglin.

But she quickly changed her tune. “But I think there are two people who know more details.”

“Who?”

“The owner of ‘Starry Night,’ Officer Zhou once asked her to help investigate Wu Jianxiong.”

Lu Tingfeng, who had met her before, immediately reacted. “Xu Shanni?”

“That’s right. As for the other one, it’s the person involved in Li Yuejiao’s fake death case.” Her rose-colored lips lifted, and she said to everyone, “Qian Hanliang.”

**

On the way to “Givenchy” in a service vehicle, Xiangrong couldn’t help but ask Jinglin, “Is that the club your senior’s mother used to run?”

“Yes.” She let out a muffled hum. “But I’ve never been in there, and I don’t even know her work situation, who she knew, what she did… I never asked.”

“Did your mother deliberately hide it from you?”

“To some extent. In any case, I’m completely unfamiliar with that place.”

But Xiangrong suddenly showed a knowing smile. “What are you laughing at?” Jinglin, who was sitting across from him, easily noticed this smile.

“Me?”

“Of course. What, you find it funny that I know nothing about my mom?” Jinglin was not immediately angry, but her tone was a little sharp.

“That’s not what I meant.” Xiangrong quickly apologized. “I just… can really relate to that feeling, senior.”

“Why?”

Xiangrong mentioned that he was an indigenous person. “My family lives in Taitung. When I was little, I barely saw my parents all year… my grandparents said they were both working in the north.”

“So that’s why you were transferred to Taipei?”

“That’s one of the reasons.” He smiled shyly, but this smile quickly turned to one of loss. “My grandparents were very good to us brothers, and they often said it was not easy for our parents to raise us, so we were all very hardworking. But without our parents’ care and companionship, we still felt that something was missing.

“Until the year I took the college entrance exam, and the results were just released, and I really got into the police university. I decided to tell them in person and give them a surprise.”

He took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind. “But when I found their place, I found that the address was fake. I called back and pressed them, and my grandmother finally told me that my mother worked at a massage parlor, and my dad worked at a construction site in the morning and drove the hostesses at night, what’s commonly called a ‘pimp’…”

His voice grew lower and lower, and Jinglin listened intently to the end. “I understand what you mean.”

“I was very sad for a while, but when we finally met, they apologized to me, because it wasn’t a very glorious job, but if they didn’t do it, how could they raise us four brothers? I finally came to terms with it. After all, they are still my parents. They went back to our hometown to farm last year, and they’re very happy.” He finally regained his usual smile. “I just wanted to say that parents always want to show their best side to their children, so I can understand your feelings.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“But you’re still very conflicted, aren’t you, senior? Does anyone in there know you?”

“Probably not… but someone must be suspicious.” Jinglin gave a wry smile. “My mom and I look very much alike.”

Xiangrong’s mouth dropped open, and he could imagine the awkward scene that was about to unfold.

When they arrived, two ambulances were already parked at the entrance of the club, and two police officers immediately went to check the identity of the injured and to understand the situation.

“Little Zhou, you just said this was your mother’s shop?”

She answered “yes,” “but I’ve never been in there.”

He had originally wanted her to lead the way. “Oh, alright, everyone, follow me.”

Stepping on the marble steps at the entrance, Jinglin looked at the exterior of “Givenchy.” If it weren’t for the sign, she would have almost thought it was a unique villa, located in the red-light district of Linsen North Road.

“I’m a detective from the Criminal Investigation Division.” The detective leading the team showed his ID to the bodyguard. “Someone just reported a brawl here. We need to go to the scene to investigate.”

He had expected the bodyguard to maliciously block them, but to his surprise, they were respectfully welcomed in, and their team of eight was thus guided to the scene.

The interior of “Givenchy” was spacious. Besides the main hall, there were also KTV rooms, a dance floor, a bar, and so on. The decoration was new and elegant, but not ostentatious or vulgar.

She remembered that Xu Shanni had once said that this place had been extensively renovated… it must have cost a lot of money.

They arrived at the private room, and the precinct police were searching. There were still bloodstains on the carpet, and the table and sofa were overturned, and wine was spilled all over the floor, which showed that the argument had been quite intense.

One of the men was dressed very stylishly, but the injuries on his hands and face made him look a little disheveled.

“Are you the one involved?”

“Yes.” The man cursed. “The other one ran away. You cops shouldn’t just arrest me. Damn it…”

After being questioned by the precinct police, the two people in the ambulance at the entrance were both his men, and they had been injured while protecting him during the brawl.

“Was anyone killed?”

“My second brother just got shot. He fell right here.”

A gun? His face was grim, and he looked at the floor but found no bloodstains. “Has anyone touched the scene?”

“Of course. Why don’t you ask the bodyguards who brought you in? There are so many private rooms and secret doors here. It’s not hard to get rid of a person.”

“Who did you argue with? Why did you come here?”

At this question, his expression was a little hesitant. “Well… ah, damn it. I was supposed to meet Master Xiong here. Of course, it was to talk business, but when I got here, we had only said a few words when I got angry, and our younger brothers started to fight…”

“Who did you just say?” At the mention of “Master Xiong,” Jinglin jumped out and grabbed him. “The person you were meeting was Wu Jianxiong?”

“Ah… I always call him Master Xiong… it hurts, it hurts.”

“Little Zhou, you know him?”

She gritted her teeth. “Wu Jianxiong is the one who took my mom from the crime scene.”

The murder case that had happened in Xinwu, Taoyuan, at the end of last year, everyone in the Criminal Investigation Division knew about it. “Are you sure?”

“I’ve checked. Master Xiong is him. Senior, let’s split up and search. Maybe we can find something special.”

“Okay, you stay here. Everyone, split up immediately.”

“No, I’m going to search too… if we don’t hurry, Wu Jianxiong will get away.”

Jinglin looked around the private room and found what looked like a handprint on the wall near the restroom. “There seems to be a hidden passage here.”

“Oh?”

Xiangrong also came to help. The two of them worked together to pull open a small door, and after passing through, it was another private room. “It seems the private rooms are connected.” She rushed out the door.

“Senior.”

Jinglin’s actions caused a stir, and even the bodyguards in the shop were taken aback by her and could only urgently contact others to come and help stop her.

After the brawl just now, the clients in the private room area seemed to have been evacuated to other places, but the other areas were still open for business. Jinglin followed the corridor to an elevator.

“Phew.” Xiangrong was chasing after her. “You’re so fast.”

“The basement… they’re leaving.” She pressed the button and found no response, then immediately pushed open the emergency door. “This way.”

Xiangrong was on edge and followed Jinglin down to the basement, taking two steps at a time.

Arriving at the basement, just as they were about to enter the parking lot, two men reached out and stopped her.

She heard the sound of an engine starting. “Get out of the way.”

“The shop has a rule that other guests cannot enter the parking lot from here.”

“We are detectives from the Criminal Investigation Division. You are obstructing official business.” Xiangrong tried to force his way in, but was still blocked.

Two cars quickly drove away, and Jinglin could only watch as the taillights of the luxury car disappeared.

“Are there other guests?” a smiling female voice came from behind the door, reaching Jinglin’s ears.

“Boss.”

“You two, step aside. I’ll take care of them.”

They stepped aside to let Dingdang pass. She stood at the door, blocking them, with a smile on her face, and at a glance, she could tell they were detectives.

“The police have actually found their way here. What’s wrong?”

She immediately matched the woman’s appearance with the image in her mind. “You… Dingdang.”

Dingdang was surprised, and after seeing Jinglin’s face clearly, she showed a playful smile. “It seems… it’s not an ordinary police officer who has come.”