The Brain Science Case 37

Chapter 37: The Body That Vanished in a Bloody Foam – 3

“What are you doing here?”

“In case you need backup, I can provide support from near the entrance,” Jinglin said with a wink, moving closer to him. “I was just talking to one of the hostesses who was on a break. I heard some things about the victim.”

“Okay, we’ll talk about it back at the station.” Lu Tingfeng discreetly pushed her back. “We won’t disturb your business any longer.”

The owner of “Starry Night” was a few beats behind in her response. “Oh, take care.” Until they left, her eyes were still on Jinglin.

Jian Minggui didn’t miss this detail. “Does Little Zhou know that owner?”

She shook her head. “No, it’s the first time I’ve seen her.”

“What are you talking about, Ah Gui? Little Zhou is a woman. I’ve never heard of a woman going to a club,” Lu Tingfeng said, giving Jian Minggui a nudge. “She probably mistook Little Zhou for someone else, right?”

Her face was clearly reflected on her phone screen. She looked up and answered cheerfully, “Yes, she must have been mistaken.”

It was already past ten when they returned to the station, but the atmosphere in the office was tense, no less so than during the investigation of a major crime.

Cai Yuwei was still staring wide-eyed, replaying the two sets of surveillance footage. Something had been discovered in the chief’s office, and several people, including Tang Yingli, were in a heated discussion. And Tao Qianya, who had been urgently called back to the station, had just put on his white coat to begin the autopsy.

She wanted to stay and investigate with everyone, but she knew that if she did, Li Yuejiao would probably wait up for her until she came home.

“I’m sorry, Senior Big Head, I have to go…”

“Right, it’s so late.” The clock pointed to 10:15. Lu Tingfeng sighed. “You came with the teacher, right? I’ll go tell the chief.”

A short while later, Tang Yingli came out, looking tired, and the two of them left the office together.

“You all seemed to be in a heated discussion.”

“Yes, we unexpectedly found another related case.”

Jinglin frowned. “Huh?”

“A case with a similar victim and M.O. that happened at the beginning of this year, over nine months ago.”

“So this isn’t his first time?” She quickly organized the information she had in her head and let out a “tsk.”

“No.” Tang Yingli glanced at her. “What about you?”

“The seniors managed to get some information on the clients who had contact with the victim. As for me, I was inexplicably yelled at by one of the hostesses there. The victim wasn’t very popular among the other hostesses.”

“It’s not new for women to be catty with each other, especially in a competitive business environment. The human brain is exceptionally sensitive to distinguishing between friend and foe. Even a two-year-old knows not to give their toys to someone who has bullied them before.”

Jinglin looked at her suspiciously. “What’s wrong? What I said is based on facts…”

“No, I just felt like I was being subtly jabbed by what you just said.”

“You’re overthinking it.” Tang Yingli let out a small laugh. “I’ve long forgotten all your rude interrogations of me, like when you thought I was an accomplice, or that it was a double-cross… and you had a lot of opinions about my academic and professional background, I don’t remember any of it.”

“Ugh, how long are you going to hold a grudge?” So catty.

She grinned. “Ha, just kidding.”

Getting into the car, Tang Yingli kicked off her high heels again. “Sigh, not only did I get fat from lying around for so many days, but my stamina has also gotten worse.” She was clearly tired and quickly reclined her seat.

Jinglin was about to take out her phone to let Li Yuejiao know she was on her way when she suddenly remembered— “By the way, you haven’t had dinner, have you, Teacher?”

“No. I didn’t even feel hungry until you mentioned it. It’s so late, what should I eat?” she muttered to herself. “All I have is instant noodles and microwave fried rice…”

Jinglin paused for a moment, sent a message, and quickly got a reply from her mother. “My mom said it’s no problem. Let’s go.”

“What’s no problem?”

“I said I was inviting a neuroscientist home for dinner. She said okay.”

Tang Yingli looked surprised. “That’s not a good idea, is it? Will it be too much trouble?”

“It’s no trouble. My mom has already cooked, and I can’t finish it all by myself. You haven’t been to my place yet, and my mom sometimes mentions you. She thinks it’s thanks to you that we were able to resolve our issues.”

Li Yuejiao must still remember her proactive greeting. “Your aunt is too kind. Honestly…” Tang Yingli chuckled.

“But my mom’s cooking is only average, so I hope a picky eater like you won’t mind. Also, I live on the fifth floor, and you have to take the stairs.”

“What are you talking about? You make me sound so picky. A few flights of stairs is nothing.” She closed her eyes with a smile. “Then I’ll be intruding.”

**

Although it was a late dinner, Tang Yingli’s arrival made the atmosphere particularly lively and pleasant.

“I’m so sorry. I was short on time. I was originally going to make some turnip cakes.” Li Yuejiao smiled shyly. “Is it okay?”

Tang Yingli shook her head. “This is great. I’m the one who’s intruding. Thank you, Auntie, and Officer Zhou, for the invitation.”

Jinglin efficiently cleared the dishes. She wanted to help but was shooed away.

“I’ll take care of this. You go keep Teacher Tang company.” She was kicked out of the kitchen by her mother. When she came out, they looked at each other, and Jinglin shrugged helplessly.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“Don’t be so polite. This is fine.”

“How about some red wine?”

At the mention of the keyword, Tang Yingli’s eyes instantly lit up. “Red wine?”

“Yes. Like you, my mom is also very picky about her wine… Mom, didn’t you buy some red wine before? Can you bring it out for the teacher?”

“Oh, sure.”

Taking out a corkscrew, Jinglin opened the bottle with practiced ease. “My mom had a wine merchant she knows buy it for her. This is this year’s new wine. Please.”

“Then I won’t be polite.” Tang Yingli expertly swirled the glass, observed the color, and after smelling the aroma, took a sip. “Mm, the tannins aren’t too tight, and the sweetness and aroma are very broad… it’s very good.” She smiled and took another small sip.

“Really? That’s good.”

“Huh, you’re not having any?” Jinglin had only taken one glass.

“I don’t drink. But you really like red wine, don’t you, Teacher?”

“Yes, you know?”

“Your brother mentioned it to me when you were in the hospital.”

“That big mouth.” Tang Yingli pouted. “But I didn’t know you didn’t drink until today.”

“Don’t forget I still have to drive later.” Jinglin looked out the window, and after a moment of silence, she brought up the case again. “About this case, what do you think, Teacher?”

“If it were an isolated case, I might have judged it to be a crime of passion. But now there are two cases, and after discussion, I’m more inclined to think that the killer is deliberately targeting a specific profession.”

“A specific… profession?”

“Yes.” She let out a delicate hiccup. “Targeting the nightlife industry. The victims in both cases were club hostesses.”

Jinglin tensed and instinctively glanced at Li Yuejiao, who was washing dishes in the kitchen.

“…The two victims are very different in age, and compared to the second case, the first one feels more like a crime of passion, committed to vent emotions.”

A crime of passion, or an “impulsive crime,” refers to a crime committed in a state of anger and loss of reason.

“You also used that term in your student’s case before.”

“Yes… but the second one was clearly premeditated. You just said the victim didn’t seem to be popular with the other hostesses. If you think about it, that could also be an important clue.” She tilted her head back and finished the half-glass of red wine.

“Because the victim checked in alone.”

“Right. And to be frank, I judged the perpetrator to be male based on experience. In reality, given the state of the scene, a woman could have done it too.”

“But what about the first case?” Jinglin’s lips were pressed into a thin line. “Was that also committed by a woman?”

Tang Yingli’s expression clearly faltered. “Then we have to consider the possibility of a copycat… if the case that happened in January was well-known enough.”

“Oh, that just makes things more complicated.”

She smiled faintly. “In any case, these are all just speculations for now. I believe the autopsy report and the surveillance cameras will provide further clues. There might also be some useful information from the club…”

“Maybe. But we can’t be sure if it was a client who did it.” Jinglin wrinkled her nose and glanced at her empty wine glass. “Another glass?”

“Of course.”

Li Yuejiao, having finished cleaning up, came out of the kitchen, and the two of them tacitly ended their discussion. In the end, it was Tang Yingli and Li Yuejiao who were drinking together.

“Really? So you’re already thirty-four…” Li Yuejiao covered her mouth. “You don’t look it at all.”

“This baby face of mine has fooled so many people over the years,” Tang Yingli said with a wry smile. “The most ridiculous thing is that every time I go to a convenience store to buy alcohol in the States, they have to check my ID. And at work, too. A rookie who is clearly greener than me will ask me, ‘Do you know how to do this?’ It’s so infuriating.” She huffed and took a big gulp.

“So that’s why you don’t like being called young?”

Tang Yingli’s expression was serious as she nodded. “Yes. So I’m determined to become an auntie.”

So that’s why. Jinglin couldn’t help but laugh. When she looked again, her wine glass was empty. “You can really drink, Teacher. Want more?”

“No, thank you. Two glasses of red wine a day is just right for a woman. Any more is bad for your health.” She put down her wine glass. “Thank you for the wine.”

“Huh? You can only drink two glasses a day?” Li Yuejiao covered her lips.

“Yes. A small amount of alcohol can have health benefits, but an excessive amount is harmful to brain cells.”

“Then I must have drunk way too much.” Meeting Tang Yingli’s probing gaze, she smiled faintly and explained, “No, it was just for work before… mostly drinking with others.”

“When I was in the States, I would also have a drink with some of the old professors or agents. That’s when I developed an interest in wine tasting… by the way, since you know so much about wine, Auntie, how come Officer Zhou didn’t inherit any of it?” she asked with a playful wink.

“I just don’t want to drink,” Jinglin said in a flat tone, looking up at the clock. “Oh, it’s 11:30.”

“I’ve overstayed my welcome.” Tang Yingli stood up gracefully. “Thank you for your hospitality, Auntie. I had a wonderful time tonight.”

“Not at all. I should be thanking you for taking care of our Jinglin. It’s her good fortune to have a friend as knowledgeable as you.”

“Mom, what are you talking about? The teacher and I…”

“Officer Zhou and I are just work partners,” Tang Yingli said, pushing up her glasses and smiling at Li Yuejiao. “But we learn from each other. I don’t always take care of Officer Zhou. More often than not, she’s the one helping me.”

“Ah, that’s good too…”

“Mom, I’ll drive the teacher home. I’m just going to change.” She gave them a forced smile and went into her room with her suit jacket.

Closing the door, she lowered her head, her ears filled with Tang Yingli’s words from just now—

‘Officer Zhou and I are just work partners.’

“So we’re just partners?” she muttered, then laughed at herself. “Work partners…”

This answer was clearly Tang Yingli’s style. It was nothing. To care too much would just make her seem overly sensitive. She convinced herself of this and quickly took off her shirt.