Chapter 15: The Crime Scene – The Death of a Beauty

The resolution of a major case brought a wave of relief to everyone in the Criminal Investigation Unit. Captain Cheng Fei decided to treat the team to a meal, both as a celebration and as a welcome for Fang Wenxuan’s arrival. The original plan was to go to a hotpot restaurant, but since both Fang Wenxuan and Lin Hui were still nursing some injuries, they opted for a health soup house instead.

Gathered around a round table, the group ate and drank together. Fang Wenxuan sat with Zheng Qiaoshan, who kept placing dishes onto his plate. “Wenxuan, eat more. You started working before fully recovering—you need to replenish your strength.”

“Qiaoshan, you’re acting like his mother,” teased He Xiaopeng from the side.

“Say that again, He Xiaopeng!” Zheng Qiaoshan glared at him.

“Qiaoshan, are you interested in Wenxuan? There are so many people here, yet you only serve him food,” He Xiaopeng continued with a grin.

Zheng Qiaoshan shot him an angry look. “What nonsense are you spouting?”

Lin Hui, sitting beside He Xiaopeng, watched Fang Wenxuan’s reaction. The young traffic cop’s face remained calm and unruffled. Zheng Qiaoshan was, after all, the police beauty of their unit.

After the meal, laughter and chatter accompanied the group back to the Criminal Investigation Unit.

Lin Hui settled at his desk and glanced at the empty seat opposite—Fang Wenxuan’s spot.

“Xiaopeng, have you seen where that guy Fang went?” Lin Hui asked as he approached He Xiaopeng’s desk.

“I think he went to the training hall,” He Xiaopeng replied, looking up from his computer.

Lin Hui headed toward the training hall. Before he arrived, the sound of gunshots echoed. Entering, Lin Hui saw Fang Wenxuan practicing his marksmanship with earnest concentration.

“Not bad. Last time, you scored ninety rings; this time, ninety-five,” Lin Hui said, stepping behind Fang Wenxuan.

Startled, Fang Wenxuan hadn’t expected Lin Hui to be there. He lowered his gun, turned, and looked at Lin Hui with a calm expression. “Thank you, senior.” With that, he turned to leave.

“Hey, why are you leaving as soon as I arrive? Why not train together? I can teach you a thing or two,” Lin Hui grabbed Fang Wenxuan’s arm.

“No need,” Fang Wenxuan replied coolly, recalling how Lin Hui had played tricks on him before. Who knew if Lin Hui was planning something again.

“Come on, the case is solved, the report is done. You’re a rookie; you should train more. You saw how ruthless those criminals were,” Lin Hui insisted, refusing to let go.

Unable to continue refusing, Fang Wenxuan resumed his marksmanship practice. Yet again, his score was ninety-five rings—not the full hundred, the minimum standard for a detective, which he had yet to achieve.

“Keep your hand straight, focus your eyes, and stand tall,” Lin Hui said suddenly, moving behind Fang Wenxuan. Wrapping his arms around him from behind, Lin Hui adjusted Fang Wenxuan’s posture and arm.

“Alright, fire.”

Just as Fang Wenxuan felt uncomfortable and was about to protest, Lin Hui’s voice sounded at his ear.

Bang, bang, bang, bang—Fang Wenxuan fired instinctively, and to his surprise, scored ninety-six rings.

“Concentrate. Try again!” Lin Hui urged.

Fang Wenxuan squeezed the trigger once more; the shots hit their mark, and this time, he achieved a perfect hundred rings.

Staring in disbelief at his hand, his gun, and the distant target, Fang Wenxuan was amazed.

“See, rookie? That’s a sharpshooter. Even holding someone else’s hand, I can hit a hundred rings. As for you... keep practicing!” Lin Hui said smugly, grinning at the stunned Fang Wenxuan.

With a flourish, Lin Hui turned and strode out of the training hall, leaving Fang Wenxuan gripping his gun tightly, glaring at the departing Lin Hui. He knew Lin Hui hadn’t come to teach him out of kindness—it was all for show.

But what could he do? Fang Wenxuan turned back to practice, but again, he could only manage ninety-five rings.

“Hui, what are you smiling about?” He Xiaopeng asked as Lin Hui entered the detective hall.

“Nothing,” Lin Hui replied, still grinning, as he took his seat. He recalled the rookie’s frustrated face after failing to improve further, despite his earnest practice. But such swift progress was impressive.

“Alright, everyone, no more chatting. Another case has occurred. Prepare to head to the scene,” suddenly, Cheng Fei announced loudly as he strode out of his office.

“Where’s Wenxuan?” Cheng Fei scanned the hall.

“He’s in the training hall,” He Xiaopeng replied.

“Notify him immediately,” Cheng Fei said, leading the way out.

He Xiaopeng quickly pulled out his phone to call Fang Wenxuan.

Lin Hui went to inform the forensics and medical departments.

Soon, the team hurried to the crime scene.

Fang Wenxuan’s heart leapt as he took in the sight of the beautiful woman lying on a black leather executive chair—such a cruel method of murder.

The woman’s face, pale as an infant’s, had two steel nails driven directly into her eyes. Another nail pierced her heart.

“It seems the nail in her heart is the fatal wound,” Qin Lian observed after examining the body.

“There’s a piece of paper under the nail in her heart. Are there words on it?” Cheng Fei asked, seeing the blood-soaked paper. “Can you still read the writing?”

“It’s saturated with blood now, so the writing isn’t clear. But the forensics team should be able to recover it,” Qin Lian replied.

“Who reported the case?” Cheng Fei turned to Lin Hui.

“I did,” replied a remarkably handsome man, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, stepping forward.

“Who are you? How did you discover the body?” Cheng Fei asked.

“I’m Su Qihang, engineer and workshop supervisor at Shengmao Machinery. She’s our boss’s daughter, Sheng Mingyin. We were supposed to be in a meeting at this time. I told her she had to attend, but she never showed up. So I came to find her, and then discovered…” Su Qihang paused, sorrow and regret evident as he looked at Sheng Mingyin.

“When was the last time you saw her alive?” Cheng Fei pressed.

“Around nine-fifty,” Su Qihang replied.

“How can you remember so precisely?” Cheng Fei asked, skeptical.

“Because our meeting was scheduled for ten sharp. I told her to prepare, then waited in the conference room. At five past ten, she still hadn’t arrived, so I came to find her—and found her like this…” Su Qihang said.

Cheng Fei nodded, continuing his questioning. “What was her position in the company? Did she have any enemies here?”

“She didn’t have a position yet. Her father sent her here to learn, so she was studying in the general manager’s office. As for enemies, I suppose only me. In this branch, I’m the only one she clashes with—her father asked me to look after her,” Su Qihang explained.

Fang Wenxuan listened carefully, scrutinizing Su Qihang before him. The man had a handsome, gentle demeanor and spoke with poise—he hardly seemed the type to be a murderer.

Cheng Fei fixed Su Qihang with his gaze. “Do you have an alibi?”

“Yes. Several workshop foremen were with me in the conference room, waiting for Sheng Mingyin to join us. They were here just now and should still be in the conference room.”

Cheng Fei nodded at Lin Hui, signaling him to keep watch over Su Qihang, then said to Fang Wenxuan, “Wenxuan, go to the conference room and question the foremen.”

Fang Wenxuan nodded and headed toward the conference room.

Upon entering, he found four men in identical uniforms.

“You’re the foremen from Shengmao Machinery?” Fang Wenxuan asked.

“Yes,” the four replied in unison, standing up.

“I’m a detective and have some questions for you,” Fang Wenxuan showed his credentials. “Sit down, no need to be nervous. They’re routine questions.”

He sat first and took out his notebook to record their statements.

“Did you all know the victim?” Fang Wenxuan asked.

“…Yes, she’s the daughter of the head office’s owner—we’d all heard about her,” one man answered.

“The head office is in S City. Why was she here? How long had she been at the factory?” Fang Wenxuan looked at him.

“Well, her father—our chairman—must have been at his wits’ end with her. She’s especially spoiled, so he sent her here. Only our supervisor could handle her…”

At this, the man was nudged by the one beside him.

Fang Wenxuan noted the glance—a clear signal to stop talking.

“Just now, you were waiting with your supervisor, Su Qihang, for her to join the meeting?” Fang Wenxuan changed the subject.

“Yes, Supervisor Su was with us,” the four replied almost simultaneously.

“Is it true that Su Qihang and Sheng Mingyin didn’t get along—like enemies?” Fang Wenxuan pressed.

“Who said that?” the shortest man among them stood abruptly, anger in his eyes.

“Su Qihang himself,” Fang Wenxuan said, smiling. “No need to shield your supervisor—he’s already said everything himself. If you protect him blindly, you may only harm him. Tell me, what kind of person is Su Qihang? And what about Sheng Mingyin?”

The four exchanged glances. The short man, who had answered before, addressed Fang Wenxuan. “My name is Guo Cheng, foreman of Workshop 1. Normally, someone my height wouldn’t get into such a big factory, but Supervisor Su saw my skills and hired me anyway. He’s genuinely a good person—he treats the workers well, even joins us on rush jobs, and finishes with us. As for Miss Sheng Mingyin, when she arrived, she made things difficult for Supervisor Su, constantly interfering and opposing him.”