Chapter 11: No Suspects Yet, Re-examining the Scene

Old Du clutched his porcelain mug and gulped down half a cup of strong tea in one go. "That's how it is, nothing suspicious. What about her boyfriend?"

Xia Jie shrugged. "He was just accompanying his girlfriend to Jiangzhou. He only met Zhou Xinyu twice."

While the interrogation room was busy, Xu Yang and Li Li were also hard at work. "Captain Lin, we've preliminarily verified what Sun Fangfang said, and it's mostly true."

Li Li took over from Xu Yang, "I contacted their high school homeroom teacher and a few classmates. Zhou Xinyu was beautiful, came from a well-off family, had excellent grades, and was very outgoing in high school. She got along well with her classmates. Both the teacher and classmates remember that Zhou Xinyu and Sun Fangfang were inseparable best friends back then. They were desk mates for two years and even got into Zhongnan University together."

"At the end of 2016, Sun Fangfang was transferred to Huzhou for work, but the two kept in touch frequently. Sun Fangfang wasn't exaggerating; they were indeed extremely close friends."

Old Du took the documents handed to him by Xu Yang and flipped through them. "From this perspective, it makes sense that Zhou Xinyu appeared normal in front of everyone else but only mentioned suicidal thoughts to Sun Fangfang."

Everyone nodded subconsciously, agreeing with Old Du's assessment. Only Lin Che remained silent, arms crossed, leaning against the table, staring at the WeChat chat records between Zhou Xinyu and Sun Fangfang projected on the screen. The arrival of Zhou Yun and Da Zhuang interrupted Lin Che's contemplation. Da Zhuang snatched the large porcelain mug from Old Du's hands and took several big gulps of tea. Zhou Yun, while filling his water bottle, asked, "I saw Zhou Xinyu's grandparents in the courtyard. Did they remember any clues?"

Everyone looked puzzled. Lin Che walked to the window and indeed saw the two elderly people, bundled in thick down jackets, standing in the courtyard. "Xu Yang, go check."

After speaking, Lin Che turned to Zhou Yun and Da Zhuang. "What's the situation on your end?"

Da Zhuang handed the mug back to Old Du, wiped his mouth, and said, "According to our investigation, the comic website has been struggling financially for the past two years. If it weren't for Xiao Yumao, a popular artist, the site would likely have gone bankrupt already."

Li Li clapped his hands. "If Xiao Yumao were to terminate her contract, it would be a devastating blow to the site. Wang Qiong has a motive!"

Zhou Yun walked over and patted Li Li on the shoulder, dousing his enthusiasm. "But he doesn't have the opportunity."

"Huh?"

"The comic website and a short video platform are co-hosting a competition. Wang Qiong, as the editor-in-chief, went to Yucheng half a month ago. We've verified that he's been working with the judging panel the entire time and hasn't returned to Jiangzhou."

"We asked the local police in Yucheng to question Wang Qiong. He admitted to saying some harsh things but claimed it was just emotional outbursts and that he didn't actually intend to harm Zhou Xinyu. Captain Lin, should we bring him back for further questioning?"

Lin Che thought for a moment. "Da Zhuang, you two go handle it."

"Got it, Captain Lin."

Xu Yang led Zhou Xinyu's grandparents into the room. In just one day, the elderly couple's mental state had visibly deteriorated. "Captain Lin, the grandparents want to see Zhou Xinyu again..." Xu Yang had asked and found out that the elderly couple missed their granddaughter but were afraid of causing trouble for the police, so they had been hesitating in the cold courtyard about whether to come in. "Captain Lin, I just want to see Xinyu again, to talk to her. Once she's cremated, I won't be able to see her anymore..." The old lady spoke, tears streaming from her sunken eyes. The pain and heartbreak in her expression made everyone feel deeply saddened. "Captain Lin, we don't really understand the rules. If this isn't allowed, we'll leave right away."

Zhou Xinyu's grandfather spoke up. "It's fine. Please sit down and have some tea. I'll have someone arrange it," Lin Che said, glancing at Li Li, who immediately understood and went to the forensics team to ask Liang Ke for assistance. "Thank you, thank you," the old lady repeated several times, bowing slightly, her silver-white hair trembling.

The two elderly people took small stools and sat on either side of the freezer, their eyes filled with pain and love, as if they weren't looking at a cold corpse but their beloved granddaughter. "Xinyu, are you cold?" "Last night, the housekeeper made your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs. Your grandfather was too sad to eat a single bite." "Grandma dreamed of you last night. You were wearing that flower dress from when you were little, and I took you to the park..."

Liang Ke glanced at her young apprentice, who had just joined the police force this year. The kid kept wiping his tears with the back of his hand. Even Liang Ke, a seasoned forensic expert who had handled hundreds of cases, felt her heart ache listening to the old lady's murmurs.

The elderly couple stayed until nightfall before Lin Che arranged for someone to take them home. Earlier, Xu Yang had checked the grandparents' background. Both were retired teachers, reasonable and understanding. They thanked everyone they met and, despite their grief, tried not to cause any trouble. Zhou Xinyu's tendency to avoid burdening others likely stemmed from this upbringing.

After a day of investigation, no useful leads had been found, and the atmosphere in the office was heavy. Lin Che took out some money and had Li Li order late-night snacks for everyone. Li Li, holding a takeout box, pushed open the door to Room 1209 with his hip, stuffing food into his mouth as he spoke. "Captain Lin, this fried rice is amazing. You sure you don't want any?"

Online criticism was growing louder. That afternoon, some of Xiao Yumao's fans had even caused a scene at the Binjiang Road police station. The pressure was mounting, especially for Lin Che, who had no appetite for late-night snacks. As of now, there was still no concrete evidence to determine whether Zhou Xinyu's death was a suicide or a homicide. The nature of the case remained unclear, which was the most frustrating part.

Lin Che's desk was piled with materials—Xiao Yumao's comic books, various documents Xu Yang had gathered, on-site investigation records, forensic reports, witness statements... His task was to find a crucial thread amidst this tangled web and unravel the truth.

Lin Che put down the documents in his hand and grabbed his car keys. "Come with me to the scene again."

"Huh?!" Li Li looked up, confused, a strand of fried rice still hanging from the corner of his mouth. "Now?"

"Yeah, I'll wait for you in the courtyard."

The previous on-site investigation had been conducted during the day, but Zhou Xinyu's suicide had occurred at night. Since they were stuck, it made sense to revisit the scene under similar conditions. "Right away!" Li Li stuffed the remaining half-box of fried rice into his mouth and hurried after Lin Che, nearly choking himself.

Binjiang Heart Apartments.

The cold moonlight cast a pale glow on the light gray exterior of the apartment building. The hallway was eerily quiet, the creak of the door to the 27th-floor stairwell particularly pronounced. A figure in a baseball cap emerged, crouching slightly and glancing around to ensure the corridor was empty. The person gently lifted the police tape and slipped inside.