Chapter 16: This Man Is the Most Suspicious

“I believe this person is the prime suspect.”

Seated in the back of a black Santana 2000, Zhou Yi pointed to a personnel file in his hand as he spoke.

This Santana 2000 was the case vehicle of the Third Squad, commonly used by detectives on undercover assignments.

Interestingly, the Santana 2000 model was actually produced in 1995, though its year of manufacture was largely irrelevant.

Chen Yan was driving, with Wu Yongcheng sitting in the front passenger seat.

They picked up Zhou Yi in front of the hospital, and Wu Yongcheng handed over the files of several medical staff who had worked the day shift to Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi glanced over the documents Wu Yongcheng passed to him.

“Zhang Xinli, thirty-one years old, unmarried, from Zhangjia Village in Quyang County. She graduated from a health school and started as a nurse at a community hospital, transferring three years later to City Third Hospital.”

“Why do you think she is the most suspicious?”

“There were six people on duty in the emergency department’s day shift yesterday—two doctors and four nurses. The two doctors, one male and one female, can be partially excluded. First, the male doctor.”

Wu Yongcheng glanced at Zhou Yi through the rearview mirror. “You’re still convinced the culprit is a woman?”

Zhou Yi nodded but said, “I ruled out the male doctor not because he’s a man, but because he didn’t have the opportunity to commit the crime. He was the doctor treating my grandfather, so I have a strong impression of him. When I left the hospital, he was still in his office.”

“As for the female doctor, she’s over forty, married with children, and her husband works in the military. It’s almost impossible she’s involved in any romantic entanglement with the victim.”

“Among the remaining three nurses, Huang Qin is a native of Baicheng. Judging by her parents’ workplaces, her family is relatively well-off, and she likely lives with them. Under such circumstances, it would be difficult to dispose of the weapon or blood-stained clothing without being noticed, and the time frame would be too exposed.”

Wu Yongcheng nodded; this aligned perfectly with his initial impressions upon seeing the files.

“What about Liu Qi? She’s from neighboring Wuguang City, lives alone in Baicheng, renting a place not far from the hospital. She would definitely walk home after work, so she has the opportunity to commit the crime.”

As Wu Yongcheng spoke, he habitually reached into his pocket but found it empty.

“Xiao Chen, where’s my cigarette?”

Chen Yan, driving, was momentarily stunned. “What cigarette?”

“Didn’t Zhou Yi ask you to buy me some?”

Just then, a fresh pack of Da Qianmen cigarettes was handed to Wu Yongcheng.

He turned to see Zhou Yi smiling cheerfully at him.

“Look at him, take a leaf out of Zhou Yi’s book,” Wu Yongcheng said as he accepted the cigarettes.

Chen Yan was a bit bewildered, feeling as if he were the newcomer.

---

“Hey, there’s one cigarette missing. Did you smoke it?”

Zhou Yi shook his head. “No, I don’t smoke. That cigarette was taken care of for some errand.”

He thought to himself that Wu Captain was truly fond of smoking—he even noticed when a single cigarette was missing.

Wu Yongcheng lit a cigarette and raised his eyebrows in enjoyment.

“Liu Qi does have the means to commit the crime, but the reason I didn’t place her first is quite simple.”

“What’s that?”

“Age.”

“Age?”

“Liu Qi is twenty-three, two years younger than Du Xiaolin. At her age, she’s just at the prime marrying age, which usually means she’s not in a rush to marry. Even if she had emotional issues, it’s rare for her to go to extremes.”

“If she were just newly of age, with immature judgment and little social experience, she might be more prone to impulsive extremes.”

“But she graduated from health school and has worked for four years, gaining some social experience. At this age, emotional setbacks often bring sorrow, but planning and executing a murder is unlikely.”

“So by your logic, Zhang Xinli must be more mentally mature,” Chen Yan asked.

Wu Yongcheng shook his head slightly, having grasped Zhou Yi’s reasoning.

“No!” Zhou Yi denied. “Zhang Xinli is thirty-one. At this age, the biggest emotional issue is sunk cost.”

“Sunk what?” Wu Yongcheng asked, puzzled.

“It’s a financial term. Simply put, women at this age have invested a significant amount of time, energy, and even money in their relationships—costs that can’t be recovered. So they find it much harder to accept a breakup or divorce.”

“As they age, their options become fewer, so when faced with betrayal or abandonment, they’re more prone to extreme reactions.”

Thirty-one, for the newer generation—especially urban young women—wasn't considered late, but in the 1990s, even in cities, such a woman was seen as a spinster.

In rural areas, a woman in her early thirties unmarried would be constantly teased and judged.

Wu Yongcheng agreed wholeheartedly with Zhou Yi’s analysis; from this perspective, Zhang Xinli was indeed a more likely suspect than Liu Qi.

“Xiao Chen, drive to Zhang Xinli’s home.”

Chen Yan chuckled, “Just three blocks ahead.”

“That soon?”

“Boss, I’m no fool. The moment Zhou Yi spoke, I was already heading in that direction.”

---

“Good lad, you’ve got good instincts.”

Though Chen Yan was not as mature or sharp as Zhou Yi, Wu Yongcheng was quite satisfied with his apprentice of two years. Chen was dependable and steady—perhaps not adept at reading subtle cues—but precisely such a person would stick to principles.

If Wu Yongcheng paired up with Zhou Yi, the two would make an excellent team.

He had already decided that regardless of whether this case was solved within twenty-four hours, Zhou Yi would be made a permanent member.

Soon, the three arrived at the address listed for Zhang Xinli—a relatively new residential complex.

“Captain Wu, do hospitals provide housing?” Zhou Yi asked.

“As far as I know, no. At most, they offer dormitories. Hospitals are limited in scale; they’re nothing like large state-owned enterprises like steel mills.”

Following the building numbers, they found themselves on the fifth floor of a certain block.

Wu Yongcheng led the way, with Zhou Yi close behind.

As they passed the third-floor landing, Zhou Yi noticed Wu Yongcheng’s footsteps pause briefly.

“Captain Wu, what’s wrong?” he asked, alert.

“Xiao Chen, is it apartment 501 or 502?” The building had two apartments per floor.

“501,” Chen Yan answered.

Wu Yongcheng glanced at Zhou Yi and pointed ahead.

Zhou Yi looked up to see a large red "Double Happiness" character pasted prominently on the door marked 501.

His brow furrowed. Had he misjudged the case?

Wu Yongcheng reached the door and knocked.

After a few seconds, a woman’s voice asked, “Who is it?”

“We’re from the city bureau’s criminal investigation division. Is Zhang Xinli home?”

After a moment, the door opened, revealing a woman in pajamas, still drowsy. She looked at them with a hint of puzzlement.

“I’m Zhang Xinli. What can I do for you?”