Chapter 19: It's All in the Details

Under what circumstances would a woman marry a man she neither loves nor even dislikes? Zhou Yi had yet to figure this out, especially since the man in question was neither handsome nor well-off. That was why he hadn’t voiced these thoughts earlier—he feared they might mislead the investigation.

“If you put it that way, I just thought of a possibility,” Wu Yongcheng said.

“You mean to suggest that Zhang Xinli might be sleeping in a separate room from her husband?” Zhou Yi asked.

“Exactly. When we entered, both bedroom doors were closed; we couldn’t see inside.”

“If they really do sleep separately, then Zhang Xinli’s alibi collapses,” Zhou Yi nodded. “So, it’s absolutely necessary to have a thorough talk with her newlywed husband.”

“Right. Once we arrive, I’ll first greet the station chief and ask for a convenient place to conduct the questioning.”

“That has to be you, Wu, with your extensive connections.”

“Cut the nonsense. Anything else?”

Wu Yongcheng was clearly referring to Zhou Yi’s observations.

“There is.”

“Really? I just asked casually. Are you some kind of detective, kid?”

Zhou Yi smiled. “I’m just a temp. It’s Wu here who’s the real detective with capable leadership.”

“Spill it, don’t keep me hanging.”

“I noticed that the bathtub in Zhang Xinli’s home had been recently cleaned.”

“What’s strange about that? Bathtubs are for bathing.”

Hearing this, Zhou Yi realized Wu probably didn’t have a bathtub at home. Whether in the 1990s or the twenty-first century, anyone who installed a bathtub with hopeful expectations rarely used it for soaking after the first few times. On the contrary, it was sometimes repurposed temporarily to raise fish—something Zhou Yi had done himself.

“Wu, bathtubs aren’t very practical. The shower in Zhang Xinli’s home was added later; you can tell from the puncture marks in the wall.”

“A bathtub that isn’t used for a long time, but has a showerhead above it, will develop a ring of splatter-like limescale around it.”

“Limescale is tough to remove once it forms. Even if the bathtub is occasionally used for bathing, the residue rarely disappears.”

“But the bathtub in Zhang Xinli’s house felt very clean and smooth to the touch, clearly just cleaned.”

Wu Yongcheng asked, “Maybe she’s just very tidy? Her house does seem quite neat.”

“No, the edges of the washbasin have obvious limescale deposits.”

Zhou Yi’s remark gave Wu Yongcheng pause. He was struck by how Zhou Yi could notice such subtle details during a mere minute or two in the bathroom. Could it be true, as Zhou Yi claimed, that he had been a detective in a past life?

“So you’re saying she used the bathtub to wash something,” Wu Yongcheng said.

Zhou Yi nodded. “Yes, and after washing it, she had to scrub the entire bathtub thoroughly to feel at ease.”

“Bloodstained clothes!” they said in unison.

As they spoke, the car stopped. Wu Yongcheng looked up—the power supply station. Zhang Xinli’s husband, Wang Youfu, was an electrician at the district power supply station, thirty-five years old. In the 1990s, being unmarried at that age almost meant you were a confirmed bachelor. Judging from their wedding photos, Wang Youfu was quite average-looking, noticeably less attractive compared to Zhang Xinli.

In earlier times, many people held traditional views, unlike the more enlightened younger generation later on. Marriage and childbearing were deeply ingrained societal expectations. Those who remained bachelors were typically unattractive, poor, or had personality flaws.

Zhou Yi was certain that the man connected to Zhang Xinli and Du Xiaolin was not Wang Youfu, but someone else entirely.

Wu Yongcheng seemed to have been here before; he confidently led them through the power station building straight to the station chief’s office.

“Knock, knock, knock,” Wu Yongcheng rapped on the door.

Zhou Yi wondered since when the detective captain had become so brazen.

“Come in,” a voice called from within.

Wu Yongcheng pushed open the door and loudly greeted, “Chief, hope all is well.”

Inside, a middle-aged man seated behind the desk looked up and immediately stood to greet them.

“Well, if it isn’t our Captain Wu! What breeze blew you here?”

“Checking on your corrupt practices,” Wu Yongcheng joked with a smile.

Their good-natured exchange clearly indicated a close relationship; otherwise, such banter between a station chief and a detective captain would be unthinkable.

“Alright, if I were corrupt, you’d be the one to catch me,” the burly chief laughed.

“Whether or not I catch you is another matter, but with a belly that size, I’d say you’re bound to fall into the hands of the triad sooner or later,” Wu Yongcheng said, patting the man’s stomach.

“Ha! You’re late. I already have high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol—can’t help it, age catches up.”

“Come off it, you just drink too much.”

As they joked, they settled onto the sofas on the west side of the office. The chief skillfully began preparing tea, pouring hot water from a thermos.

“Zhou Yi, this is Old Lu, Lu Changjiang, the chief of the Qingshan District power supply station. Wu and I were comrades in the army; he used to bunk below me,” Wu Yongcheng introduced.

So Wu was a former soldier—something Zhou Yi hadn’t known.

“Chief Lu, I’m Zhou Yi, Wu’s subordinate,” Zhou Yi said, deliberately pausing to see if Wu would react.

Seeing no response, he felt assured his position in the city bureau’s criminal investigation team was secure.

“Following him must be tough; he’s known for being difficult since his military days,” Lu teased.

“You don’t know, Captain Wu’s been great to me—very trusting.”

Lu widened his eyes in disbelief. “What? Him? Did I hear that right?”

Wu Yongcheng replied calmly, “That’s because Zhou Yi is exceptional.”

“Ah, young man, it’s rare to hear praise from Wu’s mouth—good, very promising.”

“Alright, onto business. Is there an electrician at your station named Wang Youfu?”

Lu nodded. “Sounds familiar. Why? Has he done something wrong?”

“No, just need to ask him some questions. You know the details—I can’t say here.”

“Sure, I understand—disciplinary matters.”

“Should I call Wang Youfu over? You can talk here; I’ll step out.”

Wu Yongcheng started to stand, but Lu waved him off.

“No rush. First, I want to learn more about him from you.”

“Sure, ask anything. I’ll cooperate fully.”

“How is Wang Youfu as a person?”

“Works well, one of the better electricians here. But personality-wise, he’s a bit of a loner, not much of a talker. That’s why he’s still single at thirty-five.”

“The key thing is, he refuses every matchmaker’s proposal without even looking. Strange, right?”

Wu Yongcheng exchanged a glance with Zhou Yi; neither seemed surprised.

Zhou Yi was nearly certain that Wang Youfu was merely a backup option for Zhang Xinli.