Chapter 24: A Clumsy Performance

When Wu Yongcheng and Zhou Yi returned to the bureau with their team, they ran into Chen Yan, who had just come back.

"Master, I checked Du Xiaolin’s bank account, but there were no records of any large transactions."

"However, her mother mentioned that during the Chinese New Year two months ago, Du Xiaolin gave her eight thousand yuan to deposit, claiming it was a bonus from the hospital. I checked with the hospital, and they never issued any such bonus. In other words, the source of this money is unknown."

"I also checked Du Xiaolin’s bedroom. There were many high-end cosmetics with English packaging and shopping bags. I took some photos; they appear to be luxury brands."

"Any word from Biaozi and Xiao Qiao?" Wu asked.

Zhou Yi fully supported Wu’s tactical deployment. If Zhang Xinli were the killer, she would need to dispose of at least three things after the murder: the weapon, the blood-stained clothes, and the shoes used for disguise.

The shoes were likely Wang Youfu’s, as the size would match perfectly. Given Zhou Yi’s discovery that the bathtub had been scrubbed, it was highly probable that Zhang had washed the bloody clothes and shoes overnight. This meant that even if they found these items, it would be uncertain whether Du Xiaolin’s blood could still be detected on them. Furthermore, Wu could not obtain a search warrant for Zhang’s home based solely on speculation.

The murder weapon was, therefore, the most crucial piece of physical evidence. While a weapon could also be cleaned, there were always intricate details difficult to scrub thoroughly without professional chemical agents. Moreover, forensics could match the wounds on the victim to the weapon to confirm its identity.

There were only two possibilities for what Zhang did with the weapon: either she discarded it on the road after fleeing the scene, or she brought it home to dispose of later. Wu’s arrangement for a blanket search and surveillance was specifically aimed at locating this key evidence. Especially now that the police had visited, Zhang would be even more desperate to get rid of it.

Chen Yan replied, "Sister Qiao is still watching. She said Zhang Xinli hasn't left the house, though her husband did return."

"No news from Brother Biao yet; he’s probably still searching. The area is quite large, after all."

"If you're short on manpower, have him ask the local precinct for help. Build good relationships with the grassroots; don't be so rigid."

"Understood." Chen Yan nodded and pointed toward the interrogation room. "Master, do you need me in there?"

"No, just Zhou Yi. He’s more familiar with this case. By the way, check the status of the summons for Zhang Xinli and Wang Youfu. Once the approval comes through, bring them in immediately."

***

Before entering the room, Wu said, "Zhou Yi, you handle the questioning."

"Understood. Thank you for your trust, Captain Wu."

Zhou Yi knew Wu wanted to test his professional competence. An interview room was different from an interrogation room; the former was for questioning people involved in a case, making the atmosphere naturally less tense and oppressive.

Once inside, Zhou Yi identified himself and Wu, then asked for the basic information of Zhu Xuejun, adhering to standard procedure. Zhou Yi went straight to the point with his first question.

"Do you know Du Xiaolin?"

"Du Xiao..." Zhu Xuejun looked thoughtful. "Oh, I remember now. I heard them talking about it when I arrived at the hospital this morning. The nurse who was killed in the ER, right? My goodness, I’ve long suggested to the security department that the safety of medical staff must be prioritized, we need to..."

"Zhu Xuejun!" Zhou Yi said sternly. "Please answer my question directly."

The man was stunned. "I... I suppose I know her. We are all colleagues, after all."

"And what about Zhang Xinli? What is your relationship with her?"

Zhu’s expression shifted violently at the mention of that name.

"Just a colleague."

"Just a colleague?" Zhou Yi stared at him with a scrutinizing gaze.

Zhu raised his hand, using the pretext of scratching an itch to wipe a bead of sweat from his temple. "Ah, yes... just a normal colleague."

Zhou Yi pulled out a photocopy and placed it in front of him.

"A 'normal colleague' gets a transfer of fifty thousand yuan? That’s a decade’s worth of income for an average steelworker. Director Zhu, you’re quite generous. Don’t tell me this was a loan."

Zhu clearly hadn't expected the police to uncover this. Faced with the bank record, he knew excuses were futile.

He let out a long sigh. "Fine, I admit it. I have... lapses in my personal conduct. I was once drunk and seduced by Zhang Xinli, and things happened that shouldn't have. Later, she used that to harass and threaten me, demanding to be my mistress, or she would report me and ruin my reputation."

*Damn it,* Zhou Yi thought, *that narrative certainly paints him as the innocent victim.*

Zhou Yi and Wu remained silent, watching his performance.

"I hate myself for being greedy for drink and ruining everything. But I couldn't let my future be destroyed, could I? Not to mention all the patients waiting for me to save them. I had no choice but to give in. But she became increasingly greedy, demanding this and that, constantly blackmailing me."

"Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and begged her to let me go."

"Police officers, can you imagine how shameless she is?"

"She said I had to pay her fifty thousand yuan to settle it privately, or she would accuse me of rape. Tell me, is there any justice in this world?"

The more the director spoke, the more aggrieved he seemed, eventually taking off his glasses to wipe away tears. If Zhou Yi and Wu hadn't already known what he had done to Xiaoxiao, they might have almost believed him.

"So, you’ve suffered a great loss," Zhou Yi asked with a smile.

"Alas, I have responsibility too; my willpower wasn't strong enough. I never imagined young girls these days could be so calculating." Zhu shook his head, filled with regret.

However, Zhou Yi felt this clumsy acting was merely a mask. He knew from the money issue that whenever Zhu engaged in his sordid affairs, he used cash—the incident with Xiaoxiao was handled in cash. Du Xiaolin’s eight thousand yuan and her luxury goods were undoubtedly funded by cash from Zhu as well.

The only anomaly was the fifty-thousand-yuan transfer. Besides that, there was no other record linking Zhang’s account to Zhu. This suggested that when Zhang, his "mistress," was "blackmailing" him, she usually took cash.

The insistence on using cash—beyond leaving no trace—led Zhou Yi to consider another possibility: the source of the money itself was illicit. This was the "something fishy" that he and Wu had discussed. The only question left was whether this "fishiness" was connected to the murder of Du Xiaolin.

"So, are you saying Du Xiaolin learned from Zhang Xinli? That she took advantage of you being drunk and insisted on being your mistress?"

"Du Xiaolin?" Zhu looked completely bewildered. "No, she and I really were just normal colleagues."