DipNovel Chapter 15: Visits
Chapter 15: Visits
Hey.
Jiang Chen's pen tip was still stuck on the whiteboard, the period at the end like a cold eye, staring intently at everyone present.
"Revenge?" Su Wan frowned. "Revenge for whom?"
Jiang Chen didn't answer immediately, but turned to look at Old Zhou: "Forensic Doctor Zhou, when was that cesarean section scar on the female victim's body approximately placed?"
After a moment's thought, Mr. Zhou said, "Judging from the scar's healing condition and pigmentation, it's probably from four to five years ago."
"Four to five years ago," Jiang Chen repeated softly, raising his hand to write this point in time on the whiteboard. "At that time, Chengxi Vocational College hadn't closed down yet. Li Yutong was working in administration at the school then, meaning that her pregnancy and childbirth all occurred during her tenure."
"You mean, her child is connected to the school?" Su Wan pressed.
"It's not necessarily the child." Jiang Chen turned around, his eyes sharp. "The key is her identity... an unmarried mother, a single mother. In the records we can find, Li Yutong has never been registered as married."
"What does this prove?"
Jiang Chen walked to the computer and pulled up a page of old, long-forgotten news.
The page is a report from five years ago, with a particularly jarring headline: "Chengxi Vocational College's funding chain breaks, and the school-run factory owes its employees wages for up to a year."
"The school's closure may seem like a financial collapse, but the root cause is not that simple." Jiang Chen scrolled down the page and clicked on an in-depth investigation.
"The report clearly states that the school's most valuable asset was its school-run garment factory, which was later divested due to years of losses. The factory's losses stemmed from a loan of dubious origin."
"A loan?" Su Wan leaned closer to take a closer look.
"That's right, thirty million. The guarantor was the school itself, and the borrower was a shell company that appeared out of nowhere. As soon as the money arrived, the company disappeared without a trace, and the thirty million vanished completely. The school was burdened with a huge debt for no reason, its financial chain was gradually worn down, and in the end, it had no choice but to close down."
Su Wan's mind raced, piecing together clues: "What connection could this old case possibly have with Li Yutong and Liu Qiang?"
"It's not possible to make direct contact at the moment." Jiang Chen shook his head frankly, "But I'm certain that the legal representative or actual controller of that shell company back then must be related to either Li Yutong or Liu Qiang."
"That's too far-fetched." Su Wan disagreed. "A loan fraud of 30 million yuan was something only influential people could handle back then. How could it involve two ordinary young people?"
"It's not just being involved, it's being used as a pawn." Jiang Chen held up one finger. "They both worked at this school. Li Yutong did part-time jobs on campus, and Liu Qiang was a logistics driver. Think about it carefully, could the logistics company's transportation business have any connection with the school-run garment factory?"
Su Wan remained silent.
Although the line of reasoning that Jiang Chen has pieced together still has many gaps, all the incomplete fragments point to the same origin... Chengxi Vocational College.
That long-abandoned old school, like a deep black hole, silently swallowed all the people and events of that year, and five years later, it finally spat out two cold corpses.
"Captain Su," Xiao Zhang poked his head in from outside the door, "Captain Zhou asked me to inquire whether we should go to Li Yutong's residence to take a look in person?"
Su Wan glanced at her watch; it was 10:20 a.m.
"Walk."
No. 78 Jianshe Road, Pengda old teachers' dormitory building near Chengxi Vocational College.
The car stopped downstairs, and Su Wan looked up at the gray, six-story building.
Large sections of the exterior paint have peeled off, revealing the grayish cement underneath.
Some windows were broken and were simply covered with a layer of plastic sheeting to cover them up.
Some windows even had rotten and fallen frames, their dark windows resembling empty, lifeless eyes.
Downstairs, the flowerbeds were overgrown with weeds, and a rusty old bicycle lay overturned on the ground, with vines wrapped all around its frame.
The entire dormitory building was lifeless and abandoned in a corner of the city.
Su Wan pushed open the car door. The cement road under her feet was covered with fine cracks, and wild grass was growing out of the cracks. It felt soft when she stepped on it.
Jiang Chen got out of the back seat, the handcuffs on his wrists gleaming coldly in the sunlight, followed closely by Xiao Zhang carrying a notebook.
"Which floor?" Su Wan asked.
Xiao Zhang flipped through the registration information in his hand: "Fourth floor, room 402. Rented by Li Yutong, monthly rent is eight hundred."
Eight hundred yuan.
Su Wan secretly weighed the options in her mind. The normal monthly rent in this area was at least 1,500 yuan, so the conditions of a place at this price were predictable.
The hallway was dark and deep, like entering a cave.
tao tao…
Jiang Chen followed behind Su Wan, his footsteps echoing repeatedly in the narrow stairwell, muffled and persistent.
Large patches of plaster have peeled off the walls, exposing the mottled red bricks. The stair railings are rusty, and touching them leaves your hands with a metallic rust smell.
Every corner of the floor was piled with clutter: old furniture, moldy cardboard boxes, and dusty old cars, all crammed together, slowly eroded and quietly decaying by time.
On the corner wall between the third and fourth floors, several glaring words were sprayed in red paint: Pay back your debts.
Su Wan paused and stared for a few seconds.
How many people still live in this building?
Xiao Zhang pulled out the visit records: "There are fewer than ten households, and they are basically tenants who are struggling financially. They only stay here because they can't find a suitable place to live."
Su Wan nodded and continued walking uphill.
Fourth floor.
Room 402 has an old-fashioned security door with peeling paint that looks like layers of shed snakeskin.
The door frame was covered with layers upon layers of small "GG" stickers: drain cleaning, appliance recycling, document processing and loan services. They were piled up densely together, making it look particularly oppressive.
Xiao Zhang got the spare key from the property management office, inserted it into the lock, and gently turned it twice.
Click.
The lock was open, but the door remained firmly shut.
Click...
Jiang Chen stepped forward and gently pushed the wooden door, which emitted a long creak.
The door opened.
A mixed smell hit me; there was no pungent stench, just the stuffy smell of air after being sealed off for two days, mixed with a faint scent of laundry detergent, the smell of dust, and a hint of sweetness.
Su Wan stepped into the house first.
The apartment wasn't large, just one bedroom and one living room, about forty square meters. In the living room sat an old-fashioned fabric sofa, its cover faded from washing but neatly folded. On the coffee table sat a mug, with faint coffee stains on the bottom.
Jiang Chen followed slowly in, his gaze sweeping over every corner of the room.
He didn't rush to search for clues, but simply stood quietly in place, closed his eyes, and slowly inhaled.
"What are you doing?" Su Wan asked, puzzled.
"Feel the traces of life here." Jiang Chen opened his eyes. "The smell of a room can piece together the daily life of its owner."
"What did you smell?"
"Lavender-scented, inexpensive laundry detergent, the most common kind in supermarkets. There's a faint smell of smoke in the room, not from anyone smoking inside, it's probably coming in from the hallway. And..."
Jiang Chen walked to the coffee table, picked up the mug, and brought it close to his nose to sniff it.
"Inexpensive instant 2-in-1 coffee, no sugar added."
Su Wan raised an eyebrow at him: "Your nose is too sensitive."
Jiang Chen didn't reply, put down his cup, and went straight into the bedroom.
The bedroom was even smaller, with a single bed placed against the wall, and the light blue sheets were slightly pilled from washing.
There was a half-open book on my pillow. It wasn't a novel or a light read; it was a textbook for the Accounting Professional Qualification Examination.
Su Wan picked up the book and flipped through it casually. Tucked between the pages was a note written in pencil: October 15th, interview, bring your ID card and graduation certificate.
Today is October 17th.
Li Yutong ultimately failed to attend the planned interview.
Jiang Chen squatted down and looked under the bed, pulling out a cardboard box. Inside were several neatly folded pieces of clothing, all of ordinary and simple style, without a single brand name item, but all kept clean and tidy.
There was a photo frame under the clothes.
He took out the photo frame and gently brushed away the dust from its surface.
There are three people in the photo.
Li Yutong, looking a few years younger, had a gentle smile with her eyebrows curved. Standing beside her was a man in his thirties, wearing glasses and appearing refined. The man held a swaddled baby in his arms; only a tiny, wrinkled face peeked out from inside the pink swaddling clothes.
The man's entire face was covered in black marker, making it impossible to recognize any of his features.
Su Wan leaned closer and saw this scene, her brows furrowing tightly: "She hates this man."
"It could also be..." Jiang Chen turned the photo frame over, and on the back was a small note with delicate handwriting, "I'm afraid this person will be recognized by others."
Su Wan softly read the words on the note: "I'm sorry, baby. Mommy couldn't keep him."
The room fell silent instantly, so quiet that you could almost hear the dust motes slowly drifting down.
Jiang Chen put the photo frame back in the cardboard box and got up to continue carefully checking the room.
I carefully examined every corner of the wardrobe, drawers, and simple bookshelves.
Li Yutong's life is laid bare before us, summed up in just two words: financially strapped.
All his clothes were old models; the most expensive coat, costing 300 yuan, still had its tag on and sat quietly. In the drawer was a stack of utility bills—water, electricity, property management, phone bills—each a small amount, yet almost every one marked as overdue.
Several parenting books are displayed on the bookshelf, including "Infant Care for 0-3 Year Olds", "Psychological Preparation for Single Mothers", and "How to Answer a Child's Question, 'Where's Dad?'".
Jiang Chen pulled out the book on psychological preparation and casually flipped through it.
A line of faint pencil writing on the title page catches the eye:
For my baby's sake, I have to be strong. But many times, I really feel like I can't hold on anymore.
The handwriting is faint, as if one wants to erase it as soon as it's written, yet cannot help but put pen to paper to express their feelings.
Jiang Chen closed the book and gently put it back in its original place.
"Have you found any useful clues?" Su Wan asked.
Jiang Chen shook his head slightly and was about to turn around and leave the bedroom when his gaze inadvertently swept over the bedside table.
There was a business card pressed under the base of the table lamp.
He took it out and examined it closely.
The business card reads: Wang Jianguo, Psychological Counselor, Social Assistance Center of Chengxi District.
A line of small handwritten text on the back of the business card reads: Free consultation every Tuesday afternoon.
It turns out that Li Yutong had been secretly paying attention to psychological counseling all along.
Su Wan took the business card: "She really needs psychological counseling."
"Raising a child alone, unemployed with no stable income, I'm barely making ends meet," Jiang Chen slowly recounted. "With all the pressure piling up, it's inevitable to feel physically and mentally exhausted."
"But she clearly had access to free channels, yet she never went even once," Su Wan said, pointing to the writing on the back.
Jiang Chen was silent for a moment, then took out his phone and searched for the address on the business card.
"The rescue center is on the third floor of the Civil Affairs Bureau in the Chengxi District. It's open every Tuesday afternoon from 2 pm to 5 pm. Today is Monday, so tomorrow is their reception day." He put away his phone. "We'll go there tomorrow to ask about the situation."
"Wait." Su Wan reached out to stop him. "You're still a detainee, not a field officer. You're not qualified to arrange investigation schedules."
Jiang Chen looked up at her, a faint smile playing on his lips.
His smile contained a hint of helplessness, a touch of teasing, and a dash of seriousness.
"Officer Su, I'm still handcuffed, how could I dare to assign tasks? I'm just giving you a suggestion, to help you find another way to solve the case."
Su Wan stared at him for two seconds before finally looking away.
"Let's go to Liu Qiang's place."
Liu Qiang lives in the old Sunshine Garden residential area on the other side of the west side of the city.
The name sounds bright and cheerful, but in reality, the distance between the buildings is pitifully narrow, and hardly any sunlight gets in all day.
The five-story red brick building has had its exterior walls renovated once, but it cannot cover up the dark water stains and cracks left by years of water seepage at the base of the walls.
Several electric vehicles were parked downstairs, with long charging cables hanging crookedly from the windows of each apartment.
Liu Qiang rented a room on the first floor. There were many abandoned express delivery boxes piled up at the door, filled with foam padding. The old Spring Festival couplets on the door had long since faded and turned white, with curled edges, and had never been torn down.
Xiao Zhang took out the spare key and opened the door.
A thick smell of smoke hit her face, making Su Wan cough lightly twice.
Liu Qiang's residence was completely different from Li Yutong's.
The coffee table in the living room was piled high with takeout containers, empty beer cans, and a full jar of cigarette butts.
Several dirty clothes were carelessly tossed on the sofa, and socks were scattered haphazardly on the floor, lying around the TV cabinet and under the sofa.
The TV was still on, its blue standby screen emitting a faint, cold light.
The air was filled with the smells of smoke, sweat, and stale instant noodles, along with a faint, fishy odor that only men would understand.
Single dwellings without a woman tending to them are generally in this messy state.
Su Wan frowned and gently fanned the air in front of her.
Jiang Chen remained calm and walked straight to the dining table.
A closed laptop sat on the table, its power indicator light still flashing. His hands were handcuffed, making it difficult for him to operate the laptop, so Xiao Zhang stepped forward to help him open it.
The screen lit up and a WeChat chat window popped up, showing that Liu Qiang's account was still logged in.
Jiang Chen's pupils narrowed slightly.
"Xiao Zhang, take screenshots of all the chat history and save them." His speech suddenly quickened.
Xiao Zhang immediately took out his phone and took photos of each page for archiving.
Jiang Chen quickly browsed the history; the latest message was from the afternoon before yesterday, and the sender's name was "Old Ma".
Qiangzi, when are you going to pick up that shipment? The customer keeps urging us.
There was no reply from Liu Qiang to this message.
Scrolling up further, you'll find a conversation between Liu Qiang and another person. The other person's profile picture is an ordinary landscape photo, and their nickname is: Laughing at the Wind and Clouds.
The initial chats were all casual conversations, about meals, daily routines, and invitations to get together—seemingly ordinary.
Until I dug out the records from three days ago.
Laughing at the changing world: Do you know what Li Yutong has been busy with lately?
Liu Qiang: Why did you ask her that?
Laughing at the changing world: It was just a casual question. I heard she was looking for a job and was wondering if I could help her find a way.
Liu Qiang: No need, we broke up a long time ago, her business has nothing to do with me.
Laughing at the Wind and Clouds: Do you know where her child is now?
Liu Qiang replied: I don't know, it's probably her mother who's helping to take care of her.
After that message, Liu Qiang never replied again.
Jiang Chen stared at the conversation in silence for more than ten seconds.
"Something's off about this guy." He pointed to the profile picture of "Laughing at the Wind and Clouds." "He's asking about Li Yutong's recent situation in far too much detail. And he said 'that child,' not 'your child.'"
"What does that mean?"
"It's clear that he deliberately distanced himself from this matter, and he wasn't particularly close to Liu Qiang."
Jiang Chen clicked on the other person's profile picture to enter their profile page.
The WeChat ID is a string of random characters with no discernible pattern. The profile picture is just an ordinary sunset over a lake, the Moments cover photo is a landscape scene, and the personal signature reads: "Unperturbed by favor or disgrace, watch the flowers bloom and fade in the courtyard."
From beginning to end, not a single clue could be found to confirm their identity.
"Submit this WeChat account to the technical team and verify its identity as soon as possible," Jiang Chen said to Xiao Zhang.
Xiao Zhang looked at Su Wan, and after receiving her permission, immediately took a picture of the information and sent it back to the bureau.
Jiang Chen turned around and went into Liu Qiang's bedroom to continue the investigation.
The bedroom was even messier than the living room. The blankets were crumpled up and piled on the bed, and there were obvious traces of hair oil on the pillow. On the bedside table was a half-empty bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor), and next to it was an opened bottle of blood pressure medication.
A 26-year-old young man has had high blood pressure for years.
Jiang Chen opened the bedside table drawer and found a bulging leather envelope inside. He pulled it out; inside was a wad of cash.
I roughly counted them; there were 3,200 yuan, all old, crumpled banknotes that had been in circulation for a long time.
It seems they encountered a financial emergency, and before they could even use the money, something happened to them.
Underneath the cash were a bank card and a social security card, both registered in Liu Qiang's name.
Jiang Chen put the envelope back in the drawer as it was.
"Did you find anything in the bedroom?" Su Wan asked from the living room.
Jiang Chen came out, holding a black notebook with worn-out edges.
"It's something Liu Qiang wrote down." Su Wan took it and looked through it.
It wasn't a diary; it was filled with accounts.
On May 5th, I borrowed 5000 from Brother Ma, with an interest of 500.
April 12th, return Ma Ge 2000.
On May 20th, I borrowed 8000 from Brother Ma, with an interest of 800.
In June, unable to repay, Brother Ma agreed to a temporary reprieve.
In July, Brother Ma began frequently pressing for payment.
In August, Brother Ma threatened that if the loan wasn't repaid, he would come to their door to confront them.
Su Wan read through the pages, her expression growing increasingly grim.
It's obvious that Liu Qiang has been borrowing money from loan sharks.
"Who is this Brother Ma?" Su Wan asked, looking up.
Jiang Chen pointed to the takeout packaging bags scattered on the coffee table, one of which had the shop information of Chengxi Ma Ge Barbecue printed on it.
"It's highly likely that this barbecue restaurant owner is secretly lending money at exorbitant interest rates. This kind of shady business is not uncommon."
"Could Li Yutong have also borrowed money?" Su Wan frowned.
"It's impossible to confirm for now. But some of the money Liu Qiang borrowed should have been spent on Li Yutong." Jiang Chen picked up a stack of takeout receipts and quickly flipped through them. "Look, three months ago he often ordered meals for two people, and the delivery address was always No. 78 Jianshe Road, which is where Li Yutong lives."
Su Wan took the document and checked it. A line of small print in the remarks column was particularly clear: Just leave it at the door, don't knock, the baby is sleeping.
Even though they had broken up for half a year, Liu Qiang was still quietly taking care of Li Yutong and their child, and they had never lost contact with each other in private.
"The relationship between the two of them is far more complex than it appears on the surface," Su Wan said in a deep voice.
Jiang Chen nodded in agreement. It was more than just complicated; Li Yutong, Liu Qiang, the bankrupt Chengxi Vocational College, the 30 million yuan that disappeared five years ago, the man whose photo was blacked out, the mysterious netizen watching the world go by with a smile—all the people and events were intertwined.
The two of them are like the intersection of the entire labyrinth.
Countless clues converge here, only to inexplicably break off here as well.
Click...
A faint, soft sound suddenly reached my ears.
The sound wasn't coming from inside the house; it was coming from the hallway outside.
Jiang Chen suddenly turned his head to look.
The door, which they had closed when they came in, now quietly cracked open.
"Someone's here," Jiang Chen whispered a warning.
Su Wan instantly raised her hand and pressed it against the holster at her waist, her whole body tensing up.
The three of them held their breath, their eyes fixed on the crack in the door.
Through the dim cracks, an eye was silently watching every move inside the room.