Chapter 7: The Female Corpse in the School Building (7)

A deep scratch mark left by a fingernail remained on Meng Siqi’s neck. The moment Han Changlin arrived, he immediately ordered her to go to the hospital for a checkup.

At first, she wanted to refuse, but Han Changlin shut her down with a single sentence. “What, do you want the forensic examiner to check instead?”

The police station did not have a medical office, and although Chen Jierong, the forensic examiner, could certainly assess her injuries, Han Changlin likely preferred a more thorough hospital examination. So, Meng Siqi chose to comply.

The hospital was only five hundred meters from the station, practically their neighbor. She decided to walk there to clear her mind.

After the examination confirmed she was fine, the doctor applied some antiseptic ointment. Just in case, she took the medical report back with her, knowing Han Changlin would want proof.

As she walked through the station hallway, she ran into a tall figure—Han Changlin himself.

Han Changlin was one of the tallest in the Second Unit. He usually wore a black jacket and, at thirty-six or thirty-seven, had a lean but strong build. His firm jawline was accentuated by short, neatly trimmed facial hair. He was clearly a man who led from the front lines.

Now, his slightly disheveled hair and relaxed expression revealed his good mood.

Although the case had exceeded the twenty-four-hour resolution goal, capturing the real culprit was a far greater victory.

Meng Siqi greeted him and lifted the medical report. “Captain Han, everything’s normal.”

Han Changlin nodded, then praised her on the spot. “Good work, Xiao Meng. You did an excellent job identifying the real murderer.”

It was the first time she had received direct praise from Han Changlin since joining the second unit. Her heart swelled with excitement.

“But next time,” his tone suddenly became stern, “be more cautious. Your safety comes first. Understood?”

Meng Siqi nodded seriously. “Understood. Thank you, Captain. By the way, has Zhao Guanghui confessed?”

She had been thinking about the case the whole time she was at the hospital.

“The red mark on the victim’s neck was indeed caused by his ring. The forensic team simulated it, and it was a near-perfect match.”

Han Changlin’s tone grew more subdued. “He has confessed to the murder, but he refuses to explain why he did it. However, we discovered he had been taking antidepressants for a long time. He may have had significant mental health issues. It’s possible that the divorce papers were the final straw that pushed him over the edge.”

Meng Siqi nodded. Though she could not fully grasp Zhao Guanghui’s psychological struggles, she could tell he was deeply insecure. To him, Zhou Jieli’s request for a divorce might have felt like the destruction of his entire world. That night, in his mind, killing her was the only way to keep his world from collapsing.

–

Over the next few days, Meng Siqi found herself in a heavy mood. Catching Mu Zhiquan had been a victory, but Zhao Guanghui’s case left her with a lingering sadness. Zhou Jieli had suffered immensely in life, and yet, even in death, she had found no escape.

Everything had finally come to an end. As for how Mu Zhiquan and Zhao Guanghui would be sentenced, Meng Siqi was not particularly concerned. In her eyes, they were both murderers. Although Mu Zhiquan had only attempted murder, they would both face the full force of the law.

Mu Zhiquan might have only attempted rape, but since he acted against the victim’s will and used force, it was enough to constitute a rape charge. She believed the court would deliver a fair verdict.

Over the past few days, Meng Siqi had gone over every detail of the case from beginning to end. This was a habit she had developed since her school days—she liked to summarize her experiences. This was her first case, and she wanted to learn from it for future investigations.

As she bit the tip of her pen, deep in thought, the sudden ringing of the office phone pulled her back. She looked up and saw that only she and Feng Shaomin were in the office. The landline was usually used for official matters, but when she picked up the receiver, she was surprised to find that the call was meant for her. A man’s voice came from the other end.

“Meng Siqi?”

“Who is this?”

“You don’t recognize my voice?” There was a brief pause before he continued, “It’s your brother.”

Meng Siqi had not expected Meng Tingzhe to call her at the station. Could something have happened at home?

Meng Tingzhe got straight to the point. “I’m passing by your precinct. There’s a tea house nearby. Would my little sister do me the honor of having tea with me?”

“Can’t this be discussed at home?” Meng Siqi felt it was inappropriate to leave during work hours.

“It’s an important matter, and I want to talk to you face-to-face. Can you take an hour off? I’ll be waiting.”

Meng Siqi hesitated, but before she could respond, Meng Tingzhe added, “I hope my sister will grant me this favor.”

She was still unsure, but the line went dead, as if he had already assumed she had agreed.

This was the first time Meng Tingzhe had ever asked to talk to her about something. To be honest, she was curious. Since Han Changlin was not in the office, she had no choice but to ask her mentor for leave.

She was not particularly fond of speaking with Feng Shaomin, but she forced herself to approach him. “Master, I need to step out for about an hour to take care of something. May I take a short leave?”

She had expected Feng Shaomin to ignore her, or even refuse outright, as he usually did. However, this time, he immediately put down his pen and looked in her direction. Though his gaze did not settle on her directly, he quickly responded, “Go ahead.”

Meng Siqi was taken aback. She even felt a little pleased. She could sense a subtle change in Feng Shaomin’s attitude toward her.

She quickly thanked him and returned to her desk to grab her coat.

There was only one tea house nearby, so she found it easily. Pushing open the door, she spotted Meng Tingzhe sitting in a quiet corner by the window. The tea house was nearly empty at this hour, making the atmosphere particularly serene.

“Sit down!” Meng Tingzhe greeted her with a smile. “What would you like to drink?”

“Just tell me what this is about,” Meng Siqi said as she took a seat, placing her bag on the table.

“Waiter, a cup of coffee, please,” Meng Tingzhe called out before taking out a bank card and placing it in front of her. “Five thousand yuan. The password is your birthday. Buy yourself some clothes and makeup. It’s time to dress up a little.”

“Huh?”

Five thousand yuan was a considerable amount in this era. Meng Tingzhe’s sudden generosity puzzled her. After all, he had never given her a single cent before.

“Just a brother looking out for his sister,” he said with a confident, almost smug expression. His tailored suit only added to his air of self-assurance. He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses as he observed her reaction, his sharp eyes gleaming through the lenses.

Perhaps he thought she would be overwhelmed with gratitude.

Instead, Meng Siqi smiled faintly, stood up, and picked up her bag. “Thank you, but I don’t need it. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving.”

“Wait,” Meng Tingzhe’s confident demeanor finally cracked, revealing a hint of anxiety. “What’s the rush? I do have something to discuss with you.”

Just then, the waiter arrived with the coffee. Meng Siqi glanced at Meng Tingzhe, still curious about his real intentions. She sat back down and gently stirred the coffee with a spoon.

“What do you think of Jiang Jianlong?”

Her hand paused mid-stir. Jiang Jianlong—the man her mother, Ye Xiuhui, had tried to introduce her to. So this whole setup was Meng Tingzhe’s idea.

Her mood instantly soured. “Nothing much.”

“He’s a wealthy businessman, single and successful. We recently started a business partnership. He saw a photo of you in my office and was very interested. He wants to get to know you.”

“What exactly does he like about me?” Meng Siqi took a sip of coffee, trying to stay calm.

“You’re naturally beautiful, a government employee, and from a good family. Overall, you’re an excellent match.”

“And how does my acquaintance with him benefit your business?”

“He’s just a business partner. I simply think he’s a decent man and wanted to introduce you two. Of course, there’s no pressure from the family. If you’re hesitant, I have a suggestion—buy some stylish clothes, go shopping with him, and get to know each other.”

“Hah.” Meng Siqi let out a soft chuckle filled with sarcasm, helplessness, and disdain. She couldn’t even tell if there was any truth in Meng Tingzhe’s words.

“So, what do you think?” Meng Tingzhe pressed her for an answer.

“What? If I don’t meet him, your business will fail? Am I suddenly that important?” Meng Siqi’s tone sharpened. In her memory, the Meng family had never shown her much affection. This foster brother of hers had always been distant. She felt a wave of injustice on behalf of her past self.

“You’re being unreasonable. I’m only thinking about what’s best for you. Think about it—a man in his thirties is still struggling to make a name for himself. Do you really want to go through that kind of hardship? Meanwhile, Jiang Jianlong is at the perfect age, successful, and capable of taking care of you. You would never have to worry about anything again. Wouldn’t it be nice to be a wealthy wife?”

Meng Siqi sneered. “In that case, I’d actually suggest that with your looks, you should find a rich woman in her forties. It’d be an even better deal!”

“You—!” Meng Tingzhe’s face darkened instantly. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke in a measured tone. “Siqi, this is also what Mom and Dad want. They hope you will be happy. They really approve of this match. They worked hard to put you through school. Surely, you wouldn’t go against the family’s wishes, would you?”

Meng Siqi took ten yuan from her bag and placed it on the table. “For the coffee!”

Her internship salary was low, and she usually couldn’t afford coffee. This was already a bit of a splurge for her. Without hesitation, she stood up quickly and threw down a parting remark before leaving.

“Sorry, I only took half an hour off. Things are busy at the station. Goodbye.”

“Siqi, can’t we have a proper conversation…?”

Meng Tingzhe watched as she walked out of the tea house without looking back. His hand, which was gripping the coffee cup, tensed, and the veins on the back of his hand became prominent. His fingers were naturally long and slender, but at this moment, they looked somewhat unsightly. He clenched his jaw tightly, his gaze darkening as he stared at the creaking glass door.

Because of this incident, Meng Siqi started staying overnight at the station whenever work was busy, doing her best to avoid running into Meng Tingzhe when she did go home.

During this period, the second unit didn’t have any particularly challenging cases, so there was no need for overtime. Zhao Leiting couldn’t help but ask, “Siqi, why haven’t you been going home lately?”

“Oh, the commute takes too long. I’m saving up some money to rent a place nearby,” Meng Siqi replied casually.

Zhao Leiting smirked. “I could mention your situation to the station.”

“No need,” Meng Siqi waved her hand. “It’s just a small matter. I don’t want to trouble the station with it.”

“How is this troubling the station? Just look at how quickly we cracked the last case. That was a first for our team. Have you seen how good a mood Captain Han has been in?”

“It was just luck,” Meng Siqi said humbly.

“What do you mean ‘just luck’?” Zhao Leiting chuckled. “Since things are quiet right now, I’m applying for a team dinner. It’ll also give Captain Han a chance to publicly commend you!”

“…”