Chapter 29.1

According to the previous agreement, Lao Jia entered the interrogation room and closed the door, sealing everything outside with the soundproof door.

Lu Siyu had been observing Lin Wanwan’s subtle expressions. When Lao Jia sat down, he dimmed the lights in the interrogation room slightly and began, “Let’s continue.”

Lin Wanwan’s gaze returned, looking at him. She had seen Lu Siyu several times, whether in the hospital or just now when he brought her water. Most of the time, he remained silent, only saying one or two sentences. Now, Lu Siyu and Lao Jia were sitting across from her, and unexpectedly, it was this young police officer who took the lead in questioning.

Lu Siyu’s opening was still quite routine: “I want to talk about your relationship with your roommates. What kind of people are they?”

This question had been asked to Lin Wanwan several times before. She turned her head and answered him, “Dong Fang is wealthy and generous, Ma Aijing is beautiful, and Guo Hua studies hard. Although there are some conflicts between Dong Fang, Ma Aijing, and Guo Hua, they have all been good to me.”

Lu Siyu looked at her. “But I feel that none of them is as intelligent as you.”

Lin Wanwan looked at him, her lips slightly moving, but she didn’t speak.

Lu Siyu continued, “Although Guo Hua has good academic performance, it is limited to studies only. In terms of life, she is not smooth enough in her dealings. Dong Fang is very casual and careless, and Ma Aijing is a bit petty, unable to achieve much. Only you, in this dormitory, have the highest intelligence quotient and emotional intelligence.” As he spoke, he organized the case files in front of him and put away the photos of the deceased.

After these few sentences, Lin Wanwan, who had been expressionless, finally showed a change on her face. Her eyebrows raised slightly, and she looked at Lu Siyu, revealing a hint of satisfaction.

Afterward, unlike the others who asked repetitive questions, Lu Siyu approached the conversation more like chatting with a friend. He presented Lin Wanwan with a multiple-choice question: “In your opinion, which is more important, academic achievement or friends?”

Lin Wanwan was stunned for a moment and answered, “Academic achievement… Friends are also important.”

Lu Siyu said, “Do the other people in the dormitory know about *your incident with the drugged cat?”
*the plural form of your

He changed the subject of Guo Hua drugging the cat from “she” to “your.” Lin Wanwan seemed to still be immersed in Lu Siyu’s flattery from earlier and didn’t notice the change. She nodded, “They know. After that, I told them. They said I did well, but they didn’t know if there were any unused drugs left in Guo Hua’s place.”

Lu Siyu continued, “Regarding the entire poisoning case, besides knowing the source of the poison, are there any other aspects unrelated to you?”

“Nothing to do with me.” Lin Wanwan summarized the whole incident again, speaking a bit faster, but her voice remained steady without a hint of trembling. This was consistent with her responses during the day’s questioning.

In the observation room, the detectives exchanged glances. If she was lying, Guo Hua waking up would bring her a lot of pressure. However, at the moment, she didn’t show any flaws, at least none they had noticed. Especially when mentioned Guo Hua, her expression seemed very natural.

Could it be that the poisoning incident really had nothing to do with Lin Wanwan?

Lu Siyu didn’t rush to continue questioning. He had a feeling that this girl was manipulating all of them. In her eyes, her classmates were incomparable, but why wasn’t she afraid that Guo Hua would wake up and expose her? Contemplating this question, he sat up straight, took out a candy from his pocket—borrowed temporarily from Cheng Xiaobing—and put it in his mouth.

Eating in the interrogation room was obviously against the rules. Lao Jia just wanted to stop him when Lu Siyu asked Lin Wanwan, “Do you want to eat candy?”

“Um, what kind of candy is it?” Lin Wanwan asked. Her eyes resembled those of a small animal. Since Lu Siyu took out the candy, her gaze had been following it, as if her soul was being drawn in.

“Chocolate.” Lu Siyu picked up a candy, pinching it between his two fingers.

“Thank you.” Lin Wanwan nodded slightly, her eyes showing a hint of anticipation. Lu Siyu handed her a piece.

The chocolate was wrapped in paper. The girl reached out, carefully unwrapping the paper.

Lao Jia speculated that this might be Lu Siyu’s strategy, trying to please and win over Lin Wanwan with this little sweetness. Wasn’t this approach a bit naive? He tried hard to suppress his impatience, so he didn’t interrupt Lu Siyu. However, when he lowered his head to look at the crime scene photos, the thought of chocolate made his scalp tingle.

Lin Wanwan didn’t mind, though. She held the chocolate with her right hand, opened her mouth, and slowly ate it. The coffee-colored mark melted in her mouth, calm and composed. After finishing, she licked her fingertip slightly, looking at Lu Siyu with some lingering interest.

Lu Siyu also looked at her calmly and then pointed to his own forehead. “Is this where your dad hit you?”

There was a shallow scar on Lin Wanwan’s forehead, indicating that it had been a long time. She nodded, “My biological dad hit me.”

Lu Siyu asked, “And the frostbite on your hands?”

The girl’s hands, unlike those of an ordinary girl, were not smooth. Even though they were fully healed now, a faint redness could still be seen. Lin Wanwan recalled, “I used to wash clothes in very cold weather, and it left a mark.”

Lu Siyu continued, “Your parents must have been very concerned, right?”

Lin Wanwan shook her head, “It’s okay, it doesn’t hurt anymore.” After speaking, she lowered her head and used her hands to fold the candy wrapper, creating the simplest origami – a dancing girl. Once folded, it became a girl standing sideways, with a long dress trailing down to the ground.

Lao Jia’s gaze remained on Lin Wanwan. Watching the folded paper take shape under her palm, they had already conveyed the news of Guo Hua’s awakening to her. However, this girl seemed as if she hadn’t heard the news at all. She remained calm and composed, and her composure made him more inclined to believe in her innocence.

Lu Siyu adjusted the documents and continued his questioning. “I’ve read about your experiences. You grew up by your father’s side, and your mother rarely appeared. At the age of ten, your parents divorced, and you were awarded to your mother, who later remarried, bringing you into a new family.”

Lin Wanwan nodded.

Lu Siyu asked, “In your original family, was the influence of your father greater, or was it your mother’s influence?”

Lin Wanwan hesitated for a moment, then bit her lip. “Father.”

Lu Siyu continued, “Did your biological father often hit you in the past?”

Lin Wanwan lowered her head and nodded.

Lu Siyu asked, “Do you like your younger brother?”

Lin Wanwan replied, “After all, we share half of our blood, but he’s much younger than me.”

Lu Siyu nodded, seemingly understanding. He continued, “How did you choose your workplace?”

“Well… naturally, it’s simple, convenient, and something I’m interested in,” Lin Wanwan said.

Lu Siyu continued, “You worked at a pet store for three months, and the boss said you did well, with a high salary. Why did you leave and recommend Guo Hua instead?”

Lin Wanwan’s fingers twisted slightly. “I just felt that Guo Hua needed this job more than I did. Adults only care about money. Your clothes aren’t cheap.” Then she blinked and asked, “May I ask what time it is now?”

Hearing her question, Lao Jia involuntarily glanced at the time on his phone. Lu Siyu, however, didn’t address her question directly. “I’ll tell you when I finish. It won’t take too long.” Lin Wanwan nodded in response.

Lao Jia, standing aside, couldn’t bear it any longer. He whispered to Lu Siyu, “Ask questions related to the case.” Since that piece of chocolate, Lu Siyu’s questions had been drifting away from the case.

However, Lu Siyu seemed not to understand Lao Jia’s suggestion and continued to ask her, “Do you like playing games?”

“What games? On a computer or a phone? I don’t play much…” Lin Wanwan obviously didn’t expect to be asked such a question.

“Human games,” Lu Siyu clarified, “Do you like them?”

Lin Wanwan hesitated again, then nodded.

Lu Siyu asked again, “Why did you go to the rooftop this morning?”

“At that time, my mind was in chaos, and I felt very stifled… When I realized it, I was already standing there,” Lin Wanwan explained.

“If the police hadn’t found you, would you have jumped?” Lu Siyu asked before Lin Wanwan could respond.

Before Lin Wanwan could answer, Lao Jia, unable to endure any longer, lowered his voice and said, “Lu Siyu, if you’re going to ask, ask about the case!”

Lu Siyu paused for a second, locking his gaze on Lin Wanwan. The girl pursed her lips and remained silent.

Lu Siyu, however, got the answer he wanted, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. “Do you like small animals?” he asked.

Lin Wanwan began to crumple the candy wrapper in her hands. “Of course, I like them. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have worked at a pet store.”

“So, your liking is based on not affecting your life? Once it’s affected, your liking disappears, right?” Lu Siyu continued.

Lin Wanwan hesitated for a moment without answering that question. She looked a bit impatient. “What time is it now?” This was her second time asking about the time.

Lu Siyu: “I’ll tell you in a moment.” His voice was calm and serene, as if devoid of too much emotion. Seeing that Lin Wanwan didn’t respond, he moved on to the next question, as if the questions he asked were not important, but merely to confirm some thoughts in his mind. “You’ve poisoned those cats, seen the corpses of cats. Is that feeling similar to when you see a human corpse?”

Lin Wanwan’s face suddenly turned pale, and her chest heaved.

Lu Siyu leaned slightly forward, continuing to ask her, “You’ve lied before. Are you still lying now?”

Lin Wanwan didn’t answer his question but looked at Lao Jia. “I asked about the time not for any other reason. When I came out this morning, the doctor reminded me to take my medicine. You’ve been questioning me all day, and I haven’t lied. Ask Guo Hua. Everything will be clear. Continuing to answer these boring questions here is not worth it compared to what she could say. If she wakes up, will this matter be over? Can you let me go?”

Having said that, Lin Wanwan bent down, resting on the table. She seemed uncomfortable and couldn’t catch her breath. “I’m so tired.”

Seeing the distressed girl, Lao Jia became somewhat flustered. “Hang in there; I’ll check those medicines.”

In the observation room, Fu Linjiang suddenly remembered. In the morning, the doctor did prescribe some medication. He checked the medication instructions and said, “Captain Song, it’s past the medication time. It’s my negligence.” He had been entirely focused on the case, and this matter had slipped his mind.

Lao Jia walked over, looked at the pile of medicine, and brought it with a hint of anger. He took the medicine and water, entering the interrogation room.

Zhu Xiao looked at Song Wen, seeking his opinion. “Captain Song, should we continue?”

Song Wen sighed, rubbed his forehead, and said, “Let’s call it a day. If we keep up with this act, it’ll be exposed. I don’t understand Lu Siyu’s questioning style, but I can feel that towards the end, Lin Wanwan appeared flustered. However, I can’t be sure if the impatience and nervousness are due to her long-term lack of medication or if the questions touched on sensitive areas. Let’s bring them out, have the night shift police take her to rest, and hold a meeting in the small conference room.”

In the small conference room, Song Wen turned on the lights. Outside, it was pitch black, and the police station was exceptionally quiet. Only this corner was still working.

Lu Siyu walked in holding the case file, with Lao Jia following him. As soon as they entered, Lao Jia expressed some displeasure, saying, “Lu Siyu, you went too far just now.”

Ignoring Lao Jia’s words, Lu Siyu lowered his head and sat on a chair. His handsome face showed no expression as he opened a notebook, seemingly preparing to record.

Seeing him not responding, Lao Jia snorted and said, “Lin Wanwan isn’t afraid to confront Guo Hua’s testimony. But your questions just now, whether irrelevant to the case, repeatedly reopened her wounds, or were simply defamatory!”

Song Wen ignored Lao Jia and looked at Fu Linjiang and Zhu Xiao, asking, “What do you think about Lin Wanwan?”

Zhu Xiao said, “I don’t think Lin Wanwan has any issues. She’s just a twenty-year-old girl. Look at her reaction when she started answering the questions earlier. There were no flaws at all. Her facial expressions were calm, and she has excellent psychological resilience. Even after our repeated questioning, she still maintains her stance. I now believe that she is probably not the one who did this.”

Lao Jia snorted beside them, “We were thinking of using Guo Hua to test her, but I see that she genuinely hopes for Guo Hua to wake up and clear her name.”

At this point, Lu Siyu, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up to correct, “She’s not hoping; she doesn’t mind.”

Song Wen looked at him, finding this viewpoint quite novel. “What do you mean?”

Lu Siyu, seemingly unbothered by standing against most people, said to Song Wen, “I suspect Lin Wanwan has a controlling personality.”

Upon hearing this, Lao Jia chuckled in disbelief, “A controlling personality? You’re saying she has a controlling personality? A soft and powerless girl like her. Who can she control? The wealthy Dong Fang? The beautiful Ma Aijing? The academic achiever Guo Hua? Or maybe she can control you? Control me? What were those nonsensical questions you just asked? You almost caused trouble by not letting her take her medicine, do you know that?”

“A controlling personality doesn’t have to be forceful. She’s disrupting the rhythm by asking about the time, trying to establish control.” Lu Siyu wanted to explain a bit more but was interrupted by Zhu Xiao. “No, Lu Siyu, you said we would use Guo Hua’s death to deceive her. We followed your plan, but she didn’t show any flaws in her answers to the interrogation. We, as police, aren’t studying psychology; we speak based on evidence.”

They considered Lin Wanwan’s later reactions as stress responses due to delayed medication, not viewing them as flaws.

Lu Siyu habitually licked his lips and continued his reasoning, “If she is not innocent, her indifference could be due to her intelligence in seeing through our trap, or she is confident that even if Guo Hua wakes up, she won’t testify against her. It could also be a combination of both.”

Lao Jia couldn’t stand it anymore, “Hey, are you trying to be argumentative? If she’s the culprit, can the victim still lie for her? What kind of fantasy is this? You just had everyone act along with you. What probing? Did you get this result from your probing?”

Fu Linjiang saw that Lao Jia was getting increasingly unreasonable and frowned. He called out, “Lao Jia!”

Unexpectedly, this only fueled Lao Jia’s anger, “Deputy, I know you quite like this pretty boy. But you heard what he just asked when he went in, asking random and irrelevant questions. Can he even conduct an interrogation? He’s only been a policeman for a few days. How many criminals has he seen? Until now, he’s still fixated on Lin Wanwan. If this results in a wrongful conviction, is he going to take responsibility? If Lin Wanwan is in life-threatening danger because she didn’t take her medicine on time, is he going to take responsibility?”

Lao Jia always thought of himself as a seasoned detective with years of experience. Even if his rank was not high, he believed he deserved respect from newcomers. However, Lu Siyu never showed any sign of respect, and today, he vented his pent-up resentment through this incident. Since he started speaking loudly, Lu Siyu fell silent, intensifying Lao Jia’s frustration.

Seeing that things were about to escalate, Zhu Xiao hurriedly intervened, “Stop, Lao Jia, don’t be angry. Lu Siyu also wants to solve the case. Everyone has the same goal.”

Lao Jia looked at Lu Siyu, who remained silent, “Have you ever considered what kind of psychological trauma Lin Wanwan has experienced? A perfectly fine girl is almost driven to suicide by all of you. You’re torturing Lin Wanwan, and then the rest of us have to work overtime, right?”

Since the case began, nobody had properly rested. Lao Jia’s outburst allowed him to vent his anger towards Lu Siyu and express sympathy for Lin Wanwan. The others fell into a momentary silence, feeling the weight on their shoulders.

Song Wen hadn’t given up his suspicions about Lin Wanwan. However, during the recent probing of the case, Lin Wanwan showed no flaws in her responses. Now, most of the others had turned towards Lao Jia. Song Wen couldn’t overtly lean towards Lu Siyu, and he also wanted to hear Lu Siyu’s analysis and defense. Thus, he remained silent.

However, since Lao Jia began pressing him, Lu Siyu remained unusually quiet. He hadn’t uttered a word, lowering his head to draw straight lines on the notebook with a pen. The lines were as straight as if measured with a ruler, showing no intention to stop. He kept his eyebrows lowered, expression unchanged, treating everyone as if he were unaware of the disturbance caused earlier.

As things reached this point, they couldn’t ignore it any longer. Song Wen straightened up, “Lao Jia, as law enforcement officers, our fundamental principle is fairness and justice. Lin Wanwan is still a suspect. You unconsciously placed her in the victim’s role and developed sympathy. How can we investigate the case like this?”

Lao Jia didn’t expect Song Wen to say this. He muttered quietly, “How come even you are siding with him?”

Song Wen, with keen ears, clearly heard it and continued, “It’s not about siding with anyone. Just now, Zhu Xiao said it right. Whether we think she’s guilty or not doesn’t matter; we need to find evidence. So far, the psychological profiles of these two suspects are unclear.”

As Song Wen spoke, the image of Lin Wanwan eating chocolate just now flashed in his mind. In this case, several people lost their lives due to chocolate, and she herself almost died. If it were anyone else, they would likely avoid this candy altogether, possibly for the rest of their lives. But just now… she ate it so calmly.

Song Wen continued, “Lao Jia and Zhu Xiao, since you think it was done by Guo Hua, go investigate Guo Hua. Visit Guo Hua’s mother in the hospital, even go to the town to see her father. Fill in the missing pieces of the crime timeline, reconstruct the process, and present specific evidence that Guo Hua is the actual perpetrator.”

Then, Song Wen turned to look at Lu Siyu, who was still quietly bowing his head. “Tomorrow, Lu Siyu and I will visit Lin Wanwan’s home. Zhu Xiao has booked us train tickets for 8 a.m. Also, Fu Linjiang will lead the physical evidence team to revisit the school. Don’t overlook any corner or clue.”

Only one day remained until the three-day deadline.

TN:

This Old man Jia, is he serious?!! As a professional police officer, a detective with decades of experience, how are you going to ignore all these red flags just because some damsel called you “Uncle” and now you feel like some savior of the masses! If there’s a reasonable doubt to a case, YOU INVESTIGATE IT! So frustrating.