Chapter 7

Just as Song Wen was about to inquire further, Dr. Zhou Yining started packing up the files on his desk, preparing to leave. His tone became casual, as if the conversation just now was a trivial joke. “However, that’s just one possibility. Perhaps it’s my overthinking, maybe it’s not that serious. Officer Song can take it as a story to listen to. It’s just in the spirit of being cautious that I felt I should inform you, the leader. Preventing problems in advance is never wrong.”

Song Wen pondered for a moment and said, “Dr. Zhou, rest assured. I’m here, and no matter how unusual it is, he’s just a probationary officer. I’ll keep a close eye on him, and nothing will happen.”

Song Wen had a habit when faced with a situation: he would envision the best and worst outcomes. This way, regardless of how things developed later, he would be prepared for either scenario. He rubbed his forehead, the image of Lu Siyu appearing in his mind—looking like a little angel but potentially a little devil. Although the situation was unusual, Song Wen believed he could handle it.

“Oh, by the way…” Dr. Zhou Yining’s hand paused. He decided to change the topic rather than dwell on Lu Siyu’s issue. “Tian Ming complained to me during the interview, saying he’s under a lot of pressure. Captain Song, you’ve tricked him pretty deeply before, and if possible, could you go easy on him?”

“I handed him a suspect today, how can I go easy on him?”

“When you tested against him last year, did you intentionally go easy on him, making him think you were not as good as him, only to reveal your true abilities during the actual test? This has become a concern for him.”

A slight smirk appeared at the corner of Song Wen’s mouth. He neither denied nor confirmed.

Dr. Zhou Yining continued, “It seems like Tian Ming cares the most, but in reality, you’re the one under the most pressure. It’s one thing to sacrifice your own sleep and meals, but don’t force your subordinates to do the same. Not everyone can handle it like you. Your dominance sometimes puts pressure on them. And using strength to cover up your inner anxiety is not a good choice.”

Song Wen shrugged, refusing to admit or deny, “Covering up what?”

“Your fear. Sometimes, fear is not an adversary of the body, but a self-protective mechanism. I don’t know what triggers your fear, but I can sense that you detest weakness,” Zhou Yining thought for a moment and added, “This must be related to your childhood experiences. I believe these emotions may stem from your father and your past experiences…”

Song Wen knew Zhou Yining was succumbing to his professional habits. Doctors tended to be earnest in their advice, but he wasn’t eager to listen. “Forget it, Dr. Zhou. I didn’t come here for a counseling session today. I haven’t had dinner yet, and I don’t want any chicken soup.”

Zhou Yining said, “Captain Song, don’t be so formal. This is just a friendly follow-up for friends, not billed by the hour.”

As they were conversing, the nurse outside knocked on the door. “Dr. Zhou, your flowers have arrived.”

Zhou Yining shouted toward the door, “Just leave them outside. I’ll be out in a moment.”

Song Wen raised an eyebrow. “Another date?”

This wasn’t the first time Song Wen had stumbled upon Zhou Yining’s dates. While some people considered love as a way to relax, this Dr. Zhou clearly regarded it as essential as breathing—a necessary commodity, just like having a meal. Although he was unmarried, he had many dating partners. Despite a busy work schedule, he always made time for evening meet-ups, enjoying sweet nights.

“Love is the best way to study relationships between humans,” Zhou Yining continued earnestly. “Captain Song, you should try dating. Love can make people better; emotions can bring about change and stimulate hormone secretion, regulating the body’s mechanisms.”

Song Wen, realizing that Dr. Zhou was not only prone to exaggeration but also sometimes more nagging than his own mother, responded, “I really don’t have the time. Today, I encountered another dismemberment case.”

Zhou Yining retorted without hesitation, “You don’t need a killer’s approval to take a break. In your eyes, do all police officers have to be *mitotic?”
*mitotic – of chromosomes, while mitotic division is how cells are divided in mitosis(nuclear division in eukaryotic cells that occurs when a parent cell divides to produce two identical daughter cells.)

Song Wen chuckled, “If there’s an option for that service, I’ll be the first to purchase it.”

The next morning, as usual, Song Wen arrived at the office on time. He lifted a bag of buns in his hands and greeted everyone, “I bought some buns on my way here. Those who haven’t had breakfast, help yourselves.”

Walking to his desk, Song Wen noticed a neatly placed investigation report. He opened the plastic bag, took a bite of a bun, and absentmindedly flipped through the report with his free hand.

At first glance, the report was neatly written, and upon closer inspection, it was thorough and accurate. Every detail was meticulously recorded, from general information to the smallest details. Even the forensic work, which was not part of his job, was documented. Evidence forms were organized for easy collaboration with the forensic center in the later stages. Seeing such a well-prepared report, Song Wen felt even better. Regardless of whatever secrets Lu Siyu might have, keeping him for his remarkable ability to organize information was worthwhile.

Just as he was about to praise him, Song Wen looked up and realized that Lu Siyu was not at his desk.

The HR department’s efficiency was quite high. Lu Siyu’s office was right opposite Song Wen’s, with a newly printed nameplate hanging on the door. At the moment, no one was there; only a bag was placed on the desk, indicating that the person had arrived. The desktop, like Lu Siyu himself, was arranged neatly and orderly. All office supplies were arranged in a straight line from left to right, creating a sharp contrast with the cluttered desks of others.

Lao Jia, without any hesitation, came over and took two buns, holding them in both hands. “These days, Captain Song is indeed generous.”

Zhu Xiao glanced at him. “Old folks are daring. I dare not eat. The landowner’s provisions, once consumed, have to be repaid.”

Song Wen said, “No need to overthink it. I’m just celebrating not having to worry about writing summaries anymore.”

Fu Linjiang chuckled. “Aren’t you relying on squeezing the new colleagues?”

Lao Jia looked at the buns in his hands and suddenly realized, “So we’re benefiting from someone’s good fortune.”

While they were talking, Lu Siyu walked in expressionlessly, holding a cup of water in one hand and a stack of freshly received notebooks and printed office paper in the other. Whether he heard the previous conversation was unclear. Lao Jia waved the bun in his hand and greeted, “Xiao Lu, come, have breakfast.”

Lu Siyu politely declined, “Thank you, but I’ve already eaten.”

Lao Jia took a bite of the bun, mumbled with a mouthful, “That’s a pity. These are the fruits of your slavery.”
*卖身- selling oneself into slavery

Lu Siyu either didn’t hear clearly or didn’t understand. He raised his head, his face showing the usual blank expression.

Song Wen walked over and kicked Lao Jia directly, saying, “*No ivory comes out of a dog’s mouth.”
*idiom – one does not expect fine words from the mouth of a scoundrel

Fu Linjiang shook his head, smiling, watching them joke around. He picked up his cup and took a sip of the freshly poured tea.

Seeing that the time was right, Song Wen stood up solemnly, saying, “Is everyone here? If so, let’s go to the meeting room for a joint meeting with the Identification Bureau.” After Song Wen spoke, everyone quickly stopped joking and began to pack up their things, heading to the meeting room. Song Wen walked to Lu Siyu’s desk, using his own pen to tap the desktop as a reminder, “Remember to take notes during the meeting.”

People who were at the scene yesterday gradually arrived. Nearly ten people filled the small meeting room. The atmosphere became serious. Song Wen took the main seat and started the meeting with a brief introduction, “Let’s summarize the new developments and clues.”

Lin Xiuran stood up, saying, “I’ll go first.”

As the dismembered body parts arrived too late yesterday, Lin Xiuran spent half the night playing a puzzle game to distinguish their positions. He even slept on a makeshift bed in the forensic room. Now it was time to showcase the results. He manipulated the equipment and projected an image of a barely reconstructed corpse on the projector.

Lin Xiuran began with a surprising statement, “Firstly, let me share a discovery. The items inside the condom were not left by the deceased. In other words, there was another man in this room before.”

Everyone in the room, except Lu Siyu, displayed expressions of surprise. Lu Siyu, on the other hand, showed no surprise; he lowered his head and neatly began to record the meeting minutes in his notebook.

The meeting room fell silent for a moment, with only the faint hum of the overhead fan. After a brief shock, everyone understood Lin Xiuran’s meaning and calmed down.

Except for Zhu Xiao, who still didn’t quite get it. He raised his head and asked, “Another man? What does that mean? Could there be another woman?”

Lin Xiuran leaned on the table with both hands, looking like a scholarly professor. “It means exactly what it sounds like. Although the deceased’s organs are missing, based on the traces, I can still determine that he was a homosexual.” As a forensic doctor accustomed to life and death, even the most unconventional things couldn’t surprise him, and his voice remained calm.

“Homosexual?! But he has a wife?!” Zhu Xiao, a typical straight man, was extremely shocked.

Song Wen continued to twirl his pen. “Having a wife doesn’t mean one can’t be homosexual. Many homosexuals do get married. It’s just not morally right.”

This orientation had always been a taboo topic.

Lin Xiuran explained academically, “Homosexuality is one of the three mating tendencies in humans and mammals: heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual. Scientific studies show that the percentage of the homosexual population is around 5% in humans, and bisexuals make up about 1%. This means that among your acquaintances, friends, and family, there are probably homosexuals; you just might not be aware. Of course, I think this is just one factor in this case and not necessarily the main focus.” Lin Xiuran interpreted it seriously. These things were perfectly normal, but ordinary people seemed to feel that homosexuality was distant from their lives. Zhu Xiao was clearly one of those people who either didn’t believe or accept the existence of such individuals.

Fu Linjiang also chimed in, speaking earnestly, “What’s scary is not the openly honest and harmless homosexuals, but those who, due to parental pressure and the influence of their living environment, dare not face their own sexual orientation. They put on the outer appearance of heterosexuality, suppressing their true nature, and end up becoming hidden monsters in society. The resulting problems like AIDS and promiscuity are more dangerous.”

Zhu Xiao clarified his thoughts, “So, this *comrade died at home after, you know?”
*同志 – slang for gay

Lin Xiuran said, “The deceased was married, and the person who used the condom, whether a short-term or long-term lover or just someone for a casual encounter, you’ll have to investigate that.” Then he pointed to the image on the projector, “Let’s take a look at the body: the head of the deceased, limbs detached, torso cut open, internal organs crushed. These were all found at the scene. The head and neck injuries found in the refrigerator were more chaotic, mostly post-mortem. We found some body parts, most of which were related to the ribs and abdomen. Due to the stewing process, many muscle traces couldn’t be identified. We extracted the bones and conducted the assembly.”

A reconstructed image of the sternum appeared on the projector, with the sternum pieces assembled on a clay model simulated based on the deceased’s physique. Except for a few missing pieces, most had been successfully reconstructed.

Lin Xiuran continued, “We can see that most of these sternums are divided into four to five sections. Only at this position…” Lin Xiuran circled a spot on the left side of the chest near the center, “the bones are mostly cut in a straight line.”

“Covering the wound?” Song Wen’s pen, which had been twirling, paused slightly, and he asked in a low voice. If there was originally a knife wound there, the best way to conceal it would be to add another cut on top. However, the person who dismembered the body probably didn’t anticipate that this action, after reassembly, would make the two additional cuts look awkward, as if unnecessarily complicating the matter.

Lin Xiuran put on gloves, took out two sternum sections, and showed them to Song Wen. “It’s here. The murderer cut off each rib one by one and then chopped it open. So, each trace of the chopped-off ribs shows a vertical force, and the cut edges are almost flat. The sternum itself has a curved line…” He explained while gesturing two ways to cut, “So, although the murderer cut in almost the same position, it still didn’t destroy those two additional traces.”

At the mention of Lin Xiuran’s fingertips, two small notches appeared on the two sternum pieces. If you didn’t look carefully, it was hard to notice. “These two traces are at the fourth and fifth ribs on the left side of the sternum, two diagonal and relatively shallow scratches. If there was only one such trace, it could be considered a coincidence or caused by other reasons. However, on the arched sternum, there are two locations perfectly corresponding to these scars, which is definitely not a coincidence. We can confirm that this should be the point where the murder weapon was stabbed in.”

“What would happen if the knife stabbed in from here?” Song Wen asked.

After hearing this question, Lu Siyu stopped recording, raised his head, and then he turned to look at Song Wen. Unexpectedly, Song Wen was also staring at him. Their eyes met for a moment, and Lu Siyu hurriedly lowered his head, avoiding eye contact. He jabbed the pen on the notebook with a dot.

“If the length is sufficient, it would directly stab into the heart.” Saying this, Lin Xiuran pulled over a small anatomical model of the human body at the center of the meeting room. With both hands brought together like a knife, he stabbed into the ribs of the model. His slender fingertips were like sharp weapons, piercing through the chest cavity straight to the heart.

TN:
Well this was an uncomfortable chapter.

It’s sad how people could be so against their own nature that they have to pretend to be what they aren’t in order to conform to society’s norms. I saw a statistic about how like 70 – 80% of gay men in China are married to women. Not sure if it’s true though. Nothing excuses people like the victim who despite being aware of their orientation still marry and then end up cheating on their spouses. It’s something that happens with both gays and lesbians. I just feel bad that they would be pushed to that level.