In the office of the Huadu Headquarters, inside the Major Crimes Unit, ever since the investigation led to Guo Chengfeng and that mysterious woman in the Double Barrel Oil Corpse case, all the clues seemed to have vanished.

Guo Chengfeng killed the photographer Wu Chenguang out of a crime of passion, but what led to Guo Chengfeng’s own death?

No fingerprints were found on the second barrel, and despite the police’s extensive search, the murder weapons for both cases were not found.

Currently, the Major Crimes Unit has obtained a simulated portrait of the woman using the alias Chen Shanshan. This is their only viable lead.

The fingerprints on the mirror provided by Guo Jinqiu, the other staff, and even guests of the Looking Glass Hotel are layered, and extracting the woman’s fingerprints from them is not an easy task. The forensic center is still comparing them one by one and has not yielded any results yet.

After discussions, Lu Junchi instructed Xia Mingxi to release the missing person’s notice with the portrait through the public platform of the police, along with the contact information for providing clues.

The phone in the Major Crimes Unit rang all day, and they received several calls. Qiao Ze and Xia Mingxi consolidated and registered the information from these calls.

When it was close to the end of the day, Lu Junchi asked, “Any valid leads?”

Having many phone calls doesn’t necessarily mean more leads; sometimes it introduces confusing information that leads them astray.

“Not many valid leads yet…” Qiao Ze honestly reported, “Some of them were false reports, and there were even people asking who the woman was.”

Upon hearing this, Qu Ming chuckled bitterly, “Did they ask because they thought she looked beautiful? Are they mistaking our headquarters for a dating website?”

With no progress in the case, Lu Junchi had no choice but to say, “Let’s call it a day for now. We’ll have a meeting tomorrow to discuss and decide whether to change our direction.”

He and Su Hui left the office and as they reached the ground floor, they saw a man standing not far away.

The man was carrying a shoulder bag and greeted them with a smile as soon as he saw them, “Captain Lu, Professor Su.”

Su Hui’s vision was not good, and he couldn’t recognize who this person was.

However, Lu Junchi immediately recognized him, “Reporter Jiang, why are you at the headquarters today?”

Su Hui then remembered; this person was the journalist who had dinner with them a few days ago. He even remembered his name, Jiang Li.

Lu Junchi had found this person a bit troublesome at the time, so he asked directly, “Do you have something to discuss with me?”

Jiang Li sensed the tension and smiled lightly, “Captain Lu, don’t be nervous. I’m not here for anything in particular.”

Lu Junchi couldn’t tolerate slow speech and said impatiently, “Reporter Jiang, we have plans for the evening…”

Only then did Jiang Li stop teasing and put on a serious expression, “I came because I saw the information your headquarters released. I might know something about the woman you’re looking for.”

Seeing Lu Junchi’s silence, he took a few steps forward, “Well, both of you, let’s find a place to eat and discuss it in detail?”

Lu Junchi chuckled, “If it’s about official matters, we better talk inside the headquarters. It’s only natural for us to work overtime when there’s an informant providing leads.”

Jiang Li had made the effort to come during their off-duty hours just to have another meal together and get closer. He played the rogue card and leaned against the car, saying, “Oh, my memory. The interrogation room is so serious. If I forget any details, it won’t be good… If I can’t provide any useful leads in half a day, won’t it be a waste of everyone’s time?”

Lu Junchi narrowed his eyes slightly and patted Jiang Li’s shoulder. “Since Reporter Jiang doesn’t want to waste everyone’s time, I know a good place where you can think it through.”

Jiang Li was an experienced person, but Lu Junchi was not easily swayed.

Understanding Lu Junchi’s intention, Jiang Li had no choice but to put on a smile and say, “Captain Lu… um, I think I remember now. Since you’re busy, let’s talk briefly in the courtyard.”

He didn’t dare to provoke him anymore and went straight to the point, “Actually, here’s the thing. Over three months ago, I received a tip that two men got into a big fight in a shopping mall over a woman. I thought it had news value, so I rushed over, but unfortunately, they had already settled and left by the time I arrived. Later, my friend helped me retrieve the surveillance footage, and I remember the woman captured in the footage was the same woman mentioned in the police information.”

Lu Junchi asked, “Can you be certain that the woman is the one mentioned in our police records?”

“Naturally. Captain Lu, don’t underestimate my ability to recognize people. This is what I do for a living. Besides, why would I provide false information to the Major Crimes Unit? I’m not tired of living yet…”

Jiang Li opened his phone and showed Lu Junchi the information. “During this time frame, at Jiangyang Shopping Mall. Captain Lu, you can have your subordinates investigate. Also, I managed to capture the information registration of the two men who were fighting… Sigh, I thought it would be a great news story.”

He flipped through his photo album and showed a page to Lu Junchi.

It displayed a registration book with the names, ID numbers, and phone numbers of the two men written on it. “These two are the gentlemen who were fighting at the time. The mall was originally going to report them, but they insisted on settling privately and gave a thousand yuan to the security team leader to let it go.”

Lu Junchi glanced at the identity information left by the two men. One was named Qiu Jiarong, and the other was Shao Changqing.

He saved the information and sent a message to Qiao Ze, urging him to investigate the matter promptly.

Then Lu Junchi looked up at Jiang Li and said, “Thank you, Reporter Jiang.”

Jiang Li finished sharing the information but still couldn’t let it go and asked Lu Junchi, “Um, Captain Lu, I’ve honestly told you everything I know. Do you and Professor Su have any plans for tonight?”

Lu Junchi waved his hand. “I appreciate your kind offer, but the case is at a critical moment. Let’s make plans after we solve it. I’ll treat you.”

Jiang Li’s attempt to arrange a dinner failed, and he left feeling a bit dejected.

Lu Junchi and Su Hui got back into the car. Su Hui put his cane aside, fastened his seatbelt, and said, “I think this person just wanted to get some information from us. We can simply refuse to give it to him. You don’t have to be too worried…”

Lu Junchi responded, “I’ve dealt with some reporters in the past who wanted to dig up information. They try to get close to you. Once they know something, they write without discretion. Many seasoned police officers have suffered from this. It’s best to have less contact with them.”

Su Hui hadn’t encountered this situation before and didn’t mind it much. “Regardless, the clue he brought can move the case forward. We should still thank him.”

Huadu. Su Hui’s home. The living room light was on.

News quickly came from Qiao Ze’s side.

“I confirmed with the shopping mall, and indeed, there was such an incident. However, they can only retrieve the surveillance footage tomorrow morning when they start work. I also contacted the two men who were fighting, Qiu Jiarong and Shao Changqing. Qiu Jiarong said that the woman is his missing girlfriend. Shao Changqing said that the woman is his friend, but they aren’t very close. They revealed a pseudonym for the mysterious woman—Chen Lingling. I asked for the woman’s phone number from them, but I couldn’t reach her.”

“Surname Chen, it’s highly likely to be the same person,” Lu Junchi concluded.

Now, two more men appeared…

And they fought over this woman again.

It seems that this woman is either a marriage fraud expert or a master of time management.

And… she’s missing?

Could it be that she received the news and went on the run?

“Did you find any signs of fraud?” Lu Junchi asked. Typically, when a woman engages with multiple men under different identities, fraud is often involved.

Qiao Ze replied, “I inquired about that, and they said it was just normal expenses between regular couples. Qiu Jiarong asked why the police were looking for this woman, and I told him she might be related to the case the police are investigating. He hopes the police can find her and tell him her whereabouts.”

This situation was unexpected for Lu Junchi. He spoke up, “Bring these two men in tomorrow morning. We’ll learn more about the specifics.”

It was a drizzly night, and the sound of rain could be heard outside the window. It was already October, yet Huadu’s weather remained as damp as the plum rain season. Su Hui seemed a bit uncomfortable. He had been coughing during dinner and had gone to bed early.

Lu Junchi sat at the dining table, organizing the case files.

Suddenly, he heard muffled coughing coming from Su Hui’s bedroom.

Lu Junchi got up, noticing that the light was still on in Su Hui’s room. He poured a glass of hot water and knocked on the door.

Su Hui responded with a sound, setting down the documents he was holding.

Lu Junchi placed the glass of water on the table and reminded him, “Have you taken your medication?”

Su Hui leaned against the white pillow at the head of the bed, sinking into it. He pointed towards the table beside him, and Lu Junchi understood, handing him the medicine.

Su Hui took the medicine, coughed softly a few more times, realizing that these pills were probably just a placebo at this point, with diminishing effectiveness.

Lu Junchi said, “Once this case is solved, I’ll accompany you to the hospital.”

Su Hui remained silent for a moment, murmured an agreement, and as his eyelids drooped, the prominent beauty mark amidst his long eyelashes became particularly clear.

Lu Junchi glanced at the documents Su Hui had placed aside, which were related to this case, and advised, “If you’re not feeling well, rest first. I’ve already asked Qiao Ze to arrange a meeting with those two men who fought.”

“I think the key point still lies with that woman,” Su Hui murmured. He retreated back into the covers, lying on his side. He blinked his eyes, gently closing them.

Lu Junchi could tell that Su Hui hadn’t fallen asleep and was still thinking about the case.

The light in the room illuminated Su Hui’s face, making his pores invisible. His breath was weak and soundless. Lu Junchi felt that his skin emitted a cold, pale sensation, like the frost that forms on a winter night in the north.

It seems that the person in front of him is quiet and fragile. If he reach out to touch them, they will melt away.

Lu Junchi carefully tucked in the corner of the bedding and turned off the light.

The next morning, Qiu Jiarong was called in first.

He was a 30-year-old male programmer, wearing glasses. Despite his young age, his hair was already thinning, making him appear older than he actually was.

Qiu Jiarong said that he had taken leave from work to meet with the police, and he was feeling a bit nervous.

“I met that woman four months ago. She said she saw my profile on a dating website. At that time, she told me her name was Chen Lingling.”

Qiao Ze had checked that name earlier, and it was an alias. Although there were many people with the same name, none of them matched the description of that woman.

Qu Ming said, “Could you please provide her account information and contact details from that time?”

Qiu Jiarong registered the information, and Qiao Ze took it to prepare for further investigation.

“How did you meet this woman? And what happened afterward?”

Qiu Jiarong adjusted his glasses and nervously clenched his fists. “At my age, my family has been pressuring me to get married, but as a programmer, I don’t have much time to interact with women. So, I registered an account on a dating website. Later, this woman added me proactively. She quickly sent me photos, and she looked much more beautiful than I expected. She also seemed gentle and virtuous. At that moment, I thought she was the person I had been looking for.”

Qu Ming asked, “What happened after that?”

“After we added each other, we chatted for a while. I felt that she was good at finding topics to talk about. When I chatted with other women, it often became awkward, but with her, it was completely different. We had a lot in common. After chatting online for a week, I asked her out for dinner. On that day, we split the bill. We talked about books she liked and she mentioned that she was learning cooking recently. I was quite fond of her at that time…”

Learning cooking, this matched what Guo Jinqiu had mentioned earlier.

Gentle and virtuous, well-spoken, these descriptions matched the accounts of the waitresses as well.

A private restaurant, a dating website… This woman seemed to cast her net without discrimination, like a hunter searching for her prey.

“Did she ever ask you for money?” Although they had asked this question before on the phone, Qu Ming asked again for confirmation.

Qiu Jiarong shook his head. “No, we either split the bill or paid for each other. Sometimes she would spend more money.”

“Did she mention Guo’s Homestyle Restaurant to you?”

Qiu Jiarong adjusted his glasses. “I think she mentioned it once. She said she was learning cooking there. I don’t know much else.”

Qu Ming showed him the photos of Guo Chengfeng and Wu Chenguang. “Have you seen these two people before?”

Qiu Jiarong lowered his head and carefully examined the photos. Then he shook his head lightly. “I don’t recognize them…”

Qu Ming frowned deeply. “Regarding this woman, did she mention anything else to you? Like where she used to live, if she has been married before, or what kind of work she has done?”

Qiu Jiarong replied, “She… didn’t tell me much about that.”

Qu Ming patiently asked, “So what else do you know about her?”

“Her cooking is exceptionally delicious. I’ve had it a few times, even better than my mom’s cooking. One time, she specially made homemade cookies for me…”

As he mentioned this, Qiu Jiarong seemed to recall the taste and smiled shyly. “When I was busy with work, she would keep me company, tell me jokes, always understanding. On my birthday, she even gave me a mouse that I had been wanting to buy.”

The furrow on Qu Ming’s brow deepened. He wasn’t interested in hearing a sweet love story. “You said she disappeared. What happened?”

“It happened suddenly about half a month ago. Just the day before, she asked me where I wanted to go for dinner. But the next day, she suddenly sent me a breakup message. Her phone was unreachable, and there was no response to my messages. I called the police, but they said they couldn’t find her…”

No matter how Qu Ming listened, it sounded like the man in front of him had been dumped. “When you were dating, she used a fake name. Are you sure she actually disappeared?”

Qiu Jiarong’s eyes turned red, and he became agitated. “It’s impossible! She loved me so much. How could she suddenly break up with me?! Maybe she was coerced, or it’s possible that something happened to her and someone else used her phone.”

Qu Ming asked, “During your relationship, was there anything unusual or related to her disappearance?”

This man definitely had something he wasn’t saying.

Qiu Jiarong lowered his head and thought for a moment before saying, “About a month after we met… about three months ago, one day after dinner, she told me that she had previously known a man whom she didn’t like, but he had been pestering her… One Friday after work, I went to meet her at a shopping mall as we had planned. We strolled around for a while, and when I came out of the restroom, I saw a man pulling her… I got angry and rushed over…”

Qu Ming asked, “Did you get into a fight?”

Qiu Jiarong replied, “There was some physical confrontation, but it wasn’t too serious…”

This must be the fight at the shopping mall that Jiang Li received a tip about.

Zheng Bai asked, “So, did you win or lose?”

Qiu Jiarong proudly said, “Of course, I won! Don’t underestimate me just because I’m a programmer. I told that guy she was my girlfriend and warned him not to bother her anymore. We ended up having a physical altercation, but we settled it privately. However, I feel like he didn’t give up easily. Afterwards, she assured me that he had been harassing her on his own, and she had already broken up with him and would never see him again. And then, she disappeared…”

“I suspect that man did something to her.” As Qiu Jiarong said this, a worried expression appeared on his face. He adjusted his glasses again and asked, “Can you tell me who she really is?”

Qu Ming replied, “The police are currently investigating the matter concerning this woman.”

Qiu Jiarong asked, “Has she committed a crime?”

Qu Ming said, “We haven’t determined whether she has violated any laws. Do you have your chat records with her? Can you show them to us?”

Qiu Jiarong took out his phone and handed it to them. Qu Ming immediately exported a copy. The records ended two weeks ago and contained words of encouragement and love, indicating that the two had a good relationship. The last message was the breakup message

“I’ve thought it over and feel that we’re not very compatible. I think it’s best to give each other some space.”

There were several missed calls after that.

Qiu Jiarong said, “I came here to cooperate with your questions because I wanted to clarify some things… I don’t think she’s a scammer… at least she has never deceived me or taken anything from me. She’s gentle, kind, loving, and very capable in domestic matters. If you find her, I… I still love her.”

As he spoke, he lowered his head and said, “My family had started preparing when they heard that I found a girlfriend…”

Qu Ming and Zheng Bai exchanged a glance, feeling that something about this situation was strange. But they couldn’t quite put their finger on what exactly was strange.

Then, Qu Ming handed him a testimonial form and said, “Please fill out this form in detail.”

Upon hearing that they were investigating the fight, Qiu Jiarong became somewhat alert. “Um… It was just a minor friction in the shopping mall. It shouldn’t cause any trouble, right?”

Qu Ming replied, “If it was as you described, not serious, then naturally, there won’t be any major trouble.”

In the interrogation room, Lu Junchi and Su Hui finished watching the entire questioning process.

Su Hui furrowed his brow and remained silent.

Lu Junchi rubbed his temples and said, “Let’s hear what the other person has to say.”

Based on Qiu Jiarong’s description, that woman sounded like a perfect daughter-in-law or a warm-hearted fairy tale character. However, in reality, she turned out to be a deceitful woman who was involved with multiple people at once.

Women like her are usually driven by either money or personal desires. What was this woman’s motive?