Xiao Zhao finished eating first and chatted with them for a while. Seeing that Zhuang Zi had called the waiter to settle the bill, he left ahead of them.

The restaurant was busy, and with many customers at lunchtime, the food took a bit longer to arrive.

Si Hang leaned back in his chair, idly playing with his phone on the table. Suddenly, he lifted his eyes and glanced at Xie Kui across from him, asking, “Where are we running into issues with the case?”

Xie Kui looked at him, sighing deeply. “The scope is too broad, and the target is unclear. After lunch, I’ll analyze it again. We must produce results today.”

Si Hang thought for a moment and then asked, “Is there anything unusual about the victim in Zhuang Hong’s case?”

“I contacted the police in H City. They said Zhao Yuan had been working on a construction site and fell from a scaffold at the end of last year, leaving him in a vegetative state. He hasn’t been discharged yet. Ever since their family fell on hard times two years ago and lost their child, his wife has had some mental health issues and has been undergoing treatment under supervision. She couldn’t possibly have gone far,” Xie Kui shook his head, lamenting, “This family really seems to be hit with one tragedy after another.”

Si Hang remained silent, his thoughts returning to the sight of the modestly dressed young couple who had knelt before him years ago, their voices hoarse with pain as they pleaded for justice for their two-year-old son. Contrasting this with Zhuang Hong’s indifferent and disdainful expression in the interrogation room, his face darkened even further.

However, a suspicion emerged in his mind, which he briefly pondered but didn’t get a chance to voice before Xie Kui continued, “Zhuang Zi told me she suspects the perpetrator has something to do with her sister’s car accident six months ago. Yet, when I reviewed the accident file, I didn’t find anything unusual.”

Originally, Xie Kui had full responsibility for the case, and Si Hang hadn’t planned to intervene. But seeing Xie Kui so stressed and the progress slower than expected, he felt compelled to offer some advice, “It’s very likely that the perpetrator doesn’t have a personal vendetta against her.”

Xie Kui looked intrigued and asked, “Why do you think that?”

Si Hang pointed at the table, explaining, “Based on the perpetrator’s behavior, they used a method that caused no pain whatsoever. Psychologically, if the perpetrator harbored deep hatred towards her, they wouldn’t have allowed her such a comfortable death—this suggests a much more complex emotional connection between them. There are two possible explanations for this behavior: first, Zhuang Zi knows something the perpetrator doesn’t want revealed, prompting them to eliminate her discreetly under the guise of suicide. Second, the perpetrator initially didn’t intend to kill but used this method to achieve another goal. According to Zhuang Zi’s own account, there were several strange incidents at her home in the months leading up to the incident. Given her timidity, the perpetrator likely exploited her vulnerabilities, using threats and intimidation to achieve their objectives. The precise timing of the report suggests the reporter has some suspicion, but it may also be a coincidence.”

Xie Kui’s heart skipped a beat, a solemn expression crossing his face, tinged with a sense of realization.

“Combine these insights with your discussion,” Si Hang continued calmly, putting away his phone and standing up. “I’m going to wash up.”

Xie Kui leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling. He carefully reconsidered Si Hang’s suggestions in light of the information he currently had. Suddenly, numerous details flashed through his mind, fleeting and elusive, like a glimpse of light through dense fog. Though still hazy, he felt on the verge of a breakthrough.

In the next moment, he immediately pulled out his phone and called Xiao Zhao, who had just left. “Where is Zhuang Zi now?”

Amidst the faint noise of traffic from Xiao Zhao’s end, standing by the roadside smoking, he replied, “She sent her brother-in-law off and has returned to the hotel.”

“Don’t let her out of your sight. Bring her to the office immediately; there are some crucial details I need to ask her about,” Xie Kui instructed.

Ending the call just as the waiter arrived with their food, Xie Kui turned to Si Hang, somewhat excitedly, “Jiang Zhihao claimed when he reported the case that Zhuang Zi’s mental health had deteriorated due to a setback after her ex-boyfriend publicly declared his love and proposed to another woman the day before the incident. However, Zhuang Zi herself denied this in her report. From this perspective, Jiang Zhihao likely intended from the beginning to confuse everyone.”

Si Hang neither agreed nor disagreed, simply stating nonchalantly, “I haven’t delved deeply into the case. Based on preliminary analysis, we can consider her brother-in-law as a suspect, but we shouldn’t rule out other possibilities.”

Xie Kui nodded, then shifted his focus, frowning deeply. “If Jiang Zhihao does have any ill intentions towards Zhuang Zi, then her suspicions about her sister’s accident… there might be something to it.”

“Actions have consequences. Perhaps Zhuang Zi’s concerns aren’t unfounded,” Si Hang added calmly, his gaze sharp.

“First, check if Jiang Zhihao has a solid alibi,” he suggested.

…