Reborn in 97, I solved a cold case at the Municipal Bureau

Chapter 408 Can you keep this a secret?
Could it be that the real murder and dismemberment took place in the inner room?
Zhou Yi picked up the water glass in front of him, took a sip, and then stretched his neck.

As she turned her head, she gave Chen Yan a look.

Chen Yan immediately understood, turned around and walked towards the door, asking, "Teacher Xiao, may I use your toilet? I drank too much water before coming here."

Seeing Chen Yan walk towards the inner room door, Xiao Bing immediately stood up.

But he maintained his calm demeanor and said with an awkward smile, "Officer Chen, I'm really sorry, but my neighborhood is in the old town area, where there are only drainage pipes, not sewage pipes. So there's only a shower room inside, no toilet."

This immediately thwarted Zhou Yi and Chen Yan's plan.

"So... how do you usually go to the toilet?"

Xiao Bing immediately walked to the front door, opened it, and said, "There's a public toilet fifty meters to the east; people usually go there."

Chen Yan was now in a bind. He could only walk towards the door, nod his thanks, and then head towards the public restroom.

Although Xiao Bing's reasoning was very reasonable, it only made Zhou Yi more suspicious of the inner room.

"Are the conditions here quite harsh?" Zhou Yi said.

"There's nothing we can do about it; that's just how the old town is. We're used to it."

"I see quite a few empty houses around here."

Xiao Bing nodded and sat back down opposite Zhou Yi: "Yes, those who could afford it have all moved away and bought houses elsewhere. More than ten years ago, there were rumors that the city was going to demolish this area and build new buildings, but so many years have passed and there has been no movement at all. Many people couldn't wait any longer and left."

"Didn't you ever think about moving to another place?" Zhou Yi asked.

Xiao Bing smiled sheepishly: "I don't have any money. I'm just a lecturer, and that's all the salary I earn. How can I afford a house? Besides, I'm used to living here. It's the place I've lived in since I was a child, and I have an emotional attachment to it. Look, I did a simple renovation, and the inside is actually quite clean, although the outside is a bit run-down."

Zhou Yi looked around at the surroundings and nodded.

The tiles throughout the room give it a cold and unwelcoming feel.

I don't know if it's just my imagination, but ever since I went inside, I feel like the temperature is much lower than outside.

There was no air conditioning in the house; at least, the only appliance in the outer room was an old-fashioned green refrigerator near the cabinet.

"Teacher Xiao is thirty this year..."

Thirty-two.

"Oh, that's quite a bit older than me," Zhou Yi asked. "Is Teacher Xiao still unmarried?"

Xiao Bing chuckled awkwardly, "Being alone is fine too. With my looks, I shouldn't be ruining other girls' lives."

"What kind of talk is this? If a university teacher like you isn't qualified to start a family, what are all the men supposed to do?"

Xiao Bing smiled but didn't say anything, seemingly unwilling to continue the topic.

"Officer Zhou, aren't you going to ask anymore?" Xiao Bing changed the subject, bringing it back to the main topic.

"Oh, when my colleague comes back and asks questions about the case, both of us have to be present; we have a rule about that."

Xiao Bing nodded and said, "I understand."

Zhou Yi pointed to the incense table in the corner and the three portraits on it, and asked, "Who are these people...?"

"My grandfather and my parents."

"Oh... So, Ms. Xiao, do you usually live with your grandmother?" Zhou Yi asked, pretending not to know.

Xiao Bing shook her head: "I don't have a grandmother. My grandfather never married. My father was adopted by my grandfather."

Zhou Yi immediately looked shocked and said several times that it wasn't easy.

Xiao Bing's face showed unconcealed sorrow. She lowered her head and remained silent.

"Oh dear..." Zhou Yi suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

Xiao Bing quickly looked up and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Teacher Xiao, since there's no one else in your family, who were those medications you prescribed for when we first met two months ago?"

Zhou Yi's casual words left Xiao Bing stunned and speechless.

But Xiao Bing's surprised reaction was very brief; he immediately sighed with a helpless and ashamed expression.

"Hey... Officer Zhou, you really are a criminal investigator. I would have forgotten about this if you hadn't mentioned it."

Zhou Yi looked at the other person with amusement but didn't say anything.

Xiao Bing lowered her voice and said, "To be honest, I did lie that day. Those medicines were actually for myself."

"For yourself? Ms. Xiao, do you have any health problems?" Zhou Yi asked, then added, as a warning and to shut down Xiao Bing's lie. "I saw that your school organized a staff physical examination at the beginning of last year, and your report showed that everything was normal."

This statement is tantamount to revealing our hand; it's like telling you, "We've checked your information."

Zhou Yi wanted to see what he planned to say.

Xiao Bing was slightly taken aback, and stammered, "If I were to tell you... Officer Zhou, could you keep this a secret?"

Zhou Yi nodded: "The police will not disclose any of the contents of your conversations with them, so you can rest assured about that."

"I understand... It's this illness of mine that's a bit embarrassing to talk about... I injured myself down there when I was a child... so... there are some problems, problems in that area."

Is that really the case?

Xiao Bing, like Long Zhiqiang, is incapable of being a real man.
This is why Lu Xiaoshuang was not sexually assaulted in her previous life.
Zhou Yi could not confirm the truthfulness of Xiao Bing's words because they were only questioning Xiao Bing, not conducting a legal interrogation, and therefore could not carry out a forced investigation.

"Officer Zhou, didn't you just ask me why I'm 32 and still not married? It's not that I don't want to, it's just that my situation... there's nothing I can do about it."

Logically, Xiao Bing's explanation made sense and even explained the hospital records and the fact that the school's physical examination was normal. But Zhou Yi felt that it was all too coincidental.

If Long Zhiqiang has a functional impairment, will Xiao Bing also have the same impairment?
Could it be that this type of person is more prone to mental illness and turning to crime?

At this moment, Chen Yan, who was pretending to "urinate," returned.

Zhou Yi did not continue the previous topic. His suspicion of Xiao Bing not only did not decrease, but actually intensified.

However, since there is no evidence at the moment, we cannot be too forceful.

"Teacher Xiao, let's continue. We will continue to verify and confirm the specifics of your last meeting with Lu Xiaoshuang, especially after we find her."

Xiao Bing hesitated for a moment, but finally spoke up: "Officer Zhou, I have a request, which may not be appropriate."

"You said."

"If you find Lu Xiaoshuang, could you please let me know?"

Xiao Bing's words left Zhou Yi and Chen Yan looking at each other, somewhat confused.

If Xiao Bing really is the culprit, then his arrogance in telling the two police officers to let him know if they find the victim is simply outrageous!

"No matter what, I did help Lu out at the food street back then, although it was mainly thanks to Officer Zhou. But at least it shows that we were destined to meet, and I don't want to see her encounter any more danger," Xiao Bing said sincerely. "Of course, if it's not allowed by the rules, then forget it. I was just mentioning it."

His sincerity puzzled Zhou Yi, who began to have doubts about Xiao Bing's true intentions.

If he really is related to Xu Liu's death and Lu Xiaoshuang's disappearance, then how arrogant must he be to say such a thing?

But if it's okay, then what about his previous reactions?

Zhou Yi nodded and said, "Okay, I understand."

He just said he understood, without saying whether it was okay or not.

"By the way, Teacher Xiao, may I ask what you were doing at the food street that day?"

"Have a meal."

"With friends?"

"No, alone."

"The food street isn't close to here. Why would someone travel all that way to eat by themselves?"

Xiao Bing smiled helplessly and said, "There's a noodle shop over there that's pretty good. Sometimes when I get tired of the food at the school cafeteria, I go there by myself for a bowl of noodles. Anyway, I'll be alone when I come back, so I'm not in a hurry."

"Oh, a regular customer of the noodle shop?"

"It's alright, I've been there a few times."

Zhou Yi nodded: "I understand. Next time you have the chance, treat me to a bowl of noodles."

"Okay, I'm just worried that you're too busy with work."

"How could that be? No matter how busy you are at work, you still need to eat. How about tomorrow?"

Xiao Bing seemed to understand what Zhou Yi was thinking and immediately smiled and said, "No problem, I'm fine with anything."

Seeing his composure, Zhou Yi was a little unsure. If he were a regular customer of the noodle shop, he would definitely recognize him, or at least not be unfamiliar with his face.

But if that's not the case, then it means that Xiao Bing's appearance on the food street that day was probably not a coincidence.

If it's not a coincidence, then it can only be stalking.

It is very likely that Xiao Bing had been tracking Lu Xiaoshuang long before Zhou Yi appeared.

That's why in the previous life, Lu Xiaoshuang was rescued before the conflict broke out, and no clues or traces were left behind afterwards.

In this life, Zhou Yi's recklessness in a moment of desperation caused the heavily poisoned white-haired man to go mad and kidnap Lu Xiaoshuang.

At the critical moment, Xiao Bing saved the day, snatching the knife from Bai Mao's hand and rescuing Lu Xiaoshuang.

Then, just like in his previous life, he left without leaving a trace.

If Zhou Yi hadn't bumped into him at the hospital, probably no one would have known that he had saved someone that day.

Then he would remain the same as in his previous life, simply undergoing routine investigation as an outsider unrelated to the deceased.

If Xiao Bing is a ghost, then I am the one who changes the course of that ghost's mischief.

Now, I have to catch this ghost.

"Teacher Xiao, where were you from April 28th to May 1st?"

Xiao Bing said, "I worked at the school during the daytime from April 28th to 30th."

"I got off work promptly at 5 p.m. on the 28th. After get off work, I went straight home. On the way, I bought a bunch of greens and two potatoes from a roadside stall. I had meat in the refrigerator, so I didn't buy any. I cooked a meal for myself, and after eating, I organized my lesson plans, then read for a while and fell asleep."

Zhou Yi asked, "On the night of the 28th, after you got home, did you stay at home the whole time?"

"Yes."

"Didn't you go out?"

Xiao Bing shook her head: "No."

“Can anyone prove it?”

Xiao Bing pointed helplessly at the house and said, "Officer Zhou, I live alone. How am I supposed to prove it? Oh, I ran into my neighbor on my way back, Aunt Liu from the front of our house. You can ask her."

(End of this chapter)