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

Chapter 426 I Want to Go Abroad (Bonus Chapter - Day 6)
Zhang Wenhua said that Xu Liu stayed with him for two whole weeks starting from that day.

Of course, he didn't stay at the hotel because he had to go home; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to explain it to his wife.

It was summer vacation at the time, but because he was a well-known senior teacher, he would tutor students through a tutoring center run by a friend during winter and summer vacations and holidays, so he had a lot of free time.

Because he could get tutoring outside, he had a certain income, and his wife was unaware of the specifics of his tutoring income.

From the very beginning, he secretly kept a secret from his wife and saved up a small stash of money.

That's why people with money in their pockets become more daring and have the means to strip away their human skin and do beastly things.

During these two weeks, he would almost every day use the excuse of tutoring to go to the hotel to see Xu Liu after class.

To avoid any problems, he bought Xu Liu birth control pills in advance and told her to take them every day because he could come over anytime.

Apart from the first day, he was not so rough afterward, because after the first day, he found blood on the sheets.

This surprised him greatly, and he hugged Xu Liu and asked her if she had never had a boyfriend.

Xu Liu shook her head.

Zhang Wenhua was overjoyed and hugged Xu Liu, saying that he had found a treasure and that he would treat her well in the future and would not be so rude again.

Each time he goes to a hotel, he stays for about an hour or so before getting dressed and leaving.

Moreover, when he visited her later, he would often bring her some food and small gifts to cheer her up.

After each encounter, the two would lie in bed, and he would put on his glasses and talk eloquently about Xu Zhimo's poems, Cao Zhi's "Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River," or the spirit of literature.

It was as if he were still standing on the podium, passionately spreading knowledge.

Sometimes, when he got emotional, his voice would suddenly stop, and he would suddenly turn over and pounce on the young body next to him, continuing to vent his most primal desires.

Zhang Wenhua said that during the two weeks they spent together, he noticed that Xu Liu was gradually changing.

At first, she was as stiff as a piece of wood, which inevitably disappointed him. Fortunately, she had never been touched by anyone else, which satisfied his possessiveness.

But under his careful guidance, she slowly began to grow and change.

It's as if Pandora's box has been opened and can never be closed again.

It even made Zhang Wenhua feel powerless, yet he couldn't stop.

On the very last day, as soon as Zhang Wenhua entered the house, Xu Liu rushed up to him and asked for a kiss.

They were wild and enthusiastic, and Xu Liu even shouted recklessly, which startled him so much that he quickly covered the other person's mouth, afraid of causing trouble.

Finally, Xu Liu collapsed, trembling all over, while he was completely drained and didn't even have the strength to lift his hand.

The only sounds in the air were the two people's heavy breathing.

He didn't know how much time had passed when Xu Liu slid off him and reached out her hand to him.

He thought Xu Liu wanted to ask him for money, so he said his wallet was in his pants pocket and he could take as much as he wanted.

Because he was very satisfied with this toy he had personally trained, his initial promise to support her through four years of university was just a casual remark, meant to increase his leverage in attracting her.

In reality, he was thinking that he had had enough fun for the past two weeks, and since Xu Liu was going to university in Hongcheng, which was far away, there would be no risk to him.

If you really want to rekindle your relationship, then wait until she comes back during her winter or summer vacation, and then spend some money to have some fun.

Anyway, she was poor, and once she took this step, there was no turning back.

Besides, he was her first man.

But Xu Liu's performance on the last day greatly shocked him, because it gave him a tremendous sense of satisfaction, both physiologically and psychologically.

Just as Lu Xun once pointed out incisively, men's two great interests are "persuading prostitutes to reform" and "drag virtuous women into prostitution."

He personally turned a virgin into a harlot.

This feeling gave him immense joy on a spiritual level, even more so than the honor and glory he received when he taught a student who ranked third in the province in the college entrance examination for Chinese.

So he decided that he couldn't just let it go like this; he had to keep his promise and make Xu Liu his lover forever.

He couldn't just hand over the toys he had nurtured to someone else.

So he generously told Xu Liu to take as much as she wanted.

Unexpectedly, Xu Liu said she didn't want any money.

He was stunned for a moment, then got up and asked, "What do you want?"

Xu Liu said: I need my ID card, I'm going to university.

Hearing this answer, Zhang Wenhua breathed a sigh of relief and said that she had left her ID card in the car and would get it to her in a moment.

Then, Zhang Wenhua took her out of the hotel for the first time, took her out to eat, went shopping, and bought her new clothes and a schoolbag.

He said it was only then that he saw Xu Liu smile for the first time.

The sales clerk next to him kept praising how beautiful his daughter was, which once again greatly satisfied his perverted desires.

After shopping, he returned to the hotel and wanted to make love one last time.

Unexpectedly, Xu Liu rejected him outright. Holding the envelope he had given him on the first day, Xu Liu told him that the two weeks they had agreed upon had already passed.

Therefore, he had to keep his word, otherwise she would call the police and tell them he had raped her.

Zhang Wenhua said he was stunned and didn't know how to respond for a moment.

In front of him, Xu Liu took off all her old clothes and put on the new clothes she had bought from head to toe.

Throughout the entire process, she looked at him with a playful gaze.

Especially when she took off her underwear and exposed her body to him, this hot body that he had possessed not long ago actually made him hesitate.

Xu Liu stuffed all the old clothes into the worn-out schoolbag, then threw the schoolbag on the ground.

She picked up her new bag containing her personal belongings and walked up to Zhang Wenhua.

Zhang Wenhua then realized what was going on and awkwardly said, "How about I take you to catch your ride?"

Xu Liu said no need, then leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

Then, she whispered in Zhang Wenhua's ear, her breath sweet as orchids, "Teacher Zhang, if you still want to sleep with me, come find me in Hongcheng."

These words were like a curse, causing him to think of Xu Liu day and night and be haunted by her thoughts in the days that followed.

Unfortunately, school had officially started, and he couldn't get away for the time being, so he had to put the matter aside for the time being.

Hearing this, He Bin later told his colleagues that Zhang Wenhua perfectly exemplified what it means to be a beast in human clothing. It's outrageous that someone like him is standing on the podium teaching and educating people!
He Bin questioned Zhang Wenhua about whether he had ever bought Xu Liu a pager for communication.
Zhang Wenhua asked in shock: You even know this?
He Bin slammed his fist on the table and said angrily, "I'm asking you a question now, you have no right to ask me a question back."

Zhang Wenhua nodded repeatedly, saying that he had indeed bought Xu Liu a pager with a Chinese character display.

Actually, Xu Liu directly said that she wanted a cell phone.

This request startled Zhang Wenhua, who immediately found an excuse to refuse.

First, the phone was too expensive; he felt Xu Liu was asking for an exorbitant price.

Secondly, he didn't want Xu Liu to have too much control. With the pager, he could only control when to contact her. Otherwise, if she took the initiative to call his home or workplace, it would be too much of a threat to him.

He Bin immediately asked him to give him Xu Liu's pager number.

Then let him continue to explain.

Zhang Wenhua said that about a month later, one day at the end of September, he couldn't help but send a message to Xu Liu's pager, asking her to call back.

While waiting for the call, he was completely distracted. It wasn't until more than an hour later that Xu Liu called.

However, he was cautious and immediately asked her where she made the call.

Xu Liu replied that it was the school's public telephone, and that it was one of those IC cards. He even teased Zhang, saying, "Teacher Zhang, why are you so timid? Didn't you have a lot of fun in bed?"
That left him speechless, so he changed the subject and asked Xu Liu if she was coming back for the National Day holiday.

Xu Liu said, "Why come back? It's pointless."

Then she questioned him about why he broke his promise and didn't come to Hongcheng to see her, asking if he had fallen for another girl.

Zhang Wenhua immediately swore that he was too busy at school and that he had no one else besides her, and then proceeded to coax and deceive her.

He said his original intention was to trick Xu Liu into coming back during the National Day holiday so that he could rekindle their relationship.

But Xu Liu refused to come back, even when he offered to pay for her travel expenses.

Finally, Xu Liu mentioned that she wanted to travel to a certain city during the National Day holiday and asked him if he wanted to go.

After thinking it over, Zhang Wenhua finally decided that the second son would prevail over the eldest son and grit his teeth and say he would go.

So the two agreed on a time and place to meet in that city.

In order to find Xu Liu, Zhang Wenhua lied to his wife after returning home. He claimed that a friend had introduced him to a wealthy family in another city whose child was a senior in high school and was struggling with Chinese. The family had offered him a high price to tutor the child, and since it was during the National Day holiday, which was two days off and four days including the weekend, he wanted to go and see what was going on. If the child was good, he would take one weekend off every month to tutor him.

He said his wife didn't suspect anything and even thought it was good to earn more money, and she was very supportive.

So he packed his bags, left Huaixing without hesitation, and boarded the train heading towards his derailment.

Zhang Wenhua said that after he arrived at the agreed place by train, Xu Liu had already arrived ahead of him.

He said he didn't recognize her at all, because in just one month, Xu Liu's clothes and appearance had completely changed.

She was wearing a glamorous dress, her long hair was flowing down her shoulders, she wore fashionable sunglasses, and she had put on makeup and bright lipstick.

With a handbag slung over her arm, she stood out in the crowd.

Just over a month ago, she was wearing no makeup, had her hair in a ponytail, and dressed simply.

So Zhang Wenhua said he was in a daze and didn't dare to recognize himself.

Until Xu Liu saw him, took off her sunglasses, and walked towards him with a smile.

Xu Liu affectionately linked her arm with his, smiling as she asked him if he was tired and if he had missed her. She even deliberately rubbed her chest against his arm, making him feel all itchy inside.

Zhang Wenhua casually asked, "Why are you different from before?"

Xu Liu replied with a smile, "What, you don't like it?"

Zhang Wenhua repeatedly said she liked it; indeed, becoming a college student really makes a difference.

Xu Liu asked him where they should go first, and Zhang Wenhua reached out and pinched her butt, saying two words: "Hotel."

Upon hearing this, Xu Liu immediately burst into a silvery laugh.

As Zhang Wenhua recounted this story with some excitement, He Bin's face was filled with disdain and disgust, because the senior teacher opposite him clearly enjoyed and reminisced about the experience.

The sense of sleazy was palpable.

He Bin questioned him, asking if he was making things up to satisfy his perverted desires.

Zhang Wenhua excitedly said no, that she had already told the whole truth, and that she wouldn't dare to lie anymore.

He swore that every word he said was true, and that if he was lying, may he be struck by lightning!

He Bin knew very well that Zhang Wenhua didn't care about being struck by lightning at all; a hypocrite like him had no faith.

What he feared was being disgraced and ruined.

He Bin has plenty of ways to deal with him, but not now.

He told Zhang Wenhua to continue, and warned him that they would verify every word he said.

If you are found to have lied, you will bear the consequences.

In fact, He Bin had already realized that under constant psychological pressure, Zhang Wenhua was already at his limit.

And that was indeed the case; after all the questions were asked, the man couldn't even stand up anymore.

Zhang Wenhua said that he and Xu Liu stayed in the hotel for three days and indulged in sex for three days.

On the fourth day, the two had no choice but to leave.

He discovered that Xu Liu's appearance had changed, not just her clothes. Her personality seemed to have changed as well, becoming more proactive and unrestrained, demanding excessively in bed. This even instilled a sense of fear in him, because he had been completely drained over the past three days and nights, so exhausted that he couldn't even straighten his back.

Moreover, Xu Liu was not only insatiable in his physical desires, but also had a huge appetite for money. Every time, he would start asking Zhang Wenhua for money halfway through, and if he didn't agree, he wouldn't let him continue.

Zhang Wenhua had no choice but to agree.

On the day he left, Zhang Wenhua discovered that Xu Liu had taken all the money he had brought with him.

He couldn't even afford a train ticket back, so he had to go to a nearby bank to withdraw money.

Moreover, he also had to collect "tutoring fees" to give his wife an explanation.

So his savings were suddenly stretched thin.

However, he had to admit that Xu Liu's performance in bed was like having his meridians opened, making him unable to resist.

But he also knew that Xu Liu's appetite was growing, and his savings wouldn't last long.

His peak earning season is during winter and summer vacations.

So when he went to Hongcheng to find Xu Liu, he was smarter. He not only gave her money, but also bought her some clothes and other things in advance. Some of them were brand-name items, and he even asked a friend to buy them in the provincial capital.

It's not too expensive, but it has a brand name and is presentable.

After buying these things, when Xu Liu asked him for more money than expected, he made excuses again.

However, he said he could tell that Xu Liu wasn't very satisfied with these things; it seemed that all she cared about was money.

But he could only pretend to be stupid, because he had done the math and realized that buying things would save him money overall, and it would also make him seem like he cared about her.

He said that after the National Day holiday, he went to Hongcheng three more times under the pretext of "catching up on lessons," all on weekends.

Stay one night and then leave.

After arriving in Hongcheng, he would first book a hotel room, then tell Xu Liu the room number via pager, and Xu Liu would then sneak up, so that no one would find out.

He was very careful and cautious. He came three times and changed hotels three times, and all of them were some distance away from the grand place.

This is why the Hongcheng police have been investigating the hotel for so long without any leads, because Xu Liu's name has never appeared on the hotel's registration form.

By the third time, when he came to Hongcheng in December, his savings were already running out. If he wanted to continue this relationship, he would have to secretly use his family's savings and then find a way to make up for it during the summer and winter vacations.

But this is actually a very risky move; if his wife finds out, he won't be able to explain himself.

So he was in a dilemma, not wanting to give up enjoying Xu Liu's young body, but also not knowing how to maintain this sordid relationship.

So after the two of them had satisfied their desires on the hotel bed, he panted and thought about what to do next.

Because winter vacation will start in another month, and Xu Liu will definitely return to Huaixing then, and the two will inevitably meet again, but he has no money left.

He was thinking of an excuse to avoid meeting during the winter break so he could earn more tutoring fees during the break.

Xu Liu took the initiative to speak, saying that she didn't want to go back to Huaixing during the winter break.

Zhang Wenhua was overjoyed and quickly said that it was fine not to go back, as Huaixing was not as lively as Hongcheng.

Xu Liu also said that she wanted to enroll in a training course.

Zhang Wenhua was unaware of the problem and kept praising her for being studious and ambitious.

As a result, Xu Liu said that she wanted to enroll in an IELTS training course in the provincial capital, which would cost about three thousand yuan, and she hoped that Zhang Wenhua could help her pay for it.

This terrified Zhang Wenhua. Let alone three thousand, even paying three hundred might be a problem for him now.

He asked her, "Why do you need to study for IELTS? You can just take the CET-4 or CET-6 in college, and you're a finance major, so you don't need this stuff."

Xu Liu then started to act coquettishly, making up all sorts of excuses.

Finally, she frankly admitted that she wanted to go abroad. Her parents had prevented her from going to Tsinghua or Peking University because they were afraid that she would not come back and abandon them after getting into Tsinghua or Peking University, which affected her entire life.

She hated her parents and her two younger brothers. Since they were so afraid of her going abroad, she was determined to go abroad and never come back, severing all ties with her family. Zhang Wenhua said that when Xu Liu said this, her eyes were bloodshot, and she even bit her lip until it bled.

Zhang Wenhua was frightened, not by her remarks about hating her parents and family.

Rather, it was Xu Liu's determination to go abroad.

He knew that he could no longer control this girl, let alone support her.

No wonder she was so obsessed with money; it turns out she had already planned what she wanted to do.

Zhang Wenhua began to persuade her, first telling her that the moon in foreign countries wasn't that far away, and that foreign countries were actually very chaotic, and it would be very dangerous for a young girl like her to go abroad.

But Xu Liu turned a deaf ear and remained unmoved.

He could only start by analyzing the difficulty of going abroad, telling her that given her current situation, she actually couldn't go abroad at all.

Putting money aside, the fact that she's still in university means she can't go abroad.

So if you want to go abroad, you have to wait until you graduate from university, either to apply to an overseas university for a master's degree or simply go abroad to work.

In any case, it's still a long way off.

These words finally made Xu Liu realize reality and dispelled her eagerness to go abroad.

Then she said that if she really wanted to go abroad, the only person she would miss was her grandmother. If her grandmother hadn't taken out her savings for her funeral, she would never have been able to go to university.

But my grandmother is old and in poor health, so I will wait until she passes away before going abroad.

But she was determined to go abroad in her lifetime, even if it meant dying overseas.

Zhang Wenhua immediately hugged her and comforted her, while also enjoying the young body a little longer.

He said that at that moment he had made up his mind to break off contact with the girl.

Because the other party's appetite is too big, even if he were sold, he wouldn't have the money to support her going abroad.

Although I'm very reluctant to part with the other person's body, it's better than being dragged into it and falling into an abyss of no return.

So that meeting in early December became the last time he met Xu Liu.

Although he promised to come to Hongcheng to be with her during the weekend of Christmas at the end of December when they parted, it was just a delaying tactic.

He was quite confident about this because he had thought it through very thoroughly from the beginning.

Every time he paged Xu Liu, he used a nearby public phone or a landline he paid for at a convenience store. Even if Xu Liu called back using the number, she couldn't reach him.

Moreover, he never revealed his home address.

The only risk is his workplace.

Because when he first helped Xu Liu give false testimony at the hot pot restaurant, he openly revealed his name and workplace, after all, he hadn't thought of this possibility at that time.

So, shortly after the winter break ended in 1997 and school started, the gatekeeper told him that a pretty girl had come by during the winter break and asked for his address.

But the old man didn't know either, so he told them to come back and ask when school started.

The old man even asked him if he was a former student who wanted to give him a New Year's gift.

These words startled him, because he knew that this beautiful girl must be Xu Liu.

Fortunately, the old man didn't know where he lived; otherwise, if Xu Liu had really come knocking on his door, he wouldn't have been able to celebrate the New Year.

During that period, he was extremely anxious, fearing that Xu Liu would come to the school to find him again.

Fortunately, things remained calm after that, and he guessed that Xu Liu was also going to university and couldn't leave Hongcheng.

Gradually, he forgot about it.

However, he had considered rekindling his relationship with Xu Liu, but his savings were simply not enough to support them, and he needed to save up enough money first.

He planned to contact Xu Liu again during the summer vacation and invite her to come to the city for two weeks.

As for the excuse, we'll just make up some excuses like hurting our leg.

The only thing that worried him was that Xu Liu might have a new sugar daddy in Hongcheng, and then she might not want the little money he was giving her anymore.

Furthermore, he felt that he was Xu Liu's first man, and therefore developed a possessive desire for her, saying that the thought of her sleeping with other men made his heart ache.

Upon hearing this, He Bin sneered, "You're still heartbroken? Don't you have any sense of propriety or shame? Don't you have any conscience as a human being? You have a daughter yourself. When you were ruining a girl who wasn't much older than your daughter, didn't you think about your own daughter?"

Zhang Wenhua, whose head was already bowed, lowered it even further.

He Bin banged on the table and said, "How will your daughter face you as her father from now on?"

Zhang Wenhua asked timidly, "You...you won't tell the school and my family about this, will you?"

He Bin ignored him and continued to ask, "Where were you from April 28th to May 1st?"

"The 28th? I... I'm in school. I'll be at school for the 28th, 29th, and 30th."

He Bin frowned and asked, "What about May 1st?"

"I was at home that day because it was a holiday."

"Who can prove it?"

Zhang Wenhua said, "My wife, my daughter, and my sister-in-law's family can all testify to this. That day, my sister-in-law and her husband brought their child to my house to play."

"During these four days, did you leave Huaixing for Hongcheng?"

"No." Zhang Wenhua looked at He Bin's serious expression and suddenly realized that the other party was not here for his relationship with Xu Liu, but for Xu Liu.

He hurriedly explained, "Officer, I really haven't seen her or contacted her since that incident last December. Whatever happened to her has nothing to do with me."

He Bin said coldly, "Whether there's a relationship or not isn't up to you to decide. We'll have to investigate to find out. Give us your wife's and sister-in-law's names, workplaces, and contact information."

Upon hearing that they were looking for his wife, Zhang Wenhua was so frightened that he knelt down on the ground with a thud, crying and begging them not to look for his wife and relatives, and pleading with them to let him go.

He Bin didn't indulge him at all. He coldly looked at Zhang Wenhua, who was kneeling on the ground like a dog, and told him, "We are carrying out a mission. If you refuse to cooperate, we will have no choice but to take you back. As for your wife and relatives, we will find them ourselves. Think it over carefully."

This was something He Bin had planned to do from the beginning. Even if this person wasn't the murderer, he couldn't let him get away so easily. The police had no obligation to keep his dirty deeds a secret, especially since it involved an alibi investigation.

As for what will happen next, He Bin has no say in that; these are all consequences of his own actions.

Zhang Wenhua provided the information while crying.

He Bin and his colleagues first contacted the school leaders and Zhang Wenhua's colleagues to confirm whether he was at the school between the 28th and the 30th.

Then he went to his wife and relatives to ask about the events of May 1st, and also asked if they knew what his relationship with Xu Liu was, whether they had mentioned this person, or whether they had expressed any dissatisfaction with her.

He Bin asked Zhang Wenhua's wife in particular very carefully, repeatedly confirming whether she knew about Xu Liu's existence, whether she knew about Xu Liu's relationship with her husband, and whether the couple had any conflicts or arguments because of it.

He Bin said that his purpose in doing this was to rule out the possibility that Zhang Wenhua had hired someone to commit murder.

After all, in an immoral love triangle, it is quite common for one party to kill the third party in order to please or win back the other party as a way of showing loyalty.

Therefore, his investigation process was reasonable and well-founded.

Of course, everyone on the other end of the phone knew that He Bin had done this on purpose.

In short, this seemingly refined but morally corrupt Zhang Wenhua will pay the price for his depravity.

His reputation was ruined, and he was separated from his wife and children.

After all, no parent would dare entrust their child to a teacher who has completely lost their moral compass.

However, for the task force, finding Zhang Wenhua meant that the case had made progress.

But this also means that the trail ends here.

Because He Bin's investigation confirmed that Zhang Wenhua had never left Huaixing during the period of the incident, providing a sufficient alibi.

His wife was completely unaware of Xu Liu's existence, and even less aware that every time her husband went to another city to tutor others, he was actually tutoring them in bed.

She even felt sorry for her husband because he was always exhausted when he came back from tutoring classes in other places. She even advised him to give up because it was too hard.

But Zhang Wenhua said with a serious expression, "How can we let it go? A true man stands between heaven and earth and must keep his word."

He even seriously described to her the strengths and weaknesses of the "male classmate" he was tutoring, and how he planned to help him improve.

She never imagined that her husband would be doing that kind of thing in bed with a girl who was only a few years older than her daughter.

He Bin discovered Zhang Wenhua and helped the task force confirm several things.

First, Xu Liu's source of income was confirmed.

The question of financial resources, at least from the time of freshman year to the first semester, has been explained.

This confirms the previous speculation that someone was supporting her financially.

Why did Xu Liu start acting like a wealthy person from the time she entered university?

Why can Xu Liu live a wealthy life without relying on his family?

Including the brand-name clothes found in Xu Liu's dormitory wardrobe, with the tags still on.

And the actual whereabouts of Xu Liu when she was not in the dormitory on weekends and "went out to play".

All of these were reasonably explained in Zhang Wenhua's confession.

The details of Xu Liu's work trip to the city, which her parents were unaware of, and some subsequent gaps in the information were also filled in.

Secondly, it aligns with what Lu Xiaoshuang had previously mentioned about Xu Liu going to the Haoyunlai Restaurant to look for a job.

When Xu Liu went to look for a job, it happened right after Zhang Wenhua broke off contact with her and stood her up, which is why she kept checking her pager while waiting for the interview.

But this also illustrates one thing: Xu Liu's financial situation is rather bad.

Logically speaking, only four months have passed from August to December. In August, Xu Liu spent two weeks with Zhang Wenhua and received two thousand yuan. Adding that to the two thousand yuan she stole from the hot pot restaurant, she should have at least four thousand yuan.

This doesn't even include the money Zhang Wenhua gave her when they met during the National Day holiday, or when he went to Hongcheng to see her at the end of October and mid-November.

Logically speaking, she shouldn't be that short of money, at least not in the short term.

Either she squandered it during this time, after all, Zhang Wenhua said that Xu Liu was completely different after she went to university; she dressed fashionably and even wore makeup.

However, judging from the inventory list of Xu Liu's items, it seems that she did not spend too much extravagantly.

Zhou Yi suggested that she might have spent the money on overseas study training or consulting.

This is the third piece of information Zhang Wenhua revealed: Xu Liu has a strong desire to go abroad.

The reason was clearly stated in Zhang Wenhua's confession: Xu Liu hated her family of origin, her parents, and her two younger brothers.

Therefore, she desperately wanted to go abroad and completely sever ties with her family.

This must be the only way she can think of to get revenge on her parents and family! Since you're so afraid of me going abroad, then I'm going to go abroad and show you!

But to be honest, Zhang Wenhua's advice to her was reasonable.

Given Xu Liu's situation, going abroad would require perfect timing, location, and personal connections.

Given her circumstances, going abroad is practically a pipe dream.

To put it bluntly, she couldn't even manage to smuggle herself into the country.

However, she still told Zhang Wenhua that she couldn't bear to leave her grandmother and that she would only consider going abroad after her grandmother passed away.

Unfortunately, her words proved prophetic; not long after, during the winter break, her beloved grandmother passed away.

However, she was unable to leave the country as she wished, and instead met a tragic end four months later.

However, this does not rule out the possibility that she may have enrolled in classes or sought advice for this purpose, spending money on it.

In fact, she clearly expressed this intention when she last met Zhang Wenhua, indicating that she had at least been aware of the relevant information.

Therefore, Zhou Yi felt that she had probably spent all her money on this matter, which left her without any money.

She had initially thought that Zhang Wenhua was her sugar daddy, but he stood her up, which threw her into a panic.

Otherwise, even if she is usually extravagant, she wouldn't have spent all her money. After all, she is someone who has paid a huge price for money before. Such a person is like someone who has been bitten by a snake, and instinctively fears not having money.

Fourth, and most importantly, the pager number that led to the discovery of Zhang Wenhua.

This proves that the clue about the pager provided by the hotel receptionist was correct.

More importantly, the pager disappeared along with Xu Liu's murder.

Perhaps because Xu Liu was carrying this pager with her when she was murdered, the murderer disposed of it along with the victim's belongings.

Another possibility is that the murderer also used this pager to contact Xu Liu, so the murderer had to get rid of the pager.

Therefore, after He Bin provided the pager number, the task force immediately sent people to the operator to check the call records.

At the same time, He Bin was also asked to check the records of this pager number with the local telecommunications operator in Huaixing. Because in 1997, due to limitations in communication technology and network architecture, records from different places were not shared. Pager communication records were generally stored at the local paging station.

After exporting the records from both sides, we can then query and analyze each number one by one.

Theoretically, if the murderer was the same sugar daddy who continued to support Xu Liu after Zhang Wenhua, then he should have maintained secret contact with Xu Liu through this pager number, just like Zhang Wenhua.

Finding this number could potentially lead to the murderer.

He Bin's description of Xu Liu's experiences left the task force members deeply saddened.

Because reality is just too tragic.

Perhaps before the college entrance examination, Xu Liu was truly proud at heart, because in the closed environment of high school, she was one of the top few people in the pyramid, and she certainly had the right to be proud.

Although she ultimately failed her college entrance exam due to interference from her family, she still managed to get into a prestigious university that was out of reach for the vast majority of students.

But the fact that she went to work in the city and stayed at Huang Ying's house made her realize reality for the first time.

Once you leave the school gates, regardless of your academic performance, you will return to your true social class.

At school, Huang Ying was a poor student who didn't score high enough in the middle school entrance exam. Her parents paid money to get her into high school, and she barely made it into a second-tier university in the college entrance exam, which made her whole family extremely happy.

In reality, Huang Ying is a wealthy city girl who lives in a big house with air conditioning, whose parents run a business, and who has never had to worry about food or clothing since childhood.

In reality, Xu Liu is a poor soul who has no home to return to and cannot even afford the tuition fees for a prestigious university.

All the pride she had before she turned eighteen was perhaps blown away by the air conditioner in Huang Ying's bedroom that very night.

That's why she was in a hurry to find a job and leave the very next day.

Because that place didn't belong to her, every minute and every second she spent there was torture and torment for her.

It is very likely that this silent yet enormous psychological shock changed her mindset, leading her to succumb to greed in a private room at a hot pot restaurant not long after, and make the worst decision of her life.

This decision marked the beginning of her descent into utter ruin.

When she hid that envelope, her life was doomed.

If Zhang Wenhua hadn't "lent a helping hand," the money would have been discovered, and she would have faced detention at the very least.

Moreover, given her situation, her family will inevitably be notified, which would be a devastating blow to her. Her parents, who are already dissatisfied with her in various ways, will certainly not allow her to go to university. Instead, they will force her to work and may even marry her off early to collect a dowry.

The reality is that Zhang Wenhua helped her "escape legal punishment," but in doing so, he also dragged her into an even deeper abyss.

Although Zhang Wenhua emphasized that he did not force Xu Liu, but only proposed the deal, it was Xu Liu who agreed to it.

But in that situation, Xu Liu at that time was actually succumbing to her threats.

Because she only had two paths in front of her, she had no choice.

However, this also confirmed for Zhou Yi that Xu Liu and Lu Xiaoshuang were fundamentally two different types of people.

(End of this chapter)