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

Chapter 457 The Scheme is Not Simple (Thanks to the generous donor "How Steel Was Tempered" for the generous donation)
"Ding Chunmei, this Li Chong is your senior, right?" Zhou Yi asked, holding up the letter.

Ding Chunmei nodded.

Are you in a romantic relationship, or do you have feelings for each other?

"I... I do like him, but many people like him. He's a famous talent at our school. I... I'm just one of his junior classmates." Ding Chunmei lowered her head somewhat forlornly.

"Have you maintained communication?"

She nodded: "Yes, we've been corresponding since he graduated and started working at Wuguang, but not very often, maybe once every month or two. As you can see, we talk about our recent lives in the letters."

Zhou Yi couldn't help but sigh inwardly. "Oh, this silly girl. If a man is willing to keep in touch with her through letters for several years, it means that they have feelings for each other. It's just that they are both too shy or too sensitive to take that step."

As a result, they are now separated by death.

"Did he mention anything confidential to you in his letter? For example, was he investigating anything dangerous or that infringed on anyone's interests?"

Ding Chunmei thought for a moment, then shook her head and said no.

“Li Chong wouldn’t tell me these things. He’s a very principled and idealistic person, and he’s particularly concerned about the professional ethics of a journalist. He’s said that he won’t easily report any news that is unverified or based on unclear facts,” Ding Chunmei explained.

Zhou Yi nodded slowly, because he was reminded of the media in the later Internet era. Those people, for the sake of traffic and attention, could distort the truth, take things out of context, and even lead netizens to attack the authorities and manipulate public opinion.

Compared to Li Chong's level of awareness, it's like heaven and earth.

Zhou Yi carefully folded the letter, then put it back in the envelope and returned it to Ding Chunmei.

"So you quit your job at the TV station because you wanted to go and investigate Wu Guang's death?"

Ding Chunmei nodded, and Zhou Yi knew she had made her decision because her eyes were unwavering.

“Officer Zhou, I really just came to say goodbye. I know that the public security systems in different regions are independent of each other and cannot interfere with each other. Moreover, I only believe that Li Chong would not and could not commit suicide, but I have no evidence, so I did not intend to bother you.”

As Ding Chunmei spoke, she stood up and bowed to Zhou Yi, saying, "Thank you, Officer Zhou, for saving my life. If something had happened to me like Li Chong, I hope I could repay you in my next life."

A tear fell into the coffee cup in front of her.

Zhou Yi quickly helped her up and told her to sit down, saying there was no need to be so agitated.

“I’m a police officer, saving lives is my duty, you don’t need to thank me.” Zhou Yi said earnestly, “Ding Chunmei, I know you’ve made up your mind to go, I won’t stop you. Everyone has something they care about and are willing to give everything for, so I respect your choice.”

"Thank you, Officer Zhou."

"But you need to listen carefully to what I'm about to say."

"Going to Wu Guang is fine; you can investigate Li Chong's affairs. But first, you must ensure your own safety, avoid impulsive actions, and be discreet and cautious in your dealings."

"Secondly, you'd better keep your relationship with Li Chong a secret, including your long-term correspondence."

"Finally, take self-defense measures and try not to be alone or go to dangerous places."

"Also, I'm sure you had a plan for going to Wuguang, right?"

Ding Chunmei nodded: "Yes, I've already asked someone to help me submit my resume to the newspaper where Li Chong works."

Zhou Yi nodded; he knew it. "You'd better have a reasonable reason for leaving Hongcheng TV Station, so as not to arouse suspicion."

Zhou Yi's words made Ding Chunmei look worried, because Zhou Yi's words were very serious and things she had not expected.

Judging from Zhou Yi's tone, it was as if the place she was going to was a den of dragons and tigers.

“And then there’s the most important thing!” Zhou Yi said, “Don’t do anything foolish before I go to Wu Guang!”

Ding Chunmei trembled, as if she had seen a glimmer of hope, and quickly asked, "Officer Zhou, are you going to Wu Guang?"

"Well, according to the higher-ups, I'll be transferred to Wuguang for a few months, but the specifics haven't been finalized yet. It'll probably be around August. So whatever you find out, don't do anything rash before I officially arrive in Wuguang, understand?"

Ding Chunmei nodded frantically, because if Zhou Yi could go to Wu Guang, then perhaps the truth about Li Chong's death would finally come to light!
"Officer Zhou, don't worry, I won't do anything reckless. I'll be waiting for you in Wu Guang."

"Alright, then it's a deal. See you at Wu Guang!"

"Wu Guangjian!"

……

On the way back, Zhou Yi kept searching his mind for the name Li Chong.

No, there isn't a single case file related to him.

According to Ding Chunmei, Li Chong committed suicide by jumping from the twelfth floor of the newspaper building late at night.

In cases of suicide by jumping from a building, the public security authorities will be dispatched to conduct autopsies, on-site investigations, and interviews with witnesses, mainly to confirm whether it was a "suicide" or a "homicide staged as suicide".

If the investigation finds no suspicious points, relevant certificates will be issued to the family members, just like Fan Zhongliang's wife in the An Yuan case.

Once it's classified as suicide, it no longer falls under the category of a criminal case.

Therefore, Zhou Yi in his previous life would naturally not have been able to see Li Chong's case files.

Furthermore, there's another point: either Li Chong truly committed suicide in his previous life, or no one ever overturned his conviction.

After all, the girl who was willing to risk her life for him had already been murdered in her previous life.

Zhou Yi decided to start organizing Wu Guang's case files tonight.

If there is something fishy about Li Chong's death, then I will not leave Wu Guang until I find out the truth!

Back at the No. 2 Steel dormitory, Zhou Yi opened the door, washed his face, and then went straight into the secret room.

……

The next day, Sunday, Zhou Yi called Qian Hongxing.

I asked him if he had time, as I wanted to treat him to a meal.

Upon hearing this, Qian Hongxing immediately nodded and said yes.

"Officer Zhou, you set the time, and I'll make the arrangements."

"Mr. Qian, didn't I say I'd treat? How could I let you arrange it? It's just a simple meal, please don't mind."

"Alright, alright, whoever treats is fine. We're all brothers, no need to be so formal," Qian Hongxing said with a smile. "Perfect timing, the thing you asked me to inquire about last time has made some progress."

"Last time?" Zhou Yi was taken aback, unable to recall.

"It's about that smuggling of imported cigarettes."

After Qian Hongxing said that, Zhou Yi suddenly realized what was going on.

"Oh, I remember now. Okay, let's have lunch then." With that, she told Qian Hongxing the time and address for lunch.

"Okay, see you there or see you."

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Yi remembered that the cigarette smuggling case had been going on for almost three months with no progress.

This case was handled by Shi Tao's side, so he didn't know the details. He remembered that the main problem was that mysterious boss surnamed Du, who was nowhere to be found. There was also Zhao Guangfa, a gangster under his command, who had been wanted for so long but hadn't been caught.

The case wasn't actually that big, but the gang of thugs were too arrogant at the time, gathering a group of armed men to attack the police, so the case was assigned to the municipal bureau.

However, it was later discovered that they were just a bunch of ignorant and arrogant rabble.

However, compared to the series of major cases that followed, this case was really insignificant, so Zhou Yi forgot about it.

"Okay, I'll go find Uncle San later and introduce him to Qian Hongxing." Zhou Yi was still thinking about the laid-off workers. Although his own family was no longer in trouble, he still wanted to try, in case his meager efforts could help some people.

After tidying up, he prepared to leave. Looking up, he saw a 1997 calendar pasted on the wall by the door, with a circle drawn around June 14th.

He suddenly remembered that tomorrow was June 14th. He had drawn the circle himself the night he caught Li Yong, as a reminder to spend the night at the savings bank on Linbei Road to see if he had solved the June 14th savings bank robbery and murder case ahead of time.

Okay, then let's do it tomorrow night!
Since the end of the major case, nothing has happened, and Zhou Yi is suddenly finding it a little strange to have so much free time.

Sometimes I really want to curse myself for being a lazy, worthless person.

Uncle San's family stayed at Old Zhou's house yesterday. Zhou Yi's parents gave up the master bedroom, and the old couple slept on the floor in the living room.

My third uncle initially said it wasn't necessary, that a hotel nearby would suffice, but my third aunt suggested that we stay at home, as we couldn't let down my eldest brother and sister-in-law's kindness.

Zhou Yi and this third aunt actually had very little contact in their previous life because the third uncle's family had always lived in the south.

However, I always had a good impression of this third aunt, especially compared to my second aunt, Wang Cuie.

After her third uncle came back last time, Zhou Yi asked her mother about her third uncle and third aunt. It turned out that it wasn't as simple as not asking for a bride price.

When my third uncle was working in the south, he met my third aunt, and the two started dating.

Later, in order to earn more money, my third uncle started his own small business, which was quite successful and his business was thriving.

As a result, some problems arose later, leading to the failure of the business, and Uncle San lost all the money he had previously earned.

My third uncle was devastated and never recovered.

Just when he was feeling disheartened, his aunt took out a sum of money and handed it to him, saying that it was all the savings she had accumulated over the years, and that she was giving it all to him so that he could try again.

If he loses, she'll go back to his hometown with him, whether he wants to work or farm.

My aunt said: "The rich have their days, and the poor have theirs."

The two then got married. Later, the third uncle used the money to turn his life around, started his current small company, bought a house, and became the most successful child in the eyes of his relatives.

True friendship is revealed in times of trouble. Based on this alone, my third aunt is definitely a person with a broad perspective.

After Zhou Yi arrived at his parents' house, he took his younger brother out for a walk, bought him toys and snacks. That's how kids are; in no time, they were inseparable, calling him "Big Brother" over and over again.

Zhou Yi checked the time and said that it was about time, so he called his third uncle to come with him.

After Zhou Jianye went out, he stood by the roadside looking around. Zhou Yi asked in confusion, "Third Uncle, shall we go?"

"Let me see if there are any taxis."

“You’ll be waiting here until dinner time and they still won’t come. Let’s go, take the bus, it’s still early anyway.” With that, she grabbed Zhou Jianye and started walking.

On the bus, Zhou Jianye looked out at the city and sighed, "It feels like Hongcheng hasn't developed much in recent years. Look at the south, it's changing rapidly."

“Zhou Yi, you really should go and see the outside world. It’s completely different from our little place.”

Zhou Yi smiled faintly and said nothing.

I thought to myself, I have not only seen the outside world, but I have also seen the future world. That is truly amazing. We have covered in a few decades what took the West hundreds of years.

"By the way, I heard from your dad that you have a good relationship with this Mr. Qian?" Zhou Jianye asked.

Since entrusting Lu Xiaoshuang to Qian Hongxing after the last major case, Zhou Yi had stopped deliberately keeping his distance from Qian Hongxing. Especially after witnessing so many hypocritical people, he appreciated Qian Hongxing's honesty even more.

Anyway, he's not the kind of person who uses connections or shortcuts, and I don't have the ability to do anything for him. Just look at Ni Jianrong; I don't know how many years it would take me to reach his position.

“Yes, you can treat him like a relative,” Zhou Yi replied.

Zhou Jianye looked at his nephew with some surprise: "Zhou Yi... don't get involved in that kind of collusion between officials and businessmen. There's a fishmonger in our area who hooked up with a policeman with connections, and now he's a mafia boss."

"Third Uncle, what are you thinking? How could I do such a thing? I..." Zhou Yi suddenly paused.

"Wait... what's the last name of that fishmonger over there?"

"How would I know? I'm just a small business owner, I don't have the right to associate with them. All I know is that they all call him Brother Qiang."

Zhou Yi's lips twitched. What a coincidence! "Third Uncle, you'd better stay far away from this Brother Qiang."

"The way you're talking makes it sound like I have the right to get close to people."

"Third Uncle, I have a question for you."

"what's up?"

"You suddenly came back with your whole family, it can't be just to see Grandpa and us, can it?"

Zhou Jianye looked at Zhou Yi in surprise, then suddenly slapped his thigh and said, "Damn, I'd completely forgotten what you do! I can tell you, but you absolutely can't tell the old man, he's getting old and he's prone to overthinking."

"You can't tell your mom either, she's a big mouth."

"Wait, your dad can't tell him either, who knows if he'll be unable to resist telling your mom."

Zhou Jianye waved his hand impatiently and said, "Fine, just don't tell any of them."

Zhou Yi was both amused and exasperated: "Third Uncle, don't worry, I won't tell a single one."

"Alright, you can't hide it from me anyway. I'm planning to have your aunt and brother stay at home for a while. I'm just wondering what excuse to come up with, can you help me think of one?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi asked with a serious expression, "Third Uncle, did you run into trouble over there?"

Zhou Jianye sighed: "Hey, do you remember when I came back last time I told you that I got scammed and lost all my savings from the past few years?"

"I remember, is it about this?"

"Correct."

"What's going on?"

“There was this bastard who partnered with me in business before. After I transferred the money, this piece of trash just ran off with it. The downstream customers said they didn’t receive the money, and the upstream customers’ money was transferred to me anyway. I have to use my own money to refund them, because if I don’t, the upstream customers will sue me, all my accounts will be frozen, and then the business will be completely ruined,” Zhou Jianye said angrily.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi knew he couldn't offer any help. Unless the other party was suspected of fraud, such a contract dispute would fall under the category of civil disputes.

Did you sue the other party?

"I filed a lawsuit, but the court said the other company's account was empty; the money was transferred out the same day it arrived. Damn it, it's just a shell company."

"Then there's nothing we can do. Even if the court rules in our favor, there won't be any assets that can be seized unless you can provide the court with evidence that the other party has hidden assets. Only then can the court enforce the judgment."

"Yeah, that's what the lawyer told me too, but the problem is, where am I supposed to find this bastard?"

Suddenly, Zhou Jianye looked at his eldest nephew. "Hey, do you police officers have any methods to find this bastard?"

Zhou Yi said helplessly, "Third Uncle, unless you can prove that this person is also involved in some other criminal offenses, I can't help you find him. It's not in accordance with the rules."

Zhou Jianye sighed and nodded: "Yes, I understand the principle."

"You're such a shrewd person, how did you get fooled?"

"I thought we were from the same hometown, and when people from the same hometown meet, their eyes well up with tears. How was I supposed to know that this bastard was making a fool of me, his fellow villager?"

Zhou Yi was taken aback and quickly asked, "Fellow villager? You mean the person who lied to you is from Hongcheng?"

It's hard to say about other places, but this kind of product came from Hongcheng's small territory, so investigating its background shouldn't be too difficult.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Jianye shook his head and said, "He's not from Hongcheng, he's from Wuguang next door. I was thinking that your mother and my sister-in-law are from Wuguang, so we're practically fellow villagers, aren't we?"

Zhou Yi laughed. "Goodness, they were waiting for me here."

Before our own people even got to Wuguang, the work had already come our way.

God's tricks are quite clever.

(End of this chapter)