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

Chapter 542 Teacher Bai
Ensuring Ding Chunmei's safety is the most pressing issue at present.

Zhou Yi could not possibly act as Ding Chunmei's bodyguard, protecting her 24 hours a day.

The fact that her previous rented apartment was broken into shows that the mastermind behind it would definitely not let Ding Chunmei off easily in order to find that document.

So after much thought, Zhou Yi felt there was only one way to possibly ensure Ding Chunmei's safety to some extent.

He didn't tell Ding Chunmei about this method yet.

That is to make Ding Chunmei "have a policeman boyfriend". Not only that, but it is also necessary to make the people around Ding Chunmei, that is, the people in the newspaper and the people who are following her, aware of the existence of this "policeman boyfriend".

At the same time, Ding Chunmei also had to live with her "police boyfriend".

This police officer boyfriend could only be played by Zhou Yi himself, since he had just been transferred from Hongcheng to Wuguang, which makes perfect sense logically.

This move was actually a risky one.
On the one hand, it will make the mastermind behind this matter hesitant to act rashly and dare not easily touch Ding Chunmei.

On the other hand, it also directly exposes oneself, which is equivalent to being a hidden card that is now forced to become an open card.

They believed that their identity as members of the Municipal Public Security Bureau's Criminal Investigation Detachment could have a deterrent effect, since no matter what kind of criminal gang they were, they wouldn't dare to confront the police head-on.

The key to everything lies in when the document that Li Chong hid will be found!

Until they are found, this arrangement should be able to save Ding Chunmei's life.

But once this thing appears, Ding Chunmei and Zhou Yi's lives will probably be measured in minutes, because they could be silenced at any moment.

Zhou Yi wasn't stupid. Although the letter was a trap, the other party had also revealed too much information while trying to trick Ding Chunmei.

This kind of material is either related to greed or business.

In most cases, there is a close relationship between the two.

Li Chong's suicide is the best proof of this.

Some people are willing to kill to cover up the truth.

Since they were able to kill Li Chong, they were also willing to take risks and kill Ding Chunmei and Zhou Yi when things got really urgent!

Living with Ding Chunmei was a last resort, so he had to find a neighborhood very close to the police station. Only by being close enough to the headquarters could he ask for help in times of crisis.

So when he told Ding Chunmei to wait a few more days at the hotel, it was so that he could find a place to live.

Also, he needs to find some time to call Lu Xiaoshuang.

Although he knew Lu Xiaoshuang would trust him, he didn't want her to hear about it from elsewhere.

Bai Lin was right, the neighborhood was indeed very close, and we arrived in just a few minutes.

The rain was too heavy, and Bai Lin's umbrella was a bit small. In order to keep a proper distance from her, Zhou Yi's right side got quite wet.

"Does it rain often in Wuguang during the summer?" Zhou Yi asked.

"It's alright, but it has been raining quite a bit these past few days. Officer Zhou, aren't you from Wuguang?" Bai Lin had a faint fragrance emanating from her, which seemed to come alive as it entered Zhou Yi's nostrils. This was also why he wanted to keep a distance from her.

After all, such a young and beautiful woman is almost certainly a compromising situation.

"I'm from Hongcheng, but I'm also half a Wuguang native. My maternal grandmother's home is at the foot of Yunxia Mountain."

"Really? Well then, since we're from the same hometown, I can give you a discount on the rent," Bai Lin said with a smile.

Her skin was very fair, her hair was very black, and she was wearing a white dress.

Although she was beautiful, on this rainy night, Zhou Yi didn't feel her beauty, but rather a strange and peculiar feeling.

Just like the place he was going to wasn't a residential area, but Lanruo Temple.

Fortunately, Bai Lin was not Nie Xiaoqian, and Zhou Yi quickly followed her into the residential area.

The community looks quite new, and the gate is very formal, with a guardhouse and security guards, as well as a barrier gate to manage vehicle access.

These things will be everywhere in 20 or 30 years, but in the 1990s, most residential areas in prefecture-level cities wouldn't have them, since there are many motor vehicles in the area, so they're not really needed.

Once inside the residential complex, the environment was noticeably better than that of Mo Youyou's ordinary neighborhood.

There are streetlights in the community, lighting at the entrances of the buildings, and security doors that require access cards to open.

This was somewhat unexpected for Zhou Yi, and it certainly improved security to some extent.

When they went upstairs, Bai Lin walked in front, while Zhou Yi kept his distance and kept his head down.

"Miss Bai, which floor is the apartment on?"

"Fourth floor, it shouldn't be too high, right?" Bai Lin said, turning around and smiling. "Also, Officer Zhou, you can just call me Xiao Bai."

But Zhou Yi had his head down and didn't see her smile at all.

This building has a two-unit-per-floor layout, meaning that both apartments on the fourth floor belong to Bai Lin.

Upon reaching the fourth floor, Zhou Yi immediately discerned which apartments were for rent and which were for owner-occupancy.

Because there were handwritten Spring Festival couplets pasted on the left side of the gate. Although the ink had faded a bit, the characters were still very beautiful, elegant and graceful.

Bai Lin pointed to the door on the right and said, "Officer Zhou, this apartment is for rent, and I live across from it. We can be neighbors from now on."

Although Zhou Yi is quite satisfied so far, he smiled but didn't say anything since he hadn't asked about the price yet.

Bai Lin took out her key, but instead of opening the right door, she opened the left one.

"Excuse me, the key is inside. Why don't you come in and sit for a while, Officer Zhou?" Bai Lin opened the door and turned around with a smile.

"No need, I'll just wait at the door."

"Alright then, please wait a moment." Bai Lin said as she went inside.

The front door was open, and the room was pitch black. It seemed she lived alone, which explained her requirements for her tenants' jobs.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Bai Lin came out with a key and opened the door opposite.

As the lights came on, Zhou Yi could see the situation inside the room.

It's a two-bedroom, one-living room apartment, nicely decorated, and fully furnished with all the necessary appliances.

The room is well-ventilated from north to south, with both the master bedroom and the second bedroom facing south, and their doors facing each other.

The only downside is that the house may have been vacant for a while, and the air quality inside isn't very good.

Bai Lin noticed this too, and said while opening the window, "This house used to be where my parents lived, but it's been empty ever since they passed away."

As she spoke, she paused slightly, as if realizing something, and quickly turned around to say, "Officer Zhou, don't misunderstand, they didn't die in this house, they were in a car accident out of town..."

Bai Lin said cautiously, "Of course... I understand that some people are concerned about this, but I don't want to lie to people, so I have to be upfront about it."

Zhou Yi looked around the room; it was very clean, with no personal belongings or traces of daily life left behind.

He would never have thought of this if Bai Lin hadn't mentioned it.

Zhou Yi nodded and said, "I don't really care about that. I'm not superstitious. I just didn't expect your parents to encounter such misfortune. Please accept my condolences."

Bai Lin shrugged and said casually, "Thank you, but it's all in the past. After all, one should look forward."

There was a hint of sadness in her eyes, but a relieved smile on her lips. Combined with her slender figure in a white dress, she evoked a feeling of pity in me.

"It's good that you think this way."

Standing at the doorway between the two bedrooms, Zhou Yi asked, "If I may ask one more question, was the second bedroom previously unused?"

Bai Lin walked over, peeked into the master bedroom, and said, "Yes, my parents used to sleep in the master bedroom, and the second bedroom was used as a guest room. Relatives would stay there occasionally when they came to visit."

Then, pointing to the bed in the master bedroom, he said, "The bed is new. I replaced it two months ago when I was preparing to rent it out, but I didn't change the other furniture. If you feel uncomfortable, you can stay in the secondary bedroom. You can use the master bedroom as a storage room."

"I was just asking casually." Zhou Yi's real idea was to find out which room had been vacant before, so that Ding Chunmei could stay there later.

For him, it was no big deal at all.

The police badge on his body alone is enough to intimidate all the evil spirits.

Besides, he also has the "equalizer of all beings" in his pocket.

But most importantly, Zhou Yi had lived two lives and witnessed so many murderers, yet he had never seen a ghost brave enough to seek revenge.

This shows that the most terrifying thing in the world is always the human heart.

“The apartment is great, and most importantly, it’s close to my workplace, so I can sleep in a little longer each day,” Zhou Yi said. “How about we talk about the price?”

"Officer Zhou, to be honest, I'm not actually looking to rent out the house for the money. It's mainly because if no one lives there for a long time, it'll feel lifeless. So, how about 120 a month?" Bai Lin asked.

Zhou Yi laughed and said, "Miss Bai, you're the landlord. If you ask me if this tenant is okay, doesn't it seem like I'm taking over the role of the tenant?"

Actually, Zhou Yi wasn't too clear about the rental market, but considering the location and the fully furnished apartment, 120 yuan was definitely not expensive.

"Like I said, I'm not renting it out for money, and I don't spend much money usually. I eat at school most of the time, and my salary is enough for me."

"Are you a teacher?"

Bai Lin smiled, her hands behind her back, "Yes, it's the No. 1 Middle School nearby. She teaches music. What, do I look like a teacher?"

"No, your temperament is indeed very suitable for a music teacher."

"Officer Zhou, if you really think my price is too cheap, how about I add a little more?" Bai Lin asked with a smile, bending down.

"No need, no need. I'll just shamelessly take advantage of you." Since the other party had already said so much, saying anything more would only make Zhou Yi seem pretentious, and besides, the price was perfectly acceptable to him.

"However, there is one thing I may need to clarify beforehand: we should only rent until the end of the year."

Zhou Yi's term of office was originally scheduled to last until the end of the year.

If Li Chong's matter hadn't been resolved before then, Zhou Yi would have no choice but to force Ding Chunmei to give up.

Leaving her alone in Wuguang would inevitably lead to her death.

"Of course, I can pay six months' rent upfront, so you can find another tenant later."

"I'll stay until the end of the year," Bai Lin murmured.

Zhou Yi assumed she didn't want to rent anymore. Unexpectedly, she asked curiously, "Are you planning to buy a house for your wedding? Then you could consider my house."

Zhou Yi was both amused and exasperated, and quickly said it was just a work arrangement, changing the subject.

Bai Lin readily agreed, saying it was fine, they could stay as long as they wanted without having to pay extra.

Zhou Yi immediately took out fifty yuan as a deposit and agreed to move in the day after tomorrow, at which time he would pay the rent for the rest of the year in one lump sum.

Anyway, he and Ding Chunmei are now traveling light, and Bai Lin's house is move-in ready.

Bai Lin even generously stated that no deposit was required, but if something in the house broke, she might still need to trouble Zhou Yi for help.

"It's getting late, so I won't disturb your rest any longer. I'll head back now."

"Wait a minute." Bai Lin said, running into her own area, then came out with the umbrella she had been holding. "Officer Zhou, it's still raining outside. You can take this umbrella and use it for now. You can return it to me the day after tomorrow."

"Thank you very much, goodbye." Zhou Yi waved to her.

Unexpectedly, Bai Lin suddenly moved closer to him, causing him to involuntarily take a step back.

The next second, Bai Lin whispered in his ear, her breath sweet as orchids, "Officer Zhou, didn't I tell you? You can just call me Xiao Bai. I don't like people calling me 'Miss,' it sounds unclean." After saying that, she stepped back and waved to Zhou Yi with a smile.

Goodbye, Officer Zhou.

Zhou Yi, holding an umbrella, turned and went downstairs at a slow pace.

Soon after, we heard two distinct clicks of the door closing from upstairs.

He then quickened his pace downstairs, opened his umbrella, and stepped into the heavy rain.

Upstairs, in a room where the lights were off.

Behind a window, a figure stood motionless, silently watching the scene below.

Downstairs, Zhou Yi, holding an umbrella, had just passed under a street lamp.

Suddenly, the dark figure upstairs spoke up: "Do you like a man like this?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Zhou Yi downstairs suddenly stopped and turned around.

But the window was pitch black, and nothing could be seen.

Zhou Yi continued walking forward until his figure completely disappeared from sight.

……

Zhou Yi had just returned to her dormitory less than ten minutes ago when the rain outside stopped.

I suddenly felt very frustrated, as if the weather was deliberately working against me.

These staff dormitories all have shared bathrooms. Zhou Yi tidied up quickly, took a shower, and then lay down on the bed.

A oscillating fan was mounted on the ceiling, making a buzzing sound.

Perhaps because it had been raining for so long, he didn't feel stuffy at the moment.

But Bai Lin's image kept flashing in his mind.

He wasn't attracted to Bai Lin's appearance. Admittedly, Bai Lin was very beautiful, a beauty that could be considered a school beauty.

Moreover, she possesses a refined and refreshing temperament, making her very approachable.

With her looks and qualities, she should have many suitors; after all, she's a great beauty.

But Zhou Yi sensed a very subtle signal from her.

It wasn't that feeling of instant attraction.

Although Bai Lin's previous smiles and gestures were enough to make a man's mind wander.

But the old detective's soul within Zhou Yi sensed something strange.

It was fine before, but that last move that came close didn't give Zhou Yi any "surprise" at all; instead, it gave him a chill down his spine.

He couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong, but he just felt that this woman wasn't as innocent as she seemed.

That's why he instinctively stopped and looked back when he got downstairs.

He wasn't sure if he was being too sensitive, after all, he had a lot going on today.

However, the quality of the neighborhood and the house, the location, and the rent are all fine, so it's really not easy to find something more suitable in a short period of time.

Thinking of this, Zhou Yi turned over, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

After all, Wu Guang has so many things to deal with, there's no need to hold a grudge over such a trivial matter. At worst, he can just have less contact with this landlord in the future.

Soon, weariness overcame him, and he fell into a deep sleep.

……

The next day, Zhou Yi, well-rested and full of energy, reported to the Criminal Investigation Detachment office.

As soon as I went upstairs, I ran into a disheveled man.

"Captain Zhong," Zhou Yi called out.

Zhong Ming, who had been walking with his head down, looked up at him when he heard the sound, his eyes still so cloudy.

He ignored Zhou Yi and left on his own.

But after taking only a few steps, they actually turned back.

Then he glanced at Zhou Yi again, as if to confirm something, before walking away.

Seeing Zhong Ming's neurotic behavior filled Zhou Yi with mixed feelings.

"Zhou Yi".

Just as Zhong Ming's figure disappeared at the end of the corridor, someone called out from behind.

Zhou Yi turned around and saw the chubby Cao Anmin looking at him with a kind expression.

Zhou Yi quickly walked over, saluted, and called out, "Captain Cao, Zhou Yi reporting for duty."

Cao Anmin returned the salute, then shook hands with Zhou Yi, smiling broadly, "Good, good, good. On behalf of the Criminal Investigation Detachment of Wuguang City Public Security Bureau, I welcome you."

Salutation is a rule, handshake is a gesture of friendship. From the first time I met Cao Anmin in the ward, he was kind and approachable, like a kind and honest elder.

"Thank you, Captain Cao. I will definitely do my best and not let you down."

"It's not just me, Director Gu and Director Dai are both looking forward to your performance. They said they heard your name several times when they went to the provincial meeting."

Zhou Yi smiled modestly and said, "No, no, it's all thanks to Director Xie and Captain Wu who are training me, this new recruit."

"You don't need to be modest. We'll have a meeting this morning so everyone can get to know each other and we can also arrange your and Xiao Hou's work."

"Okay, I will follow the leader's instructions."

"Okay, see you in a bit." Cao Anmin turned to leave, but after taking a couple of steps, he turned back and asked, "Have you had breakfast yet?"

Zhou Yi quickly replied, "I've already eaten, thank you for your concern, Captain Cao."

There weren't many people in the brigade's large office yet, but the sun was shining brightly.

Who would have thought that after such a long and heavy rain last night, the sun would still be shining today?

Hou Kun, who came from Taicheng, has arrived. He is also staying in the staff dormitory of the Municipal Bureau. Zhou Yi met him when he came back last night.

The two exchanged brief greetings. Zhou Yi had no recollection of this Officer Hou; in his previous life, Officer Hou should have always worked in Taicheng.

I may have seen this name in some local Taicheng case files, but I haven't had any further contact with it.

Soon, Fang Jianqing arrived. Zhou Yi went over to greet him, and after exchanging a few pleasantries, Fang Jianqing called everyone to go to the meeting.

In a large conference room on the third floor, many people were seated, and more people continued to come in.

When Yun Yao walked in, she immediately saw Zhou Yi, smiled, walked over to him, and sat down next to him.

The two only exchanged greetings and did not engage in much small talk.

The atmosphere was somewhat somber.

Fang Jianqing, who was sitting at the front, stood up and looked around to make sure everyone had arrived.

Then two leaders in police uniforms walked in, and the one at the back was Cao Anmin.

Therefore, the thin man in front must be Dai Minghua, the deputy director in charge of criminal investigation.

Because if it were the top leader, Gu Guozhong, who came, then there should be two people following behind him.

"The meeting is starting, everyone snap out of it!" Fang Jianqing called out.

Dai Minghua scanned everyone present, his gaze lingering on Zhou Yi for two seconds before shifting away.

Director Dai's eyes were sharp, but to be fair, Zhou Yi felt that they were not as sharp as Xie Guoqiang's. They lacked the insight to see into people's hearts and were more like an assessment.

Therefore, when their eyes met, he was not intimidated at all and faced the situation calmly.

But when he clashed eyes with Xie Guoqiang in the task force, he was clearly defeated and realized the gap between himself and the bureau chief, even after being reborn.

"There are two main things to discuss in today's meeting," Dai Minghua said, clearing his throat.

The first thing to do, naturally, is to introduce Zhou Yi and Hou Kun, the two "exchange students".

This rotation is fundamentally different from that of new recruits; it's more like fostering a relative's child for a few days, so everyone is quite polite.

It would be great if you could help with the chores, but it's okay if you can't, as long as you don't cause any trouble.

Although Cao Anmin said he was looking forward to Zhou Yi's performance, it also depends on how many cases they will have to handle in the near future.

Just like when Lu Zhengfeng came to Hongcheng, he thought he would hone his skills and learn, but in the end he could only spend four months studying case files.

The second thing, of course, is the most important case at the moment: the 803 headless female corpse case!
(End of this chapter)