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

Chapter 546 Show Your Sword (Seeking monthly votes, lottery available)

Zhou Yi's trip to the newspaper office was not only to "officially announce" his relationship with Ding Chunmei, but also to make his move.

He took out Li Chong's business card on his own initiative, just to reveal this sword.

Because he had considered that simply using his own identity as a guarantee was not enough; he needed to draw the firepower to himself.

His previous high-handed attitude and his use of Shen Jiale's attitude to highlight himself were all intended to put pressure on Qi Dongqiang.

He couldn't be sure yet whether this person was a mole within the newspaper, but even if he wasn't, he believed the story would definitely spread and reach the mole's ears.

Then this ghost will definitely try every means to find out about its background and origin.

As an outsider, even within the Wuguang City Bureau, very few people truly know his background, as evidenced by Cao Anmin's reaction to his acquaintance with Liang Wei during today's meeting.

With unclear backgrounds and suspected connections, whoever is behind the Li Chong case will have to think twice before taking action against them.

Unexpectedly, Qi Dongqiang's words startled even Zhou Yi.

Was Li Chong's suicide caused by a romantic dispute?

I've never heard Ding Chunmei mention this before.

Ding Chunmei was far more shocked than Zhou Yi upon hearing this; her heart was instantly filled with a storm of emotions.

If Zhou Yi hadn't reacted quickly enough and secretly grabbed her wrist, Ding Chunmei would have stood up.

Zhou Yi quickly spoke up to attract Qi Dongqiang's attention, "Oh dear, that's such a pity. Why let love trouble you in the prime of your life?"

"That's right, everyone's quite sorry, such a promising young man, sigh." Qi Dongqiang sighed, then asked, "How did Officer Zhou get to know him?"

As he spoke, Qi Dongqiang reached out and picked up the business card on the table, seemingly casually.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Yi acted faster, picking up the business card, holding it up in the air, examining it, and saying, "Is there a case in Yunshan County where a mother abused her own son to death? Editor-in-Chief Qi, are you aware of it?"

"I think... I vaguely remember. Our newspaper even published a news article about this case."

"Yes, I remember it was written by reporter Li."

"Yes, yes, he wrote it. This young man has always been quite perceptive about this kind of news. So that's when Officer Zhou met him?"

Zhou Yi was certain that there was something wrong with the editor-in-chief Qi in front of him. He was quite eager to know when Zhou Yi had met Li Chong, and he asked this question twice in just a few sentences.

Normally, since Zhou Yi has already mentioned the abuse case in Yunshan County, and Qi Dongqiang has admitted that it was Li Chong who reported on the matter, then conventional thinking would naturally assume that the two met because of the case.

But his insistence on asking showed that he was quite anxious.

Zhou Yi sighed and said, "It's a pity I've never met this reporter, Li. I got this business card from the child's family. I was thinking that saying that reporter Li had experience in similar reporting would make it seem more authentic. Alas, what a pity."

Hearing Zhou Yi say this, Qi Dongqiang nodded in agreement, "Yes, what a pity, what a pity."

But his tone was noticeably more relaxed than before.

The best way to tell if someone is nervous is to observe their speaking speed and whether it is faster than normal.

This is an instinctive micro-reaction; if you try to suppress it, it will only seem stranger.

Qi Dongqiang spoke very quickly just now.

"Officer Zhou, don't worry about that. We can just use the editor's name instead of the reporter's, and there won't be any doubts about its authenticity."

"Okay, then I'll have to trouble Editor-in-Chief Qi. I hope you can keep this matter strictly confidential, since it involves the investigation. So we'll have to trouble you again if we need anything later." Zhou Yi's implication was that he would have to come back to her later.

Qi Dongqiang waved his hand and said with a smile, "Please rest assured, I will personally take charge of this matter. I assure the public security department, our newspaper leaders, and even the group leaders."

After all, this is something that can be boasted about as a major achievement during the year-end summary.

He originally intended to do Zhou Yi a favor, but since Zhou Yi didn't respond, he decided to go ahead and do it anyway.

After all, it's much better to keep the credit for yourself than to give it to a contract worker.

"Editor-in-Chief Qi, who usually makes the final decision on whether your press releases should be published?"

"Don't worry, Editor-in-Chief Yu and Officer Zhou, there won't be any problems with the Editor-in-Chief."

Zhou Yi knew this editor-in-chief because Ding Chunmei had written his name down.

"How about we ask Editor-in-Chief Qi to introduce us? I'll put in a good word with your editor-in-chief and thank him for his support?"

According to the normal procedure, Li Chong's manuscript would either be stuck with him, the editor-in-chief, or with the editor-in-chief. So since he was here, he thought he would meet with both of them.

"Oh, that's really unfortunate. Editor-in-Chief Yu is away on a business trip and won't be back for a few days. Why don't I ask him when he gets back?"

Zhou Yi nodded, stood up and shook hands with the other person: "Thank you, Editor-in-Chief Qi, for your strong support of our work."

"Of course, of course. Cooperating with the police is every citizen's duty, especially since we're all government employees, so we have to support them."

After exchanging a few polite words, Zhou Yi took his leave. In any case, the initial goal had been achieved, and he would have to discuss the next steps with Ding Chunmei.

Qi Dongqiang warmly saw them off. As they left his office, Zhou Yi casually asked Ding Chunmei, "Where is your workstation?"

Ding Chunmei pointed to a secluded corner, not far from the toilet.

Zhou Yi's original intention was to see if Qi Dongqiang could notice Ding Chunmei making a phone call in his office.

After seeing the direction Ding Chunmei pointed out, he realized that unless Qi Dongqiang was near her when Ding Chunmei called him yesterday, it would be almost impossible for him to hear her from such a distance.

In other words, Qi Dongqiang had spies around Ding Chunmei's workstation.

Immediately, Zhou Yi had an idea.

He immediately frowned and said with slight dissatisfaction, "Why is there a toilet right next to here? It's so smelly in the middle of summer."

His expressions and words were naturally meant for Qi Dongqiang.

Sure enough, Qi Dongqiang quickly said, "Oh dear, Xiao Ding's position is only temporary, and the office is a bit messy." He pointed to the middle area and said, "I already told them to clean up this area and let Xiao Ding sit there. They're just lazy. Officer Zhou, don't worry, I'll clean it up myself in a bit."

Zhou Yi said in a pretentious manner, "Editor-in-Chief Qi, there's no need for that. I was just saying it casually."

"No, no, it was all planned out, it was just delayed."

Ding Chunmei noticed Zhou Yi looking at her, so she pursed her lips and denied the so-called "pre-arranged matter".

That makes things simple. After moving workstations, all we have to do is ask Ding Chunmei who else was originally near her but has now moved to workstations near her as well.

That person was Qi Dongqiang's informant.

It's unlikely that someone surnamed Qi would instruct many people to watch over such a surveillance-like activity, given the already complex interpersonal relationships within state-owned enterprises.

If we can identify this informant, that would be ideal.

If only Ding Chunmei moved, that's not a bad thing; it means she successfully drew attention away from the situation.

"Oh, right, Chunmei, remember to pack your luggage when you get home tonight. I'll pick you up tomorrow," Zhou Yi said deliberately in front of Qi Dongqiang.

Sure enough, Qi Dongqiang asked with a smile, "Oh, so you two are getting married soon?"

Ding Chunmei lacked Zhou Yi's adaptability and didn't know what Zhou Yi's specific plans were, so she simply remained silent and let Zhou Yi speak.

“Oh, I see. Chunmei’s place was burgled yesterday, so for her safety, I asked her to move in with me. We detectives never let our tools out of our hands.” As he spoke, Zhou Yi patted his waist, the implication of which was self-evident. “If we happen to run into some fool who commits another burglary, that would be perfect, practically giving me a chance to make a contribution.”

"Yes, yes, who would dare to be so audacious? That would be courting death," Qi Dongqiang said with a forced smile.

Zhou Yi remained calm, but he felt somewhat strange. The previous words had not made Qi Dongqiang show any tension or panic. On the contrary, he seemed a little surprised when the topic of burglary came up.

However, the probing and maneuvering should end here. Forcing people to stay and find topics to discuss would only arouse suspicion.

Through this press release, I have already conveyed the information I needed to.

If this mastermind dares to go to extremes again, if they dare to touch me, then don't blame them for their guns being merciless.

If anyone dared to touch Ding Chunmei, not only would the case be brought to the forefront, but he would also take it to the provincial department. Qi Dongqiang saw them off to the elevator, then asked Ding Chunmei to see them off for him.

In the crowded elevator, Ding Chunmei stood in front of Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi noticed some sweat dripping from the ends of her hair, indicating that she had been very nervous.

After getting off the elevator, Zhou Yi asked Shen Jiale to wait for him in the car, as he wanted to say a few words to Ding Chunmei.

Shen Jiale, naturally without suspicion, left happily.

The two stood by the gate, and Ding Chunmei said with great concern, "Officer Zhou, what you're doing is too risky. I'm still worried..."

Zhou Yi smiled, recalling Kun Tai's famous saying, and joked, "It's alright, I am irreconcilably opposed to evil."

Then she instructed Ding Chunmei that if Qi Dongqiang asked about their relationship, she should answer carefully. If he inquired about personal matters such as when they started dating, she should just smile and not answer.

If asked about Zhou Yi's work situation, he would reply that he didn't know much, as his work was highly confidential.

Another issue is the relocation of workstations. We need to keep an eye on whether anyone who used to sit near her has also moved over. If so, we need to be careful about that person.

Ding Chunmei immediately understood what he meant and nodded repeatedly.

"If you're moving, let's do it tomorrow night. You can wait for me at the entrance of my dorm, and we can go together. It's not far from our municipal bureau anyway."

"Officer Zhou..."

"How about you just call me by my name from now on? I'm afraid if you keep calling me Officer Zhou, it'll give us away."

Zhou Yi realized that there was actually no chemistry between him and Ding Chunmei, and there was no ambiguous relationship where every woman loved him.

In addition, Ding Chunmei has a strong and straightforward personality, so he doesn't force her to act convincingly, as long as she doesn't give herself away too easily on the surface.

"How about... I still call you Brother Zhou?"

Zhou Yi smiled helplessly and said, "It's not appropriate, you're two years older than me."

Ding Chunmei was taken aback, then remembered that the day Zhou Yi saved her, the two had talked about their ages on the way. She then smiled and said, "I had forgotten if you hadn't mentioned it. I always felt like you were a patriarch, giving me a sense of security."

Zhou Yixin said, "Your feeling is right. He himself also feels that although he looks like a young person, he is too mature and does not match his age."

But alas, it cannot be changed.

After a person matures, they may still be impulsive occasionally, but they certainly can't pretend to be naive anymore.

"Alright, I'll be going now. Take care of yourself."

Ding Chunmei nodded: "Zhou...Yi, you too."

Zhou Yi waved to him, then turned and left.

As Zhou Yi walked toward the police car, he glanced left and right slightly, but he didn't see the black sedan from yesterday, nor did he see the middle-aged man wearing sunglasses.

I don't know if they stopped following me or if they learned their lesson and hid.

After opening the passenger door, Zhou Yi did not get in immediately. Instead, he rested his hand on the roof and looked up, scanning every window on the ninth floor of the newspaper building in front of him.

At this distance, he couldn't see anything at all, but what if there was someone staring at him from behind a window on the ninth floor?
This can be considered a "return gift," but it is also a warning.

After scanning the area, Zhou Yi gave a cold laugh before getting into the car.

On the ninth floor of the newspaper building, behind a window, in the middle of the dusty blinds, a gap that had just closed was gently pried open again.

A pair of eyes stared intently through the gaps in the blinds at the police car that drove out the gate and disappeared down the street.

At the same time, Ding Chunmei, who had just stepped out of the elevator, ran into Qi Dongqiang.

Qi Dongqiang said with a smile, "Hey, Xiao Ding, finished dropping off your boyfriend?"

Ding Chunmei nodded as naturally as possible.

"Come on, I just had them clear out the seats, you can move over now."

……

On the way back to the Municipal Bureau, Zhou Yi said, "Brother Jiale, do me a favor."

"Teacher Zhou, please speak."

"Which police station has jurisdiction over this area, the newspaper office?"

Shen Jiale asked, "Teacher Zhou, do you want to know about the circumstances surrounding that reporter Li's suicide?"

“Yes, it would be great if we could see the case file.” Zhou Yi then added, “Oh, right now the branch is busy with Case 803, so there’s no need to report this small matter to Captain Fang, so as not to cause him trouble or disrupt their investigation. This is just a personal request of mine, but it’s fine if it’s difficult to handle.”

He was afraid that Shen Jiale was too honest and would report everything to Fang Jianqing, so he laid the groundwork first.

Unexpectedly, Shen Jiale immediately said, "Don't worry, Teacher Zhou, this is easy to handle. Normally, cases of suicide by jumping off buildings should be handled by the local police station, but this building is a state-owned enterprise, so I estimate that the Fenghu Branch will be responsible in the end."

Wuguang City has a structure of one district and three counties. It is smaller than Hongcheng. The city center is Fenghu District. A few years later, Qingyuan County was also changed from a county to a district due to its rapid economic development.

Shen Jiale is right; it's true that when something happens in a state-owned enterprise, the level of attention paid to it is much higher.

"I'll just ask my uncle," Shen Jiale said casually. "He's the deputy director of the Fenghu branch."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi was overjoyed, thinking that the matter was settled.

He also thought of another thing: jumping off a building to commit suicide is considered an unnatural death.

In order to determine the cause and nature of death, the police have the right to conduct an autopsy on the deceased in accordance with the law, and even the family members cannot refuse.

Wu Guang only has Yun Yao as a forensic doctor, so he can find out some of the information by talking to her.

"That's great, I'll leave this to you."

"Teacher Zhou, you're too kind. It's my pleasure."

After Shen Jiale introduced himself, Zhou Yi understood Fang Jianqing's intention in arranging for him to follow him.

Fang Jianqing is a typical utilitarian person, and he would naturally look up to someone like me who has "connections".

However, he would hardly gain any potential benefits from himself, because he was just an exchange student and wouldn't stay in Wu Guang for long. Even if he got promoted, it wouldn't have much impact on Wu Guang.

But Shen Jiale's uncle is the deputy director of the branch bureau. If he lets Shen Jiale follow him, and if he is really as capable as the rumors say, and solves cases and makes meritorious contributions...

Shen Jiale, who was paired with him, would naturally also be rewarded, which would be equivalent to doing his uncle a favor.

A strong, established local network is far more useful than a superficial connection you might have on your own.

However, I quite like Shen Jiale. He's humble and clever, and it's hard to dislike a young man like that.

He didn't care whether he had connections or not, as long as he was an honest person and could be a good policeman.

What I care about has always been matters of principle and the bottom line of the law.

"What's going on up ahead? Has there been a car accident?" Shen Jiale couldn't help but peek out.

Because the road ahead was blocked, many cars were stuck together and not moving at all.

This road is not wide, just a regular two-lane road, so it is prone to congestion.

Many cars ahead were impatiently honking their horns, the beeping sounds echoing incessantly.

Some people were even cursing and swearing.

Suddenly, a voice reached Zhou Yi's ears from ahead.

"Stop arguing, someone's dead up ahead!"

(End of this chapter)