Although the speculation that Chen Yuanwei might have killed his own parents seemed far-fetched, Guan Xia still decided to voice her question.
"Could there be any hidden circumstances behind Chen Maofeng's death back then?" Guan Xia asked. "And what about Chen Yuanwei's mother? Where is she now? Is she still alive?"
Wang Yu replied, "The construction company Chen Maofeng founded wasn't massive, but it was far from small in Jianyang City. Based on the information I dug up last night, his suicide by jumping off a building caused quite a stir at the time. Some bystanders even recorded videos, and though most were taken down, I managed to find a few online. From what the footage shows, it was clearly a suicide—there’s little room for hidden motives."
"As for Chen Yuanwei's mother," Wang Yu paused to think. "I couldn’t find much about her, only that after Chen Maofeng’s death, she likely fled abroad to escape debt collectors. It seems she never returned."
"Given these actions," Guan Xia said, "it’s almost certain Chen Yuanwei harbored some resentment toward his parents. That’s why he included their photos among the four victims."
"Or maybe," Pang Le suddenly interjected, "Chen Yuanwei always wanted to kill his mother for abandoning him by fleeing overseas. But since he couldn’t find her, his pent-up rage had nowhere to go. Combined with the drastic decline in his living standards after Chen Maofeng’s bankruptcy, it drove him to kill."
Guan Xia fell into thought. While Pang Le’s reasoning sounded logical, she felt something was still missing.
After a moment, she voiced her doubt: "But why these four victims? From all the clues we’ve gathered, he seemed mentally sound and acting with clear intent. There must be a motive behind selecting these specific individuals."
"Couldn’t it just be plain jealousy?" Zhong Xiaoyu suggested. "I don’t know much about the other victims, but according to my dad and relatives, my uncle lived an extravagant life. Sure, he was a kept man, but my aunt doted on him—spending lavishly on him, taking him to high-profile social events. If not for my uncle’s reluctance, she’d have even hired bodyguards for him. Maybe Chen Yuanwei crossed paths with him at some point, saw his life, and couldn’t suppress his envy—making my uncle a target."
"That makes sense," Guan Xia conceded. "But what about the other three? From Captain Yang’s intel, their financial situations were comfortable but nowhere near your uncle’s level—just mortgage-free homes and some savings. I can buy jealousy toward your uncle, but the other three? That feels like a stretch."
"Then let’s revisit the surveillance footage," Xu Nian finally decided. "The recordings for all four victims are still preserved, none older than ten years. Given the case’s notoriety, obtaining them should be straightforward."
At the mention of reviewing footage again, Guan Xia didn’t react, but Pang Le groaned. "More surveillance? I swear I’m going to need glasses soon. Isn’t there anything else? Guan Xia mentioned Chen Yuanwei probably had several other hideouts. How about you handle the footage, and I’ll keep searching for them?"
Pang Le clasped his hands pleadingly, looking at Guan Xia with puppy-dog eyes.
The expression reminded Guan Xia of an overgrown, spoiled dog, and she barely stifled a laugh. Keeping her face stern, she negotiated with Xu Nian: "Since Chen Yuanwei is already dead, there’s no rush. I’ll review the footage. If you’re continuing the hideout search, take Pang Le along?"
Xu Nian, equally amused, nodded with a smile. "Deal."
After a preliminary sweep of the room, the team split up.
Xu Nian, Wang Yu, and the restless duo of Pang Le and Zhong Xiaoyu set off to hunt for Chen Yuanwei’s other suspected hideouts, while Guan Xia, Ji An, and Jiang Yingyao returned to Tong’an Precinct to brief the others.
By the time they arrived, it was already afternoon. Refreshed from proper rest, most of the team seemed reenergized.
After hearing their update, Captain Yang checked the time and said, "The forensics team’s buried under evidence—they won’t free up until tomorrow at the earliest. I’ll take a crew this afternoon to collect the critical items first. The rest can wait for the techs."
Guan Xia’s group had already gathered portable evidence from Chen Yuanwei’s hidden room—items like cages, scissors, and utility knives—but specialized equipment was needed for the rest.
As the only actual detective among the three, Jiang Yingyao handled communication with Captain Yang. "By the way," he asked, "have the DNA results from the crime scenes come back yet?"
Captain Yang smacked his forehead. "Swamped as I am, I nearly forgot to mention. The results are in—it’s a match. Wu Xiaozhen and Chen Yuanwei were indeed the perpetrators of the two serial killings. With Chen Yuanwei dead and Wu Xiaozhen’s case backed by solid evidence and her confession, we’ll hand it over to the prosecutors once everything’s documented."
Mention of Wu Xiaozhen brought back Guan Xia’s memories of the interrogation the previous morning, stirring a pang of sympathy.
Unlike most killers, Wu Xiaozhen wasn’t driven by greed, love, or revenge. Her motives were born of misplaced empathy—outraged by the victims’ suffering, she’d taken lives in a twisted act of mercy.
But murder was murder. However noble her intentions, her hands were stained with blood, and the law would hold her accountable.
After sharing all updates, Guan Xia outlined their next steps.
Captain Yang readily agreed, even clasping her hands in gratitude before assigning an assistant to support their work.
Despite his full cooperation, obtaining all requested footage would take time. For now, they’d review the surveillance copies Captain Yang’s team had already compiled, hoping for new leads.
Settling back into her seat at the conference table, Guan Xia rolled her stiff neck and plunged into the footage.
Since the identity of the murderer had been confirmed, locating Chen Yuanwei was relatively straightforward. However, uncovering the specific actions or events that might have triggered his homicidal tendencies proved far more challenging.
By the time night had fully fallen, the trio had only managed to confirm that Chen Yuanwei had been tailing the suspect. As for the motive behind the killing, they remained completely in the dark.
Stretching her arms and fetching a glass of water, Guan Xia rubbed her shoulders before settling back into her seat. Just as she was about to resume her work, Zhong Xiaoyu called.
At first, Guan Xia was puzzled as to why Zhong Xiaoyu—rather than Pang Le—was calling her. Then, after a few seconds, she remembered: she had vaguely agreed to have dinner with Zhong Xiaoyu that evening.
Sure enough, as soon as she answered, Zhong Xiaoyu’s cheerful voice rang through the phone. "So, Guan Xia, are you guys done for the day? If you’re finished, hurry over—I’ve already sent you the location."
Guan Xia mouthed "dinner" to Ji An and Jiang Yingyao before replying with a laugh, "We’re not quite done, but we still need to eat. Are you finished? We’ll drive over now with Ji An and Jiang Yingyao."
Zhong Xiaoyu said, "We’ve been running around all afternoon and are pretty much done. We’ve got some leads, but Pang Le insists on telling you himself, so hurry up!"
Guan Xia agreed, "Alright, alright, we’ll pack up and head out right away."
After hastily organizing the reviewed and unreviewed files on the USB drive and notifying Captain Yang, who was still working overtime, the three of them drove out of the Tong’an District precinct.
From the outside, the restaurant didn’t look like much. But once the hostess led them inside, they discovered it was a hidden gem.
Despite being in the heart of the bustling city, the restaurant was designed with winding streams and picturesque bridges, creating an ambiance so serene it felt more like a scenic retreat than a dining establishment.
After navigating a maze of cobblestone paths and wooden bridges, the hostess finally guided them to a private pavilion enclosed by delicate screens—opaque from the outside but offering a clear view of the surroundings from within. With a bow, she excused herself.
The moment she left, Zhong Xiaoyu eagerly nudged Guan Xia and asked, "So? Worth the trip, right? Told you this place was amazing!"
Having never dined in such an extravagant setting—neither in her past life nor this one—Guan Xia couldn’t help but glance around in awe before taking the seat reserved for her beside Pang Le.
"Absolutely worth it," Guan Xia nodded earnestly. "Even if the food turns out mediocre, the atmosphere alone makes the trip worthwhile."
Zhong Xiaoyu slid a porcelain teacup toward Guan Xia, her eyes crinkling with delight. "Thanks to my uncle’s connections, I’ve been here before. The scenery is stunning, but the food is even better. You’ve all been working hard—make sure to eat your fill tonight."
Zhong Xiaoyu played the role of the enthusiastic hostess flawlessly, not only joining in the meal and conversation but even refusing to let the waitstaff pour water, insisting on attending to everyone herself.
The others grew increasingly uncomfortable and urged her to relax, but Zhong Xiaoyu just grinned and said, "Don’t worry, I’m not doing this for free! My aunt paid me—she made me promise to take good care of you all. So just enjoy the meal and let me earn my keep."
Only then did the group stop fidgeting, though curiosity got the better of Pang Le. "Your aunt paid you just to host us? How much did she fork over to make you this eager? Then again, your uncle must’ve been one hell of a freeloader—even years after his death, your aunt still can’t let go."
Zhong Xiaoyu proudly held up two fingers crossed in a "ten" shape before explaining, "Now, my uncle wasn’t exactly beloved by the rest of the family. Lazy, shameless, coasting by on his looks—you name it. But to my aunt? He was perfect. Handsome, fit, disciplined—never missed a day at the gym. And most importantly? He doted on her. Maybe he didn’t love her, but he loved her money. As long as she kept spending on him, he’d have treated her like a queen."
She added with a chuckle, "Of course, I never witnessed any of this firsthand—just heard it from my dad and other relatives. But honestly? I get why my aunt was so smitten. Who could resist a gorgeous man who waits on you hand and foot? As long as your bank account holds out, his devotion never wavers. If I were in her shoes, even after remarrying, I doubt I’d ever forget a man like that."
Listening to this, Guan Xia couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. If Zhong Xiaoyu’s uncle hadn’t been murdered by Chen Yuanwei, based on this description alone, they might have passed for a deeply devoted couple. What a shame.
