The Forensic Doctor Better Than a Detective

Chapter 458: Chapter 266: This Is the Mission on Our Shoulders

”You came from Jiangcheng City?” the man was slightly startled, his eyes quickly scanning Li Jian and the accompanying officers, and he asked softly, ”Is there anything I can help with?”

The officer beside him swiftly took out Yang Xiu’s personal information and said, ”Yang Xiu’s registered residence is in West Mountain Village. Do you know this person?”

Saying this, he also deliberately shook the photo of the deceased to let the village chief see more clearly.

The village chief took a closer look and blurted out, ”I know her, we were classmates.”

This time it was Li Jian’s turn to be surprised.

He exchanged a look with the officer beside him, thinking how truth can be stranger than fiction.

He intended to find Yang Xiu’s family through the village chief to learn more, but he didn’t expect the village chief to be Yang Xiu’s classmate.

Steadying himself, Li Jian followed up with, ”Since you were classmates, how much do you know about her?”

The man nodded slightly, his expression somewhat complex, as if he was falling into memories.

He slowly said, ”Not particularly familiar, after all, we grew up in the same village and went to school together.”

As he spoke, he gestured for them to come inside with a warm demeanor, ”Three officers, please come in! Let’s have some tea in the yard while we talk.”

Li Jian and the others followed him into the yard, which was just like he remembered Yue Province households, all with a refined tea set setup complete with a full set of kung fu tea utensils.

After everyone sat down, the man calmly took out a packet of Tieguanyin tea, skillfully starting to brew it—washing cups, warming the pot, brewing tea—with smooth, fluid movements.

As he brewed tea, he said, ”Yang Xiu was my elementary school classmate, but we haven’t been in contact for many years. She hasn’t returned to the village in the past decade or so.”

Then, he looked up and asked, ”Why? Is she involved in some case?”

Li Jian discreetly observed the village chief’s every move.

He seemed completely natural, not hiding anything in any way.

After a little pause, Li Jian pondered briefly, then said in a low voice, ”She was murdered!”

The word ”murder” caused the man’s hand holding the tea cup to tremble suddenly.

He looked up in shock, his eyes full of disbelief.

After a long while, he asked in a deep voice, ”Have they found the suspect?”

Li Jian shook his head, answering helplessly, ”Not yet!”

”We’ve reopened the case at the Public Security Bureau to reassess and gather information.”

While he spoke, the teapot came to a boil, making a ”whoosh” boiling sound.

The man steadily picked up the teapot, accurately pouring the hot water over the small ceramic cups, letting wisps of steam rise quickly from the cups.

Then, he used tongs to place the washed tea cups in front of everyone, saying after completing the tea-washing procedure, ”Yang Xiu had a tough life. She was an orphan from a young age, picked up and raised by her grandparents at the train station.”

”Oh? She lost both parents?”

Li Jian inquired.

”Yes, no parents!” the man sighed slightly, nodding in confirmation, ”She grew up with her grandparents.”

”I see.”

Li Jian murmured quietly, noting the man’s slight twitch at the mouth corner, seemingly engrossed in deeper memories.

”Back in school, she was the only orphan in our class, and lots of classmates bullied her.”

”I was big for my age and stood up for her. I couldn’t stand those bullies.”

As he spoke, a touch of nostalgic emotion surfaced on the man’s face, as if those tender years were right before him.

Li Jian felt a tug at his heart, his keen gaze focused on the village chief as he probed, ”It sounds like your relationship with Yang Xiu was not typical?”

The man picked up the small cup of tea in front of him, gently blew on it, taking a small sip.

Then, he candidly said, ”Back then, we dated for a while.”

”Later, she wanted to venture out, so we broke up.”

”But, I didn’t expect she’s no longer alive.”

Amidst speaking, his face revealed a tinge of unhidden sadness.

Seeing this, Li Jian softly said, ”I’m sorry, my condolences.”

The man shook his head, looking forlorn: ”What’s happened has happened.”

”Everyone has a different fate, life is unpredictable.”

Just then, a woman wearing an apron walked out from the living room and reminded, ”Mr. Li, is it time to pick up the children from school?”

The man turned his head and glanced, responding, ”You go ahead, we have several police officers here trying to understand some things.”

The woman’s face showed a hint of puzzlement, nodded ”Alright then”, untied the apron, and rode off on an electric bike out of the yard.

After the woman left, Li Jian asked again, ”Since Yang Xiu left the village, did she ever contact you?”

The village chief shook his head, ”No. But I did hear from others that she was working around Jiangcheng.”

”Do you know what kind of work she was doing?” Li Jian pressed.

”I heard she was in beauty hairdressing, and someone said she was at an electronics factory. I was married back then, didn’t pay much attention.”

Li Jian initially wanted to inform him of Yang Xiu’s true job situation, but considered the past relationship between them and Yang Xiu’s less admirable profession.

He simply said vaguely, ”She ran a salon with another woman.”

Then, steering the conversation, Li Jian cut to the chase, ”We’re here today to know more about Yang Xiu’s situation regarding relationships?”

The village chief shook his head once more, ”As far as I know, she wasn’t married.”

”She had high standards, ordinary people didn’t attract her attention.”

”As for whether she had other relationships in Jiangcheng later, I don’t know.”

After a moment, Li Jian asked, ”You heard from others that she worked in Jiangcheng, who was that person?”

The man replied, ”It was another villager, Li Chun.”

”Although I’m not sure if she’s still in Jiangcheng now.”

Saying this, the village chief stood up and retrieved his phone, ”Look, it’s this one.”

Li Jian took the phone, dialed the number, originally planning to just give it a try, and to his surprise, the call went through.

”Hello, is this Li Chun?”

Li Jian led the conversation.

”It’s me, and you are?”

A female voice came from the other end of the line.

”I’m Li Jian, captain of the Jiangcheng City Public Security Bureau Criminal Investigation Team. I’d like to learn some information from you. Do you know Yang Xiu from the same village?”

”Yang Xiu, yes, I know her.”

”How well do you know her?”

”Not particularly well.”

”When Yang Xiu was living and working in Jiangcheng, were you in Jiangcheng as well?”

”Yes!”

”But now I’ve started a clothing store in the West Mountain District trading company.”

Then, Captain Li Jian asked, ”Are you available now? I’d like to meet you to understand the situation in person.”

”Sure! You all can come! Store number 18 in the West Building.”

”Thank you, I’ll come find you right away.”

After hanging up the phone, Li Jian turned to the village chief and sincerely said, ”Thank you.”

The man quickly waved his hand, ”No need for thanks! Cooperation between police and civilians is essential, helping you is part of my duty.”

Li Jian took a sip of tea, glanced at his watch, looking eager, ”Time is tight, I won’t take up more of your time.”

The man hurriedly stood up to keep them, ”Have another cup of tea.”

”No need!” Li Jian decisively refused, ”We rushed here from Jiangcheng and need to solve the case quickly.”

Li Jian said this and got up to leave.

The village chief escorted them all the way to the door, earnestly stating, ”Officers, please make sure to find the murderer. Yang Xiu was my elementary school classmate, and my first love.”

”She was a kind person, just had high standards, lived a hard life.”

”If she hadn’t had such high material requirements back then, she might be living a good life now.”

Captain Li Jian listened, nodding heavily, eyes firm, ”Don’t worry!”

”The Public Security is for the people. Our objective is always to investigate crimes and maintain social order.”

”That’s the responsibility and mission we bear.”

With that, Li Jian turned and strode back into the car.

Soon after, the three of them drove away from West Mountain Village, heading straight for the department store in West Mountain District.