Free Web NovelChapter 115: Chapter 114 Is Anyone Home? [Third Update]_1
Xu Dayuan glanced at the time on his phone and sighed with regret.
"It’s indeed late. If we go now, we might not find the address and could accidentally alert someone. Let’s go there early tomorrow morning."
Zhou Ning naturally had no objections. At this stage, being anxious was useless; hurrying over could potentially spoil things. Mr. Zhao looked around at everyone, then patted Sun Gaotie on the shoulder.
"Gao Tie, you can get off work first. We’ll head back to Qidong together."
Xu Dayuan also waved at Mr. Zeng to arrange for departure the next morning, after all, this notice had to be sent out tonight.
After Mr. Zeng left, Xu Dayuan turned to Doctor Lu.
"I’ll sleep in the office, otherwise I’ll have to get up really early to get here tomorrow, and my wife would kill me."
Glancing at his watch, it was already past six o’clock. Mr. Zhao looked at Zhou Ning.
"Zhou Xiaozhou, what should we do? Should we go to the dorm to sleep?"
Zhou Ning turned to Xia Momo. There were quite a few people from Qidong there, and if they didn’t go back, what would Xia Momo do?
"If you’re going back, why don’t you come with us?"
Xia Momo waved her hand.
"My dad teaches at Qindao University. Do you think I don’t have a place to stay?"
Mr. Zhao sighed and patted Zhou Ning on the shoulder.
"Let’s not bother. I see you’re carrying a suitcase, and I don’t have much to prepare. Just some toiletries from the supermarket will do."
Xu Dayuan gestured with his hand.
"Let’s go, have a meal together, consider it a housewarming for your dorm."
Doctor Lu quickly stepped forward.
"Stop arguing, come with me to the Qindao University cafeteria. Everything has been arranged there, and the forensic doctor is waiting."
They had no objections, got into their cars separately, and Doctor Lu pulled Zhou Ning into his car. As soon as they were seated, he placed a set of keys in Zhou Ning’s hand.
"This is a staff apartment at Qindao University, fully furnished. Mr. Liu applied for a set for you. You can move in and live there."
"How can I accept this?"
Doctor Lu waved his hand.
"Don’t mention it. The property rights to this apartment won’t come through until the end of the year. After that, it will be processed uniformly. Consider this a reward from Qindao University. Although we’ve only seen the initial version of the software, many universities and provincial bureaus have already heard the news and sent people to negotiate."
Zhou Ning understood. The software was about to bring in returns. Despite the fact that the project had started last year and it had only been half a year, the progress was exceptional, especially the detail Xia Momo had put into the software’s integration, making him feel as if they had jumped from old shotguns to modern cannons.
"I can stay in the dorm too. Just now, Mr. Pang assigned us dorms. Although it can’t compare to this place, the conditions are still good..."
"Just take it if it’s given to you. Although the apartments are called staff apartments, the conditions are good. The smallest ones are three-bedroom and two-hall units, and bigger than a hundred square meters. At the very least, they’re quiet and have hot water 24 hours a day, which you can’t find elsewhere."
The mention of 24-hour hot water made Zhou Ning pause. It was the same treatment you would expect in a hotel. No matter how late it was, he was someone who needed to take a shower. Even though he worked as a forensic doctor, he couldn’t change his inherent need for cleanliness.
"Alright, I will have a look at it later."
Xia Momo smiled, and Doctor Lu sneaked a peek at her and also started smiling. It seemed that the decision to involve Xia Momo in the research team was a wise one.
...
May 5, 2011, 7:10 AM
"Zhou Xiaozhou, hurry up, Xu Da and the others have arrived!"
Zhou Ning was startled. Did he really need to follow along for such a thing?
"Am I going too?"
Just as he asked this question, Xu Dayuan had already pushed the door open, took a look around the dorm’s setup with envy, and then patted Zhou Ning on the shoulder.
"Zhou Xiaozhou, come along and take a look. We’ve finally got a clue. Besides, the old lady said that Zhang Min’an went out and didn’t return. We’ll only know what’s going on after we’ve seen it. Mr. Zhao doesn’t have much experience. The old lady’s home still needs you to come and have a look."
Zhou Ning didn’t object. There was nothing wrong with going to have a look. Thinking about the place where the body was dumped, he asked:
"How far is their house from the Xiaolong Mountain Han Dynasty Tomb Archaeological Site in Xinghua?"
"The archaeological site is at Xiaolong Mountain, not close, about fourteen kilometers away." freeweɓnovel.cѳm
An hour later.
Upon reaching the Moshui River behind Daliu Village in Longshan Sub-district, Xinghua City, the trees by the river were lush and green. On the road, Xu Dayuan had already inquired with the local police, who said that this house number was closer from the river.
Zhou Ning followed Xu Dayuan and the others out of the car as Xu Dayuan gestured.
"Leave the police cars on this road. Mr. Zeng, take your team to block both ends of the road at No. 422 in Daliu Village, especially near the Longshan Central Kindergarten. Doctor Zhou, Mr. Zhao, and Mr. Liu, follow me."
Mr. Liu was a police officer, likely brought along for operational convenience. She straightened her uniform, her face tense.
Xu Dayuan, holding a bag, walked ahead with Mr. Liu, following a narrow path to the village road on the south side.
Zhou Ning kept surveying the surroundings. The houses on both sides of the street were rather dilapidated, despite being uniformly painted with yellow paint, which couldn’t hide the spottiness of the damaged bricks and stones.
Jidong natives, their ancestral homes sold, probably leaving the bulk for their son; the remainder wouldn’t be much. It’s uncertain whether this urban village dwelling was rented or bought.
As he thought, Mr. Zeng raised his hand to knock on the door, only to find it unlocked; a push was all it took to open it.
Xu Dayuan lifted his chin, entering with Mr. Liu.
The yard was large, neatly stacked firewood on the south side, and houses to the east and west. The main house had three rooms; although old, they were tidily kept. A three-wheeled vehicle with a canopy, immaculately cleaned, stood in front of the east house in the yard, water traces still visible underneath it.
"Is anybody home?"
Following Mr. Zeng’s call, an elderly woman emerged from the main house, not quite 155 cm tall, frail and plainly dressed, with neatly combed hair, wiping her hands on the sides of her jacket.
Seeing the four unexpected visitors, she inquired with a puzzled face:
"Who are you..."
Xu Dayuan approached and flashed his badge in front of the old lady.
"Auntie, you’re Luo Suqin, right? We’re the police."
The old lady, possibly recalling the phone call from before, smiled warmly at Xu Dayuan and gestured inside the house:
"Oh, you must be following up on the census. I didn’t think you’d come so quickly. Please, come in and sit down!"
Xu Dayuan and Mr. Liu followed her into the main house. Zhou Ning glanced at Mr. Zhao and then at the tricycle; Mr. Zhao nodded and wandered over to it.
A distance of fourteen kilometers—naturally, a vehicle would be needed to dump a body. Zhou Ning followed Xu Dayuan into the main house.
Xu Dayuan took a seat with authority as the old lady brought out two ID cards. Mr. Zeng was registering and verifying the information provided previously.
Zhou Ning looked around the room. Atop the TV cabinet was an old photograph, appearing to be a hand-colored reprint of a younger Zhang Min’an and Luo Suqin.
Sensing Zhou Ning’s gaze, Xu Dayuan glanced over.
"Auntie, isn’t your husband home?"
Luo Suqin nodded.
"He went back to his hometown. The pension office required him to get a new social security card in person."
"Did he move here with your children?"
The old lady’s expression froze for a moment, then she laughed awkwardly.
"No, we’re not living with our children. They’re in Southwest City, busy with work and they don’t have much space at home. We thought about returning to our roots, so we came back to our native place. After all, the climate here is better than in Jidong City; it’s easier on our old arms and legs."
Listening to Xu Dayuan’s interrogation, Zhou Ning had already moved to the main house’s west side, which seemed to be a study. The bookshelf was filled with English books. The desk was covered with many manuscripts and a few notebooks, marked in various colors of English, the vocabulary very professional and obscure.
From the handwriting, it was clear that two people had worked on them. Glancing at the manuscripts and then at the laptop computer, it seemed that someone was simply typing up the written English drafts.
Zhou Ning turned and approached the bedroom door. Inside, the double bed was made with two sets of bedding, all items appearing aged but neatly kept.
Before entering the kitchen, a wash basin stood with two toothbrush cups on top, each covered with a floral handkerchief; next to them was a plastic box, which upon opening revealed an old-fashioned razor, its edge stained with a noticeable trace of blood.
The time of the victim’s death was uncertain, but the body could have been dumped for almost a year now. The chance of extracting DNA from the toothbrush was less than 60%. However, with bloodstains, that evidence was solid.
Zhou Ning glanced at Xu Dayuan and the others. With their attention elsewhere, he quickly put on gloves and placed the razor and both toothbrushes into evidence bags.
Then, carrying the items and with his hands behind his back, he returned to stand behind Xu Dayuan.
"Auntie, do you have contact information for your husband?"
