Mystery Hunter

Everything appeared to be falling into place at last. He Huijuan had invited Feng Bin over through a text message at 9 o’clock in the morning on July 28. However, at 11 o’clock, Feng Bin unexpectedly stabbed He Huijuan’s stomach with a serrated knife. Before leaving, he wiped away all traces of himself from her phone. As the owner of an internet-related MNC, Feng Bin was well versed in technical abilities and knew how to erase any evidence of his interactions with He Huijuan.

Luo Jinbao arrived at He Huijuan’s house around 11:25 a.m. and stole the phone that was lying on the table. Unaware that there was a dead person on the bed, he moved calmly and made sure to close the door. At around 1:30 a.m., Wu Guifeng returned home and requested her daughter-in-law to get up. But when she removed the comforter, she found a serrated knife lodged in her daughter-in-law’s stomach. Wu Guifeng spent the next fifteen minutes wiping the fingerprints off the knife before locking the door and committing suicide near the shoe cabinet. Around half past one, a junior high school student noticed blood seeping out of the door and called the police. This is how the whole case unfolded; in reality, it was not as complex as it initially seemed. However, two people interfered with the case: Wu Guifeng and Li Weiyi.

Jiang He could not understand why these two individuals would do such a thing. Had they not interfered, the case could have been quickly resolved, and there would have been no need for the prolonged investigation. Feng Bin had clearly explained the details of his crime, and all evidence pointed towards his guilt. With the murderer apprehended, Li Weiyi could be acquitted. As Li Weiyi left, he appeared somewhat dejected. Though he could have left with the body once the case was over, he chose to depart from the Public Security Bureau alone without signing any agreements. It was evident that Li Weiyi had left disappointed and possibly not even expected to leave alive when he first arrived. Jiang He suddenly remembered Li Weiyi’s earlier words: “Why don’t you let me die?”

Feng Bin confessed to having given He Huijuan a significant amount of money during their cheating days and also helped her buy a large amount of in-game currency. However, further information was discovered after He Huijuan’s phone was found. The technical department of the criminal police found that He Huijuan was not just playing games; she was also making money by helping others make in-game progress. She could handle up to 20 accounts a day. Even after her death, many netizens still sent messages asking for her help with upgrading their accounts. Over the years, He Huijuan had managed to save about 50,000 yuan.

More than two months before her death, He Huijuan withdrew all the money she had, including 80,000 yuan, for an unknown purpose. The whereabouts of the cash could not be found in her home, and Li Weiyi did not mention it in his confession, raising suspicions. However, the focus is not on where He Huijuan spent her money.

Hannah rushed to the Public Security Bureau upon hearing the news of Feng Bin’s arrest. When she saw Feng Bin, she couldn’t help but cry. Jiang He, who had a habit of watching others cry, observed Han Na crying with Feng Bin across the railing. Han Na’s tears flowed silently as she stared at something without looking at Feng Bin. Jiang He was unable to discern her true feelings.

Hannah’s loud voice caught the attention of the surrounding police officers, and Jiang He was afraid that the commotion could be heard from outside. She admitted to notifying the police of Feng Bin’s wrongdoing, saying that she did not want him to live a life of fear as a murderer and fugitive. Feng Bin, in turn, took responsibility for his actions and urged Han Na not to worry about him. He suggested that they divorce and that she find someone who would treat her well. The company would continue to operate formally, and the employees would handle their work, providing enough income for Han Na to live comfortably for the rest of her life.

Feng Bin was explaining the aftermath of the situation: “Please don’t inform my parents about this matter. They would not want their child to be branded a murderer.”

Having spoken, Feng Bin glanced over at Wang Chao and added: “If it is possible, I would prefer to let my parents know that I passed away in a car accident rather than because of a homicide.”

Wang Chao let out a heavy sigh and remarked, “Why bother knowing this earlier? As per regulations, we are obligated to provide everyone with clear information. “You have been together with your wife for so many years; it is a pity that you are unable to accept her for who she is.”

As Wang Chao spoke, he noticed that Jiang He had been gazing at Han Na. Following Wang Chao’s lead, Feng Bin covered his face with his hands, and his voice was muffled as he pleaded, “Please don’t say anything more.” “Just help me take care of my parents.”

Subsequently, Feng Bin lowered his head and fell silent.

During this time, Jiang He had been scrutinising Hannah closely, and he had already deduced a few things about her.

Hannah was still clad in designer clothing and wearing high heels. Her face was heavily made up, and there was a noticeable colour difference between her neck and face, as if they belonged to two different people. Her fingernails were painted in dark shades of black and red, and she had applied crimson lipstick to her lips, which would have been alluring on someone else. Her hair was styled neatly, with mousse sprayed on it, giving it a well-groomed appearance.

Based on these observations, Jiang He inferred that Hannah did not arrive directly after receiving the news. Instead, she took the time to apply makeup, which did not align with what she had claimed earlier.

Jiang He’s penetrating gaze met Hannah’s, and she returned the stare. However, her first impression of Jiang He was not favorable. Men don’t need to be good-looking, but they should be well-groomed. Jiang He’s appearance was average—not handsome or ugly, but not well-maintained either. Despite that, Jiang He did not seem to be bothered by it.

Throughout the past few days of investigating the case, Jiang He hadn’t even washed his hair once.

Hannah, on the other hand, wasn’t embarrassed by Jiang He’s unwavering gaze. Having lived for forty years and gone through numerous experiences, she had seen it all.

Hannah turned her head slightly to face Jiang He and spoke in a soft tone, “I must look quite a sight with my makeup all over the place. You’re finding it amusing, aren’t you? Would you mind telling me where the restroom is? I need to freshen up a bit.”

Wang Chao chimed in, “The restroom is located at the end of the corridor.”

Thanking him, Hannah pulled out a small mirror from her handbag and made her way towards the restroom. As she opened her bag, Jiang He couldn’t help but notice a few items inside. He had always heard that a woman’s handbag was a bottomless pit, but he knew it was a mere exaggeration. Though Hannah’s bag wasn’t exactly bottomless, it was filled with various items, mostly makeup products. He could even remember the brand names of some of them.

As Hannah walked away, Wang Chao began to lament, “Life is a funny thing, don’t you think?” We always seem to want something we don’t have. Once we’ve achieved success, we start yearning for love. It’s a vicious cycle.”

Jiang He chose to ignore Wang Chao’s melodramatic musings and instead inquired, “Is that person outside the driver who brought Hannah here?”

Wang Chao glanced outside and saw a dashing young man standing next to a BMW car, dressed in a designer suit and sporting black sunglasses. He could easily pass off as a television star. Wang Chao confirmed, “Yes, that’s the one. You recognise the car, right? It costs millions. That young man is quite sharp. Tell me, when will we be able to afford a car like that? It’s impossible in this lifetime.”

When Wang Chao turned around, he realised Jiang He had been gone for some time.

Through the window, Wang Chao saw that Jiang He was standing face to face with the driver.

Apart from his designer suit, the driver’s leather shoes and slightly exposed belt were all from luxury brands. In particular, the watch on his wrist was worth about 100,000 yuan. It was clear that this driver held a high-paying job to earn such a substantial amount of money at such a young age.

The driver, however, was also keeping an eye on Jiang He, unsure of why he was staring at him.

Jiang He made his way towards the driver.

“What do you want?” The driver’s temper flared up.

Jiang He remained silent.

The driver barked, shoving Jiang He aside. “You’re in the way.”

Jiang He asked, “How much do you earn in a month?”

The driver’s irritation grew, and he snapped, “Why do you care?” “Mind your own business!”

Enraged, the driver started to push Jiang He around.

“What’s going on here?” Wang Chao intervened. “Are you trying to start a brawl outside a police station?”

At that moment, Hannah exited the public security bureau and rushed to the scene, asking, “What’s happening here?”

Jiang He spoke up, “I simply asked him how much he earns in a month.”

Hannah defended the driver, shielding him with her hand and saying, “He earns 5,000 to 6,000 a month. Is that not enough? Please, let’s not make a scene here. Be mindful of where you are.”

With that, the driver reluctantly returned to his seat behind the wheel.

[T/N: Mr. Editor is busy, point out grammatical errors if you find any.]