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墨書 Inktalez
When we arrived here, Captain Li shared a supernatural story with us. Shortly after he finished telling it, Zhao Kaifang died. Whether there is a connection between the two events remains unknown. However, Captain Li specifically chose to tell me this story, suggesting he believed there was something suspicious about it.
The first person to enter was Cao Jiaying, the dormitory leader of Room 324. She appeared somewhat listless; anyone would feel sad and distressed in such circumstances. I offered her a few words of comfort before asking, "I heard that Zhao Kaifang hasn't returned for over a week? Did you all not try to contact her during this time?"
Cao Jiaying seemed a bit nervous in this situation but eventually spoke up, "To be honest, our dormitory has never been very harmonious. Although we appear to joke and laugh on the surface, we have some prejudices against Zhao Kaifang deep down. I don't know if it's appropriate to say this now, considering Zhao Kaifang just passed away..."
"Respect for the deceased is paramount; anything that can help us solve this case is worth discussing," I said seriously, signaling to Cao Jiaying not to hold back and to share everything she knew.
Only then did Cao Jiaying continue, "Officer, to be frank, before she went missing, Guan Cuicui had a big argument with Zhao Kaifang. The cause was quite trivial—Guan Cuicui had left sunflower seed shells all over the place, and Zhao Kaifang couldn't stand it and asked her to clean it up. Guan Cuicui didn't respond at all, so Zhao Kaifang rolled her eyes at her, which led to Guan Cuicui starting to curse. They exchanged some pretty harsh words until Shuwen Tian and I managed to pull them apart."
"After that incident, they seemed to be at odds with each other," Cao Jiaying continued, rubbing her hands lightly. "Although they stopped arguing, you could clearly sense the tension between them. Not long after that, Zhao Kaifang went missing. But I don’t know if this has anything to do with her death; I'm just sharing what happened."
Dezi muttered, "To think someone would kill over such a trivial matter seems unlikely, especially in this way."
I jotted down the details and asked further, "During the week she was missing, did any of you try to contact Zhao Kaifang? She didn't attend class; didn't the teachers notice? Didn't anyone ask about her?"
Cao Jiaying lowered her head and replied, "To be honest, the three of us weren't very close to Zhao Kaifang. Even though we've been together for a year, she always gave off a very aloof vibe that made it hard to get close. One day after class, I never saw her again. Who would have thought she would die in her own locker..."
"What about everything else?" I pressed on.
"Everything else?" Cao Jiaying shook her head, indicating there was nothing more.
As she left the room, her expression showed little sorrow over Zhao Kaifang's death; instead, she appeared more panicked and fearful. It seemed Cao Jiaying's assessment was correct—the relationship between them was not good. Just as she exited, Guan Cuicui walked in.
Guan Cuicui had a darker complexion and a robust build. Upon seeing us, she simply nodded and sat down.
It seemed that Guan Cuicui was rather carefree; she certainly didn’t strike me as someone who could kill over a mess of sunflower seed shells. I addressed her directly: "Zhao Kaifang has been dead in the dormitory locker for a week and none of you noticed? I've heard your relationship with Zhao Kaifang wasn't great and that you often argued over trivial matters—is that true?"
"No!" Guan Cuicui shook her hands vigorously as if fending off an accusation. "I might not like Zhao Kaifang much, but we didn't argue often. We did have one fight before, but it was just that—a fight. I didn’t take it to heart afterward. I'm quite laid-back."
Guan Cuicui forced a bitter smile and said, "Honestly, she's just being pretentious. I throw my sunflower seed shells on the ground, and naturally, I'll clean them up once I'm done eating. Does she really need to tell me how to do it? To be honest, she struggles to get along with others. She expects everyone to do exactly as she says. If you go against her in any way, she gets upset and gives you a cold shoulder."
"I can't stand people like that!" A look of disdain flashed across Guan Cuicui's face. "But I can provide you with a clue, though I don't know if it's related to the case."
The fact that Guan Cuicui had a clue to offer surprised me. I nodded and raised my pen, signaling her to continue. She bit her lip and said, "About two weeks ago, one night when I was half-awake, I noticed Zhao Kaifang and Shuwen Tian talking on the balcony. Their voices were low, so I couldn't hear what they were saying. But they didn't close the curtains, and with the moonlight, I could see that Shuwen Tian seemed to be crying while Zhao Kaifang was saying something."
"I remember it clearly because Shuwen Tian is not the type to talk much," Guan Cuicui recalled. "She tends to keep her worries to herself, so I have no idea what they discussed that night. However, the next day, Zhao Kaifang still had that indifferent expression on her face, and it was unclear what had happened. But after that night, I felt like Shuwen Tian became even more withdrawn; it shouldn't be just my imagination."
I tapped my pen against my notebook, pondering for a moment before asking, "Did Zhao Kaifang exhibit any unusual behavior before she went missing? Or did she mention anything to you?"
Guan Cuicui shook her head decisively and replied, "No, she never tells us anything when she has something going on. Unlike Shuwen Tian, who is reluctant to share her feelings, Zhao Kaifang just doesn't want to talk to us at all. She blocked us on QQ and WeChat. By the way, she has a close friend named something like Ke'er; I'm not sure because she never discusses these things with us."
I exchanged glances with Captain Li, signaling him to look into this Zhao Kaifang's close friend. Captain Li nodded and left first. Guan Cuicui continued, "As for everything else, I don't know. Zhao Kaifang's death... sigh." She let out a heavy sigh.
"Please bring Shuwen Tian in; thank you for your cooperation. During the investigation period, the school will arrange new accommodations for you," I said with a smile.
As Guan Cuicui left, she called in Shuwen Tian. When she entered, we could clearly see that her eyes were red and slightly swollen, with marks on her face indicating she had been crying for quite some time. Upon seeing us, she appeared timid, nervously clutching the hem of her clothes.
Mary walked over and took Shuwen Tian's hand gently, speaking softly, "Shuwen, please don't be nervous. We're just here to ask you some questions about Zhao Kaifang's death. Just tell us what you know; if you don't know anything, that's fine too. Okay?"
"Mm." Shuwen Tian nodded.
For someone with such a personality, it was best for Mary to ask gently while Dezi and I listened attentively. Mary asked, "Before Zhao Kaifang died, did she exhibit any strange behavior or mention anything to you? She has been missing for a week; didn't you try calling her to see what she was up to?"
Shuwen Tian shook her head and said, "No. We didn't have a good relationship; I didn't ask."
"Was there anything unusual before?" Mary encouraged her gently.
Shuwen Tian looked embarrassed for a moment but eventually said, "I did see Zhao Kaifang go into the hospital with Cao Jiaying once. About two weeks ago, I was working nearby handing out flyers when they walked across the street and entered the hospital together. I saw them but they didn't see me."
Mary furrowed her brow and glanced at me and Dezi before continuing, "Do you know why those two went to the hospital?"
Shuwen Tian slowly shook her head and replied, "I don't know, but I saw Zhao Kaifang looking indifferent, while Cao Jiaying appeared anxious and angry. They hurried into the hospital, and I don't know when they came out because I left before that. I've never told anyone about this. Although I'm not close to Zhao Kaifang, I never expected her to die like that. Just thinking about how she looked in the cabinet makes me... I..."
As she spoke, Shuwen Tian couldn't help but start to sob again, her tears flowing like rain on a pear blossom, evoking deep sympathy from those who witnessed it. Mary comforted her gently, which helped ease the tension somewhat, but it was clear that further questioning would be futile. After sending Shuwen Tian away, Mary turned to us and shrugged.
Mary sighed and said, "This dormitory is really something else; it's like a cycle of accusations. Each one points fingers at the other, claiming suspicion. It's hard to tell who is telling the truth and who is lying. But those three are definitely the prime suspects since the body was found in the cabinet in the dorm."
Dezi nodded and remarked, "I don't think these girls are capable of committing such an act. They may not get along in the dormitory, but there hasn't been any major conflict that would lead to something so drastic."
I shook my head and replied to Dezi, "You were in the armed police before and might not be familiar with this. In reality, many murders stem from trivial matters. Take the well-known case of Ma Jiajue; he killed someone over a dispute during a card game. And Lin Senhao from the Fudan Poisoning Case? That was also due to everyday trivialities."
I packed up my notebook and pen before standing up. "Good and evil can sometimes hinge on a moment's impulse; impulsiveness is a devil, it's the gunpowder in a bomb, it's both handcuffs and shackles, it's an endless source of regret. I remember this line from a Spring Festival Gala; it was delivered humorously."
"But for us criminal investigators, there's nothing funny about it," I said as I opened the door. "Let's go investigate other people's testimonies."
Late at night, The Village Doctor sought out Beautiful Widow Nurse while intoxicated. Upon hearing strange moans from inside the room, he kicked open the door only to find his strong son...
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