A Bad-Hearted Doctor is Unbearably Beautiful - Chapter 30

“Ms. Tang, we’re very sorry to bother you today. After all, your husband’s death must be a heavy blow for you,” Shen Zhao said, trying to gauge Tang Jin’s reaction.

Tang Jin laughed directly. She took a light sip of wine from her glass with her red lips. “Handsome man, you’re mistaken. A blow? For me, it’s more like a pleasant surprise.”

Shen Zhao’s eyebrows furrowed. Tang Jin’s eyes seemed to be drifting slightly.

“You expected this day to come?” Shen Zhao asked.

Tang Jin chuckled softly. “No, not really. It’s just that he was alright when he was younger. As he got older and had some money, he would constantly be messing around with other women outside, which was truly disgusting.”

Lu Xiao was taken aback. “You knew he was cheating?”

“Yes. For all these years, I tolerated it and I made a fuss. Eventually, I just gave up. I figured I would just raise my son well, and we didn’t lack for money anyway.”

Shen Zhao pressed on. “You’re not sad at all?”

Tang Jin sighed softly. “To say I’m not sad at all would be a lie. After all, we were married for so many years. Besides, the man is dead, so how can I hold a grudge? But on second thought, my son and I can now inherit almost all of his estate, and his disgusting affairs have finally stopped. I honestly feel like I’ve never been so at ease in my life.”

The two men exchanged a look, and both sighed.

“Aren’t you concerned about who killed him?” Lu Xiao finished his espresso in one gulp and ordered another.

“I am, but that’s your job as police officers. Unless you think I’m the murderer?” Tang Jin’s eyes sharpened.

Lu Xiao folded his arms and rested them on the chair’s armrests. He said unhurriedly, “Not at all. You have a perfect alibi. We just have some questions about your husband’s death and wanted to chat with you.”

Tang Jin gently swirled her wine glass with her fingers. “What would you like to ask?”

“About five years ago, Zhang Dalong had a close business partner named Chen Qiang. Do you remember this person?”

Tang Jin was silent for a moment, thinking hard. She then shook her head. “I don’t remember. I’ve never heard the name Chen Qiang.”

Lu Xiao and Shen Zhao exchanged a serious look.

“You have no memory of him at all? Think again. This person was one of the early shareholders of the Ren’ai Medical Center,” Lu Xiao added.

Tang Jin said, “Honestly, I don’t pay much attention to my husband’s business. All of his so-called ‘friends’ are not good people, so I really had no interest in getting to know them.”

“So-called ‘friends’?” Shen Zhao was a little surprised by that term.

Their conversation had reached a dead end.

Lu Xiao wasn’t giving up. He showed Tang Jin a photo of Chen Qiang. “This person right here. Do you really not remember him? Take a closer look.”

Tang Jin took Lu Xiao’s phone and looked at it carefully for a long time. The expression in her eyes finally changed. “I think I remember him. His features really do look a bit like one of Old Zhang’s friends, but that person… I don’t remember him having this scar on his face.”

Shen Zhao recalled what Li Meifeng had said: the scar on Chen Qiang’s face was a fresh wound five years ago.

Before Lu Xiao could react, Shen Zhao immediately said, “What was the name of the person you’re talking about? What was his relationship with Zhang Dalong? Please tell us everything you can remember about him.”

Lu Xiao looked at Shen Zhao in confusion. Shen Zhao quietly mentioned Li Meifeng’s name. Lu Xiao finally understood.

Tang Jin gently swayed her high-heeled foot. “Let me think. They were close friends for many years, almost twenty years, I think. This was before Old Zhang and I got married. They made a lot of money together. In recent years, Old Zhang used the money he had saved to start his current company. Oh, Old Zhang once mentioned to me that he always wanted to go into business alone, but he was too embarrassed to tell his friend.”

“When was the last time you remembered seeing this person?” Lu Xiao asked.

“Probably seven or eight years ago. I don’t know why they stopped seeing each other after that.”

“What was his name?” Lu Xiao asked.

“Li Tiangui,” Tang Jin said, taking Lu Xiao’s phone and looking at the photo again and again. “The more I look at it, the more he looks like him… except for that scar.”

“Li Tiangui? Do you know where he’s from?”

“He and Old Zhang came from the same poor area. Old Zhang only changed his residency later.”

Tang Jin paused. “I remember the place was called Dongxi Town.”

Lu Xiao nodded and jotted it down in his notebook, completely unaware that Shen Zhao’s face had turned pale.

Dongxi Town… The name immediately brought Shen Zhao back to fifteen years ago.

Shen Zhao suppressed the churning waves in his heart, trying hard to focus on the conversation.

After writing down the key information in his notebook, Lu Xiao asked, “What kind of business did Zhang Dalong do before?”

Tang Jin shook her head. “He never told me the specifics, but I could guess it wasn’t a legitimate business. Legitimate businesses don’t make that much money. When I was younger, I followed him because he was rich and generous.”

Lu Xiao thanked Tang Jin, and she left with a smile, holding her purse. As Lu Xiao was paying, he noticed Shen Zhao’s expression was off.

“Professor Shen, what are you spacing out about?”

Shen Zhao came back to his senses and shook his head gently.

The two didn’t rush to leave. Lu Xiao’s face showed some excitement. He opened his notebook and drew on the table. “Don’t you think it’s possible that Chen Qiang and Li Tiangui are…”

“…the same person?” Shen Zhao asked.

“Exactly!” Lu Xiao said with a laugh, putting his arm around Shen Zhao’s shoulder. “I think it’s highly likely that Li Tiangui did a lot of shady things with Zhang Dalong in the early days of their business and then used someone else’s identity to clear his name.”

Shen Zhao was surprised by the sudden hug, but seeing how natural Lu Xiao was acting, he didn’t pay it much mind. He nodded. “It’s very possible.”

Lu Xiao grabbed his phone and called Zhang Zhen. “Look up a person named Li Tiangui who has residency in Dongxi Town. This is most likely Chen Qiang’s real identity.”

The theory that Chen Qiang set up Song the Third to be a scapegoat was almost certain. All they needed now was the conclusive evidence.

“Professor Shen, we’re going to have to work overtime again. Will you stay with me?” Lu Xiao said with a playful grin.

“I need to go back to the hospital. I have a surgery scheduled for this evening. If you hear anything about the assassin, let me know. I’m heading back to the hospital first.”

“Huh? Then how am I supposed to get back?” Lu Xiao realized that Shen Zhao obviously didn’t want to drive him back to the police station.

“Take a cab,” Shen Zhao said, jingling his car keys and walking away without looking back.

“Fine, fine. The day I catch the assassin will probably be the day you, this heartless man, leave me behind,” Lu Xiao muttered under his breath behind Shen Zhao.

Shen Zhao started the engine, his mind deep in thought. Dongxi Town… This case and his past had an indescribable connection. Could it be related to that incident? Shen Zhao felt he was standing at the edge of a deep abyss and dared not think further.

Meanwhile, in a ballroom somewhere else in the city, the sounds of strings and wind instruments intertwined. In the center of the dance floor, high-society nobles in custom-made haute couture were dancing gracefully to the music. The air was thick with power and desire.

At the edge of the dance floor, a man with a unique charm in his every move attracted the attention of almost everyone in the room. He was wearing a custom-made cashmere suit, with his shirt collar slightly unbuttoned, revealing skin more delicate than a woman’s and a silver necklace that glistened on his collarbone.

He raised his glass, kissing the fingertips of each of his dance partners.

The assassin had changed into a new outfit, perfectly blending in with the luxurious, high-class evening. He weaved through the crowd and leaned in to whisper to the man, “Boss, we didn’t succeed with Lu Xiao.”

The man’s expression remained unchanged. A perfectly cordial smile was plastered on his face as he kissed an international model on the cheek in farewell. He then turned and walked toward the bar.

“Explain,” his voice dropped to an icy tone, carrying the absolute oppression of a superior.

“Boss, it was Shen… Doctor Shen who suddenly appeared.”

The man who was called “Boss” suddenly had a playful look on his face. “You’ve found a new friend after all.”

“Alright. I’ve been bored for far too many years. I’ll play along with you two.”