Silent Testimony - Chapter 44

“In the end, he didn’t even say thank you.” Cheng Yingqiu sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.

Li Hewei frowned. “Are you talking about Yan Min’s brother?”

“No, Yan Min.” Cheng Yingqiu pulled her sock back on. “He told me he had an important meeting and left in a hurry, completely forgetting what I did for him.”

“Did you take the initiative to ask him?” Li Hewei leaned against the window, watching the movement below.

“Why should I ask? It’s just a courtesy.” Cheng Yingqiu looked at her, her voice heavy with dissatisfaction: “Sister Wei, I’m not doing this for favors. I just think it’s unfair to the journalists who truly put their lives on the line.”

Li Hewei nodded in agreement. “There are some people who only focus on the result, ignoring the process.”

Qiu Wan coughed twice. “He probably didn’t see the danger.”

“Forget it, I don’t owe him anything,” Cheng Yingqiu declared magnanimously.

Li Hewei returned to the topic: “Do you remember the ‘Third Uncle’?”

“I don’t remember much. The driver called him Third Uncle,” Cheng Yingqiu explained, “but I can clearly recall the lower half of his face.”

“Did he smoke?”

“He did. The smell of cigarettes was very strong. He probably smoked cigars,” Cheng Yingqiu recalled, “and he had a large mole or scar on the corner of his mouth, which stood out clearly.”

Li Hewei got up from the small stool. “I’ll go back to my room and draw a composite sketch.”

“Be careful,” Qiu Wan reminded her.

“I know.” Li Hewei opened the door and ran into Xiao Zhang. “Little Zhang, are you going to the crime lab?”

“Yes, Captain Li. Chief Liu asked me to deliver the evidence.”

“Wait for me. I need to make a sketch.”

“Okay, I’ll wait downstairs.” Xiao Zhang turned and left.

Qiu Wan walked to the door and watched Xiao Zhang’s figure disappear before turning back to Tao Ling. “Don’t just keep lying down. Get up and walk around.”

“Yes, Sister Qiu.” Tao Ling had recovered slightly.

“You need to be mentally prepared. The workload during the joint investigation will increase,” Qiu Wan paused. “Do you think Qian Gang is involved?”

Tao Ling adjusted her posture to sit upright. “I think so. The victim, the gambling den, and the illegal taxi driver all point toward a possible corruption chain.”

Qiu Wan’s voice deepened. “I heard that Qian Gang’s reputation in Puchen is very good.”

“Reputation doesn’t equal innocence.” Tao Ling spoke slowly, “He is responsible for the overall supervision of the county’s public security. If such a casino has been operating for a long time, he must be complicit.”

“Did you notice anything unusual about the victim’s autopsy?”

“Not yet. I’m waiting for the toxicology report, but the cause of death is clear: head trauma leading to death.” Tao Ling stood up, walked to the window, and opened a crack. “I’ve reviewed the documents. It’s a standard murder investigation. The victim, Ma Yong’an, was a small-time boss at the fertilizer factory who also ran the underground casino. His wife reported his death, saying he was found dead on the way to work.”

“Where did the murder take place?”

“In the abandoned factory. The driver claimed he didn’t know the factory was a casino. He said he just dropped off customers nearby and only drove for Qian Gang’s company to earn extra money.”

“Did the other suspects say the same thing?”

“Yes, all of them said they were just hired hands, only responsible for attracting customers, and had no involvement in the casino’s operations or management,” Tao Ling explained. “They don’t know the boss.”

“I see.” Qiu Wan nodded.

“Sister Qiu, why is the local police station not taking action?” Tao Ling turned around. “They are aware that Qian Gang is involved in the illegal taxi business, and many people have reported the noise and gatherings at the factory, yet they turn a blind eye.”

Qiu Wan sighed. “I suspect there’s a protective umbrella.”

“Protecting whom? The casino boss or Qian Gang?”

“Both.” Qiu Wan met her gaze. “It seems we need to coordinate with the City Bureau’s Disciplinary Inspection Commission to start the investigation.”

“Okay.” Tao Ling walked to the door. “I’ll go check on Cheng Yingqiu.”

“Don’t worry about her. You need rest.”

Tao Ling insisted. “She’s also injured. We can talk about work while resting.” She gently opened the door.

Li Hewei quickly finished the sketch, grabbed her laptop, and went downstairs. Xiao Zhang was waiting patiently by the car.

“Captain Li.”

“Let’s go.”

“Okay, fasten your seatbelt.” Xiao Zhang started the car.

“Little Zhang, I heard you were scolding the suspects last night?” Li Hewei buckled her seatbelt.

Xiao Zhang looked embarrassed. “Captain Qiu was too fierce, so I lost my composure.”

“How are things at the police station now?”

“It’s a huge mess. It was an all-nighter for everyone. I’ve only been on duty for three hours, and I’m exhausted.” Xiao Zhang sighed. “The victim’s body was transferred to the City Bureau for autopsy.”

“Mhm.”

“Captain Li, I heard that the director might transfer back to the City Bureau.”

Li Hewei paused. “Who?”

“Director Qiu.”

“Oh.” Li Hewei’s expression was unreadable. “It’s understandable. With her skill set, she shouldn’t be limited to a small police station.”

“She’s too harsh. It’s tough working under her,” Xiao Zhang mumbled.

“You don’t understand the hardships of a woman in this field,” Li Hewei said in a low voice.

“I understand. She works very hard.” Xiao Zhang changed the subject. “Captain Li, are you and Captain Qiu… sisters?”

Li Hewei looked out the window. “No. Why do you ask?”

“You two look very similar, and you’re both stunning,” Xiao Zhang said sincerely.

Li Hewei gave a rare smile. “Thanks for the compliment.”

Tao Ling knocked on the door and walked in. Cheng Yingqiu was leaning on the bed, using her laptop, while Wei Yu was reading a novel on the small couch.

“Tao Ling, you’re sick, why are you still running around?” Cheng Yingqiu immediately put down her laptop.

“I’m fine. I just came to check on you.” Tao Ling sat down on the low stool. “Sister Qiu asked me to rest.”

“You two look quite close,” Cheng Yingqiu remarked.

“We were roommates at the police academy.”

“Ah, I see.” Cheng Yingqiu’s voice was filled with realization. “Then you must know a lot about her.”

“Not necessarily.” Tao Ling’s gaze turned toward the window.

Cheng Yingqiu tried to coax information out of her: “For example, is she seeing anyone?”

Tao Ling remained silent for a few seconds. “No.”

“What about a partner?”

“No.” Tao Ling averted her gaze.

“That’s great! My chances are good then,” Cheng Yingqiu said happily.

“Tao Ling, she doesn’t like women,” Wei Yu, who was reading, suddenly interjected.

Cheng Yingqiu stared at Wei Yu, stunned. “How do you know?”

“I heard her mention a boyfriend before.” Wei Yu blushed slightly.

Cheng Yingqiu looked puzzled. “A boyfriend? But she just told me she likes girls.”

“She said that?” Tao Ling’s voice was soft, barely audible.

“Yes. She even said girls deserve to be treated gently.” Cheng Yingqiu leaned in. “Tao Ling, is she straight or gay?”

Tao Ling gave a small sigh. “Her first girlfriend was Liang Bing.”