The 80s Female Detective's Guide to Self-Preservation [Criminal Investigation] - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The home of Zhao Guoying.

A fine drizzle fell outside. Xia Qiuyuan frowned as she looked at the large villa before her and pressed the doorbell.

The chime echoed from the garden all the way into the house, startlingly loud. After a long moment, a woman dressed as a domestic helper stepped out, looking at the visitors with visible wariness.

“Who are you looking for?”

“Is this the residence of Zhao Guoying? We have some questions for him.” Xia Sui displayed her credentials.

“Mr. Zhao isn’t here. Our mistress is.”

“The mistress will do. We’re just here for a routine inquiry.”

The helper hesitated, still not opening the gate. “I’ll have to ask the mistress first before I can decide whether to let you in.”

“Hey—” Before Xia Sui could stop her, the woman had already turned and run back inside.

Gazing at the luxurious villa, Xia Sui couldn’t help but mutter, “Seems Zhao Guoying made a fortune after quitting the force. Villas, luxury cars, even a maid… I keep telling Hou Ming that our tens of yuan a month isn’t enough to buy a bucket of water. I’m an old hand, I can survive on my savings and rent a decent apartment, but a kid like you just out of school? How do you have any money?”

Xia Qiuyuan gave a soft hum of agreement. She recalled that the “original owner” of this body had nowhere to live; after graduating from the provincial police academy, she had been entrusted to Xia Sui by a village elder.

As mentioned before, the Xia family clan mostly consisted of descendants of northern officials who had fled south with some wealth. Though the “Cultural Revolution” had stripped away much of their assets through business ventures, a “starved camel is still bigger than a horse.” Compared to Xia Qiuyuan, an outsider taken into the village, the local Xia Sui family was not short on cash.

Xia Qiuyuan was currently staying at Xia Sui’s place—a newly built housing complex favored by those who had recently come into a bit of money.

Xia Qiuyuan took a cursory glance at the villa and withdrew her gaze. While such a thing was a rarity in the 1980s, she had seen too many in her previous life for it to seem particularly impressive.

The helper eventually returned with the mistress of the house. The woman walked out, looking suspicious as she opened the gate. “What is it? Officers, has something happened to our Old Zhao?”

“Are you Comrade Liang Jingshu? It’s like this: we’re just here for a routine neighborhood visit to check in. Please don’t worry.” Xia Sui put on her most charming, friendly face. She was far more convincing than Hou Ming ever was.

This was exactly why Team One sent the women for simple canvassing—the danger was low, and it was easier to get people to talk.

After a moment of internal conflict, Liang Jingshu invited them in to rest their feet and talk. Xia Sui had memorized Zhao Guoying’s file before coming; her questioning was seamless and left no gaps.

Xia Qiuyuan, meanwhile, stood up from the sofa, playing the part of a green rookie who didn’t quite know the rules yet. “Hello, do you mind if I look around a bit?”

Liang Jingshu frowned slightly, maintaining the aloof dignity of a wealthy socialite. “Be careful. The things in this house are quite expensive. Don’t go breaking anything.”

Xia Qiuyuan chuckled and began wandering through the house. The helper, having served hot tea, saw Xia Qiuyuan wandering and quickly followed behind her, watching the young girl cautiously. “There’s only a bathroom on this floor, usually used by the mistress before she goes out. Around the corner are the kitchen and the storage room.”

Xia Qiuyuan gave a gentle smile. “Do you live here too, Auntie?”

“Yes, I’m a live-in helper. I handle the cooking, picking up the kids, cleaning—all the housework.”

Xia Qiuyuan ducked into the bathroom. On the marble counter sat a rinse cup and a simple black-cased razor. Looking at the marks on the marble, there should have been two more rinse cups there originally.

But they were gone now.

“Auntie, does the mistress use these?”

The helper let out a sharp “Ah!” and hurriedly snatched the cup and razor away. “No, no, I use these. I should have put them away after use, but I was so tired from cleaning today that I forgot. I… I’ll go put these away now!”

The helper clutched the items and bolted toward the storage room. Xia Qiuyuan watched her retreating back, her eyes narrowing.

The helper lived in the storage room. As she had said, a turn led to an open-plan kitchen. Further out, a balcony door led to a small back garden.

A fierce barking stopped Xia Qiuyuan in her tracks at the balcony.

“Paopao! You can’t be mean to guests!” A little girl with princess braids popped out from a corner of the garden, stomping her foot to quiet the large dog.

The dog barked a few more times toward Xia Qiuyuan, then turned back to the girl, trotting over to nuzzle her head against her. Once finished, it bared its teeth at Xia Qiuyuan again.

The little girl called out to the dog again. Paopao reluctantly ran back to a tool shed in the garden and sat down, resting its head on its front paws, watching with half-closed eyes while wagging its tail.

“Officer Sister, this is the garden. It’s Paopao’s territory. Strangers aren’t allowed in.” The little girl looked up at Xia Qiuyuan.

Xia Qiuyuan knelt down and smiled. “I won’t go in. I’m just looking from here. Your house is so big and beautiful.”

“Daddy bought it all!” The girl dropped her dirty soccer ball and spread her arms wide, even standing on her tiptoes to show the scale. “Daddy made so much money! This much!”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

Xia Qiuyuan played along with the girl, using the opportunity to scan the layout of the garden. She managed to leave the back area just before the helper reappeared.

“Little girl…” The helper rushed over, light beads of sweat on her brow. She forced a smile that looked stiff and frozen on her face.

Xia Qiuyuan didn’t make things difficult. She waved to the little girl and headed back to the living room.

Xia Sui’s social skills were top-tier; she had coaxed Liang Jingshu into a state of comfort. In just ten minutes, she had become “sisters” with the woman, even making a tentative date to go to a beauty salon together.

Once they were safely outside Zhao Guoying’s gate, Xia Qiuyuan let out a long sigh.

“Sister Sui, what were you talking to her about? You’re actually going to a beauty salon?”

“Like hell I am. Where would I get the money? Do you think I’m that stupid?” Xia Sui clicked her tongue and sneered. “What kind of business makes that much money? Liang Jingshu buys ancient paintings, antiques, and only the best food and drink. Did they win the lottery? That money is being spent like water.”

Thinking of her own salary of a few dozen yuan—where she had to budget carefully just to buy a new dress—Xia Sui laughed at her own poverty.

Xia Qiuyuan hooked her arm through Xia Sui’s as they walked, not looking back. Once they were out of sight of the house, she said casually, “Tell me, what do you think the probability is that Liang Jingshu is having an affair?”

“What?” Xia Sui was still stuck on the woman’s spending habits and was momentarily stunned. “Impossible. When she mentioned Zhao Guoying, they seemed to have a very good relationship.”

“I tried several times to steer the conversation toward him, and she dodged every time. She clearly didn’t want to talk about him,” Xia Sui continued. “But there was no disgust in her eyes. It felt more like a subconscious evasion.”

“Then let me give you my deduction—”

“What?”

Xia Qiuyuan blinked at Xia Sui. “Zhao Guoying was home just now.”