Chapter 120: Peng Sijue Poisoned

At the local police station, the officers brought out all the case files from December 10th. Chen Shi quickly flipped through them until one caught his attention. “There was a robbery at a luxury store on Xinglian Road at 9 PM on December 10th.”

Lin Dongxue, excited, exclaimed, “This matches up!”

The officer said, “We suspect it was done by a gang. The store was a mess, and the total value of the stolen items was about fifty thousand yuan.”

Chen Shi asked, “Shouldn’t this be classified as theft? Why is it marked as a robbery?”

“A store employee was asleep at the time and was beaten by the robbers. He’s still unconscious in the hospital… Captain Peng from the municipal bureau personally conducted the forensic examination.”

Lin Dongxue added, “Captain Peng probably didn’t know the time of the incident; otherwise, he would have informed us.”

Chen Shi asked, “Do you have any suspects?”

The officer replied, “No. There are several karaoke bars across the street, but the police inspection that night caused them to close early, so their surveillance cameras were off. The robbers seemed to know the area well, avoiding all traffic cameras.”

Lin Dongxue said, “We’ll take over this case.”

“Sure, thank you for your help.”

As it was getting late, Chen Shi suggested, “How about you come to my place for dinner? I was about to cook for Tao Yueyue anyway. You’d end up eating instant noodles at home.”

Lin Dongxue smiled, “I’d be honored… You’ll drive me home later, right?”

Tao Yueyue, home alone, was already hungry and had eaten some bread to tide her over. When they arrived, she was at the living room table studying her math book. Lin Dongxue praised her, “So well-behaved, studying by yourself.”

“I’d rather come home to see her playing,” Chen Shi sighed. “Sorry I’m late. I’ll cook now.”

Tao Yueyue pouted, “You’re never early.”

Chen Shi went to the kitchen, while Lin Dongxue struck up a conversation. “What grade are you in?”

“Eighth.”

Yet she was holding a ninth-grade math book, bought from a used bookstore. Lin Dongxue asked, “Why are you studying ninth-grade math?”

“I’ve finished the eighth-grade book. Do you know how to solve this problem?”

Seeing the complex algebra and symbols made Lin Dongxue’s head spin. She smiled sheepishly, “I don’t.”

“How can you be a police officer and not know this?”

Lin Dongxue wasn’t offended by her bluntness. “I admit I’m not good at math. I always barely passed my exams… What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Chen Shi brought out the dishes just as Tao Yueyue was telling a funny story she heard from a hospital roommate, laughing happily.

Chen Shi could hardly believe his eyes. Was this the usually stern and serious girl he knew? He put down the dishes and asked, “Do you like this police officer auntie?”

“She’s a sister!” both women said in unison.

“Okay, okay, sister… But she calls me uncle! That’s not fair.”

“You’re clearly older than me!” Lin Dongxue retorted. “Don’t you ever talk to her?”

Chen Shi awkwardly said, “What’s there to talk about? Let’s eat.”

Tao Yueyue looked at the steamed broccoli, stir-fried lamb with scallions, and cucumber salad on the table with little interest. Lin Dongxue asked, “Don’t you like what your uncle made?”

“No enthusiasm.”

“You little brat! I make different dishes every day, preparing ingredients in advance. How can you say there’s no enthusiasm?”

“There’s no enthusiasm! It all tastes the same!”

Lin Dongxue laughed, “How about I make a dish?”

Chen Shi said, “You? All you can make is instant noodles.”

“Underestimating me!” Lin Dongxue went to the kitchen. Unfamiliar with Chen Shi’s kitchen, she loudly asked, “Where’s the oil?” and “Which bottle is the soy sauce?”

Judging by the sounds, she seemed to be frying something and occasionally yelped when hot oil splattered. Chen Shi, eating, chuckled, “You’ll be cooked before the dish is.”

“It’s ready! It’s perfect!” Lin Dongxue announced excitedly.

She brought out her dish. Chen Shi nearly laughed out loud. She had cut a sausage in half, bent it into a heart shape, and placed a fried egg inside.

Chen Shi said, “She won’t eat that. This kid has a picky palate.”

Tao Yueyue picked up a piece and tasted it, saying, “It’s delicious! A million times better than Uncle Chen’s cooking!”

“You’re trying to annoy me, right?”

“It’s better than your cooking!”

They glared at each other over the table.

Chen Shi gave up. How could this be? Women’s minds were hard to fathom, and young girls even more so, like aliens! He told Lin Dongxue, “Having you over was a mistake. My authority as a guardian is shattered. Don’t come back.”

“I will come back!” Lin Dongxue laughed, then said to Tao Yueyue, “I’ll cook for you again sometime, okay?”

“Okay!” Tao Yueyue responded cheerfully.

After dinner, Chen Shi drove Lin Dongxue home. In the car, Lin Dongxue asked, “Tell me honestly, is Tao Yueyue your illegitimate daughter?”

“Think a bit, will you? If she were my illegitimate daughter, that means I’d have had a wild life since my teens.”

“Isn’t that the case? Your file says you were a delinquent, a frequent guest of the detention center.”

“That’s…” Chen Shi hesitated, then said, “Ancient history. Every saint has a past.”

“I still don’t believe it. How did a former troublemaker change so drastically into who you are now?”

“Didn’t we agree not to talk about my past?”

“That was when we first met. Now that we’re close, you should tell me your story.”

“The time isn’t right.”

“Mysterious as always.”

“One day, when I resolve a personal issue, I’ll tell you everything.”

“Promise you’ll tell me first!”

Lin Dongxue’s phone rang. It was from the station. She answered, and an urgent voice came through, “Something’s happened to our captain.”

“What, my brother…?”

“It’s Captain Peng.”

The car almost swerved into the curb, but Chen Shi quickly regained control.

Lin Dongxue said, “Calm down. Tell me slowly.”

“We came back after dinner and found Captain Peng on the floor, convulsing, teeth clenched, face pale. It looks like poisoning!”

“Are there dangerous substances in the lab?”

“Yes, but they’re always locked. I checked, and there’s no leakage.”

“We’re on our way back.”

“No, he’s been taken to the hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of the Medical University.”

Before Lin Dongxue could instruct, Chen Shi had already turned towards the hospital.

They rushed to the hospital to find Peng Sijue unconscious on a bed. A doctor was examining him, with several officers standing by. Lin Dongxue asked, “Doctor, how is he?”

“Blood tests aren’t back yet, but it looks like poisoning.”