Chapter 601: Secret Maneuver

In the video, Wang Zhenlong is seen dancing wildly in his dirty, cluttered apartment, clutching a bottle of cheap liquor and singing, “Good luck to me, good luck to me, Zhang Haichang’s whole family is dead…”

Xu Xiaodong almost burst out laughing while recording the footage.

After watching the video, Xu Xiaodong said, “Look at him. This reaction shows he’s definitely the killer!”

Chen Shi asked, “Do you really think so? Dongxue, what do you think?”

Lin Dongxue thought for a moment. “I don’t think he’s the killer. If he were, his reaction after the police left wouldn’t be so carefree. This looks more like he’s celebrating unexpected news. So, Wang Zhenlong is not a suspect. We should focus on the victim’s wife.”

“I don’t think we need to investigate the wife anymore. I found another lead,” Chen Shi interjected.

Lin Qiupu interrupted him, “You jump to conclusions too quickly. That’s just a guess without any evidence. Investigating isn’t for your self-satisfaction. Don’t listen to him. Keep investigating the wife.”

“Fine, I’m out,” Chen Shi said, heading for the door but returning almost immediately. “Reporters are still outside. When will they leave?”

“Probably after they’ve gathered enough material,” Lin Qiupu laughed.

Chen Shi peeked through the door crack, seeing the director and cameraman filming everything from police regulations to the corridor’s potted plants. Feeling trapped, he asked Lin Qiupu for the director’s phone number. He dialed and pinched his nose to alter his voice, “Director Wang? This is Officer Luo. We met earlier. We just apprehended a suspect, and they’ll be at the entrance soon. Do you want to film it?”

“Absolutely! We’ll be right there!” the director replied excitedly, rushing out with his team.

Seizing the opportunity, Chen Shi slipped away. Xu Xiaodong asked, “Can I go home now, Lin Qiupu?”

“No overtime today. Go ahead.”

“Awesome! Time to play some—” Noticing Lin Qiupu’s expression, Xu Xiaodong corrected himself, “I mean, read some books!”

As Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue walked out together, he said, “Come to my place for some char siu. I made it today.”

“When did you learn to cook that? Why didn’t you bring me some?”

“I did, but it went bad on the way, so I gave it to your brother.”

The next day, a Sunday, Chen Shi took Tao Yueyue to the sales office. The saleswoman showed them the “villa unit” again. As soon as they saw the spacious living room, Tao Yueyue exclaimed, “Wow, this house is amazing!”

“Do you like it? If you do, we might consider moving.”

“Do you like it, Uncle Chen?”

“I think it’s nice…”

“But can we afford it?”

“If we sell our current place, we could. It would mean pulling out some of my investments and we’d have no savings left… But we can always earn more money.”

“I worry about you being under too much pressure. I think this house is just okay. Besides, Mao Qiu might not adjust well to a new place.”

Chen Shi smiled, “You don’t need to worry about that. I like this house. If you do too, let’s consider it. Or we could buy it in installments.”

“Or when I grow up, I can help you pay off the mortgage!”

“Will you still live with me when you grow up?”

“If not with you, then with whom?”

“Alright then, we’ll buy it. Miss Gong…”

The saleswoman, who had been daydreaming, snapped back to attention. “Mr. Chen, are you really interested in this house? If so, you can pay the deposit at the sales office.”

“What’s a deposit?” Tao Yueyue asked.

The saleswoman explained with a smile, “It’s a small payment to show your intention to buy. This amount will be deducted from the final payment.”

“So, it’s to prevent buyers from backing out. How much is it?”

“Usually around ten thousand yuan.”

“Miss, is selling houses a good business?”

“A few years ago, yes. But now with so many developments, the market is saturated. It’s not as lucrative.”

Tao Yueyue asked Chen Shi, “Why does everyone say business is bad?”

Chen Shi chuckled, “Because no job is easy. With the country’s rapid development, there’s more supply than demand.”

Miss Gong asked, “Mr. Chen, if you don’t mind me asking, being so young and already buying a house, do you have a high position in the police?”

“I’m actually not a police officer, just a consultant for the police.”

“The police have consultants?”

“Think of me as an unofficial detective. I help solve cases. No salary, just bonuses and allowances.”

Back at the sales office, Chen Shi signed the intention contract. This visit wasn’t just about the house; he had given Tao Yueyue a small task. Pretending to use the bathroom, she disabled the antivirus software on a computer and loaded a seemingly innocent game, which was actually installing malware in the background.

This level of hacking was something Chen Shi could handle himself. The previous night, when he explained the task to Tao Yueyue, she said, “Using illegal methods for an investigation, Sister Lin would scold you again.”

Chen Shi replied, “A detective who never uses illegal methods is as good as a salted fish.”

Yesterday, the chubby manager noticed Tao Yueyue playing on the computer. Assuming she was a primary school student, he said, “Hey kid, this computer isn’t for playing. Where’s your parent?”

“My dad’s signing the contract. I’m bored,” she replied innocently.

“This computer is needed for work. Let me get you a drink.”

“Thank you, Uncle.”

Seeing the malware installed, Tao Yueyue closed the webpage. She returned to Chen Shi with two bottles of oolong tea. Handing one to him, she whispered, “Mission accomplished!”

“Miss Gong, I’ll come back when the units open for sale,” Chen Shi concluded.

“Sure. Feel free to contact me anytime.”

After leaving the sales office, they headed to an internet café. In a private room, they accessed the hacked computer. Tao Yueyue advised, “Use a proxy IP! You registered with your ID, they’ll trace it back.”

“Haha, you know a lot now.”

Chen Shi opened the malware interface, displaying the sales office computer screen. He copied all the client files, cleared the traces, and deleted the malware. “Not bad, right?”

“If it were Uncle Xiao Chong, he wouldn’t have to go there or disable the antivirus. You’re still behind… Are you really buying that house?”

“Half for the investigation, half because I want to.”

“Was someone murdered there?”

“That, we’ll find out soon enough.”