Chapter 256: The Death of Wang Daji

Chen Shi sneered as he pushed past Huo Yue and entered the room. Huo Yue followed him like a sunflower, constantly turning to keep his eyes on Chen Shi.

Chen Shi had his reasons for coming alone. He planned to bluff Huo Yue using Wang Daji’s story, as it had been three years and relying solely on evidence for a conviction wasn’t realistic.

Chen Shi said, “Huo, don’t I look familiar to you?”

Huo Yue replied, “Oh, are you a celebrity?”

Whether this guy was a good actor or genuinely clueless, Chen Shi couldn’t detect any unusual reaction from his brief expression.

“Yuhua Pharmaceutical seems to have incidents of their drugs causing deaths every year, leading to hefty compensation payments. As the president’s secretary, you should be well aware of this, right?”

“Are you sick? I told you I quit a long time ago! Get out of here!”

“I’m curious why Yuhua Pharmaceutical continues to use a toxic formula…”

“If you don’t leave, I’m calling security!” Huo Yue’s anger barely hid his panic.

“I have my reasons for being here today. Three years ago, someone hired you for a job, actually three jobs, which you completed excellently and received a large sum of money for.”

Huo Yue’s eyes widened before he quickly regained his composure. “Those were just accidents. You’re overthinking it.”

“Did I say what the jobs were?” Chen Shi smirked. “Do you know why the police suddenly started investigating you?”

Huo Yue asked darkly, “Why?”

“I have a USB drive containing some of your secrets, which also explain the deaths of those three people.”

Huo Yue began to sweat. “What USB drive? No, get out!”

“Huo, I’ll be back.”

Chen Shi pulled the same trick, riding the elevator down one floor before sneaking back up to peek through the keyhole at Huo Yue’s reaction.

Inside, Huo Yue paced frantically like an ant on a hot pan. He poured himself a drink, but his trembling hand spilled it all. After a moment’s thought, he pulled a phone from his drawer and made a call.

“He said he knows about the events from three years ago and has a USB drive!” Huo Yue said.

“Is he a cop?” the person on the other end asked.

“He’s a police consultant. He said they’ve reopened the case. I don’t know why they’re looking into this now.”

“Idiot! There must be something they found. I told you to be thorough. Did you leave any loose ends?”

“I was meticulous! It’s impossible for them to trace it back. If they could, they would have done it three years ago!”

“Meticulous? How did the police find you then?”

“He’s not a cop, just a consultant.”

“You took the money, so you better handle this. If you can’t, you might as well die!” The call ended abruptly.

Furious, Huo Yue threw his glass across the room. He stormed into the bedroom, opened his laptop, and ran a few hacker programs. He remembered the man’s name was Chen Shi, so he searched for him in the civil registry, vehicle administration, and tax databases.

Outside, Chen Shi observed Huo Yue’s actions and heard part of his conversation, confirming that Huo Yue indeed had a guilty conscience.

With a clear direction, it was time to intensify the investigation.

Leaving the apartment complex, Chen Shi relayed the events to the task force. The team was ecstatic. Lin Dongxue exclaimed, “Finally, we’ve got a lead!”

Xiao Dong added, “Chen, your suspicions were spot on.”

Chen Shi said, “Let’s take it step by step. Tomorrow, I’ll ask the captain for more manpower.”

Announcing the end of his workday, Chen Shi returned home. Tao Yueyue was peeling lychees while Wang Daji chatted with her. The table was piled with groceries. Chen Shi asked in surprise, “You bought these?”

“Yeah, I figured I should contribute since I’ve been staying here. You cook a couple of dishes, and we’ll have a drink. I bought some good whiskey,” Wang Daji said, holding up a bottle of 18-year-old Chivas Regal.

“You’re being very considerate,” Chen Shi said. “I met with Huo Yue today. It looks like he’s hiding something. He probably did kill those people, but the challenge is still finding concrete evidence.”

“You cops are too procedural. If it were me, I’d just grab him and slowly deal with him!” Wang Daji retorted.

“Yeah, and I’d be the one caught on camera. If that USB drive was still around, it would save us a lot of trouble.”

Wang Daji scratched his head and laughed sheepishly. “How was I supposed to know it was so important?”

With no other choice, Chen Shi started cooking. Tao Yueyue joined him in the kitchen. Chen Shi, wearing an apron and peeling shrimp, said, “Dinner’s not ready yet. I’m making something you’ll like.”

“Uncle Chen,” Tao Yueyue whispered, “I think Wang Daji’s health isn’t good. He was vomiting again today.”

“Really?”

After she left, Chen Shi continued cooking, pondering the possibility that Wang Daji was lying about his health. “Wang Daji!” he called.

Wang Daji entered the kitchen eagerly. “Wow, your cooking skills are impressive, almost like a professional chef. Let me taste!”

Chen Shi slapped his hand away. “Tell me honestly, do you have a terminal illness?”

“What illness? You’re overthinking it.”

“Why are your eyes yellow? Hold still, let me check.”

As Chen Shi moved closer to inspect, Wang Daji suddenly kissed him on the lips and jumped back, laughing. Chen Shi, disgusted, wiped his mouth furiously. Wang Daji said, “Kissing yourself is pretty fun… Hey, you didn’t make any main dishes. I’m going to buy a roast duck.”

“Hey, stop!” Chen Shi called, but Wang Daji had already left.

Chen Shi set the dishes on the table. After waiting half an hour with no sign of Wang Daji, he told Tao Yueyue, “Let’s not wait. Let’s eat.”

“Is Wang Daji going to stay here forever?”

“No, once this case is over, he’ll leave.”

“I don’t like him at all. Even though he looks like you, he’s nothing like you.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

Chen Shi thought Wang Daji might be reckless, but his character wasn’t bad.

After dinner, Wang Daji still hadn’t returned. Chen Shi tried calling his phone, but it was off. He figured Wang Daji was probably out causing trouble again. After a busy day, Chen Shi decided to relax online.

At 9 PM, there was a frantic knock on the door. Lin Dongxue was outside, shouting, “Yueyue! Yueyue!”

Chen Shi opened the door and was startled to see Lin Dongxue, Xiao Dong, and Lin Qiupu all there, looking equally shocked. “Why are you here? Who’s dead?”

Chen Shi was stunned. Had Wang Daji died?

Lin Qiupu suddenly pointed at Chen Shi, “Wait, cuff him!”