Chapter 304: The Thieving Couple

Gu You glanced inside, surprised to see Nalan Fang sitting upright, intently watching the computer screen.

Chen Shi asked, “How did he end up at your place?”

Gu You smiled, “It was quite a coincidence. One of my employees found him wandering the streets in that old-fashioned outfit, talking nonsense. Thinking he might need help, they approached him and brought him back. As psychologists, our motto is ‘helping others to help themselves.'”

“What do you think is wrong with him?”

“Dissociative identity disorder.”

“Multiple personalities.”

“In a narrow sense, yes.”

“Why not send him to a mental hospital? Is it because you can earn consultation fees?”

“Money is a minor issue. Many who seek our help can’t afford it, and we assist them as much as we can. You know what mental hospitals are like—just like your prisons. He hasn’t harmed anyone, so I don’t think isolation is necessary.”

“So, as an expert, what’s your suggestion? You’ve heard his ramblings, right?”

“Based on the consultation records, I think the personality he’s developed is likely someone he aspires to be. For instance, a girl who wants protection might develop a personality of an older brother.”

“He claims to be a prince, so by your logic, his real identity is probably quite ordinary. He mentioned his father had two sons who both died. Could he be…” Chen Shi thought of someone but wasn’t sure. It couldn’t be such a coincidence, right?

The night passed uneventfully.

The next day, Chen Shi was uneasy about leaving the guy at home, so he brought him to the station. Xu Xiaodong, who missed the excitement yesterday, was thrilled to see the “time traveler” and started bombarding him with questions.

Nalan Fang seemed a bit overwhelmed and told Chen Shi, “You modern people are very rude.”

“Just some of us,” Chen Shi pointed at Xu Xiaodong.

Chen Shi left the “time traveler” in an empty meeting room with a fully charged tablet, letting him quietly watch dramas.

Xu Xiaodong, excited, said, “Could he really be a time traveler? I used to think, with so many time travel novels out there, maybe time travel is real?”

Chen Shi gave him a look of disdain, “With all the ‘seeking wealthy heirs’ ads out there, maybe one is real. Want to give it a try?”

“Time travel isn’t entirely illogical if you think about it. Do you know about parallel universes?” Xu Xiaodong asked.

“Why don’t you spend that energy solving cases?” Lin Dongxue walked over, “Guess what I found out?”

“Xu Xiaodong’s overdue IQ bill?”

“Hey, we were just discussing…” Xu Xiaodong said, looking innocent.

Lin Dongxue smiled, “I found out his identity. Wang Haitao, male, 45, from Yunnan, single, works as a mechanic. His mother, Wang Hongfang, passed away last year, and she left him a small property.”

“So he really is a time traveler?” Chen Shi teased Xu Xiaodong before asking Lin Dongxue, “How did you find all this out? Impressive!”

“We investigated the origin of his clothes. A driver transporting costumes for a film company said that on April 26, while he was eating at a restaurant, someone stole a costume from his truck and left their own clothes behind, which included Wang Haitao’s ID card. Since the truck was overloaded, the driver didn’t report it.”

“The robbery happened on April 23, so the timeline fits,” Chen Shi noted.

“And the location matches too. We’re currently looking for witnesses in the southern suburbs where his ID was found,” Lin Dongxue added.

Chen Shi asked Lin Dongxue and Xu Xiaodong to follow him to question the “time traveler” again. In the meeting room, Chen Shi slammed the table, “Wang Haitao, does that name sound familiar?”

Wang Haitao was stunned for a moment, pointing to himself. Chen Shi thought he was going to admit it, but he said, “That was the previous owner of this body.”

“Are you suggesting a soul transfer?”

“In modern terms, yes. I am Prince Nalan Fang from the Tu Dynasty. I vouch for it with my honor.”

“Unbelievable, he can justify anything!” Chen Shi muttered.

Xu Xiaodong asked, “Mr. Time Traveler, do you have the previous owner’s memories?”

“I do.”

Chen Shi got excited, signaling Xu Xiaodong to continue. Xu Xiaodong asked, “Why did Wang Haitao come to Long’an?”

“To find someone.”

“Who?”

Chen Shi interjected, “Looking for his father?”

Wang Haitao widened his eyes, then suddenly clutched his head and groaned, “Ah, my head hurts. I can’t remember. This conversation is over. Leave!”

The three looked at each other in confusion. Outside, Chen Shi said, “His real memories conflict with his fabricated identity. Did you notice he has his mother’s surname?”

Lin Dongxue said, “His household record mentions his father, who divorced his mother in the 90s.”

“Look into it.”

In the records, they found that Wang Haitao was born three years before his parents married, and his father had a different surname. Chen Shi speculated, “Wang Haitao came to Long’an to find his biological father, who is probably wealthy and has already lost two sons. His father likely contacted him.”

“One in Long’an, one in Yunnan. It’s quite far…” Lin Dongxue pondered, “Given Wang Haitao’s birth era, long-distance relationships weren’t common. How did they meet? Could it be a ‘sent-down youth’ romance?”

“Possible,” Chen Shi agreed.

“Finding his father at over 40 years old seems a bit late, doesn’t it? Maybe it’s blood ties, maybe it’s money ties,” Xu Xiaodong suggested.

“No one asked you,” Lin Dongxue retorted.

Chen Shi already had a person in mind for the wealthy father who lost two sons, but he was reluctant to contact him.

It didn’t matter anyway. Their current goal was to solve the robbery case. Wang Haitao’s father wasn’t their concern.

Lin Dongxue and Xu Xiaodong’s phones rang simultaneously. After checking, Lin Dongxue said, “Two bodies found in the southern suburbs. Let’s go!”

Xu Xiaodong said, “I’m riding with Brother Chen.”

When they arrived, the other task force members, including Lin Qiupu and Peng Sijue, were already there. It was an abandoned demolition area in the southern suburbs, a desolate place Xu Xiaodong described as creepy enough for zombies to appear.

A witness had seen a suspicious vehicle there on April 30. Police searched the area and found nothing until one officer, relieving himself behind the house, uncovered a body beneath the loose soil.

The forensics team was digging up two bodies, a man and a woman, buried with bloody rags and a blood-stained dagger.

Lin Dongxue said, “A thieving couple?”

“Looks like an internal conflict,” Chen Shi replied.