Chapter 464: The Victim’s Secret

The next morning, Lao Zhang brought Du Juan, the victim’s girlfriend, to the station. She was a stylish young woman dressed in a leather jacket adorned with metal accessories, wearing heavy smoky eye makeup. She lounged in the interrogation room with her legs crossed, lighting a cigarette, and said, “Ask your questions quickly. I just got off work and need to get home to sleep.”

Lin Dongxue and Chen Shi were in charge of questioning her. Lin Dongxue started, “Miss, your boyfriend just died, yet you don’t seem too upset.”

Du Juan replied indifferently, “Whether I’m sad or not is my business. Do I have to cry in front of you for you to believe I’m innocent?”

“We’re not asking you to cry… We heard you used to date the victim’s brother, Song Yuqiang. Is that true?”

“Impressive, you even dug that up! Yes, I dated Song Yuqiang for a while. He’s a vibrant, sunny guy. One time, I had a toothache, and he recommended his brother’s clinic. As the saying goes, ‘comparison brings harm.’ When I met the more mature and charming Song Yuwen, I was smitten. Compared to him, Song Yuqiang seemed like a kid who hadn’t grown up… We quickly started dating. Relationships are inherently uncertain. I enjoy that uncertainty. Isn’t the point of dating before marriage to find the most suitable partner? Imposing marital duties on a dating relationship is just insane to me.”

“Song Yuqiang said his brother stole you from him.”

Du Juan laughed, “Of course he’d say that. Men care about face. He wouldn’t admit that I left him because he’s immature and clueless, would he?”

“This isn’t just about face. Because of this, he resented his brother. They fought a few days ago. We need you to confirm if that’s true.”

“Yes… Song Yuwen told me he felt guilty and didn’t fight back. I told him he did nothing wrong. Relationships don’t have a clear right or wrong… Are you suspecting his brother?”

“No, we’re just confirming details.”

“Anything else? I really need to get home and sleep. I have to work at the club tonight.”

Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue exchanged whispers. Lin Dongxue then asked, “How was your relationship with the victim recently?”

“Great… I know how you cops think. Whenever something happens, you suspect the spouse or lover first. But I’m different. I’m not a patient woman. If there’s a rift, I break up immediately. An ex once criticized my job at the club, so I dumped him on the spot. Song Yuwen and I are from different worlds, with a big age gap. But he treated me well, and I liked him. If you need to, I have an alibi. I was at the club when it happened. Many people can vouch for me.”

Lin Dongxue asked curiously, “You and Song Yuwen seem like an unlikely pair. You don’t look like you belong together.”

Du Juan leaned back and laughed, “You and this old guy look pretty mismatched too.”

“How can you tell?”

“Two people who like each other give off sparks when they’re together. But sparks need high and low voltage. Every couple has a high and low voltage person. I’m probably the low voltage. Song Yuwen was the high voltage, always taking care of me. Sometimes, it felt more like he was my brother than my boyfriend.”

“Brother?”

“I don’t know how to explain. He had a brotherly vibe. Or maybe he had a sister complex. He usually dated women at least five years younger than him. I asked if he had a sister, and he said no.”

Chen Shi asked, “Did he ever mention a cousin named Wanjun?”

“Yes, he once stayed on the phone with her for a long time, even though we had plans. I was a bit annoyed. He told me they were close since childhood and their families were tight. She’s studying in Australia and rarely calls. He assured me not to worry; she was just a cousin.”

“Have you met her?”

“Only seen photos on social media, never met in person… Why are you asking?”

Lin Dongxue interrupted, “We can’t explain every question. It would take forever.”

“Alright, ask away. I really need to sleep.”

“Has Song Yuwen ever hurt anyone or had any secrets?”

Du Juan bit her finger, thinking, “No.”

“Alright, thanks for your cooperation.”

“Wait!” Du Juan lit another cigarette, “Not sure if this counts, but once, while watching TV, a news story about sentencing for child molesters came up. Song Yuwen asked, ‘If a rapist sincerely regrets his actions and spends his life making amends, can he be forgiven?’ I thought it was just a discussion and said if it happened to me, I’d kill the guy when I grew up. He got unusually upset and said, ‘Everyone makes mistakes. Shouldn’t they get a chance to make things right?’ Looking back, his reaction seemed off…”

“Why do you think that is?”

“Talking ill of the dead feels wrong, but maybe he wronged some girl in the past?”

After Du Juan left, Chen Shi planned to revisit the scene. He was informed that someone was looking for him. It turned out to be Xiao Sun, the security guard. Smiling, he said, “I have some clues. Can this count as atonement?”

“Depends on the importance of your information.”

“Come on, officer. I really don’t want to go to jail.”

“If I wanted to arrest you, you wouldn’t be standing here now, would you?”

Realizing this, Xiao Sun led Chen Shi inside, explaining he remembered seeing the victim with an older woman a few days ago. Reviewing the surveillance from July 22, they found footage of Song Yuwen welcoming an older woman at the gate, walking her into the complex, and spending about half an hour with her.

To identify the woman, Chen Shi called Song Yuqiang. Before he could describe her, Song Yuqiang said, “That’s my aunt, Wanjun’s mom.”