Chapter 528: Suspicious Lü Hao

Lin Dongxue thought for a moment and said, “Lin Hui’s husband, Li Xiang, mentioned that she took the dog with her on the evening of the 8th. The timeline matches up.”

“The dog isn’t the point. The point is the money. I’m 100% sure that the source of that 10 million is shady and directly related to Lin Hui’s disappearance. To figure this out, we need to investigate every place she went before she disappeared,” Chen Shi pondered. “Lü Hao is definitely suspicious. He willingly brought us to the place where he had an affair with Lin Hui, but he refused to let us into his home. Could there be clues there?”

“Should we give it another shot?” Lin Dongxue asked.

“Yeah, let’s take a dual approach. I’ll stake out Lü Hao’s place, and you can stake out Li Xiang’s house. See who he meets and what he does after work.”

“Do we really need to watch Li Xiang?”

“Of course. His house is also a place Lin Hui visited. The money could have come from there. We need to get to the bottom of this!”

“Alright, see you later.”

“Take care of yourself!”

On the way, Chen Shi thought about the entire situation. The money likely didn’t belong to Lin Hui herself. Nobody would keep 10 million in cash in a woven bag hidden in a car trunk.

The money was probably stolen or swindled from someone who wouldn’t make a fuss but would search for it quietly.

The layers of mystery in this case excited Chen Shi. He couldn’t wait to uncover the truth.

Arriving near Lü Hao’s home, Chen Shi entered the building across from his and stood in the hallway, watching through the window. Stakeouts were naturally dull, so he alternated between sitting on the steps and walking around. Residents passing by gave him strange looks.

After nightfall, the stairway was pitch dark. Lin Qiupu called to ask about the situation. He said the case was officially filed, and he had informed the local police in Lieyang, giving Chen Shi the contact of a deputy director for assistance.

Then Lin Dongxue sent a message with a photo of a red Chevrolet, saying, “This car arrived at Li Xiang’s house this evening. The person inside stayed in the house with the curtains drawn. Can’t see what they’re doing, but there’s light from the TV.”

Chen Shi was slightly surprised; the car looked a lot like his own.

He replied, “Is there a hotel nearby? Book a room, and I’ll join you later.”

Lin Dongxue replied, “There’s one. I’ll book it soon. After a long day, I need a good shower.”

Chen Shi looked up; the curtains at Lü Hao’s place were still drawn. Suddenly, the lights went out. His intuition told him Lü Hao might be heading out.

He hurried downstairs and hid under a tree in the residential area. Five minutes later, Lü Hao came out with a large black bag, looking around nervously before heading to the gate. Chen Shi followed him, sticking to the shadows between streetlights.

Lü Hao reached the gate but then doubled back. He threw the bag onto the lawn before walking out the gate. Chen Shi, hiding nearby, saw him retrieve the bag and walk a long way, constantly looking around. The suspicious behavior made Chen Shi wonder if the bag might contain a body.

Finally, Lü Hao stopped by a garbage bin and tossed the bag in before walking away. Chen Shi quickly hid under a staircase of an internet café.

After Lü Hao passed by, Chen Shi retrieved the bag and opened it. What he found inside thrilled him: a women’s wig, clothes, stockings, and high heels.

He photographed the items and sent them to Lin Dongxue, saying, “Unexpected find. Trash thrown away by Lü Hao.”

“Could the person you saw actually be him?” Lin Dongxue speculated.

Chen Shi thought about it and wasn’t sure. It was late at night when he saw the person. If it was a disguised man, it would have been hard to tell.

Regardless, the bag’s contents were crucial. He immediately called the local police to have Lü Hao detained.

He texted Lin Dongxue: “Let’s meet at the XX District Police Station.”

Lü Hao didn’t expect the police to show up and arrest him. Handcuffed and struggling, he was taken away, stunned to see Chen Shi standing there. “Officer Chen, why couldn’t you just ask me directly? Getting arrested in front of my neighbors is embarrassing!”

Chen Shi held up the bag, “Some things you wouldn’t say if asked directly. Besides, I’m not a police officer, just a consultant. They are the real police.”

Chen Shi handed the bag to the police, saying he’d join them later. After the police left, he picked the lock to Lü Hao’s place.

Compared to the mess at the other apartment, Lü Hao’s messy home seemed decent. It was an ordinary place, with leftover takeout on the table and the TV playing a variety show.

Chen Shi inspected everything. In the bathroom, he smelled something burnt. Inside the toilet bowl, he found black ashes, as if someone had burned something.

He donned rubber gloves and retrieved a handful of ashes. Judging by the amount, Lü Hao had burned a lot of paper, at least a kilogram.

Not knowing if anything could be identified, Chen Shi collected the ashes.

In the kitchen, he found a large woven bag stuffed under the stove. It smelled of paper, but not like money. Money has a distinct smell.

Things were getting more interesting, Chen Shi thought.

He left for the police station, where Lin Dongxue had been waiting for a while. She said, “Why are you so late… Did you break into another house?”

“The door wasn’t locked. A suspicious smell was coming out. Wouldn’t you push the door open?”

“Unlocked?”

Chen Shi laughed, “I meant, it was as good as unlocked for me.”

“You really are something!” Lin Dongxue smiled wryly. “We’re not in Long’an now. Don’t let the local police catch you doing anything reckless.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful… But this guy is definitely up to something.”

Lin Dongxue coordinated with the local police, who agreed to lend them an interrogation room and let them take the records afterward.

Lü Hao was alone in the interrogation room, looking lost. When he saw Lin Dongxue enter, he seemed to see a savior, shaking his handcuffs, “Sister, there must be a mistake. I didn’t do anything wrong! Can you let me go?”

“Depends on your attitude.”

“Come on, just ask me anything directly. I’ll tell you everything. Please, sister!”

Chen Shi sat down and slammed the table, “Stop being slippery, Lü Hao. Sit properly!”