Chapter 608: Treat You to Steak and Wine

The sound continued for quite a while, making Chen Shi a bit embarrassed. The entire hallway echoed with this sound, interspersed with low sobs. Gong Jianqin was softly calling someone’s name, but it was unclear who—likely the man with her at the moment.

Oddly, no other voices were heard throughout the process. Even in the final stages, the man remained silent.

Afterwards, everything returned to silence, with a dead stillness enveloping the entire floor. Was she meeting someone here? Did he wait for her in advance?

Could he be a resident of another floor in this building, sneaking out secretly, possibly hiding from his wife?

Half an hour passed without any movement. Chen Shi once doubted whether she had already left, which seemed impossible since he was guarding the staircase. If she had taken the elevator, the light would have illuminated the entire floor.

He decided to go downstairs first, moving his car parked outside to a spot near a nearby supermarket—a route Gong Jianqin would inevitably take on her way home.

Sitting alone in the car, he noticed the cigarette Xu Xiaodong gave him yesterday still lying under the windshield. Chen Shi picked it up, ready to light it but eventually didn’t. Instead, he texted Lin Dongxue: “Sorry for my attitude. Can I apologize in person?”

No reply.

He then texted Peng Sijue: “Are you still at work?”

Peng Sijue replied with a “1,” unclear in its meaning.

“How about we grab some steak and wine later?”

“If you have something to say, just say it!”

“Always so haughty!” Chen Shi laughed, waiting. Eventually, Gong Jianqin’s car passed by, and Chen Shi drove back to the sales office.

Returning to the building, he entered room 1818, using his phone as a flashlight to look for clues on the floor. He found only a puddle of liquid, which he collected with a cotton swab and sample bottle he carried.

A circular mark about one meter high on the wall caught his attention. He couldn’t figure out how it was made.

After pondering for a while, Chen Shi entered the elevator, which had surveillance cameras. He went straight to the property management office to check the footage. It showed Gong Jianqin going up and down alone. Besides Chen Shi, no one else had been to the 18th floor before or after her.

With these doubts, Chen Shi went to the station to find Peng Sijue, who was still at work, using a computer in the lab.

Chen Shi said, “Help me test something.”

“You said you’d treat me, and I waited till nine.”

“Sorry, I’m investigating a case.”

Peng Sijue sighed, took the sample bottle, and began testing, saying, “There’s food on the table.”

Seeing a small electric stove on the table, Chen Shi said, “No need, we’ll eat out later and have some drinks…” But upon discovering sweet and sour pork ribs in the pot, he changed his mind, “Where are the chopsticks?”

While enjoying the delicious ribs and rice, Chen Shi remarked, “The canteen’s sweet and sour pork ribs still taste the same after so many years.”

“Did you have a fight with Dongxue?”

“You know about it too?”

“Everyone knows.”

“Damn Xu Xiaodong and his big mouth!”

“He didn’t say anything. You two were seen arguing outside.”

“Do you and Gu You fight often?”

“Why would we fight? We’re not dating. We just have meals and watch movies occasionally…”

“And sleep together,” Chen Shi added.

Peng Sijue shot him a glare, “Mind your language.”

“Your kind of relationship actually sounds nice, keeping a distance…”

“Gu You knows who you used to be.”

Chen Shi nearly spat out his food, “You didn’t tell her, did you?”

“I didn’t say anything. She knew all along.”

“If you didn’t tell, how would she know that she knew?”

“Too lazy to explain.”

“She knows my identity? And she’s been pretending not to all this time?” Chen Shi mused. When Gu You moved in across from his place, it had been suspicious. But over time, he stopped doubting it.

No, he needed to find an opportunity to ask her!

“Chen Shi!” Peng Sijue shouted, “What did you give me to test?”

“What’s wrong?”

“This is vaginal fluid.”

“Only vaginal fluid?”

“Only that. If you insist, there’s some urine too, from the same person.”

“Did I miss something?”

He had returned to the scene within ten minutes. If two people had been there, there should have been some traces left behind. Why was there only evidence from one person?

Moreover, the room was empty, not even a mat, definitely less comfortable than a hotel or home. Why choose that place?

Why that particular room!?

Unknowingly, Chen Shi finished the bowl of sweet and sour pork ribs, then said, “Let’s go eat some steak.”

“I already ate. Do you expect me to wait and starve?”

“Then another time.”

Peng Sijue went out with him, lighting a cigarette after leaving the station. Chen Shi admired his willpower—he only smoked after work, unlike the old him, who couldn’t go an hour without a cigarette.

Seeing Chen Shi watching, Peng Sijue offered a cigarette, but Chen Shi smiled and shook his head, “Don’t tempt me.”

“Do you know when I started smoking?”

“After I disappeared?”

“Around November 2015.”

“That’s exactly when I disappeared!”

“Don’t be so self-centered. By the way, are you planning to return to the police force? You won’t be a driver forever, will you?”

“I like it this way, it’s very free.”

“You’re escaping!”

“Sometimes, escaping is also a solution.”

“Zhou Tiannan is dead. His men will act soon. Be careful.”

“I think you guys with the badges should be more careful than me.”

Looking at the night sky, Peng Sijue said, “Don’t disappear again.”

With that, he drove away, leaving Chen Shi deeply moved.

The next morning, Chen Shi prepared a sumptuous breakfast, placed it on Lin Dongxue’s desk, and left a note saying, “Not made by Chen Shi.” Then he and Xu Xiaodong continued their investigation.

Xu Xiaodong had made some progress yesterday, discovering that before the incident, Liu Jin had bought anesthetics, ropes, small knives, and the like. Moreover, one of Liu Jin’s friends, Zhang Chuang, had a notorious record involving fights, drugs, and organizing prostitution.

This discovery made Xu Xiaodong particularly excited, chatting nonstop: “I always felt this guy was suspicious!”, “If we solve this case, my promotion this year is assured, hahaha!”, “Chen Ge, why are you so quiet?”

“I’m wondering why he bought the ropes.”

“Maybe he had a backup plan. I think this could be a group crime. Liu Jin’s friend helps him lower property prices by committing murder, and Liu Jin helps him in return. This way, they stay out of suspicion.”

“An exchange of murders? That’s quite a thought… But you’re just guessing without evidence.”

“Don’t you often come up with amazing ideas too?”

“Am I like you? I use reasoning, which is based on evidence.”

“Chen Ge, how much do you suspect Liu Jin right now?”

After some thought, Chen Shi replied, “Thirty percent.”