Chapter 69: The Cheating Couple
The nurses led the three to an office. The head nurse pointed, “That’s Xiao Pan’s desk.”
Chen Shi approached and examined it. The desk was tidy, and the calendar next to it had numbers written on each page, showing her daily calorie intake and weight changes. It seemed she was meticulous about herself.
A nurse commented, “Xiao Pan is a nice person, very kind. Last month, she even gave me a pack of sanitary pads… I never thought someone like her would cheat.”
Another nurse scoffed, “Look at her, always dressing up even after getting married. She must have been planning to cheat.”
Among women, accusing someone of cheating is the ultimate insult.
Chen Shi asked, “Did she ever talk about her family? How was her marriage?”
The nurses chuckled, and Chen Shi asked with a smile, “What’s so funny?”
One nurse said, “I often saw Xiao Pan getting medicine from the pharmacy, saying it was for her husband. Guess what kind of medicine it was? The kind for men! Her husband must be impotent from staying home too long.”
The nurse who had accused Xiao Pan of cheating suddenly exclaimed, startling everyone. She said excitedly, “I remember now! Xiao Pan seemed unwell recently, with irregular periods. Turns out she wasn’t satisfied at home. But in the past few months, she’s been a different person, thanks to her lover.”
Lin Dongxue blushed at this, and Chen Shi asked, “Why isn’t she at work today?”
“With this scandal, who could work? She’s been on leave for days… But her lover is rich, so she doesn’t care about the lost wages. I heard she plans to quit. She won’t need to, though. Once this case is solved, she won’t find another job.”
“Thank you.”
Leaving the hospital, Lin Dongxue remarked, “These nurses are so gleeful about others’ misfortunes.”
“It’s human nature. At least we got some information. Let’s visit that ‘wealthy lover.'”
Ximen Sheng was the CEO of a clothing company. Because of the scandal, the company was closed. When they arrived, many colleagues were auditing the accounts, checking each transaction.
Xu Xiaodong joked, “Xiao Li, doing clerical work now?”
Officer Xiao Li grumbled, “We’re tracing that missing 50,000 yuan. My eyes are strained from this morning. Chen, you’re here? Please solve this case and free us from this misery!”
Chen Shi laughed, “Don’t expect too much from me. I’m just playing detective.”
“You’re better at this than we are. The whole department calls you the ‘Detective Driver.'”
“Really? Do they also say I’m handsome?”
Seeing Chen Shi chatting with other female colleagues, Lin Dongxue coughed, “Focus on the case! Where’s Ximen Sheng?”
“He’s missing. We’ve searched his home, company, and his in-laws’ place. No sign of him,” a male officer replied.
“We hit a dead end,” Lin Dongxue said to Chen Shi.
The office was filled with ledgers and receipts, making it hard to know where to start. Chen Shi signaled to leave. Suddenly, an officer ran in, “We found him. He’s at a hotel. Let’s go!”
Everyone hurried downstairs, following to a nearby hotel. Ximen Sheng was found through online investigation by the local police and reported to the detectives.
The front desk informed them that Ximen Sheng was in room 404 on the fourteenth floor. They all rushed up.
This time, they didn’t bother with tactics. The police knocked and ordered him to come out. Someone inside shouted, “Go away!”
“Bold attitude. Get the manager to open the door.”
The manager came but the door was barricaded with a chair. They debated breaking in when Chen Shi hushed them, pointing inside.
Everyone listened closely. They heard a woman’s voice and the bed creaking.
“Are you there, dear?”
“I’m almost… almost… ah~”
Everyone felt a mix of anger and amusement at the shamelessness of the situation.
The door opened, revealing Ximen Sheng in a bathrobe. A middle-aged man, tall and chubby, with a red, oily face and a gold tooth.
“What’s this? Are the police now meddling in citizens’ sex lives?” he snapped.
“Impressive. While we search for you, you’re here doing this?” an officer retorted.
Ximen Sheng threw up his hands, “I’ve been under a lot of pressure. Can’t I relieve it?”
“Why the pressure? Feeling guilty?”
“Rubbish! You falsely accuse me of murder, causing my company to close and massive losses. I’m losing hair over this. What do you want? What more do you need from me? Your investigation methods are pathetic. Get a lie detector. I’ll prove I didn’t kill anyone!”
Chen Shi peeked inside, “Who’s in there?”
“My wife!”
A beautiful young woman came out. Lin Dongxue whispered, “That’s Pan Xiuying.”
Pan Xiuying pleaded, “Please, officers, stop harassing us. We can’t work or live because of you. How many times must we explain? My husband died in an accident, not by us! Yes, we admit cheating is shameful, but is it a crime? Do you plan to watch us make love next?”
“Ms. Pan, we don’t care about your private life. We just want to know how he died.”
“How should I know? I wasn’t there! Use your brains. These days, who kills their spouse for an affair? I’d just get a divorce. His meager assets mean nothing to me.”
“She’s absolutely right!”
Everyone turned. Surprisingly, it was Chen Shi who agreed with her.