Chapter 72: Chen Shi’s Reasoning

As they left the residential area, Lin Dongxue asked Chen Shi, “Do you have any leads?”

“Yes,” Chen Shi replied casually.

“Hurry and tell me!”

“No, I want to reveal the truth and see the look of awe and shock on your faces.”

Lin Dongxue scoffed, “Hmph, then I don’t want to hear it.”

“I’m just kidding. I don’t want to say it now because it’s just a guess. I need to verify it first. I’ll share it once the bread is fully baked.”

A call came through to Chen Shi’s phone from Peng Sijue. He asked, “Are you investigating a case?”

“How did you guess?”

Peng Sijue avoided the question, “If you’re free, come over. I have some findings to share.”

“Alright, I’ll be there soon.”

“I’m not at the office. I’m at the anatomy lab of the Medical University.”

Chen Shi checked the time; it was already 4 PM. He suggested Lin Dongxue and Xu Xiaodong call it a day, but Lin Dongxue insisted, “No way, why are you trying to get rid of us? We’re coming too.”

“Alright, alright. I think Old Peng’s findings might be a bit dull for you guys.”

“To be a qualified police officer, you need to know everything.”

“Okay, hop in!”

The three of them arrived at the Medical University. It was the end of class, and the campus was bustling. Seeing the young men and women around, Xu Xiaodong remarked, “Proper universities are really nice.”

“Yeah, really nice. Our police academy wasn’t like this,” Lin Dongxue agreed, asking Chen Shi, “Did you go to college?”

“Does the University of Life count?”

As they passed the basketball court, Lin Dongxue suddenly heard a whooshing sound. Turning her head, she saw an “unidentified flying object” hurtling towards her. She screamed, and Chen Shi reached out to catch the flying basketball with one hand.

Lin Dongxue, crouched on the ground with her head covered, glanced at the skinny guys playing basketball who had nearly hit her. They shouted from the court, “Sorry, miss!”

“You little brats!” she cursed with teary eyes.

“Watch out next time!” Chen Shi expertly dribbled the basketball and made a smooth layup, earning cheers from the players.

Lin Dongxue was briefly dazzled by Chen Shi’s basketball skills, then snapped back to reality, slapping her cheeks to clear her thoughts.

Xu Xiaodong teased, “Dongxue, do you like guys who can play basketball? I can play too… in video games.”

“Yeah, right!”

Chen Shi dusted off his hands, “You’re showing off with that level of skill?”

“Chen Ge, you’re amazing! Want to join the police basketball team?” Xu Xiaodong joked.

“Is there money involved?”

“Nope.”

“Then no thanks!”

They entered the anatomy lab, which felt chilly. Among a bunch of jars containing human organs, Peng Sijue held a skull, smiling.

Xu Xiaodong shivered, “Captain Peng, are you summoning demons?”

“I’m doing a comparison,” he said calmly, placing the skull on the table among other skulls. “My old professor lent me this place for the day. I’m looking for…”

“Looking for cases with similar occipital bone hyperplasia to the deceased?” Chen Shi guessed.

“Exactly!” Peng Sijue pointed to a skull. “This one is the closest match, but unfortunately, it has no data. We don’t know how long the hyperplasia has been forming.”

“What do you think caused that hyperplasia?”

“Severe impact. The injury likely occurred within six months before death, and it wasn’t properly treated, so the bone naturally formed the hyperplasia. But the exact time is still uncertain.”

Chen Shi looked at the skulls on the table, “You haven’t been here all day just for this, have you?”

“You’re right. Another point of interest is the various signs of long-term bed rest on the deceased. Most of these bodies were sent from hospitals, and I’ve found many similar cases, indicating our victim had a long-term bed rest history.”

Lin Dongxue interjected, “Captain Peng, does long-term bed rest mean lying in bed all day without moving, or…”

“Literally, like a vegetative state, lying in bed all the time, which leads to many complications.”

“Including eating and using the bathroom?”

“Yes! My report states that the deceased had old scratches in the esophagus. I suspect someone used a nasogastric tube for feeding.”

“The conclusion is becoming clear,” Chen Shi smiled.

“I still don’t get it!” Xu Xiaodong exclaimed.

Lin Dongxue said, “I think I understand. You mean the deceased was bedridden for a long time before death, which makes the idea of him driving suspicious! So the theory of Ximen Qing hiring a killer needs to be reexamined. But why didn’t Wu Hao and Pan Xiuying mention this… Oh my god, they’re the killers!”

“Exactly!” Chen Shi praised, “Your independent thinking is improving after the last case. I can’t keep any secrets from you now. Go on!”

“Wow, Dongxue is graduating,” Xu Xiaodong said in surprise.

Lin Dongxue pondered, “Why would Wu Hao kill his own brother? Pan Xiuying is a nurse; caring for bedridden patients is her expertise, so she might have been involved… But the motive! What’s the motive?”

“If you can’t figure out the motive, lay out all the possibilities,” Chen Shi raised his hand, counting off, “Murders usually fall into these categories: premeditated, impulsive, or accidental. Which do you think it is?”

“Impulsive or accidental?”

“Or both. Wu Hao has a bad temper. Neighbors testified that the brothers had a bad relationship. Wu Hao hit the deceased on the back of the head during an argument. The deceased didn’t die but was paralyzed. So, Wu Hao and his sister-in-law ‘cared’ for him, waiting for the right time to deal with him… Guess why the brothers argued? Here’s a hint: several people noted that Pan Xiuying’s complexion improved. She looked healthier, and even more attractive. A nurse colleague mentioned she once gave someone a sanitary pad.”

“She was pregnant!” Peng Sijue said calmly. “During pregnancy, estrogen levels increase, causing noticeable physical changes.”

Lin Dongxue and Xu Xiaodong’s mouths dropped open.

Chen Shi smiled, “Ximen Qing couldn’t father a child. Guess whose baby it is?”

“It’s Wu Hao’s. He was having an affair with his sister-in-law!” Lin Dongxue exclaimed.

“No way, unbelievable!” Xu Xiaodong was shocked. “He kept trying to prove his sister-in-law was involved with an outsider!”

Chen Shi said, “These two were putting on an act to divert our attention. Interestingly, their clumsy trick fooled many. Has anyone from the police ever questioned Wu Hao’s alibi?”