Chapter 780: The Boss Can’t Control His Desires

At the entrance of the pawnshop, Song Lang asked, “Where’s your partner, Da Chang? Why are you investigating alone?”

“He…he went off duty.”

“Humph, I figured as much. Don’t follow his example. A cop’s job isn’t a nine-to-five gig. Those who treat it like a regular job can’t be good cops.”

Lin Qiupu nodded silently and asked, “Captain, what are you investigating here?”

“The owner of this shop knows the deceased. I’m here to gather information. Do you know why they were so eager to win you over just now? This pawnshop was found to be fencing stolen goods, and the police are investigating. The owner is probably desperate and trying all sorts of tricks.”

Inside the shop, the owner greeted them warmly, fawning, “Ah, no wonder I heard magpies chirping today. It’s because Captain Song is here! And this must be your promising protégé?” He then called for his daughter, who presented a box of cigars.

Song Lang ignored the cigars and said, “Boss Zhai, did you hear your friend He Taiyang was murdered?”

“I heard, I heard. News travels fast in this business. I heard about it this morning. Was it a brutal murder?”

“Do you know if He Taiyang had any enemies?”

“Enemies? He had a few. Why don’t we go inside and sit down to discuss? Standing here must be tiring.”

“No need. We’ll stand here,” Song Lang said, lighting a cigarette.

“Oh dear, a prestigious detective like you smoking Zhongnanhai? Come on, have one of these!” Zhai Boss offered.

“Boss Zhai, let me be clear. Flattery won’t help. I’m investigating a criminal case, which is different from the fencing case you’re involved in.”

“I…I’m not involved in fencing. Those petty thieves are just trying to frame me. Captain Song, you have connections in the bureau. Can you help me speak to Captain Zhang about my case?” Boss Zhai asked, forcing a greasy smile.

“First, let’s deal with my case. Tell me who He Taiyang’s enemies are.”

“Oh dear, oh dear, my memory is failing me. He Taiyang? Who’s that? Male or female? The name sounds familiar, though.” Boss Zhai’s feigned amnesia was an obvious attempt at bargaining, infuriating Lin Qiupu.

Song Lang chuckled, “How about I tell Captain Zhang to stop investigating you and return all the seized goods?”

Boss Zhai’s face lit up, “Forget the goods…” Realizing Song Lang’s sarcasm, he frowned, “You’re joking, right?”

“You know it’s impossible. Take responsibility for your actions. Stop scheming; it’ll only make things worse. The only way to help yourself is to cooperate fully and hope for leniency.”

Boss Zhai hung his head in shame. “Fine, fine. I’ll cooperate.”

Boss Zhai revealed that he and He Taiyang had been friends for decades, having moved to Long’an together when they were young. He Taiyang was resourceful and hardworking but had a major flaw: he couldn’t control his desires. Even when he was married, he was constantly cheating. His wife, though strict, couldn’t change him. He was often caught and punished at home, but his promises to stop were just empty words.

In the 90s, when He Taiyang first made it big, he had an affair with the wrong woman, leading to a manhunt by some gangsters. He had to hide out for a few years until the gang leader was arrested. During his hiding, he fathered an illegitimate daughter, He Jingjing, who now worked at his shop.

He Jingjing was later accepted by He Taiyang, who liked her because he had no other children. However, his wife hated her, making the household very tumultuous when she first arrived.

“Recently, he did something very unprofessional. A customer pawned an antique, and when they came back to redeem it, he returned a fake. That customer wasn’t someone to mess with and threatened to ruin him in Long’an. When we drank together, he was so depressed he even asked me where he could find a hitman. I told him he was crazy and should apologize, but he insisted I didn’t understand.”

“What did that customer do?” Song Lang asked.

Boss Zhai lowered his voice, “A gangster.”

“There haven’t been any gangs in Long’an for twenty years. What kind of gangster?”

“Just a way of speaking. This guy has a lot of influence. I…I can’t say more.”

“What was the antique?”

“A painting by Zhang Detian from the Qing Dynasty.”

Song Lang nodded, “When did this happen?”

“About a month ago.”

“Any other enemies?”

Boss Zhai named a few more. When Song Lang and Lin Qiupu were about to leave, Boss Zhai’s daughter tried to give them the box of Cuban cigars, but Song Lang coldly said, “Don’t touch me,” freezing her smile.

Outside, Song Lang said, “Remember, as a cop, you represent justice, not kindness. Justice and kindness usually align, but dealing with people like him, you don’t have to be nice. They’ll just take advantage of you.”

“Understood.” Lin Qiupu thought this was a valuable lesson.

“I noticed you kept checking your watch. Do you have plans?”

“No… I was just worried about catching the last bus at 10:30.”

“You should’ve said something. I’ll drive you.”

“No, no need. You’re busy. I can take a taxi.”

“Get in the car,” Song Lang insisted.

Lin Qiupu obeyed. Song Lang was silent on the drive, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel—a habit when he was deep in thought.

“What did you find out today?” Song Lang asked.

Lin Qiupu recounted his findings, concluding, “I’ll visit more pawnshops tomorrow to get a fuller picture.”

“Good. Remember, when investigating, don’t be rigid. These pawnshop owners mostly knew He Taiyang. While asking about the bowl, also learn about He Taiyang. Hearing the same story from different people can give you a clearer picture.”

“Got it!” Lin Qiupu handed over the small bowl in an evidence bag. “This is from one of the pawnshops. You should have it examined.”

Half an hour later, they arrived at Lin Qiupu’s rented apartment—a rundown building with a single light on the top floor. Lin Qiupu said excitedly, “My sister’s home. She’s waiting for me!”

“How much is rent here?”

“Not much, only 500 yuan a month.”

In Long’an, a 500-yuan apartment must be in poor condition, especially on the top floor. Song Lang took out his wallet, intending to give him some money, but reconsidered. A proud young man like Lin Qiupu would be humiliated. Better to arrange a bonus later.

“Go home,” Song Lang said warmly.

“Thank you, Captain.”