Chapter 9: The Indiscreet Woman

Lin Dongxue pondered and responded, “Retrieve the surveillance footage along the way and see if this woman was captured on camera!”

Chen Shi gave a standard reply, “That’s a straightforward answer, but there are no surveillance cameras near the Anfu Bridge, where the incident occurred. Efficiency is low, and since it was dark at the time, the quality of non-police surveillance is doubtful. Even if we find footage, it might not be clear.”

Lin Dongxue asked, “Can you reconstruct her appearance?”

Chen Shi smiled, “How many days has it been since the incident?”

“Four days!”

“Do you think a taxi driver, after four days, meeting how many people, wouldn’t have memory contamination? I’m afraid any reconstruction wouldn’t resemble her and would lead us astray.” Snapping his fingers, Chen Shi suggested, “Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“Let’s meet Shen Jun!”

Lin Dongxue called a colleague and found out Shen Jun worked at a foreign company and shared a three-bedroom apartment with a few colleagues. They arrived at Shen Jun’s residence. A fair and clean young man answered the door, his eyes red, and asked, “Who are you looking for?”

Lin Dongxue showed her badge, “Are you Shen Jun? We need to ask you some questions.”

“Please come in!”

The apartment, shared by several men, was predictably messy. Shen Jun led them to his bedroom, which was relatively tidy. Chen Shi quickly asked a few questions, to which Shen Jun responded.

He claimed to have been dating Gu Mengxing for three years, having met her initially in a social gaming app. Since they lived in the same city, they decided to meet in person and started dating after hitting it off.

Gu Mengxing worked at a pharmaceutical company and was both likable in personality and appearance. Shen Jun felt proud to be seen with her and genuinely loved her, even planning to marry her.

“Who would have thought such a thing would happen, a beastly rideshare driver killed her!” Shen Jun said, covering his face to weep.

Chen Shi, unmoved by his distress, calmly asked, “What about your girlfriend’s social relations? Do you know anyone in common?”

Shen Jun recalled several names, which Chen Shi noted down in Lin Dongxue’s notebook. She noticed his neat, calligraphic handwriting.

After writing, Chen Shi scanned the list and asked, “Is that it? She didn’t have any best friends?”

“She did, but I don’t know them. Why are you asking this?”

“We’re police investigating a case; we need to be thorough. I’m thirsty; could you get me some water?”

“Sure, one moment!”

As soon as Shen Jun left, Chen Shi began searching the room. Lin Dongxue whispered, “Hey, what are you doing? This isn’t allowed!”

“I’m not a cop.” Chen Shi pulled several boxes of medicine from a drawer and tossed them on the table. Footsteps approached, and Lin Dongxue hissed, “Aren’t you going to put them back?”

Ignoring her, Chen Shi was confronted by Shen Jun, who returned with the tea. “Sorry, I just checked your drawer.”

Shen Jun looked displeased but said nothing.

“These medications, if I’m not mistaken, are for treating gonorrhea. Are you hiding something from us?”

“Gonorrhea?” Lin Dongxue looked bewilderedly at the sunny-looking young man.

“This… this…” Shen Jun stammered.

“I hope you’re not hiding anything from me. Rest assured, anything said here won’t leave this room,” Chen Shi insisted.

“I… I have gonorrhea,” Shen Jun admitted.

“How did you get it?”

“Well… there was this company party where we got bonuses, and some colleagues took me to that kind of place. I felt itchy and painful down there afterward,” Shen Jun scratched his nose awkwardly.

“You’re not telling the truth. Your expressions and gestures indicate you’re lying. I want you to be completely honest with me!”

Shen Jun’s face reddened, “What does this have to do with the murder case? It’s my personal issue. Mengxing was killed by that rideshare driver that day, why aren’t you investigating him instead of me?”

“We decide what’s relevant! You won’t say? I’ll say it for you. You loved your girlfriend very much, so you instinctively protect her. The gonorrhea came from her, didn’t it?”

Shen Jun uncomfortably scratched his head, and Chen Shi continued, “There’s a couple’s mug on your desk and photos of you two together. Every time you mention her name, your eyes change—it shows deep affection. So, you wouldn’t want her reputation tarnished, but you know her personal life was indiscreet, and she even passed this disease on to you.”

“Enough