Chapter 94: Identifying the Victim

Chen Shi hung up the phone and immediately pulled Tao Yuanyuan out of the neighborhood. “Uncle Chen, why are we in such a hurry?” Tao Yuanyuan asked.

“It’s getting dark; we need to move fast.”

He flagged down a taxi and instructed the driver to head to the neighborhoods near People’s Park. The driver asked, “Which neighborhood?”

“All of them. I’ll rent your car for an hour.”

“How much?” the driver inquired.

“Is two hundred enough?”

“Deal,” the driver said, starting the car.

Arriving at a neighborhood, Chen Shi spotted a locksmith stand by the road. He jumped out, approached the locksmith, and asked, “Excuse me, can I see the materials you use to make keys?”

“Who are you?” the locksmith asked.

“I’m a police officer investigating a case.”

“Alright then.”

Chen Shi picked up a metal sheet, compared it to the keychain in his hand, shook his head, returned the material, and got back into the car.

“Can the key help us find someone?” Tao Yuanyuan asked.

“The key was newly made, using low-purity aluminum.”

“Oh, I see.”

After checking several neighborhoods, they finally found the right locksmith stand at the fifth one. Chen Shi showed the key to the locksmith and asked, “Did you make this key?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Do you remember who it was for?”

“How would I remember!”

“Do you live in this neighborhood?”

“Yes.”

“Does anyone here keep rabbits or bamboo rats?”

“I don’t know. You should ask the property management.”

Chen Shi found the property management office and eventually got a lead on a household that kept rabbits. Lin Qiupu called again, saying, “Xiao Dong is back. Should I send him over to help?”

“How’s he supposed to get here? Fly? You know how traffic is at this hour?” Chen Shi replied.

Lin Qiupu laughed. “How much do you earn a day?”

“Why ask?”

“I’ve got an idea. I’ll make a bet with you. If you solve the case by midnight, I’ll give you a week’s pay. If not, you owe me according to your salary.”

“Really? I earn eight hundred a day.”

“Eight hundred? You’re bluffing… Fine, let’s see you dig your own grave. Solve the case by midnight? I say it’s impossible for anyone.”

“Captain Lin, provoking my competitive spirit is dangerous… I was planning to go home and rest, but now I’m motivated. Thanks a lot.”

“Alright, give it your best… How many neighborhoods have you checked?”

“I’ve actually already found the victim’s neighborhood.”

“What!?” Lin Qiupu exclaimed.

Chen Shi and Tao Yuanyuan arrived at the building where the rabbit owners lived. He looked up, then went upstairs and knocked on the door. After explaining the situation, he asked, “Do you have a middle-aged man in his fifties living here?”

“No,” the woman answered. “My husband and I are only in our forties, and we have a child.”

Chen Shi observed her carefully, realizing she wasn’t lying. “Do you keep rabbits?”

“Yes, our child got two lop-eared rabbits.”

“Lop-eared rabbits?” Tao Yuanyuan’s eyes lit up. “Can I see them?”

Chen Shi shot her a look. The woman smiled. “They’re on the balcony. They smell, so we keep them there.”

“On the balcony?” Chen Shi rubbed his chin. “I remember your balcony isn’t enclosed. Has anyone’s pants ever fallen down and got chewed by the rabbits?”

“Yes, last month Mr. Lü upstairs had his pants blown down. When I got home from work, I found the rabbits chewing on them. I quickly took them away. We offered to pay Mr. Lü for the damage, but he refused.”

“What does Mr. Lü do?”

“He’s a manager at a lighting company. He’s divorced and lives alone.”

“Do you see him often?”

“Not really. We’re usually busy with work.”

“Thank you.”

They went upstairs to find Mr. Lü’s apartment. Tao Yuanyuan asked, “How do we get in?”

“We have the key, don’t we?” Chen Shi said.

“I was just testing you,” Tao Yuanyuan replied with a grin.

Chen Shi pulled out the keychain. As he opened the door, they heard footsteps and a shout from behind. “Who are you?”

Two police officers and a neighborhood committee auntie had arrived. Chen Shi calmly answered, “I’m with the city police, investigating a case. If you don’t believe me, you can call Lin Qiupu. My name is Chen Shi.”

One officer was about to dial when the other stopped him. “Lin Qiupu is the captain of the city’s criminal investigation team. I know him. Looks like this guy is legit… What are you investigating?”

“What are you investigating? Is Mr. Lü missing?”

“No… We’re here to notify him of something important. What are you investigating?”

Sensing their reluctance, Chen Shi didn’t press further. “He’s dead.”

“What!?” The two officers exchanged shocked looks.

The neighborhood committee auntie said, “In one day, both father and son…”

“What do you mean?” Chen Shi asked.

“We’re here to notify him of his son’s death. His son died in a car accident last night. It was an accident.”

“Are you sure it was an accident?”

“Yes, we questioned the guys who were racing with his son… Oh, they’re still being held at the station. They had been drinking, and his son crashed into a truck.”

Chen Shi looked surprised. “If I’m not mistaken, the body we found today should be Mr. Lü. This key was found on him.”

He turned and used the key to open the door, confirming it was the right one.

The three started to enter, but Chen Shi stopped them. “Don’t touch anything. This might be a crime scene. Wait outside.”

He and Tao Yuanyuan slipped plastic covers over their shoes. One officer asked, “Why is she allowed inside? Is she a cop too?”

Chen Shi put on a new pair of rubber gloves, turned on the light, and told Tao Yuanyuan not to touch anything, just take pictures. She nodded.

The apartment was a typical middle-aged man’s home, with sparse furnishings and no TV. In the kitchen, Chen Shi saw many “old friends”—instant noodle packages. He laughed, “Why is this terrible food so popular? You see it everywhere.”

“Instant noodles are tasty, better than your cooking,” Tao Yuanyuan remarked.

“Fine, eat instant noodles every day then. No more braised pork, sweet and sour ribs, or minced pork with eggplant for you.”

The thought of no meat shut Tao Yuanyuan up.

Chen Shi checked the cupboards. The dishes were clean but unused for a while. There was an induction cooker on the counter; the gas had been turned off for non-payment, so cooking and boiling water were done with the induction cooker.

In the living room, one corner of the wall had peeling paint. Chen Shi found a fallen data cable behind the sofa, covered in fresh dust. “They fought here?” Tao Yuanyuan suggested.

“Possibly, but the murder didn’t happen here.”