Simulated Crime, This Criminal Doesn't Seem to Be Acting-Chapter 79

"So, are you guys coming?"

She asked carefully, with a hint of subservience, seeking the opinion of the person on the other end of the phone. This was how Zhong Jia used to behave, and it was the scene her parents most wanted to see.

There was silence on the other end of the line, as if the phone was being covered and discussed.

Holding the phone, Ye Sangsang could barely make out some of the arguments.

They were unclear.

But it didn't matter, whether she could hear them or not.

It was all about the same topics anyway.

"We're coming, the son-in-law's not here, so we'll come and see you."

After a while, the other person spoke.

Ye Sangsang "ummed" in reply, "Remember to let me know when you book the tickets, I'll go to the train station to pick you up, otherwise it's hard to find me here."

"Yes, yes, yes, we know," the other side paused again, then Zhong Jia's mother spoke once more, "Oh, and don't tell Yan's Mother about the son-in-law's whereabouts yet, we don't want to worry them."

Ye Sangsang lowered her head, saying in an unclear tone, "Okay, I won't mention it."

How could she tell? She was the one who started all this.

Ye Sangsang mentioned that the wedding was two days later. Yan Jiaojiao was marrying into a prominent local family, and they were very concerned about appearances. The wedding was being held at a grand hotel, with an extravagant setup.

The betrothal gifts, five gold items and a diamond, cars, houses, the venue, all described in lavish, luxurious detail.

After hanging up, the other side took about two hours to inform Ye Sangsang that they were taking an evening train.

They would arrive around noon the next day. They hinted that they were coming to see her and expected her to reimburse the train tickets.

Ye Sangsang agreed immediately.

No matter if it made sense or not, she agreed outright.

Before a storm, the sea is always calm.

Haha, even the train ticket wants the daughter to pay. Coming here to extort a trip without even covering the cost. No capitalist is as ruthless as they are. Is there really such a parent? They don't love Zhong Jia at all!

【Seeing some people with doubts, I'd like to say such parents are quite common. My mom used to be like this; her parents almost sucked her dry until they even moral-blackmailed, cried, raged, one played good cop, the other bad cop. It wasn't until later when my mom saw through them and got married far away that she wasn't exploited anymore.】

【Here's me, the old lady, appearing again. Some time ago, a lot of people doubted, and I remembered comments I saw on social media. A child got into Tsinghua, but they hid the admission notice and the child only found out decades later. Imagining that, I'm already furious.】

The live stream went silent. Selfish people are just too terrifying.

They don't consider anything. They just want to suck the child's blood or keep the child by their side. The child's future? They decide it.

Ye Sangsang didn't engage in such discussions; this was just the viewers' takeaway from the live stream.

She was preparing, preparing to move.

Although the current task hadn't been triggered, it would likely happen soon after coming into contact with them.

Whether they loved or were selfish didn't concern her.

She cleaned up all of Qian Jiangde's bottles and things at home, then began to jump time.

When the time came, she went straight to the manager and asked for a two-day leave.

The manager also felt it was better to lay low for a while and agreed to let her rest. Just as well, the 22nd floor was not yet open; the Taoist priest said the suicide had heavy resentment, and it would take about five or six days of ritual.

After that, they could go back to work.

Ye Sangsang thanked the manager and left. She bought some groceries, took painkillers, and took a taxi to the train station to pick up her parents.

At the exit, she spotted Zhong Jia's parents.

Their features were somewhat similar to Zhong Jia's, their skin darker and yellowish, their body shape ordinary, their faces lined with wrinkles.

Maybe because they had been together for a long time, they had a certain resemblance as a couple. Their single eyelids had drooped with age, covering half of their bloodshot, cloudy eyes, making them look a bit fierce and mean.

However, judging by their complexion, they seemed much better off than Zhong Jia.

To Ye Sangsang's surprise, they also brought Zhong Qi, Zhong Jia's brother.

Zhong Qi was a high school senior this year. He wore what he thought was trendy: a green hoodie, cargo pants, and white sneakers.

Compared to Zhong Jia's parents and Zhong Jia, Zhong Qi's skin was fairer, his body slightly overweight, his face full of fat.

Ye Sangsang glanced and noticed he was wearing new clothes.

She walked over, her gaze carrying a mix of hesitance, meekness, and a bit of joy and anticipation.

As if she were a child desperate for parental affection.

But before her smile could settle, her hand was handed the luggage.

"Carry this for me, haven't seen you for a while, and now you look so ugly."

Zhong Qi glanced around at Ye Sangsang, noticing her shabby clothes, and rolled his eyes as he instructed her.

Ye Sangsang didn't seem to mind; she directly addressed Zhong Jia's parents.

"Are you hungry after the train ride? Let's grab something to eat," she added, seeing their hesitant expressions, "I'll pay."

The couple immediately smiled, their faces full of wrinkles, and said yes.

Ye Sangsang played the dutiful daughter, pulling the suitcase, ready to head out.

Turning her head toward the crowd, Ye Sangsang saw a familiar face.

Chen Shu was highly perceptive of gazes, immediately noticing someone looking at him. He slightly turned his head and saw Ye Sangsang.

They locked eyes for a moment, then naturally looked away.

Chen Shu tightened his grip on the suspect's arm.

Were the people with Ye Sangsang her parents? Was there something important, or were they here for a few days on vacation?

He felt that there was something about Ye Sangsang that he couldn't quite figure out.

And deep down, he had a strange, ominous feeling.

Although it seemed like just an ordinary meeting, with her picking up her parents...

Ye Sangsang noticed the suspect Chen Shu was holding on to, and even covered by clothes, the silver-colored metal edge was faintly visible.

Knowing Chen Shu had mentioned they were temporarily dealing with a murder case, it was easy to guess he had already apprehended the suspect.

Meaning, his current job was done.

Given Chen Shu's suspicions, he certainly wouldn't let go.

【Sang, if you don't speed up, you're going to get caught!】

【My reason tells me Sang should be caught, but my selfish nature wants to urge you to act quickly.】

【Chen Shu's moves are fast, finding the suspect, apprehending the suspect. His next step is probably completing the interrogation and taking over Yan Jiaojiao's case. If I were the victim, I'd love this fast working style of a police officer haha!】

Ye Sangsang had already led the group to a noodle shop.

Before even entering, Zhong Qi wrinkled his nose in disdain, "Coming all this way, and we're eating this?"

"What do you want to eat?"

Ye Sangsang asked.

"At least KFC, or failing that, McDonald's. What's so great about noodles? Aren't I fed up with them at home?" He looked Ye Sangsang up and down again, "You can't even afford that, can you?"

The couple beside them didn't speak.

Ye Sangsang knew they were waiting for her to take out the money.

She smiled and nodded in agreement, "Okay, there's one just off this street."

Zhong Qi immediately cheered up, not caring about anyone else's feelings, and headed straight to the place Ye Sangsang mentioned.

Ye Sangsang also ordered for the other two.

They had no intention of saving money for their daughter, a waitress, and ordered about three hundred yuan worth of food.

Three hundred yuan, nearly a week's wages for her.

Ye Sangsang didn't get angry, allowing them to order as they pleased.

Zhong Jia hadn't been foolish enough to give all her money to Qian Jiangde; she'd kept some savings.

These savings might as well be spent.

The Zhong family of three seemed quite satisfied, following Ye Sangsang back to the place she rented.

People with modest incomes, when traveling, won't consider hotels; if there's a relative to stay with, they'll sleep on the floor.

Zhong Qi was the first to choose Ye Sangsang's room. His parents would sleep in Qian Jiangde's bed, while Ye Sangsang was put in a small sofa.

Once settled, Zhong Jia's parents immediately wanted to know the location of Yan Jiaojiao's wedding hotel.

Ye Sangsang gave them the details, and the two exchanged glances, suggesting they wanted to go out and look around.

She agreed, of course.

"Son, let's go out and take a look. You can guide us since you're young and have a better grasp of things."

The couple smiled, then looked at Zhong Qi, indicating they wanted to bring him along to recognize the way.

Ye Sangsang had a mischievous idea. Seeing Zhong Qi on the sofa, clearly unwilling, she walked up to Zhong Jia's mother and said, "How about I come with you? I'm familiar with the area."

Of course, she wasn't planning to go with them. She just wanted to see how they would refuse.

Just teasing.

"No, no, you just stay home," Zhang Guihua immediately panicked, her tone extremely harsh.

Beside her, Zhong Zhihui pinched his wife's arm and then looked up, smiling at Ye Sangsang: "We'll just go for a walk, you stay home and cook. We don't like that... what's it called... KFC? We want to eat the food you cook for dinner."

Ye Sangsang feigned total innocence, smiled upon hearing this, and nodded to agree.

"Alright, um... brother, you should still go with mom and dad. I'm afraid if you get lost with all those twists and turns, it won't be good." She turned her head, her gaze cold as she looked at Zhong Qi, who was immersed in a handheld game.

She wondered, why hasn't the mission triggered yet?

Has Zhong Jia softened again?

Or perhaps, the plan changed unexpectedly with the addition of Zhong Qi, so she couldn't bear to go through with it?

She decided to test the waters and trigger her own mission.

【The mission hasn't triggered yet! But... I guess that's not hard to understand?】

【Zhong Jia still holds a shred of kindness within her, unwilling to harm the innocent. PS: Although I don't think Zhong Qi is innocent.】

【From the triggering of the mission, it's clear that Zhong Jia's heart is still kind. If it were me, I can't imagine how demented I would become.】

The live stream was filled with comments of pity for Zhong Jia's plight, yet also some lamentation for her indecision.

Hearing Ye Sangsang's words, Zhong Qi didn't even look up, continuing to play the single-player game on his handheld device, annoyed: "I finally got two days off, and you want to drag me out? Are you mentally impaired or something? Go if you want, don’t bother me."

"Zhong Qi, if you don't want to go, just say so! Why spout all that nonsense?"

Zhong Chenghui's face darkened as he sternly reprimanded him.

Zhang Guihua quickly pulled her husband aside, frowning: "He's a good kid, why are you yelling at him? If he doesn't want to go, then don’t make him. We'll just go ourselves, just around the neighborhood."

Zhong Chenghui glanced at Ye Sangsang, who remained serene, and agreed with a faint "Mm."

"You two should go quickly and come back soon. I'll have dinner ready for you by then," Ye Sangsang's eyes showed no signs of emotion, as if she hadn't paid attention to anything she'd just heard. She urged them to leave.

The couple exchanged a glance and quickly left.

Zhong Qi remained immersed in his game, oblivious to any tension.

Ye Sangsang, however, looked on as the mission finally triggered, her lips curling into a satisfied smile.

It was clear, this family’s schemes were all aimed at Zhong Jia.

Zhong Qi knew they were going out to meet someone, which wasn't surprising to Ye Sangsang. The couple, of course, would share some things with their precious son.

Their trip was surely to ask for money, which they must have discussed beforehand.

Previously, Zhong Jia was blind to all of this. But from Zhong Qi's attire and the latest model of handheld device he was using, it was obvious he was living large.

The money for all this didn't come from a pair of farmers in the early 2000s—it must have come from the benefits reaped off their daughter.

They sold their daughter's admission letter, took her dowry money.

Ye Sangsang watched him for a while before walking over and sitting beside him.

“Stay away from me,” Zhong Qi said disdainfully.

Ye Sangsang moved to the opposite side, "How’s your studies going?"

“Don’t ask about my grades,” Zhong Qi said dissatisfiedly.

Ye Sangsang looked at him, then suddenly said directly: "Your grades are pretty bad, right? At least way worse than mine. I can tell you’re not studying at all. You're planning to drop out after high school and start working, right?"

Zhong Qi's eyes narrowed, and he put down his phone to look at Ye Sangsang.

"Heh, heh," he sneered, "My grades aren’t that bad, I can manage to get into university at the very least. If worst comes to worst, mom and dad will send me to a vocational college. Unlike you..."

Feeling Ye Sangsang's malicious scorn, he couldn't help but blurt out his thoughts.

"What about me?" Ye Sangsang continued to ask.

Zhong Qi, of course, knew he couldn’t reveal what he knew, so he raised an eyebrow and said, "Unlike you, even if you got accepted, you wouldn’t have the money to go. Who told mom and dad were broke back then?"

Ye Sangsang showed a disappointed expression, lowering her eyes to hide the growing hatred within Zhong Jia.

Zhong Jia really was the biggest scapegoat.

If circumstances allowed, this family would likely devour her completely.

She sat there for a while before getting up and heading to the kitchen.

Walking into the kitchen next to the living room, she could still hear Zhong Qi's scornful snort.

Ye Sangsang hung her bag in the kitchen, took out some painkillers, and swallowed three pills.

At this point, Zhong Jia's targets for revenge had all been accounted for, so she no longer cared if she was discovered.

Chen Shu, upon seeing Ye Sangsang at the train station exit, felt an inexplicable sense of unease, his expression involuntarily turning grim.

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His heart was racing unpredictably, as if something was about to happen.

This feeling persisted all the way back to the Criminal Investigation Department.

He instructed his teammates to start further interrogation.

The suspect was accused of home invasion and murder, and after the incident, tried to flee elsewhere, making them trace multiple locations to find him.

Since they were all very familiar with the case, the interrogation couldn’t be carried out without them.

Incapable of resisting his urge to delve into the Yan Jiaojiao case, he had no choice but to suppress his desires and immediately enter the interrogation room to question the suspect.

The suspect was still being searched for items on his person when they entered the interrogation room first.

From the moment he sat down, Chen Shu seemed restless.

"Chen Ge, what's wrong with you?" His partner was quite surprised to see him like this.

After all, Chen Shu was known for his composure, and no matter how big the case was before, he had never been this restless.

Seeing the suspect hadn’t arrived yet, Chen Shu frowned and said, "I saw Zhong Jia at the station. She came to pick up her parents. It’s perfectly normal, but I just can’t shake this feeling of unease."

Those involved in the Yan Jiaojiao case were also aware of it, knowing that Chen Shu always felt something was off.

His partner didn't dismiss Chen Shu's unease but thought for a moment and said, "I know you've always been concerned about this case. Once we're done with the interrogation, I'll accompany you to the hospital. We’ll ask Yan Jiaojiao’s mother if there’s anything hidden."

"I guess that's the only way..."

Chen Shu sighed, deciding to temporarily set aside his concerns.

He glanced at his partner, actually not telling him that he had requested colleagues heading to Yan's hometown to check if there were any connections between the two families.

It ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‍was just that those colleagues were also busy, and could only investigate after finishing their own tasks.

With that in mind, Chen Shu felt more at ease.

He looked up, his gaze sharp as he stared at the suspect being brought in.

The suspect stubbornly insisted he was innocent, making all sorts of excuses for himself.

In such situations, Chen Shu felt more irritable.

But his professional instincts remained intact. He directly placed the crime scene photos in front of him, detailing each piece of evidence one by one.

Including the time of the crime, the process, and the physical evidence left at the scene.

The suspect still refused to speak.

Until Chen Shu mentioned that the suspect's child had seen his bloodied clothes when he returned home that night.

And then showed the photos of the bloodstained clothes.

The suspect sighed, finally admitting his guilt.

The rest was the suspect's account of the crime process.

Since they were in a hurry, Chen Shu decided to delay the on-site investigation until tomorrow. Their immediate goal was for the suspect to confess his crime.

When the interrogation ended, it had been two hours, and the time was already late afternoon.

Colleagues brought over meal boxes to the office, and they began to briefly organize the situation.

At that moment, Chen Shu's phone rang.

"Hello?" He answered the phone while wolfing down his food.

It was the colleague he had asked to investigate while on a business trip to Yan's hometown.

Hearing Chen Shu's voice, the colleague said, "Chen Ge, I found some leads."

His partner who was eating nearby also leaned over, curious to hear the details.

In his mind, the Yan Jiaojiao case was a suicide, and he too wanted to see if anything significant could be uncovered.

"Go ahead," Chen Shu put down his chopsticks, straightened up and said.

The colleague organized his thoughts before speaking: "First, I have to say, this is a combination of roundabout questioning that I pieced together."

"Just tell me directly."

Chen Shu was helpless, this colleague was great at handling cases meticulously and carefully, but he was too long-winded.

"I inquired with two neighbors and found that they had no interaction. Yan Jiaojiao and Zhong Jia were not friends, just normal classmates," he paused, "So I asked their classmates and the information I got was pretty much the same."

Chen Shu "hmm"ed, indicating he understood.

His colleague continued, "I asked a lot of questions, thinking I might extract some key information, and it turns out I did."

"That is, in high school, the academic performance of Yan Jiaojiao and Zhong Jia was at two extremes."

Chen Shu's heart skipped a beat, knowing the crucial information was coming.

"Zhong Jia's grades were excellent; she should have been able to get into a very good university, but in the end, she didn't go. And Yan Jiaojiao was a poorly performing, rebellious tomboy. Surprisingly, she ended up going to university."

"The neighbors said that Zhong Jia was actually accepted into a university, but her mother claimed the family couldn't afford it and locked her up for half a year. She was only released when the first semester of the university was almost over."

His colleague's tone was full of lamentation, as the university in question was quite prestigious in the province.

In this era, a college degree still carried significant value.

Chen Shu pondered for a moment, "Are you saying that Zhong Jia's university spot was likely taken by Yan Jiaojiao?"

"Exactly! Looking at the records, Yan Jiaojiao graduated from university! And the university she attended was the one Zhong Jia was accepted to. Moreover, during her college entrance exam, Yan Jiaojiao skipped one subject, and with her poor academic record, there's no way she could have gotten into university on her own. This case is as clear as day for impersonation of another person to attend university."

His colleague finished speaking in one breath, almost out of breath.

Chen Shu took a deep breath, "Thank you. Please go to the local police station and ask if Yan Jiaojiao has ever changed her hukou information, only registered in the household register."

"Sure," his colleague agreed immediately.

After hanging up the phone, Chen Shu's heart was filled with complicated emotions.

The expected motive for the murder had surfaced, yet he didn't feel relieved.

He looked at his partner, "Call the university Yan Jiaojiao attended and confirm her name on record to verify this situation."

His partner nodded, put down his chopsticks, and immediately made the call to confirm the details.

Chen Shu had never considered this possibility before and now felt enlightened.

No wonder Yan Jiaojiao's father recognized Zhong Jia instantly when he heard her name, immediately suspecting it could be an act of revenge. Unfortunately, instead of reporting it to the police, he chose to go alone, attempting to kill Zhong Jia directly to avenge his daughter.

Yan Jiaojiao's mother wasn't aware of this, so she remained in the dark.

This Zhong Jia was incredibly calculating.

However, these were still just his speculations. He needed some evidence to prove that the other party was behind the crime.

"Did you finish the call? Finish eating quickly and let's head to the hotel."

Chen Shu called out to his partner beside him.

His partner had already made the call and asked the necessary questions, nodding to Chen Shu to indicate he was done.

Although the university couldn't remember the name of a single student, they promised to check and would likely get back the next day.

The two men started eating quickly, wolfing down their food, and then drove straight to the hotel.

Despite the manager's impatience, they were still received by Chen Shu.

Taking the elevator to the 22nd floor, Chen Shu asked in the elevator, "Where is Zhong Jia?"

"Her parents are here, so she took a two-day leave to accompany them. Since the 22nd floor isn't in operation, she was allowed to take leave," the manager truthfully replied.

Chen Shu nodded, not particularly concerned.

He secretly admired Zhong Jia's composure. Even at this stage, she hadn't tried to flee.

As the elevator door opened, the sight of paper money burning and scattered talismans filled their vision.

The manager explained, "When someone dies, we naturally have to perform some rituals to soothe the spirits."

Chen Shu and his partner said nothing.

The group walked forward until they reached the end of the hallway.

Just as the manager was about to open the room where the murder took place, Chen Shu stopped him.

He pointed to the room at the very end of the corridor, "Open that one."

The manager didn't question it but went over to open the door.

Chen Shu and his partner entered.

After surveying the room, Chen Shu went to the windowsill, opened the window, and stuck his head out to look at the outside.

Earlier, he felt this place was too narrow, and the windows they passed by were closed, so he hadn't thought much about it.

Now, however, if someone very slender had done this, it wasn't impossible.

Moreover, she had entered the room, so it would have been easy for her to close the window afterward.

Chen Shu stared at the somewhat blurry footprints in the middle, sighing inwardly. He had underestimated Zhong Jia.

Or rather, he had been misled by her appearance, thinking she was a simple, uneducated girl working her way through life.

"Call someone to come and collect the footprints," he said, stepping back and addressing his partner.

The footprints were so blurred that it was likely the perpetrator had worn something like foot covers, but the areas were untouched by any renovation and covered in dust, making it possible to extract some evidence.

When his partner heard about the footprints, he knew that once they were compared and matched, they could arrest the person.

After making the call, Chen Shu instructed the manager to wait for the specialist and cooperate with them.

He now needed to go to the hospital. For some reason, he had a strong intuition that he had to find immediate evidence to secure a direct arrest.

Could it be that he was afraid the suspect might flee?

He drove toward the hospital.

Ye Sangsang leaned over and picked up the remaining bit of anesthetic.

No wonder she hadn't been willing to use it on Qian Jiangde, opting instead to push him into the river when the opportunity arose. It seems she had other plans for it.

She took out some and, estimating the dosage with the naked eye, placed the knife behind her.

She carried a fruit plate out, keeping her other hand in her pocket.

Zhong Qi watched, his eyes revealing satisfaction. He uncrossed his legs, extending his hand to take the fruit.

As he held his phone with one hand and reached for the fruit with the other, Ye Sangsang seized the moment, covering his mouth and nose tightly.

This dosage was not calculated with the remaining traces in mind, and considering her suspicion that it was mixed with veterinary anesthetic, its effects came quickly.

After less than half a minute of struggling, Zhong Qi passed out completely.

Ye Sangsang put away the remaining anesthetic, picked up the phone, and gazed deeply at the man collapsed on the sofa.

The watermelon he had been holding fell to the ground, smashed to pieces, staining the cement floor with a small patch of red.

Ye Sangsang picked it up and threw it into the trash.

She checked the time; it wouldn't be long before Zhong Jia's parents returned.

Chen Shu strode into the hospital and directly approached the ICU.

During the drive, they had called Yan Jiaojiao's mother, and when they arrived at the ICU entrance, she immediately came forward to meet them.

Chen Shu directly asked about the impersonation incident.

Yan's Mother was aware of it, but since it involved illegal activities, she was reluctant to talk.

Chen Shu bluntly stated, "Do you know that the person your husband tried to kill is Zhong Hua, the name she was given after changing it, and the same person you and your daughter Yan Jiaojiao once teased and boasted about being a waitress?"

Yan's Mother's face turned pale, and she seemed utterly dazed.

"It's her..." her lips trembled as she spoke with disbelief.

Chen Shu stared at her, "Speak."

Bereaved of her daughter and nearly losing her husband, Yan's Mother began to cry as she revealed what her husband had done back then.

This included changing identities, attempting to erase records to avoid detection.

Chen Shu and his partner were both speechless.

"Oh! The doctor said this morning my husband showed signs of waking up, and his vital signs are stabilizing. He might wake up soon, and you can ask him what happened. We can charge Zhong Hua with attempted murder!" Yan's Mother suddenly became excited, thinking of something.

After saying that, she immediately rushed to find the doctor, urging them to expedite the transfer so they could question Yan's Father in a regular ward.

Chen Shu was pleased at the news. If they could do that, it would solve a lot of problems.

They waited for the transfer to the regular ward and followed along.

As the doctor had said, Yan's Father's vital signs had stabilized, and he wouldn't be unconscious for long.

Meanwhile, at the hotel, they needed to use a crane to inspect the 22nd floor for evidence.

Since the clues were very faint, and climbing up would be dangerous and potentially unworkable, it would take at least three hours.

This didn't include returning to properly duplicate and compare the footprints to confirm the match.

It seemed that this approach would be faster, so Chen Shu had to suppress his unease and continue waiting.

He wasn't idle, though. He dispatched someone to keep watch outside the scene, fearing that Ye Sangsang might flee.

Once they obtained the evidence, they could apply for an arrest warrant and apprehend Zhong Jia.

As they were chatting, Yan's Father woke up.

This was not the first time he had woken up in recent days, but this time the wakefulness lasted longer.

Chen Shu and his partner began questioning him, asking about the specific events of that night.

He was extremely agitated, speaking incoherently.

It took a long while before he finally managed to get his thoughts out.

Chen Shu took careful notes.

With the confession secured, there shouldn't be any issues with applying for an arrest warrant.

The two collected their notebooks and turned to leave.

Yan's Mother blocked their path, crying and demanding severe punishment for Zhong Hua, the one who had killed her daughter.

"We will," Chen Shu said, somewhat impatiently.

The truth was, if not for their wrongdoing, the harm would never have occurred. Zhong Jia had erred and retaliated by killing, and the Yan family wasn't innocent either.

Yan's Mother, realizing her position was tenuous, stepped aside upon hearing Chen Shu's response, allowing him to proceed with the case.

Chen Shu and his partner rushed directly to the Criminal Investigation Department to apply for an arrest warrant.

Driving fast, they reached the leader's office in just over ten minutes.

However, just before they could enter, Chen Shu suddenly stopped in his tracks.

An idea had struck him.

A few days earlier, when he had brought someone back to the department for questioning, he had seen someone upon sending them back.

Zhong Jia's husband.

Recalling this, Chen Shu narrowed his eyes.

At the time, the man's behavior had seemed odd.

Back then, he had thought it was jealously, but now…

It felt more like a threat!

He straightened his posture.

"At noon, when we saw Zhong Jia at the train station, wasn't her husband nowhere to be seen?" Chen Shu suddenly turned to ask his partner.

His partner, having been curious at the time, had glimpsed the scene. After some recollection, he shook his head, "No, I didn't see him. Maybe he just didn't go. I checked—he's a jobless drifter. Such people are lazy and probably didn't bother."

"No, no," Chen Shu raised his hand to interrupt, deep in thought. "Unless… he couldn't go."

His partner's mouth gaped open. Chen Shu's rapid thought process was almost comical, but the gravity wasn't lost on him.

Chen Shu quickened his pace again, hastening forward, "We need to hurry. I have a feeling Zhong Jia might target her parents. We can't delay!"

They barged into the leader's office, speaking rapidly and urgently.

Finally, they obtained the arrest warrant.

The two dashed out immediately.

"The couple isn't supposed to be there, right? Call the team on the scene and stop them from going in," Chen Shu said, climbing into the driver's seat and eyeing his partner, urging him to make the call.

His partner thought Chen Shu was overthinking it. Even if Zhong Jia was ruthless, surely she wouldn't go so far as to harm her own parents.

However, his actions didn't betray his thoughts.

He didn't delay, immediately dialing the scene team.

The phone rang twice before being picked up.

His partner relayed Chen Shu's instructions for them to block the couple from entering.

"Ah? Too late, they're already inside!" came the reply.

His partner had turned on the speaker. Chen Shu's lips tightened, and he slammed his foot on the accelerator.

"Seal off that yard!"

When Zhong Jia's parents entered the house, their faces were heavy with sadness.

Ye Sangsang understood immediately—they hadn't found anything out.

The hotel wouldn't disclose anything to them, and likely, they didn't even dare to ask.

They probably just wandered around nearby, didn't see anyone, and returned.

"Back so soon? Didn't go anywhere, did you?" Ye Sangsang moved to secure the courtyard gate, turning to speak to Zhong Jia's parents.

The couple exchanged glances, Zhang Guihua admitting, "Yes, there's not much to see in the city."

"Where's Zhong Qi? Still gaming?" Zhong Chenghui looked at Ye Sangsang, his eyes clearly rebuking her for not keeping an eye on her brother.

Ye Sangsang followed behind them, stepping into the house.

Seeing the empty living room, she replied, "He said he wasn't feeling well and went to my bed to sleep. Maybe he's not used to the train ride."

Zhong Chenghui nodded, sitting on the sofa. "Don't buy so many fruits. Save the money for when your brother goes to college."

Ye Sangsang sat across from him, gazing at them.

"Why are you staring at us?" Zhang Guihua glared back, finding her eyes unnerving.

[What are you staring at? Thinking how vicious you are!]

[This couple…obsessed with their son.]

[Some people's preference for sons is truly insane. Anything they see, they remark on how it's for their son—as if their daughter doesn't matter at all. It's sickening!]

Ye Sangsang looked at them, bluntly exposing their intentions, "You went out earlier to find Yan Jiaojiao’s parents, hoping they’d give you more money, didn’t you?"

"And if they didn't, you'd threaten to expose the fact she took my place at university," she added without hesitation.

Her directness caught them off guard.

It was Zhong Chenghui who first responded, his eyes instantly cold, his glare fierce. "So what if we did? I don't know how you found out about this, but I'll tell you this—sacrificing for the family is something you should do. You're my daughter; you should contribute to this family."

"At the time, we had no choice, daughter," Zhang Guihua spoke next, her face drawn with regret. "Your brother's grades were poor in middle school; he couldn't get into high school. We had no choice but to sell your acceptance letter…don't blame us."

Ye Sangsang continued, "Not only did you sell the letter, but you also planned to marry me off to Qian Jiangde to watch over me, didn't you?"

"That's insulting!" Zhong Chenghui scolded. "Qian Jiangde is a respectable man!"

"He's abusive," Ye Sangsang stated matter-of-factly.

"Wives and husbands fight," Zhang Guihua retorted, unapologetically.

[Absolutely horrifying.]

[Purely believing that everything was something Zhong Jia should endure.]

[Realizing now that it's because they simply didn’t love her—so they could sacrifice her without a second thought.]

Ye Sangsang's final question was for Zhong Jia herself.

She looked at them, "Have you ever regretted what you did?"

The only response was silence.

After a moment, Zhang Guihua spoke.

"Daughter, this is just the fate of a woman. You have to accept it."

Ye Sangsang nodded and stood, heading toward the kitchen.

Zhang Guihua, perhaps to escape the awkwardness, stood and went to Zhong Jia's room to check on her son, asking if he was feeling better and if he needed medicine.

She also thought to ask how he had managed to find Yan Jiaojiao's address.

Zhong Chenghui stood up, stepping to the door to smoke, his face tinged with anger.

The reason was simple: his daughter had uncovered their guilt.

But the next second, a sharp pain shot through his back, followed by his neck.

He widened his eyes in disbelief, turning to look at her as he clutched his neck, falling to the ground.

At the same time, a terrified scream rang out from the room.

A slender figure concealed a weapon, entering the room.

Simultaneously, the door was pounded with force.

The figure gave no time for any reaction, revealing the weapon.

Outside, after several crashing blows, the rusted door gave way, and four or five people rushed in.

Seeing the body lying at the door, everyone gasped in shock.

Then they moved into the room.

The elderly woman slumped to the ground.

The pale figure turned, dropping the knife with a clatter.

She gave a faint smile to the intruders, "If they didn't regret it, then neither do I."

Chen Shu entered the room.

In the next instant, Ye Sangsang crumpled to the ground in pain, utterly spent.

The only thought left in her mind was that the pain of a terminally ill patient was excruciating.