I See Murders Before They Happen

Chapter 215: Chapter 213: Confirming They Broke Up Back Then

Zhuang Yanzheng looked at Su Miaoyi. "I also know the Mind Reading Technique. Do you believe me?"

Su Miaoyi looked at him.

"Right now, you’re thinking, ’I don’t believe you,’" Zhuang Yanzheng said.

Su Miaoyi shot him a speechless look, then another. She opened her mouth to say something, but then decided that speaking to him right now would just make her look like an idiot. So, she turned and strode away.

After a few steps, she turned back around. "Where does it hurt?"

"It’s fine now. My stomach was hurting for a moment, but it’s already better," Zhuang Yanzheng said.

"Really?" Su Miaoyi asked.

Zhuang Yanzheng looked at her, then considered for a moment. "What do you think? Am I telling the truth or not?"

’He’s testing me?’

Su Miaoyi looked into his eyes for a moment, then turned and walked away.

’He’s telling the truth.’

’He’s really okay.’

Zhuang Yanzheng chuckled as he watched her determined figure walk away.

After Xie Lili’s parents arrived, they asked to see her first.

Accompanying the couple were Xie Lili’s paternal uncle and aunt, as well as her maternal aunt and uncle.

They were the couple’s closest relatives.

Zhuang Yanzheng told them to prepare themselves.

But when the time came, the couple still couldn’t bear it.

Xie Lili’s mother cried to the point of nearly fainting. Her father’s legs gave out, and he could barely stand, too overcome even to cry.

He just kept stroking his daughter’s hand, which had been reduced to bone.

The two other couples comforted them, crying along with them.

Watching them, Su Miaoyi felt a pang of sadness as well.

Her own family had gone through something just like this.

Yan Cheng handed her a couple of tissues.

Su Miaoyi took them and wiped her eyes. "I’m not crying. I’m just a little homesick."

"You can go back for a visit once we’re done with this," Yan Cheng said.

Su Miaoyi looked at him, sensing he knew what she was talking about.

Yan Cheng nodded.

Su Miaoyi had her answer.

Yan Cheng didn’t elaborate. "A fingerprint was found on Liu Shitang’s clothes. It’s being analyzed now. I’m going to check on it."

"They found a fingerprint on the clothes?" Su Miaoyi asked, surprised.

’That must have been difficult.’

"His shirt had been taken off and thrown into the freezer, where it was frozen solid with the ice at the bottom," Yan Cheng explained. "After I finished examining Xie Lili’s body, I saw the clothes could finally be removed from the freezer, so I took a look. There was a leather patch on the chest of his shirt, and it had a fingerprint on it."

"Liu Shitang’s hands have been thawed, and I already checked—it’s not his print," Yan Cheng continued. "It’s been sent for analysis. I’m going to go check on the results."

"Okay."

Xie Lili’s parents and relatives left the autopsy room and went to a reception area.

Once they had calmed down a little, Zhuang Yanzheng began to ask some questions.

Only Xie Lili’s parents remained; the others were asked to wait in a different reception room.

"Do you two know Kang Hong?" Zhuang Yanzheng asked.

"Kang Hong? Is he the murderer?" Mr. Xie was so heartbroken he could barely get the words out, his expression turning numb. "Why does that name sound so familiar?"

Mrs. Xie, who was sitting beside him in a similar state, clutched a tissue and dabbed endlessly at her tears. "Lili’s college boyfriend... his name was Kang Hong."

"Oh," Mr. Xie responded faintly.

Neither of them had a particularly strong reaction to the name.

Zhuang Yanzheng showed them a photo of Kang Hong.

They both stared at it in silence for a moment before Mr. Xie spoke. "I remember now, that’s him. That was Lili’s boyfriend. Is her death connected to him?"

"What can you tell me about him?" Zhuang Yanzheng asked.

Mrs. Xie continued to stare silently at the photo. After a long pause, she said, "When Lili was a sophomore, I found out she was dating someone. Our home was very close to her university. To make it easier to look after her, we sold our old house and bought a new one near the campus right after she was admitted."

"When I found out she was dating, I went to her school to secretly observe Kang Hong, and I also did some digging into his background. His family was not well-off; his parents didn’t have proper jobs. I was very unhappy with him and wanted Lili to break up with him immediately."

"But he," she said, nodding toward her husband, "persuaded me. He said it was our daughter’s first relationship, that she wasn’t a child anymore, and I shouldn’t interfere." Mrs. Xie wiped away her tears, looking as if she might break down before she could continue. "He said that meddling might just make her rebellious, so I decided to just observe them for a while longer and find the right time to talk to Lili."

"But Lili... she’s my daughter. I was so afraid she’d be taken advantage of. I had sleepless nights, trying every way I could think of to find out more about them. I was terrified something would happen to her, that she might get hurt..."

"Then one day, I discovered that Kang Hong and a friend of his were frequenting... indecent places. How old were they?! They were only sophomores, just nineteen or twenty, going to places like that! Later, I also learned that Kang Hong and his friend were involved in phone scams. How could I possibly let my daughter be with someone like that?!"

Mrs. Xie grew more agitated as she spoke. "I reported them to the university. I told Lili everything and made her break up with him immediately."

Mr. Xie patted his wife’s back. "Lili always listened to us. She broke up with him right away."

Su Miaoyi watched the couple.

’They weren’t lying.’

"Are you sure they broke up at that time?" Su Miaoyi asked.

"Positive," Mrs. Xie said. "I went to her university frequently during that period. I brought her lunch and dinner every day. I knew where she was going, I knew her every move. I also asked her classmates about her constantly. They definitely broke up."

Su Miaoyi looked at her but said nothing.

’With that level of scrutiny, they would have been caught if they hadn’t broken up. They must have split.’

’But when did they get back together?’

’And besides... there’s no record of any disciplinary action in Kang Hong’s university file.’

’Not only was there no disciplinary action, but Kang Hong consistently received the highest level of scholarship throughout college.’

"You reported Kang Hong to the university. Do you know how the school handled the matter afterward?" Su Miaoyi’s voice had grown hoarse again after just a few sentences.

"I don’t know. I didn’t follow up on it afterward," Mrs. Xie said, shaking her head.

"Do you know who Kang Hong’s friend was?" Zhuang Yanzheng asked.

"No, I don’t know his name. I only know that Kang Hong was always with that man during that period," Mrs. Xie said.

Zhuang Yanzheng thought for a moment, then showed her a group photo from Kang Hong’s university days.

Mrs. Xie spotted Kang Hong in the photo, but his friend wasn’t there.

"He’s not in this picture."

"Do you still remember what Kang Hong’s friend looked like?" Su Miaoyi asked.

Mrs. Xie nodded. "To me, that whole situation was a monumental crisis. So even though it’s been over a decade, I still remember many details very clearly."

"We have a sketch artist. We’ll need your cooperation," Zhuang Yanzheng said.

"Are you up for it?" Su Miaoyi asked, concerned about her condition.

"Yes," Mrs. Xie said. "As long as it helps get justice for my daughter, I’ll do whatever it takes."

"Officer, I’d like to ask... is Kang Hong the murderer?" Mr. Xie asked.

Su Miaoyi looked to Zhuang Yanzheng.

Zhuang Yanzheng said, "This is an active investigation, so we can’t disclose too many details. But I promise you, we will get justice for Xie Lili and bring the killer to account. We hope you understand and can continue to cooperate with us."

"Okay," Mr. Xie said, rising to his feet. "We’re counting on you for everything."

「....」