[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-chasing-the-criminal-case":3,"chapter-chasing-the-criminal-case-chasing-the-criminal-case-chapter-3":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Chasing the Criminal Case",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2328771,4554,"Chapter 3","chasing-the-criminal-case-chapter-3",3,"\u003Cp>A brief silence fell in the conference room. Everyone was processing the newly acquired information, mentally formulating what to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>——————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At 4:15 p.m. on the 21st, outside the lawn beneath Building 3 in Fenglin Garden Community, a thin woman wearing a floral nightgown, her curly hair disheveled and covering most of her face, slippers on her feet, shuffled awkwardly along the wall to the entrance of Unit 2, bent down to pick up a white object, then quickly left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At 6:00 p.m. on the 21st, in a hotel in Yandu District, Yiling City, Ren Jiahe received a stranger’s call. He waited patiently for ten seconds before slowly pressing the answer button. Less than five seconds after the call connected, he shot up from the sofa, shouting: “What did you say?! Don’t joke like this!” Moments later, he collapsed as if his spine had been removed, sinking back onto the sofa, while a man’s voice still came from the phone: “Ren Jiahe, are you alright…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At 6:30 p.m., a taxi bearing Yiling license plates sped toward Zizhen City!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Criminal Investigation Division conference room of Jiangdong Branch, several veteran detectives had just shared their views on the death case. Though their opinions differed, nearly all believed Ge Manli was not killed by accident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng snorted. From his first impression at the scene that afternoon, he had suspected murder; he was somewhat relieved to see everyone shared the same conclusion. He glanced at Gao Jianjun, who smiled: “Your analysis is solid, Captain Gu. Take charge of the next steps. I want results as soon as possible!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After acknowledging, Gu Changzheng turned to the detectives in the room: “Guo Hao, Li Hai, check all surveillance footage from Fenglin Garden Community over the past week and every road leading into it—find every suspicious person. Gao Ye, take two men and visit Ge Manli’s workplace and all her social connections, including her husband’s. Yanzi, stay at headquarters, consolidate all incoming information, and notify me immediately if anything comes up. Understood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood!” With Gu Changzheng’s orders issued, everyone left to carry out their tasks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Fei was left standing there stunned—why wasn’t I assigned anything?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng glanced at the dazed Luo Fei: “What are you staring at? Come with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was now 9:40 p.m.—four hours had passed since the report was filed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Fei followed Gu Changzheng, who walked in silence, seemingly lost in thought. Luo Fei dared not interrupt. Soon, the two arrived at the second conference room at the end of the corridor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Fei stepped forward and pushed open the door. Inside sat a young man, thirty-five or thirty-six, wearing thin gold-rimmed glasses, looking scholarly but weary. Through the lenses, his eyes were red, as if he had just wept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Ren, sorry for keeping you waiting. I’m Gu Changzheng, head of the Criminal Investigation Division, Jiangdong Branch. This is Xiao Luo.” Gu Changzheng addressed the man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was Ren Jiahe, husband of the deceased Ge Manli and owner of Zizhen City Heli Trading Co., Ltd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Jiahe rose to his feet. Luo Fei noticed he was tall—around 180 cm—with a moderate build. On his left wrist was a watch with a leather strap; on his right ring finger, a simple gold band. His attire was clean and understated, yet clearly high-quality. A slight paunch matched his identity as a company boss. He extended his hand as he spoke: “No need to apologize, Captain Gu—thank you for taking on LiLi’s case…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he said Ge Manli’s name, he lowered his head, his voice cracking with sobs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Jiahe gave Luo Fei the impression of being genuinely decent—no trace of the typical businessman’s crassness or greed. He seemed more like a teacher or a government official.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng studied him with a knowing look. He was not good at offering comfort. He gave Ren Jiahe’s hand a light shake and said: “Mr. Ren, please accept our condolences. We’ve asked to meet you this late because we need to clarify a few details.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Jiahe steadied himself, sat down at the small conference table, removed his glasses, and wiped his eyes. “Captain Gu, ask whatever you need to know.” Luo Fei noticed his eyes were damp—he was still drowning in grief over his lost wife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng sat across from him. Once Ren Jiahe had put his glasses back on, Gu pulled out a cigarette and offered it. Ren shook his head: “Thank you, I don’t smoke. Please, go ahead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh! Not smoking’s good—healthy habit. Did your wife smoke?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.” Ren Jiahe adjusted his glasses, speaking calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? What about alcohol? Did she drink at home? Or have any tendency toward heavy drinking?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Jiahe hesitated: “Before we married, I knew she could drink a little. Her job sometimes required social drinking—it’s normal. But as for alcoholism? I don’t think so.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh. Your wife was very clean, right?” Gu Changzheng lit his own “Old White Strip,” took a deep drag, and soon the room filled with smoke. Ren Jiahe frowned slightly—clearly bothered by the smell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he still replied politely: “Yes, LiLi was extremely clean. She loved showers—even in winter, she bathed twice a day. In summer, even more. She cleaned the house daily. One speck of dust was unbearable. I teased her: thank goodness we live in a small apartment, or she’d exhaust herself cleaning every day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why didn’t you hire a maid?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Jiahe looked up at Gu Changzheng: “LiLi didn’t like strangers in the house. Her obsession with cleanliness made her dislike anyone else being around.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you rarely had visitors?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Since she disliked it, I went along. We always entertained friends outside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Based on your knowledge, did your wife have any enemies at work or in society? Any financial disputes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Jiahe froze. Then he exclaimed, agitated: “Captain Gu, what do you mean? Are you saying LiLi was murdered?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng did not answer immediately. He simply stared into Ren Jiahe’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Jiahe grew uneasy under the gaze of this battle-hardened detective. He spoke with slight irritation: “What’s the meaning of you staring at me like that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng smiled faintly: “Do you believe your wife died by accident?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Jiahe had calmed now. He spoke slowly: “I was only speculating. As for your earlier question—I can tell you clearly: LiLi had an excellent personality. From what I know, she was very popular at work. Though she was a top performer and her superiors had high expectations, she always gave newcomers opportunities. Everyone treated her kindly. Socially, after we married, I never saw her have many outside contacts. Her closest friend was Yang Liu from the city TV station.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Jiahe paused, thinking: “As for financial disputes? Even less likely. LiLi was laid-back. Her attitude toward money was simple: if you have more, use more; if you have less, use less. She had no real concept of money. I can’t imagine her having any financial conflict with anyone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did she contact you before the incident?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Around noon, I was at a business meeting. LiLi sent me a message saying she couldn’t avoid drinking at lunch, how annoying it was. I replied after dinner, but she didn’t respond. Then at 2:45 p.m., she called me back. She said she’d drunk a lot at lunch, danced, sweated heavily, and felt awful. Then her colleague Xiao Liu took her home. She also mentioned she’d meet Yang Liu later to go shopping.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled out his phone, pulled up the call log, and handed it to Gu Changzheng. Gu gestured for Luo Fei to take it. Luo nodded to Ren Jiahe, accepted the phone, examined it carefully, then watched as Ren showed him the messages he’d sent to Ge Manli.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Fei glanced at Gu Changzheng and gave a slight nod. Gu said: “Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Ren. That’s all for now. As for Ge Manli’s parents…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, I’ll handle it properly,” Ren Jiahe murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. But until we have a definitive conclusion, don’t inform her parents yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ren Jiahe adjusted his glasses and nodded: “Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a knock came at the door: “Dududu.” “Come in!” Gu Changzheng called out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door opened silently. Detective Wu Yan entered. She glanced at Ren Jiahe, then whispered a few words into Gu Changzheng’s ear.\u003C\u002Fp>",1391,"2026-06-20T19:35:30.807Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","15f3dbfbe9cd3e42302e6855df11812522c89ac29bf1eca19c189ae1e850b141","chasing-the-criminal-case-chapter-4","chasing-the-criminal-case-chapter-2",276,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchasing-the-criminal-case-cover.jpg"]