Chapter 186: Only Her IQ Meets the Criteria

The next day.

Yu Dazhang had just finished lunch when he received a call from Liu Qi.

"I just left the airport and I'm about to drive into the city. Let's pick a place to meet."

From the noise coming through the phone, one could tell Liu Qi was in a noisy environment.

Yu Dazhang answered casually:

"I'm fine with anything. If you're in a hurry, we can talk in the car."

The other end of the line didn't respond immediately, as if considering where to go.

Two seconds later, Liu Qi's voice came through again:

"How about this—I know a teahouse, quiet environment, very suitable for discussing business. I'll send you the address shortly."

"Sure." Yu Dazhang replied briefly and hung up.

He returned to the detachment.

He tidied his desk briefly, then put the small notebook into his bag, and only then left the branch bureau.

Can a police officer go to someone's door alone to investigate?

Of course.

As long as one presents the appropriate credentials while on duty and conducts questioning and inspection according to law, going alone to investigate is legal.

Criminal investigators cannot enforce the law independently.

And investigation and law enforcement are two entirely different concepts.

Put it this way—Yu Dazhang going alone to meet Liu Qi in person to understand the situation is fine, but he cannot bring Liu Qi back.

Since he had plenty of time, he wasn't in any rush.

Driving from the airport to Hongkou District took over forty minutes; even if he rode a bicycle, he could arrive before Liu Qi.

Sitting in the car waiting for a while, he ran through Liu Qi's file in his mind, then organized the points he wanted to clarify.

Liu Qi is different from Liu Siyuan. Being able to serve as Senior Vice President at Zhengyang Group shows she has real ability.

Liu Zhengyang has been dead for over a year now. If she had risen to her position by relying on her father, the shareholders would have squeezed her out of the company long ago.

After about twenty minutes, he finally started the car and headed to the meeting place.

Arriving at the teahouse.

Guided by a staff member, Yu Dazhang walked down a corridor and into a private room.

Another five minutes passed, and Liu Qi walked in as well.

She was dressed in business attire—a black short skirt paired with black stockings, high heels on her feet, hair cascading over her shoulders.

A delicate oval face with light makeup, looking capable yet not lacking in sexiness; every gesture carried the unique charm of a mature woman.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." She extended her hand and gave Yu Dazhang a light handshake, smiling:

"There was a bit of traffic when I left the airport, so I was delayed a few minutes."

Just the right measure... Yu Dazhang returned a polite smile:

"I just got here too."

This shows the gap.

From the file, Liu Qi is only two years older than Liu Siyuan, but in dealing with people, she is immeasurably more shrewd.

Just upon meeting her, Yu Dazhang felt a refreshing, spring-breeze-like aura from her, making one unconsciously relaxed and at ease.

This isn't something one can deliberately put on—it's the temperament and cultivation accumulated over years in the business world.

Once they were both seated, Liu Qi ordered a pot of tea and two plates of dried fruit—she clearly frequented such places.

"When we spoke yesterday, I forgot to ask—may I have your surname, Officer?" Liu Qi asked with a smile.

Yu Dazhang immediately gave his name, looking a bit reserved.

"Officer Yu looks very young for his age." Liu Qi sat upright in her chair and commented unhurriedly:

"Being able to hold a post in the criminal investigation unit at this age shows you're very capable."

Hearing this, Yu Dazhang's face showed no change, still wearing that reserved look:

"I haven't been in the criminal investigation unit long—just an ordinary detective at present."

"A rookie can investigate a homicide case on his own?" The smile vanished from Liu Qi's face, her tone full of distrust: "Your branch bureau's leaders sent you here to pacify me, didn't they."

From the moment she entered the room, Liu Qi had seized the dominant position in just three sentences.

It was clearly Yu Dazhang who came to her to gather information, yet now he was the one being lectured.

"It seems you've already determined your father's death was a homicide."

Yu Dazhang suddenly shifted his tone; the earlier reserve vanished, his gaze like a blade pressing straight into Liu Qi's eyes:

"Neither the detectives nor the forensic examiner can determine that Liu Zhengyang was murdered—so how is it that you've determined it?"

"May I take this to mean you already knew who killed Liu Zhengyang?"

The implication of his words was very clear.

He was just short of reading out Liu Qi's ID number directly.

From the moment he saw her, Yu Dazhang had decided to try to trick her.

He had already met both Liu Siyuan and the butler.

Not a single error—not a single word off, not a single detail out of place!

In his view, those two simply didn't seem like people capable of laying out a scheme.

Whether in experience or in IQ, the two of them combined couldn't compare to the Liu Qi before him.

Someone who once studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge—her IQ hardly needs further explanation.

Moreover, Liu Qi didn't get in through family money; she got in entirely on her own merit.

Adding to this meeting, the dominance and control the other party displayed gave Yu Dazhang a new understanding of her intelligence.

"What do you mean by this?"

Liu Qi was stunned by Yu Dazhang's sudden shift, but immediately retorted:

"I reported the case in the first place because I was certain my father was murdered."

"If I had known who the killer was, I would have identified them long ago; would there have been any need for you to investigate?"

"Officer Yu, have you watched too many detective movies, making you see everyone as a suspect?"

Fluent expression, firm gaze, sharp words... Yu Dazhang stared intently at her facial expression, missing not a single subtle change.

No superfluous expressions, no superfluous movements in her body.

She was not lying.

Her reaction showed nothing abnormal, not at all like someone hiding something or feeling guilty.

"You misunderstood."

Yu Dazhang once again showed a kind smile and patiently explained to the other party:

"I did not say you are the killer; what I mean is, do you have any suspects?"

Hearing this, Liu Qi did not continue to argue, but simply shook her head lightly:

"No, I really cannot think of anyone who would do such a thing."

"As far as I recall, my father had no enemies, and was usually gentle in his dealings with others; after falling ill, he hardly ever argued with anyone."

Then, she paused slightly, and then said slowly:

"But, before he died, my father seriously told me that if he suddenly died of a heart attack, it must have been murder."

Yu Dazhang had seen this sentence in the case file.

When Liu Qi reported the case and gave her statement, she had said similar words many times.

"Didn't you ask him at the time why he had such a premonition?" Yu Dazhang asked, looking at her.

"Of course I did," Liu Qi replied:

"But my father didn't tell me the specific reason, so I didn't take it seriously; who knew that half a month later, something really happened."

She spoke these words as if reciting a lesson, with no process of thought at all.

But Yu Dazhang frowned.

Such illogical words, coming from Liu Qi's mouth, were spoken as easily and naturally as if talking about someone else's affair.

(End of this chapter)