Street Hustler and His Policewoman Wife

Chapter 347: This Divination Reverses Heaven and Earth!

"199...1 year!"

When she said this year,

Pan Huiping paused for a moment.

This pause made Chen Xiao’s mouth involuntarily curl up slightly:

"Captain Pan is quite sensitive about this year, huh?"

In Liang Yan’s introduction, Pan Huiping was a detective no less skilled than Zhang Xian.

So, it was impossible for Pan Huiping to find nothing in this case.

And her pause precisely told Chen Xiao that she thought there was something wrong with this year.

"Indeed, after my investigation of the dean, I found his death rather inexplicable. He didn’t have any underlying health issues, wasn’t very old, and didn’t experience any accidents, yet died suddenly overnight without reason."

Chen Xiao didn’t reply immediately, and after pondering for a while, he said: "By then Hai City had already implemented cremation long before, so his body..."

Before finishing, Pan Huiping responded: "No, he wasn’t from Hai City, but he had worked there for a long time as an elderly person. After his death, his family took him back to his hometown for burial. Back then in their hometown, it was an earth burial."

"The reason I haven’t sent anyone yet is because before conducting an autopsy, we must present something convincing."

At this moment, Chen Xiao also secretly praised Pan Huiping.

The latter was a detective with comprehensive thinking, and her approach wasn’t radical, rather quite seasoned.

No wonder, despite not being very old, she managed to firmly hold onto the position of Captain of the Criminal Police Team at the Celestial Valley District Branch!

Chen Xiao didn’t like digging up graves either, especially ones that had been buried for over a decade, those should definitely not be disturbed.

Seeing him silent again, Pan Huiping began to share her thoughts on the case:

"I’ve been investigating this case for seven days, and the higher-ups have given me a deadline to at least achieve a major breakthrough within ten days! Initially, I was full of confidence, but now I admit I am somewhat frustrated. Other than doubt over the dean’s death, I haven’t discovered anything else."

Chen Xiao just nodded and stayed silent.

But his mind was racing.

"The case has been clearly understood; the file content is actually quite detailed."

"Yet whether it’s Captain Pan’s explanation or the records in the case file, it always seems empty to me."

"Where lies this emptiness?"

"It should be in the lack of focus!"

"Where is the focus of the case?"

"In the motive, in the grudges and affections within the entire case, which essentially is the motive!"

"Qiu Tingfang was forced to bow countless times in front of a cenotaph, so who was buried in that cenotaph?"

"Could it be her biological father?"

"Moreover, after strangling her to death, the killer stripped off her clothes and posed her leaning against two branches."

"What significance does this behavior have? Why strip her clothes?"

Thinking of this, Chen Xiao looked at Pan Huiping: "What was Qiu Tingfang wearing before she went missing?"

"A dress, a pair of high heels. Both were designer brands, quite valuable. But we only found the imprint of her heels at the edge of the forest, and saw nothing after that. I initially guessed, maybe the forest had too many accumulated dead leaves making it difficult to walk in heels, so she walked barefoot at the time."

Chen Xiao: "Qiu Tingfang returned to the country seeking her kin, after making quite a scene with her search, she was killed. Her death very likely relates to her quest for family. But I can’t figure out why seeking family would lead someone to want her dead?"

Chen Xiao inquired.

Pan Huiping stood up and took out a photo from a document bag.

"This is an old photo, it’s a group photo taken that year at the welfare institute; take a look... at who Qiu Tingfang was looking at."

As Pan Huiping spoke, she placed the photo in front of Chen Xiao.

Xiaoji also leaned in to take a look.

As soon as Chen Xiao took a glance, doubt appeared in his eyes.

Following Pan Huiting’s finger, he could immediately pinpoint which one was six-year-old Qiu Tingfang.

In the photo, she stood on the far left of the second row.

Sporting two pigtails, wearing a red woolen sweater.

But her face wasn’t facing the camera head-on; instead, she was looking to her left.

"Brother Chen, isn’t this gaze odd? For photos, most people look towards the camera. Why is she glancing aside?"

Xiaoji spoke first, Chen Xiao nodded: "It’s a bit strange. Analyze it some more."

Xiaoji thought for a moment and quickly said: "Her gaze suggests to me she’s looking at another person."

"But she’s already standing far left, her gaze is directed where there’s nobody." Chen Xiao said.

Xiaoji: "Could she be looking at a staff member of the welfare institute?"

"If she’s looking at a staff member then the photo doesn’t hold much discussion value. She’s an orphan, a newly arrived one at the institute. Unfamiliar with the environment, feeling timid, and seeking someone she trusts with her gaze is quite normal."

Chen Xiao mentioned, implying there should be a different possibility to uncover from this photo which Pan Huiping singled out.

Xiaoji furrowed his brows, but Chen Xiao had already turned to Pan Huiping:

"How does Captain Pan interpret Qiu Tingfang’s actions in the photo?"

Pan Huiping replied: "My first thought was similar to your friend’s. I believe most would react similarly initially. But after verifying the staff from back then, I confirmed there was nobody in that direction."

"Then, I pondered if there was something amiss at the spot she was looking at. Later, upon inquiry, I found out that direction led to a door, outside of which was the dean’s office!"

"Pointing towards the dean again?" Chen Xiao instinctively said, to which Pan Huiping nodded:

"Yes, but just this isn’t convincing enough."

Chen Xiao understood her implication.

Yet he couldn’t think of how to further extend the special aspect of Qiu Tingfang in the photo.

As silence descended in the meeting room following his quietness, it grew even quieter.

Liu Dayou was still staring at the few copper coins on the table in a daze, as if the copper coins before him were part of a tremendously difficult math problem.

Watching Liu Dayou, Chen Xiao couldn’t help but suggest: "Do you need some scratch paper? Maybe writing it down might feel better?"

Liu Dayou shook his head: "No need, my brain’s calculating rapidly, I’m determined to crack this!"

Liu Dayou was quite resilient, Chen Xiao didn’t bother saying any more but looked towards Xiaoji.

Seeing Xiaoji also staring at a completely vacant area like Qiu Tingfang in the photo, but his direction was towards the window.

Following Xiaoji’s gaze, Chen Xiao matched it with the geographic setting in his mind.

Suddenly, Xiaoji remarked: "Brother Chen, do you think she might have been looking at her hometown Sanshui Town’s direction?"

Saying this, Xiaoji didn’t wait for Chen Xiao to respond but continued hurriedly: "How far is the welfare institute from Sanshui Town? Both are in Hai City, though not in the same district, but if she stated she was from Sanshui Town, didn’t the welfare institute at the time attempt to find her relatives?"

Xiaoji’s questions made Chen Xiao and Pan Huiping’s eyes light up.

However, just lighting up slightly.

Since both he and Pan Huiping knew, the distance was indeed far.

Furthermore, the welfare institute did attempt searching for her kin, though not recorded in the case file, Zhang Xian had informed Chen Xiao before his arrival.

What they lit up to was the acknowledgement of Xiaoji’s thought process, that’s all.

Still, Xiaoji’s answer instantly sparked Chen Xiao’s imagination.

"Xiaoji mentioned she’s watching her hometown’s direction, implying Xiaoji believes she’s missing her family."

"But in the photo, Qiu Tingfang’s gaze doesn’t seem distant gazing, more like slightly lowered as if watching something near."

"Could she be thinking about having someone standing right beside her! Although that person isn’t there, she hopes they could also be in this group photo with her?"

Chen Xiao shared his thoughts inwardly.

Pan Huiping instantly mulled over the rationality of his words.

Yet, Liu Dayou abruptly exclaimed: "Whoa, I figured it out, this divination suggests... stealing the sky and swapping the sun!"