Chapter 249: It’s You
Mo Yi and Jiang Yao nodded with satisfaction as they looked at Qiao Qing. She still has the family in her heart or else she wouldn’t have said those things.
Looks like she has really reflected on her mistakes. Mo Yi smiled at Qiao Qing. He and his wife truly had raised a pair of wonderful daughters.
Mo Yi turned to Jiang Yao. “You should go and bring the girls shopping this week. I’ve seen the dresses from the latest season, I’m sure the girls will like them.”
“That’s a good idea.” Jiang Yao agreed readily. Qiao Qing nodded. Mo Li though was lost in her thought. Jiang Yao asked again, “Li Li, what do you think?”
“Hmm? Dresses? You mean the salad dressing? It’s okay.” Mo Li replied when she was called.
“Child, what are you talking about? Ha ha.” As her family continued with their conversation, Mo Li’s mind drifted off again. What is Flower Appraisal? All their killing methods have this ritualistic flavor to them, why is that?
…
“I couldn’t believe Mo Li is going to appear in Director Tang’s movie!”
“If you ask me, the Mo Family must have invested in the movie, it’s the only reason she’s cast.”
“Mo Li looks good in person, she’d look good on camera too.”
“If you have her team of people, you’d look prettier than her!”
“Just ignore her. I know jealousy when I see it.”
Huan Yu had made a big announcement this time. They had made it clear that the movie was going to be for the Lunar New Year. The school thought having a celebrity student would be good for the school image so they allowed Mo Li to take a prolonged break. The condition was that she had to attend all the important exams and that her results wouldn’t slide.
Xiao Rui was annoyed as Mo Li walked out from school. If not for Mo Li, they would be at the crime scene already.
Kang Zhi inside the car hummed along to the song from the stereo. Si Lin who sat beside him groused, “Why are you so happy?”
At that moment, Mo Li and Xiao Rui got into the car.
“Actually boss, I notice that this case doesn’t belong under our jurisdiction, isn’t that right?” Kang Zhi asked Xiao Rui who picked up the case file with a serious expression.
“Yes,” was all Xiao Rui replied.
“If that’s the case, why are we handling this case… This doesn’t sound like the style of our chief at all.”
“Why don’t you ask the chief yourself?” Si Lin sighed. Why does he spend time on meaningless things like this?
Xiao Rui put away the case file and looked at Kang Zhi through the rearview mirror. “I already asked the chief about it. To quote, ‘protecting the public safety is the responsibility of the police, it shouldn’t be limited to jurisdictions’.”
Mo Li noticed that all three police officers’ expression turn curious.
“I could imagine any other chief saying that but Chief Li?”
Mo Li grabbed the files from Xiao Rui. She had already conducted the autopsy. The man died from Dian Tian Deng. There was no poison or other wounds unrelated to the burns on the man’s body. There was something weird, and that was the oxygen level inside the body was unusually high.
“Homicides happen daily but this kind of death is highly unusual. Why would they purposely murder people in this fashion?” Mo Li scratched her chin as she asked herself. Xiao Rui glanced at Mo Li and remembered the death portrait Flower Appraisal had prepared for them. Xiao Rui was able to stay at his position for so many years because he knew which cases to stay away from. He wouldn’t touch any cases related to gangs or strange religions. If not for Chief Li’s insistence, he wouldn’t take this case either.
“Xiao Kang, has you checked the GPS? How long more before we reach the crime scene?”
Kang Zhi answered in his usual optimistic way, “We’re going to arrive soon, boss! I know this place well because I often visit a steamboat shop here. I know all the shortcuts, so leave it to me!”
Soon they arrived at White Pine building centre. There were people waiting for them. “You must be Captain Xiao. I’m Yu Si, the officer responsible for this jurisdiction. My chief has already told me that you’d be handling this case. Thank you.”
Yu Si shook Xiao Rui’s hands. They exchanged some pleasantries before getting to the point. Yu Si introduced, “This is the victim’s secretary, Yu Xuan. She will do her best to cooperate with you. If you have any problem, feel free to contact me.”
“Sirs and madams, I am… am President Dong’s secretary. I promise to tell you everything I know.” The woman was nervous. She looked at Xiao Rui and said seriously.
Kang Zhi studied the woman’s face and then he gasped in surprised. “Wait, it’s you!”