Investigation
Shen Yin raised her eyebrows. “So you suspect premeditated murder?”
“It’s just a suspicion. We still need you to do an autopsy.” The man in the white shirt smiled politely. His smile was warm, and the carefully trimmed beard around his mouth made him look mature and charming. “Hello, Dr. Shen. I’m Bai Xiao.”
Shen Yin nodded politely in greeting and turned to look at Wu Zheng seriously. “I’ll go to the morgue now to prepare for the autopsy.”
“I’m afraid you can’t do that now.” Bai Xiao smiled apologetically. “The deceased’s family hasn’t agreed to allow us to perform an autopsy. The corpse is still in the hospital’s morgue. We’ll have to trouble Dr. Shen to work on the family so that we can bring the corpse back to the division.”
“I understand.” Shen Yin sighed. They often encountered such family members in their line of work. Some, due to a stubborn belief in the old ways, thought that damaging the body showed disrespect to the dead. Some could not bear to disturb the peace of their loved ones after death, and make them suffer so greatly.
Wu Zheng greatly admired Shen Yin’s businesslike and no-nonsense work attitude.
He glanced at the other men who peeked at Shen Yin from time to time. He frowned in displeasure. “Meng Heng, go with Dr. Shen to the deceased’s house. Zou Sheng and Bai Xiao, investigate the deceased’s interpersonal relationships.”
“Yes!” The few of them chorused in unison after receiving their orders. They did not dare to allow their thoughts to wander.
Shen Yin smiled and went with Meng Heng. Captain Wu’s swift and decisive style of handling cases would save her a lot of trouble.
When she was overseas, be it when she was studying forensic science or when she had joined the police force as a forensic pathologist, many men frequently made advances towards her. However, she had long given up hope on romantic relationships. She only hoped that Nian Nian could grow up in peace.
Wen Wen’s home was in the old city district. Trash was piled up on both sides of the dilapidated stairs. Flies darted among the piles, clearly treating this place as their playground.
Meng Heng knocked on the door of the innermost apartment on the fourth floor. The wooden door creaked open softly, then a woman opened the heavy metal gate.
The woman’s eyes were red and swollen, and there were tears on her cheeks.
She recognized Meng Heng and sighed, but showed no sign of inviting them in. “Officer Meng, go back. We will never consent to letting you dissect Wen Wen.”
“Auntie, I’m the new chief forensic pathologist of the division. My name is Shen Yin. You said that your daughter was frightened into having a heart attack, and I would like to learn the details from you. Is it convenient to let us in?”
The woman looked down hesitantly. “But…”
Shen Yin was no longer as gentle as before. Her expression was stern as she said firmly, “No matter what, since the case is in our hands, we must know all about Wen Wen’s death. Please cooperate.”
The woman sighed and finally relented. “Come on in.”
The house was sparsely furnished. A few pieces of old furniture filled the living room. Shen Yin’s gaze wandered casually around until it rested on a closed door.
There was still a pink lanyard hanging from the top of the door. Tied to it a sign that was currently in vogue. The words “Little Fairy’s Room” were engraved on the sign. It was cute and interesting.
“Actually, Wen Wen started acting oddly two months ago.” The woman poured them each a cup of tea and said slowly, “Wen Wen was a very introverted child who seldom went out with friends, but around two months ago, Wen Wen often came home late. Every time I questioned her, she would say that she was working overtime.”
The woman sighed and went on. “At first, I didn’t pay much attention, but later, Wen Wen looked worse and worse. One time, Wen Wen actually came home splattered with chicken blood that someone had splashed on her. I was shocked when I saw her return home covered in blood. I thought she was hurt. But no matter how I questioned her, she refused to say who did it.”
“Did she mention her relationship with her colleagues, or did she have any close friends?” Meng Heng asked as he took notes.
The woman shook her head, guilty tears streaming down her face. “No. Wen Wen never told me about work matters. I blame myself for showing so little concern for Wen Wen.”
Shen Yin handed her a tissue reassuringly. “Then what made you say that her heart attack was caused by fright?”
“Because the night before I sent Wen Wen to the hospital, she suddenly ran home in a panic. The moment she got home, she started packing frantically. I’d never seen her like that before. I kept asking her what had happened.” The woman’s eyes widened in horror. “She said someone was trying to kill her!”