Having said that, Robert added an explanation for the earlier matter: "So Harry and I really were looking at those websites just to solve the case."
"Get lost!" Dean snapped, grabbing the documents from Robert’s hands. "Such important information, and you didn’t mention it sooner?"
Robert looked aggrieved. "Sophie offended too many people. It’s unlikely Yang Di’s family would kill someone over such a trivial matter."
"Then you don’t understand the significance of chastity for Chinese girls!"
At this point, the social atmosphere in China was far less open than in Dean’s previous life! This meant Yang Di might have harbored murderous intent towards Sophie.
Dean cursed Robert and quickly flipped through the documents. Soon, he was lost in thought.
Yang Di majored in pharmaceutics and was an outstanding student, the kind who could earn scholarships. She rarely interacted with her classmates, spending most of her time in the library. She wanted to graduate and then get into medical school for her postgraduate studies, and she had always been working hard toward that goal. This was the current reality for most impoverished international students. They were far more diligent, hardworking, and ambitious than the Americans here, hoping to seize any opportunity to advance their social class. In this subpar university, an average student might just be coasting through life, but Yang Di was different. This school could very well be just a stepping stone for her. She was someone who, through her own efforts, could truly master a vast amount of complex medical knowledge and successfully gain admission to a medical graduate program at a less prestigious university. So, Yang Di might already be well-versed in human anatomy and possess exquisite dissection skills, not to mention her background in pharmaceutics...
Furthermore, after the incident, she had taken a long leave of absence, giving her ample time to commit the crime. The original victim, Yang Di, had suddenly become the most likely suspect in his mind.
Beyond that, the information about Yang Di included a special note from Arlene at the station: the person who pressured Yang Di on the school’s behalf was Sophie’s pharmaceutics professor. He had taken the initiative to threaten Yang Di verbally. This made Dean suspect the professor could have been one of Sophie’s lovers and might have settled this matter for her through some sort of transaction. This professor also became a suspect. He was connected to Sophie and possessed medical knowledge, making him capable of what Sophie had experienced before her death.
Dean set the documents down and rubbed his forehead.
Sophie’s death had been brutal. There was a high probability the murderer had irreconcilable differences with her and hated her intensely. This should have been a good clue: someone with a major grievance against Sophie who was also versed in dissection and pharmaceutics. That should make it easy to narrow down the suspects. But pitiable people often have their own detestable aspects. Sophie had suffered misfortune, then gave up on herself, became a collector of lovers, and even an accomplice to that group of men. Consequently, many people resented her. The only good news was that not many people had the ability to cleanly sever Sophie’s spinal cord and precisely prepare the drugs. He had three suspects in mind, each fitting a potential profile.
Dean gestured to Harry and Robert. After whispering a few words to them, he drove to the victim Yang Di’s home.
Yang Di’s parents were undocumented workers who had come to the United States years ago. Because of this, Yang Di had only been able to afford to study here after graduating from high school. However, the place they lived was not good. While not the typical apartment for undocumented workers, it was still in a neighborhood with a high crime rate.
Following the address, Dean drove for over half an hour before arriving at the small house Yang Di’s family rented. He knocked on the door.
A moment later, the door cracked open, revealing an unexpected face.
He recognized her. The girl, however, didn’t recognize Dean and asked in confusion, "Who are you looking for?"
Dean pointed to the camera above his head. "I thought you’d use the intercom to confirm my identity before opening the door."
The girl, who looked like a middle schooler, said apologetically, "The intercom inside is broken. Besides, you don’t look like a bad person, so I..."
Suddenly, she stopped, looking at Dean with surprise. After scrutinizing him, she asked hesitantly, "Mr. Dean?"
Dean blinked. "I’m glad you recognized me, Camille."
The girl who opened the door was none other than Camille (Lucky Coin). She had unexpectedly appeared at Yang Di’s home.