Chapter 173: Dog Food

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

After Xiang Wan heard all these, she seemed to understand something.

This was the exact reason why Ma Suying was upset over Jia An’s death.

If Zhou Dequan did not kill Jia An, his wife would not work with the police to help them catch her husband.

However, now that things had been settled and she really witnessed for herself—that Zhou Dequan was unfaithful and even wanted to kill her—why was she reluctant to talk now?

“Women are really complicated beings!”

“Why did you not say heartrending?” Xiang Wan remarked after Tang Yuanchu.

Tang Yuanchu was sitting beside Xiang Wan. He received a glare from Xiang Wan and tilted his head. “What’s heartrending about it?”

Xiang Wan paused for a while. “For marrying the wrong man and getting her life ruined.”

“…” Tang Yuanchu was confused.

He could not understand Xiang Wan’s thoughts about this matter. From the men’s angle, they see everything in a rational manner. However, Xiang Wan saw what they could not see—Ma Suying had a tough childhood. She gave her all for the sake of Zhou Dequan, yet she ended up like this. She really felt sympathy for her.

“This is not easy for Ma Suying. Nevertheless, Captain Bai, I feel that the breakthrough of this case lies in Ma Suying. Everything will be clear as long as she’s willing to open her mouth…”

“Hm.” Bai Muchuan nodded his head in approval. “The case is complicated and we have limited manpower. We need to focus our manpower on the key areas. Moreover, the Municipal Bureau attaches great importance to this case.”

Bai Muchuan’s tone suddenly sounded grave as he rubbed his temples. “Just this morning alone, the head of the Municipal Bureau already called twice to ask about the progress.”

Everyone fell silent.

It was a big deal that Zhou Dequan got arrested.

In order to catch Zhou Dequan, Bai Muchuan had to endure the pressure that had or would be coming at him.

If he opted for Zhou Dequan to commit a murder before he executed his rescue mission, it was not sure how the matter would have proceeded.

Of course, Bai Muchuan was not that unscrupulous. He had planned well that Zhou Dequan would show his true colors and save a life at the same time. Zhou Dequan could not deny the fact that he had tried to kill his own wife.

Nevertheless, as Ma Suying was his wife, the crime to be pinned on Zhou Dequan could also become family conflict, domestic violence… Ma Suying was still alive after all, so they could not be certain of how the outcome would be once the matter reached Prosecution and the court.

Everyone was clear that they had to grab ahold of more evidence. If they could not obtain more ironclad evidence against Zhou Dequan, not only would Zhou Dequan be able to leave the detention center with a smug, Bai Muchuan might jolly well be faced with some undesirable consequences…

Therefore, the mood was particularly heavy.

“Sigh! It was not easy to catch this big fish. Will we end up releasing this big fish?”

“Impossible.” Bai Muchuan squinted his eyes coldly as he grunted. “He’s already inside my net. He wants to come out? No way!”

Everyone felt amused by his words and the atmosphere got better.

“The strangling marks is considered strong evidence after all. Why can’t we charge him for murder with that evidence?”

“This is because he is Zhou Dequan,” said Bai Muchuan. He took a glance at Mei Xin who participated in the meeting and took out the autopsy report from a document envelope before him. He laid it on the table and showed to everyone. “There’s another important point—there’s a problem with Mao Guigui’s cause of death. “Cheng Zheng’s report on Mao Guigui’s head stated that she had died due to mechanical asphyxia and her head was only cut off by the chainsaw after death. But the video on Jia An’s phone overturns it…”

Pausing for a while, his gaze was cold and he puffed a soft sigh.

“If we just base on this evidence and hand over the case to the Prosecution, it will get revoked by the Prosecution due to inconsistency between the evidence and the autopsy report. They will think that there are insufficient evidence and request for additional investigation…”

Everyone fell silent.

It was not up to the police to decide whether a case should be prosecuted but by the Procuratorate. If there was insufficient evidence and no additional evidence was found after the additional investigation, the Procuratorate would consider that the case did not meet the requirements of prosecution. If so, Zhou Dequan would be released.

“Therefore, brothers, let’s buck up!” Bai Muchuan got up from his seat and looked deeply at everyone. “Meeting dismissed!”

All of them knew that Zhao Dequan was guilty.

If it was because of insufficient evidence and they let Zhao Dequan get away scot-free, they would be frustrated as well.

All these feelings were turned into motivation for work.

The detectives had stayed up last night, and after deducting some of them to go to rest, the remaining continued to work.

After the meeting, Bai Muchuan went back to his office. He was preparing to go to the hospital to visit Ma Suying.

Xiang Wan walked over softly. “Captain Bai, let me come along with you.” She volunteered.

“Oh?” Bai Muchuan raised an eyebrow. “Not writing your profiling analysis?”

“I can always write later.” Xiang Wan blinked her eyes mischievously. “Putting to practice is more meaningful than theory.”

“Hm.” Bai Muchuan agreed and asked Tang Yuanchu to drive the car over.

On the way to the hospital, he asked Xiang Wan, “Where’s the meaning in your learning when you’re not writing your novel anymore?”

When Xiang Wan first expressed her intention to come to the Criminal Investigation Unit, she had wanted to learn and accumulate experience for writing her novel. In the end, she stopped writing for days and there wasn’t any news that she wanted to start a new book, either. Now that Bai Muchuan asked her about it, she could only give a bitter laugh.

“I will write,” she replied, “it’s my dream and I won’t give up.”

“Your dream is to write a very popular novel?” The corners of Bai Muchuan’s mouth turned upward, forming a half-smile.

“Not only that.” Xiang Wan saw the mischievous glint in his eyes, but she gave a serious reply. “A human’s lifespan is too short. I want to leave something to prove that—I’ve been here.”

Bai Muchuan turned to look at her for a long time.

His gaze made Xiang Wan embarrassed. It was mainly because she got reminded of the fact that her book had not achieved fantastic results but had been struggling and plagued with problems.

She lowered her head. “Maybe my talent is unable to support my dream, but I will work hard…”

Bai Muchuan narrowed his eyes. “Why online novel?”

“Eh?” Xiang Wan looked at Bai Muchuan where she was dazed for a moment before she understood what he was trying to say.

She let out a chuckle, stretched her arms, and lied on the seat lazily. “Online novels is the only platform that I can go to. Ever since the ancient times till now, only words could leave a profound and long-term footprint…”

“If you want to be remembered, ” smiled Bai Muchuan, “you can choose to have a baby.”

“…”

Xiang Wan was taken aback.

She looked at him, at a loss of words.

“Children are your heritage, they are traces of your presence. Such a footprint is even more profound and long-term that it can last till the extinction of the human race…”

“Stop!” Xiang Wan rolled her eyes. Then all of a sudden, she laughed. “Let’s not talk about such a serious topic. If this continues, I’m going to suspect that you’re being transferred from the Municipal of Family Planning and Population Growth…”

“Xiang Wan, my dream is different from yours.” Bai Muchuan suddenly changed topic.

“What?” Xiang Wan was dazed for a second before she chuckled. “What is your dream then? Don’t tell me that it’s world peace?”

“The society doctor,” he said.

“…” The society doctor? What is that?

“This society is sick. I need to cure it.”

“…”

After holding on for several seconds, Xiang Wan burst into laughter.

“Your Excellency has a lofty and noble dream! Hats off to you.”

Bai Muchuan gave her a glare, not saying a word whereas Tang Yuanchu, who was driving, laughed.

“My dream is even better. My dream is to wish that all my wishes will come true. Boring, right?”

“Not really!” Xiang Wan joked with him. “Our online celebrity Detective Tang’s dream is most practical!”

“Of course… I’m so young after all, it’s normal that I’m different from both of you.”

“… Ouch, that hurts, alright?”

Xiang Wan and Tang Yuanchu chatted, but Bai Muchuan never responded. When she turned to look at him, his eyes were closed, and his breathing were regular. It seemed that he had dozed off in the car…

“Shush!” Xiang Wan moved Bai Muchuan’s hand toward him and shook her head at Tang Yuanchu.

“Got it.” Tang Yuanchu understood, but the next moment, he lowered his voice. “Captain Bai’s worn out!” He muttered, “Last night, all of us took turns to nap for a while. He’s the only one who’s as stubborn as a mule…”

If Bai Muchuan was awake, Tang Yuanchu would never have said that.

Xiang Wan wanted to laugh, but at the same time, she felt heartache for Bai Muchuan as well.

After a short silence, she asked, “Is he always like this?”

Tang Yuanchu: “Yeah, about the same. He’s already like this when he got transferred to Hongjiang District. Everyone’s used to it. I heard from the rest that Captain Bai’s from a wealthy family and seemed to be rather influential. Back then, everyone cannot understand why he didn’t choose to stay in the capital and enjoy his life but come to Jin City and work his *ss off in solving cases all the time?

He took a look at Xiang Wan from the rear view mirror. “Teacher Xiang, you’re so close to Captain Bai. Do you know why?”

This rascal is sharp , Xiang Wan thought.

Tang Yuanchu had already deduced for himself that both of them were now a couple.

Xiang Wan did not deny nor admit. “I didn’t know you’re more talkative than Little Liu!”

“Don’t criticize me!” Tang Yuanchu laughed. “Brother Huang used to teach me that I have to be curious when working as a detective. Only when I’m curious will I have the determination and resilience to continue searching for the truth. If I’m not curious with anything, then I shouldn’t be a detective, just be an ordinary worker instead.”

Pffft! Sounds so reasonable!

…

At this hour, the traffic in Jin City was a little congested.

As the car drove slowly along the congested road, even Xiang Wan almost fell asleep.

She tried to lift up her half-closed eyelids but failed even after several attempts. Gradually, she closed her eyes…

Silence.

There was no sound in the car.

Xiang Wan could not resist the feeling and had fallen asleep. Her hair was a little messy, her eyebrows were furrowed, and her heavy head was disobedient as she unconsciously rested on Bai Muchuan’s shoulder. Her fair, delicate face was covered by her black hair, like a blooming magnolia: exquisite and pretty…

When the soft body rested on Bai Muchuan, it awakened him.

He slowly opened his eyes and peered at the woman who was asleep and resting on him.

Sigh! He sighed inside his heart. He tried to move her by moving a hand behind her back to her shoulder, and adjusted her face so she could rest comfortably in his arms. Next, he stopped moving. After she stopped furrowing her eyebrows, he stroked her hair gently. “Pig!”

After that, he still felt it was not enough.

He stroked her face this time and then moved his hand down to her waist and held her protectively.

“…”

Tang Yuanchu noticed and saw all that. He wished the ground would swallow him up.

“Captain Bai, look at me… am I a corpse in your eyes?”

“Shut up!” Bai Muchuan looked at him. “Concentrate on driving the car.”

“…” Tang Yuanchu complained, “You offered me too much dog food 1 . I’m worried that I might get indigestion…”

Bai Muchuan couldn’t be bothered with him. He rested his chin on Xiang Wan’s head and closed his eyes comfortably.

“If you don’t want to die of indigestion, just shut up.”

“…”

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