dtnovels Chapter 75 The Late-Night Visitor: Gao Yuliang's Last Fig Leaf
Chapter 75 The Late-Night Visitor: Gao Yuliang's Last Fig Leaf
The light was still on in the director's office on the top floor of the Jingzhou Public Security Bureau building.
The clock on the wall pointed to one o'clock in the morning.
Qi Tongwei leaned back in his leather boss's chair, rubbing his throbbing temples. He had just forcibly sent Ye Cunxin back to the Jingzhou Hotel, saying she needed to adjust to the time difference, but really he was afraid that this little devil would cause some trouble in the middle of the night.
This girl brought more than just a commendation order; she brought Old Master Ye's attitude. This fire has burned brightly, but it has also cornered some people.
"Knock knock".
There was a knock on the office door.
Zhao Donglai pushed the door open and came in with a strange expression, as if he had seen something incomprehensible.
"Director Qi, someone's looking for you." Zhao Donglai lowered his voice and pointed downstairs, "In the reception room."
"Who?" Qi Tongwei picked up his teacup and took a sip. In the middle of the night, who would come to the police station except for a ghost?
"Wu Huifen," Zhao Donglai uttered a name, "the wife of Secretary Gao Yuliang, Professor Wu from our Handong University."
Qi Tongwei's hand, holding the teacup, froze in mid-air.
Wu Huifen?
This point?
"Is she alone?"
"She came alone, without a driver, by taxi," Zhao Donglai said. "And... she looked terrible, not like a professor at all. I almost didn't recognize her. She said something terrible had happened at home and she absolutely had to see you, and that it had to be kept completely secret."
Qi Tongwei put down his teacup and tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table.
interesting.
What is Gao Yuliang up to?
"Lead the way." Qi Tongwei stood up, straightened his collar, and said, "Let's go see this teacher's wife."
In the small reception room on the first floor, only a dim wall lamp was on.
Wu Huifen sat on the sofa in the corner, her hands tightly gripping the black handbag, her knuckles turning white from the force.
Hearing footsteps, she looked up abruptly. Her eyes, which usually held an intellectual smile, were now bloodshot and puffy, as if she had just been crying.
When Qi Tongwei pushed open the door, his heart skipped a beat.
This history professor, who was once a shining star at Handong University, now looks like a frightened bird.
She wore a beige cashmere coat over a purple silk nightgown. One button on the coat was fastened incorrectly, making it look crooked. Her usually meticulously styled updo was now disheveled, with a few stray strands clinging to her pale cheeks.
Despite her disheveled appearance, her mature figure was still faintly visible beneath her coat. Her sitting posture caused the hem of her nightgown to ride up slightly, revealing a section of her calves clad in flesh-colored stockings, their lines still firm and rounded, exuding a charm that had been refined over the years.
But this elegance was now torn to shreds by fear.
"Teacher's wife," Qi Tongwei called out, his tone flat and devoid of much emotion, "What happened so late?"
"Tongwei..."
When Wu Huifen saw Qi Tongwei, it was like seeing a lifeline. She suddenly stood up and was about to rush over, but after taking two steps, she seemed to remember something and stopped abruptly, tears welling up in her eyes instantly.
"Tongwei, you have to save Lao Gao... save our family..." Wu Huifen's voice trembled, on the verge of tears, "We can't live like this anymore! We really can't live like this!"
Qi Tongwei didn't move, but simply pointed to the sofa: "Sit down and talk. This is the police station, it's very safe."
He gave Zhao Donglai a wink, and Zhao Donglai understood, went out, closed the door, and stood guard at the entrance.
Wu Huifen sat back down, trembling, and hurriedly opened the black handbag.
"Look...look at these..."
She dumped a bunch of things onto the coffee table.
Several threatening letters pieced together from newspaper clippings, and a few developed photos.
The photo clearly shows a skinned, dead rat lying in front of Gao Yuliang's villa, bloody and disgusting. Another photo shows a broken window in the villa.
Qi Tongwei picked up the letters.
The letter was simple and blunt:
[Gao Yuliang, shut your mouth, or this will be the fate of your whole family!]
Keep an eye on your wife, or you might get into a car accident!
The text was cut out and pasted from the headlines of different newspapers, a typical Hong Kong gangster movie setup.
"This is the third time this week!" Wu Huifen cried, covering her face. "Old Gao wouldn't let me call the police, saying it would have repercussions, that a clear conscience fears no accusation. But tonight... tonight someone threw a blood-stained brick into the yard! Tongwei, I'm really scared! Old Gao has been locking himself in his study all day and won't say a word. I'm afraid he's offended some ruthless criminal outside..."
Qi Tongwei looked at the woman in front of him, who was crying her eyes out, but his heart was as calm as a stagnant pool.
If it were in his previous life, seeing his teacher's wife being bullied like this, Qi Tongwei would have already grabbed a gun and fought to the death.
But now?
He picked up the threatening letter, brought it to his nose, and smelled it.
A very faint scent of ink, mixed with a unique plant fragrance.
That's the smell of pine needles.
Gao Yuliang loves growing bonsai, especially the variety called "five-needle pine," which he prunes himself every day. That feeling has seeped into his very being, and even into every sheet of paper in his study.
[Skill Trigger: Conan-Level Perfect Crime Scene Reconstruction (Trace Evidence)]
[Analysis results: The letter paper has minor indentations along the edge, consistent with the texture of the handle of "German Red Ring" brand scissors. The glue is "Deli" brand office glue, but a 0.3 cm long pine needle fragment is found embedded in the glued area.]
[Conclusion: The location where this letter was made is highly likely to be Gao Yuliang's study.]
Qi Tongwei put down the letter, looked at Wu Huifen who was still wiping away tears, and couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
Teacher Gao, oh Teacher Gao.
Are you so desperate that you're resorting to self-harm?
Using such despicable means to scare himself and then get his wife to report him to the police station.
What's the point?
Qi Tongwei's mind was racing.
It was to gain sympathy.
The current situation is very unfavorable for Gao Yuliang. Although what the Zhao family's steward revealed hasn't been fully made public yet, Sha Ruijin has definitely already heard about it. Gao Yuliang is now in dire straits, barely able to protect himself.
What does it mean when your family is suddenly threatened by "gangsters"?
This proves that Gao Yuliang is innocent! It proves that he offended people because of investigating the case! It proves that he shed blood and tears for the Party and the people!
If this self-inflicted injury were staged for Sha Ruijin, it might actually confuse the public, muddy the waters, and even turn around and accuse the Zhao family of retaliating against him.
As for why he sent Wu Huifen to find him?
Going directly to Sha Ruijin would seem too deliberate. Going to Qi Tongwei would allow them to both escalate the situation through the police and test whether their former student still harbored any feelings for them.
This scheme is so cunning, it's like the beads have landed right in Qi Tongwei's face.
"Madam," Qi Tongwei leaned back on the sofa, his hands clasped on his knees, showing neither the anger nor tension Wu Huifen had expected, "Does Professor Gao know you're here?"
Wu Huifen's eyes flickered, and her hand holding the handkerchief to wipe her tears paused slightly.
"He...he doesn't know. You know his temper, he's so proud he'd suffer for it. I sneaked out while he was asleep."
lie.
If Gao Yuliang hadn't tacitly approved, would a university professor like you have come to the police station in the middle of the night to put on this show?
"Since that's the case, then this falls under the category of a criminal case." Qi Tongwei's tone was businesslike. "According to procedure, we need to extract fingerprints from the letters and retrieve the surveillance footage around the villa. Even if that location is a blind spot for the cameras, as long as someone has been there, they will definitely leave traces."
Upon hearing the words "fingerprint extraction," Wu Huifen's shoulders visibly trembled.
"This...that...I've already checked the letter, the fingerprints must be all mixed up..." she stammered as she explained, "Besides, I just want to ask you to send a few people to keep watch around my house. I just want peace of mind."
Just keep people on guard? No need to solve the case?
This makes it even more obvious.
The moment the police officers stand there, the matter is confirmed. Tomorrow, the entire officialdom of Handong will know that Gao Yuliang, the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, has been threatened by criminal gangs and his life is in serious danger.
Looking at Wu Huifen's face, which was slightly pale from nervousness, Qi Tongwei suddenly felt very sad.
This woman is a pitiful creature.
Even knowing full well what kind of person your partner is, even knowing full well that this is all an act, you still have to play along, even if it means trampling your own dignity underfoot.
"Alright." Qi Tongwei suddenly smiled, a smile that held a deeper meaning. "Since your wife has spoken, I will certainly grant her this request."
He stood up, walked to the door, and opened it.
"Come from the east!"
"arrive!"
"Select a team from the special police force—they must be elite—to provide 24-hour shifts and comprehensive protection for Secretary Gao's residence." Qi Tongwei emphasized the word "protection." "Remember, not even a fly is allowed to get in. Anyone entering or leaving, even Secretary Gao himself, must be meticulously registered. For safety's sake."
Zhao Donglai understood immediately upon hearing this.
This isn't protection, this is surveillance.
This is to make Gao Yuliang look good.
"Understood! Mission accomplished!" Zhao Donglai replied loudly.
When Wu Huifen heard Qi Tongwei agree, she visibly relaxed, and the tense expression on her face eased slightly. She stood up, straightened the slightly disheveled collar of her coat, revealing her fair and slender neck.
"Tongwei, thank you... thank you so much." Wu Huifen walked up to Qi Tongwei, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
She looked at the tall and imposing man in front of her.
He was once Gao Yuliang's most prized student, and also the poor boy who often went to her house for meals and called her "teacher's wife" most affectionately.
Now, he stands there, his imposing presence making people afraid to look him in the eye, his eyes as cold as knives.
"It's nothing, just my duty." Qi Tongwei didn't look at her, his gaze passing over her shoulder and looking into the empty corridor.
Wu Huifen bit her lip, seemingly hesitating about something.
She took a step forward, very close to Qi Tongwei. The scent of her body, a blend of high-end skincare products and a faint, delicate fragrance, wafted into Qi Tongwei's nose.
She suddenly reached out and grabbed Qi Tongwei's arm.
That well-maintained hand, though no longer young, was still soft and delicate, but now it was frighteningly cold.
"Tongwei..." Her voice was low, with a hint of pleading, "If... I mean if... it really gets out of control... could you please leave Lao Gao a way out for the sake of our past relationship? Even... even just let him retire would be fine. After all, he's your teacher."
This is what Gao Yuliang asked her to ask, right?
This is the real highlight of tonight's play.
Testing the limits.
Qi Tongwei lowered his head and looked at the hand that was gripping his sleeve.
That hand was trembling.
He slowly, one finger at a time, pried Wu Huifen's fingers apart. His movements were not rough, but resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.
"Teacher's wife."
Qi Tongwei pulled his hand back, put it in his pocket, and took half a step back, widening the distance between the two.
"The road is never given to you by others; it is always walked by yourself."
His voice echoed in the empty corridor, as cold as the night wind outside.
"The path back was already blocked by his own hands more than a decade ago on that playground."
"Go back and tell Teacher Gao that once you're at the card table, you have to accept the consequences. Don't always try to have it all. There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world."
Wu Huifen swayed, and the color drained from her face instantly.
Looking into Qi Tongwei's emotionless eyes, she finally understood that the Qi Tongwei who used to help her peel garlic in her kitchen was long dead.
He died in that kneeling position.
"I understand..." Wu Huifen gave a bitter laugh and staggered out.
That figure was desolate and forlorn, like a fallen leaf about to wither.
Qi Tongwei stood there, watching her disappear around the corner of the stairs.
"Director Qi, this old woman's acting is pretty convincing." Zhao Donglai leaned over, pursing his lips. "If I didn't know her background, I would really think Gao Yuliang was some kind of honest official."
"Acting is hard work too." Qi Tongwei turned and walked towards the office. "Since Teacher Gao wants to play the victim, let's help him set up a stage."
You mean...
"Have someone keep an eye on those dead rats." Qi Tongwei sneered. "If I'm not mistaken, the newspaper used in those threatening letters should be the *Handong Daily*, which Gao Yuliang subscribes to. Let his act turn into a one-man show, and in the end, into a joke."
"And one more thing," Qi Tongwei stopped, "notify Hou Liangping that something terrible has happened to Gao Yuliang's family, and tell him to go and offer his condolences as soon as possible. How could our Director Hou be absent from such a celebration?"
Zhao Donglai chuckled: "Director Qi, your tactic of using someone else to do your dirty work is brilliant."
"That's called reciprocity."
Qi Tongwei pushed open the office door, and the sky outside the window was already turning a pale white.
This night, some people are destined to be sleepless.
Gao Yuliang thought this move would win him sympathy, but little did he know that he was handing over his own weakness to Qi Tongwei.
Since you want to play the ghost story, I'll play along with you and sing a part of "Catching Ghosts".