Chapter 65: By One’s Own Means

Lin Yanqiu quickly realized her emotions were getting a bit too intense and lowered her gaze, coughing lightly.

“This matter doesn’t seem as simple as it appears on the surface.”

She completely changed her previously indifferent attitude towards this case, frowning slightly as she looked at the officer.

“Let’s talk over there.”

She pointed toward the interrogation room on the other side of the police station.

Although she was already feeling a bit exhausted now, she hadn’t expected to get entangled with Hua Qi’an as well.

Even though she was tired, she couldn’t just walk away so easily.

She had to make things clear.

The officer nodded.

Lin Yanqiu’s situation was a sudden development, and he seemed at a loss as he ran back to the original room, as if to seek instructions from someone inside.

Soon after, it wasn’t the young officer who came out, but someone else.

The man looked to be about middle-aged, clearly in a different position from the others around him, carrying a rather steady air.

But perhaps because this incident was too urgent and sudden, he seemed a bit troubled.

“…Section Chief Sun.”

Lin Yanqiu greeted him indifferently.

This was the person who had called her to the police station for help this time.

Back during her internship, he had looked after her quite a bit, so she owed him a few favors.

“Come in.”

Section Chief Sun took out the key to the interrogation room and walked ahead of Lin Yanqiu, unlocking the door.

He had originally thought that knowing who Wang Chang met before his death would provide a breakthrough in the case.

He hadn’t expected Lin Yanqiu to raise objections at such a time.

It seemed like she knew something about the case.

Whether that was good or bad, he couldn’t tell…

But if he could get some information about the case from Lin Yanqiu, that would be for the best.

“From what you just said, you seem to have met with the suspect the day before the incident?”

“Can you elaborate?”

After adjusting the recording equipment, Section Chief Sun signaled for Lin Yanqiu to begin.

Hearing the words “suspect,” Lin Yanqiu pursed her lips.

But she didn’t say anything.

After all, from the current clueless situation, the last person Wang Chang might have seen was indeed the “suspect.”

But Lin Yanqiu knew that Hua Qi’an couldn’t possibly have committed the crime.

She wasn’t the type who would throw away her future over some fool in a moment of impulse.

Besides, the way the crime was done was full of holes.

It was impossible for Hua Qi’an to be behind it.

Lin Yanqiu instinctively believed in Hua Qi’an.

“Yesterday afternoon, I was indeed with Hua Qi’an.”

“The details aren’t important. If you’re really curious, you can ask the director of academic affairs at Hangyang University.”

The issue of Hua Qi’an’s dormitory led to her being called in by her parents, which probably had nothing to do with Wang Chang’s murder.

While speaking, Lin Yanqiu licked her lips, as if thinking about something.

“…So why are you so sure Hua Qi’an couldn’t have committed the crime that day?”

Section Chief Sun and Lin Yanqiu actually had quite a few years of acquaintance.

Naturally, he knew what kind of person she was.

She wasn’t the type to say things she wasn’t sure about.

There must be a reason for her certainty.

“After all, based on the timing, Wang Chang died in the early morning hours…”

“Was there anyone who could give Hua Qi’an an alibi at that time?”

Lin Yanqiu didn’t answer right away.

She also knew that what she’d said to the officer earlier hadn’t exactly been rational.

She didn’t know why, but as soon as she heard the word “date,” her mind got hot and she instinctively contradicted the officer…

But her refutation alone didn’t hold water.

After all, saying she was with Hua Qi’an yesterday afternoon and Wang Chang drowning in the pond in the middle of the night—

There was no logical connection…

The timing was too far apart.

But actually…

Lin Yanqiu knew that at that particular time, Hua Qi’an should have been in the dormitory.

Seeing Lin Yanqiu’s ambiguous expression, Section Chief Sun felt a bit awkward.

Lin Yanqiu didn’t immediately answer the previous question.

She glanced at Section Chief Sun’s recording equipment, then reached out and tapped the table in front of her.

Her fingers made a “da-da” sound on the tabletop.

He understood and turned off the recording device.

“What do you think Hua Qi’an’s motive would be?”

She responded to Section Chief Sun’s question with another question.

Her expression looked a bit cold.

Section Chief Sun let out a breath.

He was used to Lin Yanqiu’s way of speaking.

At least, it felt more relaxed than when she’d been silent just now.

Although they were in the interrogation room, this wasn’t a formal interrogation, so there weren’t so many rigid procedures.

In fact, he was even a little expectant now.

Having him turn off the equipment showed Lin Yanqiu was indeed planning to provide some information.

Maybe the information wasn’t suitable for the record, but as long as he knew, it didn’t matter if there was no record.

“According to Wang Chang’s buddies, Wang Chang was pursuing Hua Qi’an…”

“It seems there’s still some talk about that incident on the school forum?”

Section Chief Sun only knew the general outline from the accounts of a few unreliable ruffians.

The specifics still had to wait for his people to finish their investigation and report…

“When Wang Chang confessed to another girl, Hua Qi’an disrupted things, and then he turned his attention to chasing Hua Qi’an…”

“She was also there when his hand got broken… It’s not clear if that was really an accident.”

Lin Yanqiu just quietly listened to him.

Actually, what he knew was probably not too different from the facts.

“That’s why I’m asking—what motive could Hua Qi’an have to kill him?”

“Would she even go out of her way to meet him in the middle of the night, and specifically pick a place patrolled by police—”

“That’s why I said this matter isn’t as simple as it looks.”

Lin Yanqiu sighed and glanced at the time.

“You can check the surveillance in her dormitory corridor and the other cameras from that night. Hua Qi’an probably never left the dormitory last night.”

“So it’s impossible for her to have met Wang Chang and pushed him into the pond.”

There was an unexplainable certainty in her words.

As she spoke, perhaps due to old wiring or some other reason, the interrogation room’s lightbulb flickered.

“Why are you so sure…”

Section Chief Sun had been puzzled for a while as to why Lin Yanqiu trusted someone so much not to be the culprit.

He didn’t know about the relationship between Hua Qi’an and Lin Yanqiu, so seeing Lin Yanqiu keep defending this girl struck him as strange.

Lin Yanqiu glanced again at the recording device.

After making sure it was indeed off, she spoke calmly.

“You should know my parents passed away two years ago, right?”

Of course Section Chief Sun knew.

At that time, Lin Yanqiu had just been helping out in his department when she suddenly got the news about her parents and took leave to go home for a few days.

“…They left me a younger sister, not related by blood.”

Section Chief Sun raised his eyebrows in surprise.

This was the first time Lin Yanqiu had ever mentioned this.

And for her to suddenly bring it up now… Combining what she’d said about being with Hua Qi’an yesterday afternoon…

Lin Yanqiu nodded, confirming his thoughts.

But her face was inexplicably calm.

“As her guardian, it’s my duty to use my own means to protect her safety. So, of course I know she was in the dormitory all night yesterday and didn’t go out.”

Lin Yanqiu was already standing, no longer looking at Section Chief Sun’s surprised expression.

She had no intention of explaining what those “means” were.

But Section Chief Sun clearly got the message.

“…So that’s why you asked me for that thing—” He stopped himself before finishing.

After all, you don’t get to be a section chief without some sense.

At this moment, Lin Yanqiu was frowning slightly, her sharp eyes fixed on him with a hint of warning.

Her voice remained cold.

“I’m telling you this just to say that investigating her is likely a waste of police resources.”

“It’s better to look elsewhere for leads on this case…” With that, Lin Yanqiu withdrew her gaze.

“…I’m leaving.”

She left the interrogation room.

She headed straight out of the police station.

This time, she really needed to go home and rest.