Chapter 200

After leaving the interrogation room, Fang Rui and Mu Mian discussed the case.

Fang Rui said, "Could it be that the killer went through so much trouble to frame Director Liu just to let us know that Director Liu was involved in illegal surrogacy?"

Mu Mian speculated, "Could he be using this child for some kind of experiment? A typical pregnant woman wouldn’t need to undergo such frequent prenatal checkups."

Fang Rui arranged for Wang Yuqing to have a prenatal checkup to see if there were any issues with the fetus. He also ordered a paternity test to determine whether the child was Director Liu's.

Under Fang Rui's urging, the hospital expedited the results.

The prenatal checkup results showed that the child was healthy, and the Down syndrome screening came back negative.

However, the paternity test revealed that the child was not Director Liu's; there was no blood relation between the fetus and Director Liu.

Fang Rui decided to bring Director Liu back for questioning to find out what was going on.

Since the night before last, Typhoon "Little Raccoon" had made landfall in Jiangzhou City, bringing continuous heavy rain. The city was shrouded in a gray haze, and the streets were flooded.

Zhang and Dong had been staking out Director Liu for two days and a night. After being released from the police station, Director Liu had returned to work at the hospital and maintained a routine between the hospital and his home.

Zhang couldn’t help but admire Director Liu's dedication to his work.

Zhang quipped, "How does a workaholic like him even have time to have an affair?"

Dong replied, "That’s not unusual. Competence and character don’t always go hand in hand. A lot of highly capable people lack moral integrity. We need to look at this objectively."

"True, that makes sense," Zhang conceded.

Dong then teased, "Zhang Qiang, when are you getting married? I’m waiting to drink at your wedding banquet."

"Soon, probably by the end of the year. You’ll have to be one of my groomsmen. I plan to have a whole squad of groomsmen to make the wedding lively."

"You’re such a show-off."

"Well, you only get married once. Might as well make it a grand celebration."

"Don’t worry, we’ll make sure it’s a blast. Wang is even more of a show-off than you, but lately, he’s been quiet and not as lively. He’s matured a lot. I think he’s nursing a broken heart!"

"Yeah, seeing Wang like this breaks my heart. Without him chattering away, the world feels too quiet."

After Chen Shu's death, Wang had been in a slump for a while, but he quickly regained his drive and threw himself into his work. However, he no longer enjoyed chatting with others and had lost his sense of humor.

Dong glanced out the car window. "The rain seems to have lightened up a bit. Keep an eye out while I go grab some boxed meals. It’ll be rush hour soon, and it’ll get crowded."

"Go ahead. I’ll call you if anything happens. Oh, and grab me a bottle of water while you’re at it."

"Got it."

Fang Rui called Zhang to instruct him to bring Director Liu back for questioning, but Zhang’s phone kept going unanswered.

Fang Rui then called Dong, Zhang’s partner. Fortunately, Dong answered almost immediately.

"Captain Fang, what’s up?"

"Why isn’t Zhang answering his phone?"

"I’m out buying boxed meals. Zhang’s still staking out the hospital entrance. He probably has his phone on silent and didn’t hear it. I’ll be back in the car soon. Do you need to relay something to him?"

The sound of raindrops hitting the pavement created a chaotic, irritating noise.

"Bring Liu Qiangmin back. We’ve uncovered new leads and need to question him."

"Got it. We’ll bring him back right away."

Fang Rui and Mu Mian were still discussing the case when Zhang called. "Boss, the suspect is likely..."

Mu Mian leaned in to listen, but Zhang’s voice abruptly cut off, replaced by a loud "bang."

"Zhang, what’s going on over there?" Fang Rui asked anxiously.

"Officer Zhang, can you hear me?"

The call ended with a series of beeps.

Mu Mian said, "That sounded like a car crash..."

Both of them felt a sense of foreboding.

Fang Rui called Dong again, and the call connected quickly. Fang Rui and Mu Mian breathed a sigh of relief. If Dong could answer, Zhang was probably fine too.

Fang Rui asked, "What’s happening over there? Why did Zhang hang up on me?"

"Captain Fang, Zhang just texted me saying Liu Qiangmin suddenly drove away from the hospital. He was worried about losing him, so he followed in his car."

"Where is he now?"

"I’m not sure. I’ve hailed a taxi and am trying to catch up to Zhang."

The sense of unease grew stronger. Fang Rui’s instincts told him that something had likely happened to Zhang. He kept calling Zhang’s phone, but all he heard was the cold, automated voice.

"The number you have dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later..."

Fang Rui contacted a friend in the traffic police, who informed him that a major accident had occurred near Jiangzhou University Second Affiliated Hospital, leaving two drivers seriously injured.

The friend sent Fang Rui photos of the accident.

Fang Rui froze when he saw the familiar car—it was Zhang’s. The other car, which had been completely wrecked, belonged to Director Liu.

Both of them had been involved in the crash.

Fang Rui and Mu Mian were about to inform Chen Xue when her phone rang.

"Hello, are you Zhang Qiang’s girlfriend?"

"Yes."

"Zhang Qiang has been in a car accident and is currently in critical condition at the First Affiliated Hospital of the City. Please come as soon as possible."

The words seemed to cast a spell, instantly petrifying Chen Xue. She stood frozen, unable to think or respond.

"Can you hear me?"

"Ma’am, are you there?"

When no response came, the person on the other end said to someone nearby, "This call isn’t going through. Let’s try the next one."

Mu Mian spoke into the phone, "We understand. We’ll be there right away."

"Please hurry!"

"Chen Xue, let’s go to the hospital," Mu Mian said, her eyes reddening. She tried to reassure her, "Officer Zhang probably just had a minor accident. The roads have been terrible with all this rain. Accidents happen."

Chen Xue remained silent.

Mu Mian couldn’t read Chen Xue’s expression—or perhaps there was no expression to read. But she could feel that Chen Xue was drowning in sorrow, overwhelmed to the point of suffocation.

Mu Mian thought for a moment, then reached out and hugged Chen Xue tightly. "Chen Xue, Officer Zhang needs you right now. You can’t lose your composure."

Chen Xue clung to Mu Mian like a drowning person grasping at a lifeline. "Mian Mian, tell me Zhang Qiang won’t die."

"The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‍doctor didn’t say his condition is critical. He’ll be fine," Mu Mian said, her voice choked with emotion. "It’s probably like last time—just a minor injury, like a sprained ankle."

"Mian Mian, I never thought he could die."

Mu Mian whispered, "Everyone dies eventually. But Officer Zhang won’t die so soon. He’s a Libra, and Libras have been having good luck lately."

"Mian Mian, astrology is nonsense. But you’re a genius. If you say he won’t die, then he won’t die."