Chapter 273: Wang Xianduo

2022-05-20

Wang Xianduo didn’t have much money, yet she lived in a high-end apartment right in the heart of Dongxing City. The security guards here were vigilant—one young guard approached as soon as we arrived, asking about our business. I flashed my credentials and mentioned I was on a confidential case. Surprisingly, the young man believed me without question.

Thankfully, when we stepped into Wang Xianduo’s home, it wasn’t like the previous two visits. Wang Xianduo stood there perfectly fine, facing us. This time, the killer hadn’t gotten to her first. Still, the instant she saw us, the smile on her face faded into something cold.

It was obvious she didn’t welcome us. That earlier cheerful smile made it pretty clear she was expecting someone else, not us.

Wang Xianduo shot me a glare. “Oh, it’s you. What brings the whole group over today?”

I looked over her. She wore only pajamas, but her makeup was flawless. It didn’t take long to figure out she was waiting for someone to take her out. Maybe she’d hooked up with a sugar daddy back at the Royal Garden Hotel.

Stepping deeper inside, I noticed the apartment’s upscale furniture and fancy décor. Even her pajamas looked expensive—Wang Xianduo clearly liked the finer things in life. She seemed like the type who enjoyed living well.

Seeing me enter, Wang Xianduo’s face turned annoyed. She flopped onto the sofa, grabbed a carton of milk, ripped it open, and said, “Really, you two had to come to my place? Didn’t I make myself clear at the hotel? You think I’d kill for a few tens of thousands? My family was broke seven years ago, sure, but even then, using your brain you’d know killing Lü Zhiqiu wouldn’t have got me the money. Why would I do that? Besides, that was back in junior year. If I really wanted to kill, wouldn’t I have done it sooner?”

Zhao Mingkun clearly didn’t like her, pushing back: “Some people kill for pocket change, let alone tens of thousands from seven or eight years ago. That kind of money could have been a whole family’s yearly income. And I’ve heard—your relationship with Lü Zhiqiu wasn’t exactly friendly, was it?”

While she spoke, I watched Wang Xianduo’s face, searching for micro-expressions that might tell me more.

Wang Xianduo frowned and replied quickly, “Yeah, I didn’t get along with her. She was a total white lotus—always surrounded by those disgusting men. But really, who was she trying to fool, acting all innocent?”

“And yet you invested with her?” I chuckled. “Guess you’re good at keeping work and personal stuff separate.”

She snorted. “Only because she talked such a good game. In the end, I lost every cent I put in—she said she’d pay me back, and she actually did pay some each month. But it wasn’t long before she started looking exhausted every day, fishing for sympathy from men. Who knows, maybe she pocketed the money herself and just wanted to play the victim. What pissed me off more was Yang Licheng—he didn’t even make her pay! It drives me crazy.”

Back then, Yang Licheng also invested with Lü Zhiqiu, so he was scammed too. If Yang Licheng didn’t insist on being paid back, he probably wouldn’t be driven to murder. Still, there was no guarantee Yang Licheng wouldn’t have tried to leverage it for something illicit—only to be rejected by Lü Zhiqiu.

As for Wang Xianduo, she looked totally calm, not the least bit afraid Lü Zhiqiu might come for revenge. If anything, that tearful scene at the hotel was probably just an act to get some guy to take her home.

I asked, “You interned at the construction site back then, right? Did you know anything about what happened that night?”

She noticeably avoided my gaze at that, clearly dodging the question.

“You’d better be honest with us,” I said sternly. “I’ll be upfront—Luo Ding is dead. You’re a smart woman; you know what that means. The killer won’t sit down and have a civilized conversation like we are. Until we figure out what really happened seven years ago, the killer isn’t going to stop. Do you really think your explanations will mean anything to someone like that?”

Hearing this, Wang Xianduo raised her voice, sounding sharp and sarcastic. “Well, aren’t you dramatic? So what, you’re saying I’m about to die? I’ll tell you one thing—I didn’t kill anyone, and I’m not afraid, even if Lü Zhiqiu’s ghost comes back!”

Most people get rattled when someone suddenly raises their voice. But honestly, when someone tries too hard to be aggressive or angry, it usually just means they’re not confident in what they’re saying—they’re just trying to overpower you.

“What are you really hiding?” I pressed. “Why not just come clean? Even if you didn’t do it yourself, not getting your hands dirty doesn’t let you off the hook.”

Just as I was about to say more, I noticed something red flash before my eyes—a wad of cash.

Right then, Zhao Mingkun spoke up. “Let’s cut to the chase. Tell us what you know from seven years ago, and all of this is yours. We’re all women here. I can tell you’re strapped for cash, aren’t you? So what do you say?”

Wang Xianduo’s face twisted in anger. “Are you insulting me?”

Zhao Mingkun pulled a hundred yuan note from the stack in her hand. “Then why not talk? If you didn’t kill anyone, what are you afraid of?”

Wang Xianduo fell silent, glancing between Zhao Mingkun and the pile of cash in her hand.

But Zhao Mingkun didn’t give her time to think. She started pulling two more hundred-yuan notes away slowly. “Think I’ll just take it all back, one bill at a time? It’s up to you—talk, or risk being next on the killer’s list.”

As she was about to take all the cash back, Wang Xianduo lunged, grabbed Zhao Mingkun’s hand, and snatched up the money. Only then did she speak. “That night seven years ago, I went outside to puke and saw Liang Mei heading to the back of the construction site.”

“Liang Mei?” I asked.

Wang Xianduo nodded. “Yeah, Liang Mei. We’d all been drinking a lot that night. When I stepped outside to vomit, I saw Liang Mei sneaking off towards the site. I didn’t know Lü Zhiqiu was there, too.”

Zhao Mingkun and I exchanged a look. This made things a lot more complicated. What was Liang Mei doing at the construction site in the middle of the night? Was she going to meet Lü Zhiqiu? What about Wang Yikai—did he run into Liang Mei that night? Who got there first?

I asked, “Do you remember what time it was? Roughly when?”

Wang Xianduo thought for a moment. “I’ve forgotten the exact time. It must have been pretty late—definitely the middle of the night. It was so long ago, I really don’t remember. But I do recall mentioning it to Liang Mei later on. I asked her if she’d gone out, and suddenly she gave me this ice-cold stare.”

Her face grew uneasy as she rubbed her arm. “Liang Mei’s usually got this sweet, quiet vibe—like a little girl, really gentle. But that night, her eyes were just freezing cold, full of resentment. All I did was ask casually, and she looked at me like that.”

“So, you think Liang Mei might be hiding something?” Wang Xianduo put her empty milk carton down on the coffee table. “Back then, our class only had three slots for promotion. It was between Liang Mei, Zhang Xue, and Zhao Pingjuan, plus Lü Zhiqiu—four of us total. Three spots, so one of us had to be left out. After Lü Zhiqiu died, the other three all got promoted.”

Wang Xianduo checked her watch. “Take it or leave it, that’s all I know. I never liked Lü Zhiqiu, but I wouldn’t kill her. Even if Liang Mei did it, that has nothing to do with me. We’re not close, not even on the same path. Why would she come after me?”

I shook my head. “You still don’t get it. This isn’t about the old murderer—now there’s someone out for revenge for Lü Zhiqiu. They don’t know who the killer was, so they’re just eliminating everyone who was there during the internship. Your apartment’s security is good—don’t let them open the door for strangers.”

Wang Xianduo glanced at her phone and suddenly exclaimed, “Is it that late already?”

She hurried towards the bedroom. “Alright, it’s getting late, you should go. I’ve said all I can. The only reason I didn’t say this before was to avoid trouble. Besides, I don’t want it getting out that you paid me for this. Let’s just keep it quiet, alright?”

I shrugged at Zhao Mingkun, and the two of us left together.

On the way out, I told Zhao Mingkun, “There’s something odd about this. Why doesn’t the killer just ask someone what happened back then? Going on a killing spree—who could be so ruthless? Even someone killing thirteen chickens in a row would be disturbed!”

Zhao Mingkun said, “I think it’s just easier.”

“Easier?” I echoed.

She nodded. “Yeah. With the killer’s methods, murder is a lot faster than investigating. That way, before any of them realize what’s really going on, they’re already dead. Investigating just takes too long.”

Zhao Mingkun made sense, but if it’s supposed to be revenge, wouldn’t you want to know exactly who you’re after first? Killing without knowing the real culprit seems way too rushed. Or maybe the killer has a reason to hurry—perhaps it’s Lü Xiangyang, who’s afraid if he’s away too long it’ll draw suspicion, so he has to act fast?

I hopped onto Zhao Mingkun’s motorbike.

Zhao Mingkun called out, “Let’s go—next up is Wang Yikai. But does this clear Wang Xianduo of suspicion?”