Wen Kexing's beautiful wife, Gao Xiao Lian, is murdered, and the police request coroner Zhou Zishu perform the autopsy. The police commissioner gives them fourteen days to arrest the murderer. But is this a simple stalking case or do they have a s...
Restless and dissatisfied, Xing cleaned the kitchen, brushed his teeth while grumbling to himself. Still angry that Shu refused to give him more details, he drove to his apartment to collect his computer and briefcase. He replayed Shu's remarks in his mind, wanting to argue with him. At the house, surrounded by memories of her, he surprised the housekeeper with a hug.
"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I never thought about your loss. She loved you like a mother." The woman returned the embrace and tried valiantly to maintain her composure. But his unaccustomed touch released her restrains and she cried against his chest.
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"She looked so small on that bed," she sobbed. "She still had her party dress on, and the whole front was red with her blood. And her face; how frightened and hurt she looked." He'd forgotten Qiao Xing found her. He tightened his grip and murmured nonsense to the top of her head. The maid, coming into the dining room to ask a question, understood at once and about-faced to the kitchen.
"Make tea; master's here," she informed the cook. She set his favorite snack cakes on a plate. Together with cups, plates, and a full pot, she carried everything on a tray into the room. Placing it on the table, she gently steered the couple over to the chairs.
"Sit, have tea," she insisted softly. They broke apart and sat on chairs facing each other. The maid gave her senior a tissue. She poured tea for them both, moved the small plates near them and filled them with treats.
"Qiao Xing, tell him everything about that day. The police ordered us to keep quiet, but Gao Chong's assistant collected what everyone testified. Master Wen never heard it because Zhao told us not to tell him. But he isn't our master, and you should know." She nodded emphatically and left.
Wen drank tea and nibbled a cake. He stared at the woman, waiting.
"That morning breakfast waited on the table, but LiLi didn't come down. I went on up to check if she needed help dressing. Her body lay on top of her bed, the blood and stuff all over the place." She wiped her eyes with his hanky. "I couldn't scream. In the dramas, women scream when they see dead bodies. I barely breathed. I closed the door and entered your room for privacy. I called Gao Chong first, and you know why." He nodded and drank tea.
"Then I called you. Then I called the police and went down to security. They yelled that I should have told them first. But I just said 'I worked for this family before you were born. And Master Wen can't hear this from strangers.' I returned to the kitchen and told staff Miss LiLi died over night and to stay in the kitchen until the police released them. After the police left, Zhao Jing informed us that Mr. Gao wanted everything kept secret until he said so. Don't tell anyone about it, especially you. Well, I don't work for Gao Chong." She sniffed, disdainful of her former employer. "The person staff noticed that night was Duan something. Works for Huang. He acted very suspicious. The police had a million questions and took copies of the security tapes. When you had that meeting here, the maid overheard Gao order Zhao to obtain copies of all police reports. And everything they found on Duan Pengju. And his wife. We don't know anything else. Zhi Yin never uttered a word, so they kept this from her. She would have told me, and you, if she heard anything. Jing An knew something. Remember, she left that morning with the young policeman." Reaching for the pot, she refreshed both cups. She stretched over and selected a cake, which she handed to him.
