Behind the Murder Volume I

Chapter 22: Entanglement

Following Zhong Han's instructions, Gu Xiaofan picked out a photo from his mobile phone that showed the clearest face of the man with Dai Mei and sent it to Tang Li. During the process, she couldn't help but wonder if she was really squinted by the cosmetics trial pack at that time, otherwise how could she be next to Zhong Han but not notice when he secretly took so many photos of Dai Mei and that man, and the clarity and angles were all good.

She had no intention of asking Zhong Han about the tricks and secrets of this matter. Based on her previous experience, she estimated that he would say something like "I guessed it" or "a genius like me".

After the photo was sent to Tang Li in the form of a MMS, Tang Li quickly replied with a text message, saying that he would investigate the man's identity as soon as possible.

Zhong Han targeted Ren Xuefeng's former business partners, those with whom he had a close relationship and a long history of cooperation. These people would naturally not be the minions of companies, shopping malls, etc., but the general managers of Ren Xuefeng's business partners. The general managers, who were about the same age as Ren Xuefeng and were already in their fifties, warned Zhong Han and Gu Xiaofan in a deep voice, "Don't get your identities confused. You are police officers! Isn't it your job to bring the real murderer to justice? You are just like paparazzi, digging into other people's private lives and gossip, especially about a dead person. Are you worthy of your profession? Are you worthy of your conscience?!"

After making such a big accusation against Zhong Han and Gu Xiaofan, the store general manager surnamed Huang strode away angrily, without even looking back at the two visitors.

"What should we do? Let's go to another one!" Gu Xiaofan asked Zhong Han.

Zhong Han shook his head and raised his chin towards the sofa chair in the corridor: "Let's go and sit there for a while!"

"what?"

"Since everyone thinks we are paparazzi, let's display the paparazzi's indomitable spirit. Even if we have to stay here today, we'll have to fight a protracted war with General Manager Huang. No one will believe the man who got angry after just looking at Dai Mei's photo, saying he doesn't know anything, or that it has nothing to do with the matter between Ren Xuefeng and Dai Mei. Let's see whether we can't keep up with him or he can't get rid of us." Zhong Han paced to the chair and sat down first, flipping through the newspaper on the small tea table next to him. "His office is right here. It's easier to wait than to follow him around the store."

"Will he simply not come back to the office?" Gu Xiaofan was worried.

Zhong Han looked at his watch and said, "I don't think he will come back in the short term. At least he has to make sure that we are not following him and that he is safe. But he will come back sooner or later. It's still a long time before the store closes and the employees get off work."

"How can you be so confident that he won't just run away?"

"I feel like that General Manager Huang just spoke with a lot of airs. He is too proud to be so arrogant. It is unlikely that he would tolerate running away in disgrace."

"Okay, I'll trust your judgment this time!" Gu Xiaofan thought about it and felt that what Zhong Han said made sense. He also looked at the time and said to Zhong Han, "Then you sit here first. Since this is a protracted war, I might as well go buy some food and fodder! Do you want me to bring you something?"

"A chicken salad sandwich and a hot drink. Any kind will do, but it has to be hot." Zhong Han didn't bother to be polite with Gu Xiaofan and started to instruct.

"Good guy, you're quite picky!" Gu Xiaofan curled his lips and turned away.

After a long time, she came back with a bag and took out a pack of sandwiches and a cup of hot coffee from the bag.

"This is the only hot drink I can find around here," she said to Zhong Han.

Zhong Han thanked her, then looked at the food in his hand and frowned again: "You call this a sandwich?"

"Doesn't it say on the package, Strawberry Jam Sandwich!" Gu Xiaofan pointed at the name on the bread package and read it out word by word, "This is the only thing I can find that has something to do with sandwiches. You insist on eating those fancy things. If you want to eat pork and scallion buns, I can buy you a bunch from the door in five minutes!"

"Forget it, I'll give this to you." Zhong Han stuffed the bread in his hand back to Gu Xiaofan, picked up the newspaper on his lap again, and took a few sips of the cup of coffee.

"What a picky eater." Gu Xiaofan was not angry at himself for running errands in vain. He secretly wrinkled his nose at Zhong Han, tore open the bread package and started eating it himself. By the way, he took out a magazine from the bag and started reading.

The two of them sat quietly on the sofa not far from the general manager's office waiting. In the blink of an eye, more than an hour passed. Just when the magazine in Gu Xiaofan's hand was getting thinner and thinner and was about to be turned to the end, General Manager Huang strode towards his office. Zhong Han saw it early and immediately called Gu Xiaofan to stand up and greet him.

"You two... why haven't you left yet!" General Manager Huang obviously did not expect that these two people would still stay here and not leave after being scolded by him.

"I wanted to leave at first, but then I thought about it and felt that there was nothing wrong with what General Manager Huang said. Although we are policemen and paparazzi, our work tasks are different, but our spirit of digging out the truth at all costs is similar. So, paparazzi are paparazzi." Zhong Han smiled indifferently and looked at his watch. "It's almost time to get off work. I guess General Manager Huang is not too busy. Why don't we talk about your old friend Ren Xuefeng? Since you are also indignant about the murder of your old friend, as a friend, doing your part can also be regarded as an explanation for the past friendship, don't you think?"

General Manager Huang's face flushed red, and he seemed to be about to fly into a rage. Just at this moment, a few people walked through the corridor. He quickly restrained himself from the rage he was about to have, waved towards his office, walked over to open the door, and said to Zhong Han and Gu Xiaofan, the two unwelcome guys, with a stern face, "Alright, come in, and we can talk about it in my office if you have anything to say!"