Chapter 514 - 514 Alibi (1/2)

514 Alibi

“The expenses at the resort are very high. The resort is designed with the sea on three sides and is a five-star resort. There are no standard rooms in the resort. Other than the pricier villas, the main building houses sea-view suites. It’s now the National Day Holiday peak season; it costs more than four thousand five hundred for a night’s stay, and you need to pay another three hundred yuan to enter the hot springs. Excluding meals, the accommodation and hot springs have exceeded Xiong Shishi’s monthly salary. Most people won’t spend a month’s salary just to stay a night in this high-end hotel without food or drink. Her family’s financial situation can’t afford such spending,” stated Zhang Shanfei.

“I enquired at her workplace. There were rumors that she had a vague relationship with Shi Chenzhong, the sales department manager. The rumors were there but no one really talked about it. The employees in the sales department typically earn much more. The sales commissions are the envy of the other departments. The sales manager’s yearly base salary is two-hundred-thousand. Moreover, there are sales commissions. Each large contract basically comes with hundreds of thousands in commissions. The lesser ones also carry around forty to fifty-thousand in sales commissions. Xiong Shishi, being in the logistics department, often works closely with the sales department. One thing led to another and the two got together. Shi Chenzhong is forty-five years old and has a family. Therefore, if the relationship between Xiong Shishi and Shi Chenzhong’s is true, then she’s his lover,” said Zhang Shanfei.

“If their relationship is known throughout the company, then it wouldn’t be surprising if Xiong Shishi could stay and spend at the resort,” Zhang Shanfei continued.

“Could Xiong Shishi have come to meet Shi Chenzhong? It’s unlikely that Xiong Shishi came alone during the National Day holidays. She would’ve checked in beforehand, then Shi Chenzhong would’ve come to meet her later,” guessed Feng Songwei.

“Chengwei, find out where Shi Chenzhong is. Songwei, talk to Shi Chenzhong’s wife and see if she knows anything. Shanfei, find Xiong Shishi’s husband,” ordered Yang Shaoqun.

Zou Chengwei agreed as he ran to get his car keys and jacket. He then left together with Feng Songwei and Zhang Shanfei.

At noon, Xiao Yiqing, Qi Youning, and Cheng Xicheng came over with the three men from their families and invited Qi Youxuan and Wei Muran to lunch.

Cheng Xicheng ordered a table-full of seafood and said while munching on a crab, “Muran, how come you’re solving crime even though you’re on vacation?”

“It’s a bad habit…” replied an abashed Wei Muran.

“Mumu, let’s discuss something. Don’t do this during our honeymoon. Give me a chance to spend time with you, just the two of us!” Qi Youxuan hugged her as he rested his head on her shoulder.

Wei Muran was dumbfounded.

She was too embarrassed to rebuke him. They have not even gotten Wei Ziqi’s blessing but were already thinking about the honeymoon. Is that not too optimistic?

After lunch, Wei Muran and Qi Youxuan hurried to the police station.

Not long after they arrived, Zou Chengwei, Feng Songwei, and Zhang Shanfei also returned.

Zou Chengwei brought Shi Chenzhong back with him and prepared to take him to the interrogation room. “I found him outside the resort. The resort was sealed off. The people inside can’t leave and the people outside can’t enter. He was wandering outside.”

Zou Chengwei said sarcastically, “It’s quite infatuating.”

Yang Shaoqun took Zou Chengwei to the interrogation room. Wei Muran, Qi Youxuan and the others were in the next room, observing through the mirror.

Shi Chenzhong was not like Wei Muran imagined. Even if he was not handsome, she imagined he would at least be a presentable middle-aged man.

Shi Chen’s looks were nothing to shout about. Although only forty-five years old, he looked like a little old man. He was thin and short. Wei Muran estimated that he was slightly above one-hundred-and-sixty centimeters tall. Thin and lean, yet very astute. Wearing a pair of gold-framed glasses, the wrinkles on his face were very obvious.

At the age of forty-five, he looked more like a man in his fifties.

Wei Muran thought that it was probably related to his job. Being in the international trade business and working with companies from Europe and the United States, it was necessary to accommodate the time zone differences. He would often have to get up in the middle of the night to discuss business matters, check emails, etc. Having insufficient rest and still having to go drinking during the day would affect one’s body and would result in looking much older than one’s actual age.

“Officer, why am I here?” asked Shi Chenzhong nervously.

“Why were you wandering outside the resort today?” asked Zou Chengwei.

“Why does it matter to you if I’m taking a stroll there?” Shi Chenzhong looked surprised.

Zou Chengwei slammed the desk fiercely and hissed, “Stop beating around the bush like you do in your business meetings! Just answer the question!”

Shi Chenzhong was taken aback and said, “I had an appointment to meet someone at the resort but when I arrived, I found that the resort was sealed off and I couldn’t enter. I had to wait outside because of that.”

“Who were you meeting?” Zou Chengwei asked.

Shi Chenzhong frowned. “This is a personal matter, officer. Why did you bring me here?”

“Tell us! You’re here to assist in a case, stop with the nonsense!” said Zou Chengwei impolitely.

“Did you plan to meet with Xiong Shishi?” asked Yang Shaoqun coldly.

Shi Chenzhong’s expression finally changed. He saw that Yang Shaoqun was so sure of it, he could not deny it. “Yes, I planned to meet her this afternoon. When I arrived, I found that I couldn’t enter the resort, so I called her but there was no answer.”

“You should know why the resort is sealed off,” said Yang Shaoqun.

Shi Chengzong nodded.

He got to know from the crowd that someone had died inside and felt uneasy. Even if he had not seen it personally, he felt something amiss.

“The deceased is Xiong Shishi. Based on our investigations, you’re her lover,” said Yang Shaoqun.

Shi Chenzhong’s expression changed drastically and his face turned pale. “How…how could she… How did she die?”

“The cause of death was asphyxiation. The body was found at the bottom of the hot spring pool,” said Zou Chengwei. “When did you agree to meet Xiong Shishi?”

Shi Chenzhong was still reeling from the revelation. His mind was blank and could only speak truthfully, “We just talked on the phone last night. As it was the November holidays, I planned to spend two nights here with her. She checked in first last night because I was going to take my wife and son back to my parents’ house for lunch today. I told Shishi that I would come here after lunch. I told my wife that I was entertaining a client these two days. I sent my wife and son home after lunch and hurried over. I didn’t expect…”

Shi Chenzhong’s face was pale. “Everything was fine. I just spoke to her on the phone last night. Why did she die? Why did she die?!”

“Where were you between last night and one o’clock this afternoon?” asked Zou Chengwei coldly.

Shi Chenzhong did not give him a good impression. He was not honest when speaking and his words had a deceitful undertone. He had a wife and child but is still messing around at this age.

“As I won’t be home for the next two days, my wife might get suspicious, so I went home right after work yesterday. We then went back to my parents’ house for lunch. I was with my wife and son all the while,” answered the subconscious Shi Chenzhong, still considerably shocked.

The statements of people close to someone sometimes could not be trusted, such as Shi Chenzhong’s wife and child, as well as his parents. They might lie to cover for him.

“Besides them, is there anyone else that can vouch for you?” asked Zou Chengwei directly in an unfriendly tone that Shi Chenzhong could sense it, even in the state he was in.

“Officer, am I a suspect?” Shi Chenzhong’s face was taut and said warily, “You’ve got to be kidding me. Why would I kill Xiong Shishi! I haven’t yet lived my life to the fullest! I have a wife and child. I make good money. I have a great life ahead of me. Moreover, Xiong Shishi is sensible, all she wants is money. As long as she gets her money, she won’t tell my wife and make trouble. I have the money. Why would I trouble myself with this?”

“This is just your side of the story. We’ll investigate the state of your relationship with Xiong Shishi,” sneered Zou Chengwei.

“It’s better you investigate Xiong Shishi’s husband, Liu Mingyue. He’s more suspicious than me!” said Shi Chenzhong anxiously.

“How so?” Yang Shaoqun asked.

“He knew about Xiong Shishi and I. Even when Xiong Shishi seduced me. She told him about it. He knew,” scoffed Shi Chenzhong.

On the other side of the mirror, Wei Muran was shocked and glanced at Qi Youquan.

“It’s unsurprising. Based on Xiong Shishi and her husband’s income, after rent and loan repayments, it’d be hard to sustain the standard of living in T City. Xiong Shishi is a typical person who isn’t satisfied with her current situation and admires a life of luxury, but her current position doesn’t allow for it. If she just had more money, she’d want to enter high society. Three-thousand-five-hundred yuan is barely enough for one person, let alone two people. They don’t even have a car. So factoring in transportation, food, electricity, water, and other expenses, there won’t be any left for savings. They may still need financial support from their parents,” said Qi Youxuan calmly.

“Xiong Shishi is already thirty-two years old but still dared not have a child. When she gets pregnant, it’d be considered late in life. I doubt they wouldn’t be anxious about their situation. Living such a difficult life long term would smother all feelings. They just had enough. Liu Mingyue sacrificed his wife for material possessions. Xiong Shishi also sacrificed herself for material possessions, not afraid of being found out by Liu Mingyue. For the two of them to make such a choice, although not entirely natural, it isn’t beyond expectations.”

Wei Muran’s jaw gaped open for a long time then said, “How would you know about the trifles of life?”

Although she chose the busy and dangerous profession of a police officer, Wei Ziqi raised her like a princess at home. She had never experienced hardships in life apart from work.

It was embarrassing to say that although her work was very down-to-earth, she did not really know much about life. Those things that Qi Youxuan mentioned, she never had to worry about. She did not know what it meant to be poor nor did she know how much it cost for transportation, food, electricity, and water. Wei Ziqi and Wei Ran took care of it for her.

Even cooking can only be regarded as a mere interest and not something to truly worry about. Occasionally cooking for special occasions already made Wei Ziqi and Wei Muche extremely happy.

Growing up, she was never exposed to these.

She thought Qi Youxuan was the same. The Qi family did not need him to worry about these matters.

“When I studied psychology, I have to study all kinds of personalities as well as the environmental factors, etc. that led to the creation of certain personalities. These little details of life are essential,” said Qi Youxuan, smiling.

Wei Muran felt very ashamed after hearing that and whispered, “It seems like I don’t know anything.”

Qi Youxuan smiled and pinched her nose gently. “You needn’t know. Before marrying me, you were the princess of the Wei family. After you marry me, you’ll be the queen of our family. You needn’t worry about any of these at any point in your life.”

Wei Muran blushed. There were others in the room, strangers nonetheless, and the T City police officers. She secretly pinched Qi Youxuan—this was not the appropriate time to be mushy.

They then heard Shi Chenzhong say, “Xiong Shishi doesn’t want to live a hard life and Liu Mingyue also had enough. Liu Mingyue acquiesced to her seducing me. I bought her gifts, brought her to high-end establishments. Her clothes, make-up, shoes, and bags—I bought all of them. I took her for meals every day, which is equivalent to feeding Liu Mingyue’s wife for him. The allowance I gave her, she spent it on her household expenses and improved their lives. I’m financially supporting their family, and in return, Xiong Shishi became my lover. She wouldn’t want to be my legitimate wife and wouldn’t make trouble for my family. We both get what we want. Even if it’s more money they want, I’m willing to fork out as long as it saves me the trouble.”

Shi Chenzhong’s lips curled. “Don’t assume that Liu Mingyue is indifferent even though he knew about us, even if he took the initiative to make room for us. Sometimes when I call Xiong Shishi, even when she’s at home, she answers my calls in front of Liu Mingyue. Liu Mingyue doesn’t seem to care, but a man can’t stand being cuckolded, especially right to his face. He can push his wife away for money, but it doesn’t mean he accepts it. I know he must hate it. We’re both men. I know what he must be thinking. He’s incompetent but hates Xiong Shishi and me.”

“Truth be told, I quite enjoy this feeling of toying with the wife in front of her husband. I sometimes visit her at their rented one-bedroom house and do it with her on their bed. When they move into their new house, I’m thinking of paying it a visit as well. The feeling when the husband is helpless to do anything although he knows fully well what’s going on—there’s a very special sense of satisfaction.” Shi Chenzhong smiled proudly.

Zou Chengwei almost could not hold himself back from punching him. Such a despicable man.

“What a twisted mentality.” Wei Muran frowned, clearly disgusted by Shi Chenzhong. “Liu Mingyue is also a piece of work. He doesn’t have the talent and doesn’t want to work hard, but pimped out his wife for money. Still, it does take more than one to tango. Nothing more can be said about these three.”

Qi Youxuan patted her head gently like a puppy.