Miss Forensics – Chapter 14
by Little PandaPart One
The Interrogation
Do not go to extremes in everything, otherwise you can only reap what you sow.1
Lin Yan took twenty grams of each specimen left over from the last autopsy. After destroying the organic matter in each, she separated the residue, washed and centrifuged the samples, and prepared slides for microscopic examination. Her movements were methodical and orderly.
This was the first time Song Yuhang had seen her wearing a white lab coat. Her curly hair was pinned up, exposing her jade-white nape.
She’d assumed that someone like Lin Yan would never be able to settle down and do research, but she hadn’t expected her to work so diligently. Lin Yan adjusted the microscope through several magnifications, taking notes as she observed.
“She shut herself in the lab the moment she got back,” Fang Xin whispered, hiding her face behind a folder.
“If you’re looking for her, Captain Song, I can go call her.”
—From now on, you investigate yours, and I’ll investigate mine.
Recalling those words, Song Yuhang opened her mouth to speak, but then changed her mind. “No need. Let her work. Tell me the moment she gets the results.”
Lin Yan spent the entire afternoon in the pathology lab. By the time she emerged, the sun had already sunk behind the mountains.
She hung her lab coat on the rack, ran her fingers through her voluminous hair to gather it, and pulled it back into a neat ponytail with a black hair tie.
“Finished with your work, Forensic Examiner Lin? Come have a bite to eat,” several members of the technical investigation team said. They were sitting in a circle, eating instant noodles.
“No, thanks. I’m not eating.” She picked up her wristwatch from the table, strapped it on, and hesitated. “Song—”
Fang Xin quickly chimed in. “Oh, Captain Song came by this afternoon. She saw you were still running experiments, so she left.”
The forensic doctor let out a soft grunt through her nose. At least she had some tact.
“It wasn’t me! I didn’t do it! I really had no idea! She and I were just in a normal superior-subordinate relationship…” Sitting across from the officers, the man was still stubbornly resisting their questions.
“If you don’t have any evidence, I’ll sue you for defamation!”
Song Yuhang straightened up in her chair and gestured for Zheng Chengrui to turn the computer screen toward him.
“Starting in March of last year, you subjected Ding Xue to sexual harassment for over a year, including but not limited to verbal harassment. Principal Ge, you’re a married man with a reputation to uphold. If your wife found out, I’m afraid—”
The words in the chat logs were filthy and obscene, completely vulgar. Among them were photos of his private parts that he had sent to Ding Xue to provoke her.
Throughout this year-long harassment, because he was her superior, Ding Xue had constantly endured and made concessions. She had politely declined him and righteously rejected him. However, her rejections had only made him fly into a rage of humiliation, culminating in a message he sent to Ding Xue on the night of May 14th.
“You refused the toast only to drink a forfeit2—you’re going to regret this!”
The chat logs were horrifying. Ge Jun broke out in a cold sweat, yet he continued to put up a front, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. “That’s impossible! You must have fabricated this to frame me!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the door to the interrogation room was flung open. Several police officers followed behind, unable to stop her in time.
Lin Yan slammed a photograph onto the table with a slap. “Then how do you explain this?”
The photo showed a man and a woman huddled intimately together. The woman appeared to be drunk, while the man was hunching over with a wretched look, trying to kiss her cheek.
The cold sweat poured down Ge Jun’s face. His complexion shifted between pale blue and white. He gritted his teeth, steeling himself to deny everything to the bitter end.
“I suggest you realize that the police have already listed you as our prime suspect,” Song Yuhang said. “No matter how much you deny it, we’ll find the evidence to bring you to justice. As a respected principal, surely you know that even with a zero-confession case, a conviction can still be made as long as the evidence is ironclad.
“Think of your family, your parents, your wife, your child… Do you really want them to bear the shame of having a murderer for a son, a husband, or a father? From now on, they’ll never be able to hold their heads up again.
“Leniency to those who confess, severity to those who resist.3 If you tell us the truth, we’ll note it in the final case report. Perhaps when you stand trial, you’ll have a chance to seek a lighter sentence.
“The child wishes to care for them, but the parents will not wait.4 If you’re locked up in prison for the rest of your life, you might not even have the chance to perform your filial duties at their deathbed when they pass away.
“You’re still a teacher, a principal, a pioneer of education. Is this how you set an example for your children and your students?”
Listen to that eloquence, that ideological work. Even Lin Yan was impressed.
When it came to his parents and child, Ge Jun’s expression finally wavered. Song Yuhang noticed his hands nervously picking at his fingers under the table, and she threw on the final log.
“Rest assured, we, the police, will never falsely accuse an innocent person, but we’ll absolutely never let any bad person go free.”
Ge Jun struggled again and again, his expression shifting, before he finally said, “I didn’t kill her! I really didn’t! I might have said some harsh things about wanting her dead, but I never actually wanted her to die!”
For some reason, Lin Yan instinctively looked at Song Yuhang, and the other’s gaze also lightly drifted over.
The moment their eyes met, both of them immediately looked away.
Song Yuhang continued her questioning. “Then what were you doing on the night of May 14th?”
“I… I really…” Under the glaring eyes of the entire room of detectives, his voice grew softer and softer. “Under the guise of a business trip… I went… I went to meet my mistress…”
“I really didn’t kill her! If you don’t believe me, go check!”
Without further hesitation, he spilled every last detail about his mistress. An investigator took the paper out to verify.
Before long, he returned with a slightly grim expression. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, “Captain Song, he’s telling the truth. We checked the guest logs and surveillance footage of the hotel he stayed at in the provincial capital, and we also spoke to the front desk. He and his mistress checked in at seven o’clock in the evening and didn’t leave until the following morning. They even had their dinner delivered by room service.”
Ge Jun wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his handkerchief again. “See? What’d I tell you? I really wasn’t lying. Officers, I’ve told you everything, so it’s time to let me go, right?”
Song Yuhang suddenly bit her lower lip. The lead had gone cold again.
Meanwhile, Lin Yan leaned back in her chair, an enigmatic smile playing on her lips.
“Captain Song, what do we do now? It wasn’t easy to bring him in. Are we really going to—” Fang Xin also lowered her voice and said. As a woman, she found this kind of sanctimonious hypocrite the most disgusting, feeling quite a bit of shared indignation.
Song Yuhang stood up. “Let him go. Anyway, the brothers outside have already been waiting for a long time.”
“Thank you, thank you. You’ve all worked hard. Some other day, this Ge will definitely treat you all to tea,” Ge Jun said, cupping his hands and bowing obsequiously, a smile spreading uncontrollably across his face.
Duan Cheng nudged Zheng Chengrui. “Hey, do you think he feels he found the right mistress? If it weren’t for her, even jumping into the Yellow River wouldn’t have washed him clean.5“
The fat man pushed up his glasses and rubbed his round, protruding belly. “When’s this case ever going to end? I want to eat roasted pigeon, roast pig trotters, crawfish, marinated chicken feet…”
Duan Cheng’s stomach growled right on cue. “Alright, shut up.”
As Ge Jun walked out of the interrogation room, the smile froze on his face.
Standing in front of him were several young men in suits and leather shoes, wearing matching black uniforms with procuratorate badges pinned to their chests, holding out their credentials to him.
“Jiangcheng City People’s Procuratorate. We suspect you have committed serious violations of regulations and discipline during your tenure at Jiangcheng No. 1 High School. Please come with us.”
He turned around and saw Song Yuhang leading several people, silently blocking his retreat.
“I said before, I’ll never let a bad person go free.”
Sure enough.
Seeing that no results could be interrogated out of Ge Jun, the corners of Lin Yan’s lips curled into a faint, mocking smile.
She reached out to take back the photograph on the table, but unexpectedly, someone pressed down on it with a firm hand.
Lifting her eyes, she met Song Yuhang’s slightly cold gaze.
“Where did you get this?”
“None of your business. Didn’t I say? You investigate yours, and I’ll investigate mine.”
Lin Yan wanted to pull it away, but the other exerted a bit of force, and the two of them were locked in a stalemate.
“Evidence that doesn’t comply with proper procedures cannot be admitted in court.”
“Who cares if it’s a black cat or a white cat? As long as it catches mice, it’s a good cat. If I hadn’t slapped this evidence right in front of his face, would you have been able to get anything out of him?”
Lin Yan refused to yield an inch, meeting her head-on.
“When the police handle a case, they emphasize the process, but they emphasize the results even more.”
“Stop trying to fool me with your nonsense. Just because I’m wearing this uniform doesn’t mean I approve of your style of doing things. I said it a long time ago—in my eyes, you all are…” She took a gentle step forward and leaned down by her ear.
“…Nothing but useless cowards.”
She watched with satisfaction as the other’s chest heaved up and down. But within a breath, she calmed down again.
“Since you hate us so much, why do you still associate with us, Forensic Examiner Lin? Doesn’t it make you sick?”
She really knew how to strike where it hurt most.
Lin Yan gritted her teeth in anger: “What’s disgusting is your inaction, your low efficiency, and your incompetence—not me!”
Song Yuhang’s clear eyes looked over, completely calm and unhurried: “Actually, I’ve always been curious: why do you hate the police so much?”
Lin Yan released her grip on the photograph. “I have nothing to say.”
Enough. She had already said too much to Song Yuhang.
She turned to leave, but from behind her came a slightly low voice: “Forensic Examiner Lin, I have a word of advice.”
Lin Yan paused in her tracks.
“Do not go to extremes in everything, otherwise you can only reap what you sow.”
It was just past five in the afternoon, right at the evening peak, and a long line of cars picking up and dropping off children had lined up at the school gates.
Lin Yan found a cafe by the side of the road and sat down. The view was perfect. Through the wide floor-to-ceiling windows, just across the pedestrian crossing, sat Qimingxing Kindergarten.
She ordered a latte and sipped it idly, flipping through the shop’s books and magazines.
The sky gradually darkened as the setting sun cast its last remaining rays of light. One by one, the children departed.
The teacher prepared to lock the school gates, but a child was still leaning against the iron fence, looking outside expectantly.
“Be a good girl, Yaya. Teacher has already called your dad, okay? He’ll be here to pick you up in a bit.”
The teacher patted her head and went back to her own tasks.
A dark figure blocked the light, and a man held out a lollipop, handing it to her: “Are you Yaya? I’m a friend of your dad’s. Your dad asked me to come pick you up.”
The child looked at him with innocent, bewildered eyes, then glanced at the candy in his hand and swallowed hard.
The man opened the iron gate, but just as he was about to pick her up, someone grabbed him.
“Put her down. You’re not her dad’s friend.”
Lin Yan looked over, the corners of her lips curving up slightly.
“I’ve really troubled you just now. If not for you, this child would’ve been in grave danger today.” Li Shiping smiled gratefully at her, holding Yaya in her arms.
The child lay obediently in her arms, surprisingly not afraid of strangers.
Lin Yan smiled. “I was just passing by. I happened to see you two pulling and dragging, so I lent a helping hand.”
“I couldn’t tell, Forensic Examiner Lin, but you have such great skills.” This was indeed the truth. Just moments ago, the human trafficker had been dragging Li Shiping and Yaya toward a minivan parked by the roadside, and Li Shiping had been entirely unable to hold them back.
Lin Yan had appeared out of nowhere, holding a mechanical baton in her hand. She’d struck the criminal squarely on the head, seizing the opportunity while he writhed in pain to snatch the child back.
Only then did they escape danger. Seeing that things were going badly, the culprit scrambled up, jumped into the vehicle, and sped away.
Li Shiping was still somewhat shaken.
But after all, she was someone who had seen great winds and waves; her face was just a bit pale, and she was still quite calm.
“Just for self-defense.” With a clean click, the mechanical baton retracted to the size of an electronic pen, and she easily slipped it into her pocket.
“What brings you to this area, Vice Principal Li? I remember this place is still quite a distance from No. 1 High School.”
“Oh, I live around here, and I’m just on my way home. Today was really a coincidence. I’ve really got to thank you again for helping me out, Forensic Examiner Lin…”
Before her voice could even fall, a man came running over from afar, looking travel-worn: “Yaya! Yaya, are you alright?”
Having said that, he directly scooped the child over from Li Shiping’s arms.
The commotion just now was somewhat big; the kindergarten teachers and security guards had all come out.
“How are you raising this child as a parent? You’re the last to pick up the child every day. Even if you’re busy with work, you can’t neglect her, right? If not for these two kind-hearted people helping, something huge would’ve happened today!”
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I’ll definitely pay attention next time, definitely.” Sun Xiangming nodded and bowed to the teacher, his gaze slipping past Li Shiping’s face.
Lin Yan saw his Adam’s apple bob, then he turned around and spoke to her: “I’ve troubled you with today’s matter, Forensic Examiner Lin.”
“No need, it’s just a small lift. Since the matter is resolved, I’ll be off.” She waved at the two of them and turned to leave.
In her peripheral vision, Li Shiping stood in place, watching Sun Xiangming leave. Yaya lay silently on her father’s shoulder, tears still clinging to the corners of her eyes.
So Sun Xiangming opened the bag he was carrying, and took out a small aquarium tank to coax her: “Look, what did Daddy buy for you? Your favorite goldfish.”
Not long after Li Shiping returned home, a knock sounded at her door. She got up and looked out through the peephole.
It was Song Yuhang.
Only then did she dab at the corners of her eyes with a tissue and open the door for her.
“Officer Song? Is there something you need so late at night?”
Song Yuhang stood outside alone, dressed in casual wear, wearing a backpack: “Sorry to disturb you. I’m here to gather some information.”
“It’s no trouble at all. Please, come in.”
Li Shiping stepped aside to let her through, retrieving a pair of guest slippers from the shoe cabinet in the entryway.
“Thank you.”
“What would you like to drink, Officer Song?”
While she was changing her shoes, Li Shiping walked into the open kitchen, planning to brew coffee for her.
“Don’t trouble yourself, plain water is fine.”
“Do you live alone?”
“Yes, I’ve lived alone since divorcing my ex-husband.”
Song Yuhang noticed a used glass cup sitting on the counter, yet Li Shiping was holding her own cup and the glass of plain water she’d prepared for her.
“What about your children?”
“I don’t have any children.”
She said plainly, then took a sip of her coffee.
Song Yuhang didn’t ask further, taking out paper and a pen from her bag and sitting down.
As the routine questioning came to an end, Song Yuhang threw out another question: “What was your impression of Ding Xue?”
The woman stared blankly for a moment as she held her glass cup: “Oh, my impression of her was quite good. She was an outstanding teacher among our younger staff—sensible, cultured, and highly fair to all her students…”
“I heard from the Sun family’s neighbors that their relationship wasn’t very good. Did she ever mention it at school?”
Li Shiping recalled for a moment: “No, I never heard her mention her husband.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
“Are you familiar with a student named Zhou Mo?”
“Yes, he’s one of the problem students in the senior year.”
“I saw his name on the grades list posted at the school gates as well. How could he be a problem student?”
Li Shiping fell silent for a moment, and Song Yuhang watched her expression, feeling there was something a bit hard to put into words.
“You don’t know… he… he…” She seemed to find it difficult to speak about.
“He was pestering his teacher, wasn’t he?”
Li Shiping didn’t speak, which counted as a tacit agreement.
“Then what are your thoughts on Principal Ge?”
“I heard he’s already been placed under formal investigation, is that correct?” Instead of answering directly, Li Shiping asked.
Song Yuhang nodded: “Yes, you’re quite well-informed.”
“To tell you the truth, there’ve long been rumors circulating around the school that his conduct was improper…”
“Do you think his connection to Ding Xue’s death is significant?”
The author has something to say:
Thanks for reading. A bit late today. Love you all, mwah!
Footnotes
- Fánshì bùyào jiànzǒupiānfēng, fǒuzé zhǐnéng zìshíqíguǒ: A warning against taking extreme, unorthodox, or risky shortcuts, which inevitably leads to facing the negative consequences of one's own actions.
- Jìngjiǔ bùchī chī fájiǔ: Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit. A common Chinese expression meaning to refuse someone's polite offer or cooperative approach, only to be forced to comply through harsher, punitive means.
- 'Tǎnbái cóng kuān, kàngjù cóng yán': Leniency to those who confess, severity to those who resist. A standard Chinese police interrogation slogan emphasizing that cooperation yields lighter punishment while resistance brings harsher consequences.
- 'Zǐ yù yǎng ér qīn bù dài': The tree craves peace but the wind will not subside; the child wishes to care for their parents but they do not wait. A classic Confucian proverb from the 'Han Shi Waizhuan' about the tragedy of losing parents before having the chance to show filial piety.
- Tiàojìn Huanghe yě xǐ bù qīng: Even jumping into the Yellow River won't wash it clean. An idiom meaning that one is caught in a situation so suspicious that no amount of explanation can clear their name. Note that proper names like 'Huanghe' are kept tone-free.
my main guess is her, the vp, because she ask about how painful it is to drown and cares only about the reputation of the school