Chapter 48: Progress in the Investigation

Interrogation Room.

Ji Bowen sat across from Li Hui, holding the call records of Hou Jiarou.

Around them were Fang Zhou and others, while in another room, Hu Lihui was questioning the deceased’s husband.

“Ms. Li, we need to understand more about Hou Jiarou. The more information you provide, the better it will help our investigation. Please recall as accurately as possible,” Ji Bowen began.

Li Hui wiped away her tears, unconcerned that her makeup was smudged, and nodded slightly. “Alright.”

Ji Bowen asked, “First, I want to ask if you had any contact with Hou Jiarou from the fifth day of the lunar new year until now?”

At the mention, Li Hui sighed. “No, we had a big fight on the second day of the new year.”

Hmm?

Ji Bowen was momentarily stunned—a big fight? Hou Jiarou had a major quarrel with her mother on the second day and then with her husband on the fifth day? What was going on? Were their relationships really that strained?

“What was it about?” he inquired.

Li Hui replied, “Because of my boyfriend. She was against it.”

Boyfriend?

Ji Bowen studied Li Hui. Although she was in her forties, she took good care of herself, dressed well, and was single—having a boyfriend wasn’t unusual.

“What’s his name? Where is he from? What does he do?” Ji Bowen asked.

Li Hui said, “Zhao Zhiqiang. He’s from Qingchang, sells computers, more or less a small businessman. He often travels on business to Yifeng.”

Ji Bowen asked, “Why was she opposed?”

Li Hui answered, “Jiarou said he’s an old lecher, always looking around inappropriately, very creepy.”

Ji Bowen: “Is he really like that? Tell us more, be detailed.”

Li Hui began talking about Zhao Zhiqiang.

Because her daughter had married into Qingchang, Li Hui often visited her daughter there alone. She met Zhao Zhiqiang in Qingchang.

At that time, Li Hui went to Computer City to buy a computer. After learning she was single, Zhao Zhiqiang proactively asked for her contact information. They became acquainted and started dating.

Zhao Zhiqiang was divorced with two sons, both married and financially independent. He had some savings, so Li Hui agreed to his courtship.

Being in their forties or fifties, there was no prolonged honeymoon phase; they soon discussed marriage. Li Hui then introduced Zhao Zhiqiang to her daughter, Hou Jiarou.

After two meetings, Hou Jiarou strongly opposed the relationship, saying Zhao Zhiqiang always looked at her with lecherous eyes and had impure intentions.

Li Hui didn’t believe it, thinking her daughter was being unreasonable and unwilling to let her find happiness, which caused disputes.

On the second day of the lunar new year, during a visit back to her parental home, Li Hui brought up the matter again, leading to another quarrel.

“I’m almost fifty. Is it easy to find a companion at this age? She... sigh, what’s the use of saying this now? Jiarou is already dead!” Li Hui burst into tears, likely regretting their argument—it had been their last time together.

Mother and daughter fights are common and don’t always reflect the depth of feelings. No matter how intense the quarrel, a daughter remains a daughter.

After listening carefully, Ji Bowen said nothing.

A mother remarrying brings in a new, unfamiliar stepfather. Some children accept this, others resist—it’s understandable. As for Hou Jiarou’s accusation of him being a lecher...

Judging by appearances, Hou Jiarou was quite attractive and young, definitely more appealing to an older man than Li Hui, so it wasn’t unreasonable for him to glance her way.

This is human nature, primal and instinctive, meant only to be hidden within one’s heart.

If every man’s true thoughts were exposed, countless would be socially ruined or worse.

But people are social beings with many considerations. What one thinks is one thing; what one does is another, with actions being the key.

No one admits to dirty thoughts, but no one’s mind is truly pure either.

“Captain Ji.”

At that moment, Fang Zhou pointed to a number circled in red on Hou Jiarou’s call record from the evening of the fifth day.

Hou Jiarou left home on the fifth day, and her phone had been silent with no contacts except for one call that night.

The call lasted ten seconds.

This call was the current focus of the investigation, but the number was unregistered with no real-name information from the carrier.

Back in 2009, mobile SIM cards were chaotically issued in bulk, causing significant difficulties for criminal investigations.

The authorities had begun paying attention to this and expected real-name registration for SIM cards within a few years, treating unregistered cards as black market.

“What now?” Ji Bowen glanced at Fang Zhou.

Fang Zhou gave Ji Bowen a look, and the latter immediately understood, asking Li Hui, “Does Hou Jiarou have Zhao Zhiqiang’s phone number?”

Li Hui thought for a moment and nodded. “Yes, I remember she saved it the first time we met.”

Hearing this, Ji Bowen pushed the call record towards Li Hui and pointed at the circled number. “Whose number is this? Try calling it. If it shows a name, hang up immediately.”

“Oh... okay.”

Li Hui, puzzled, took out her phone and dialed the number.

Fang Zhou, wary that Li Hui might hesitate, stepped forward.

As the number was entered and Li Hui pressed dial, the screen displayed the name "Zhao Zhiqiang."

Seeing it was Zhao Zhiqiang, Li Hui froze.

Fang Zhou acted swiftly and hung up before the call went through.

“Captain Ji, it’s Zhao Zhiqiang.”

Ji Bowen gave a grunt of acknowledgment, relieved Fang Zhou had been quick to react; otherwise, the call would have been made.

If Zhao Zhiqiang were the culprit, Li Hui’s current state could have alerted him.

“What... does that mean?” Li Hui was confused.

Ji Bowen didn’t answer directly but asked, “Ms. Li, when you were with Zhao Zhiqiang, did he ever mention Hou Jiarou?”

Li Hui said, “Yes, he asked what to do if Jiarou disapproved.”

Ji Bowen: “Anything else? Like questions about Hou Jiarou’s private life or personal matters?”

“No...” Li Hui snapped back to reality. “You don’t suspect Zhao Zhiqiang, do you? Impossible, absolutely impossible. He’s a good person. Jiarou was just biased!”

Ji Bowen gestured for calm. “We’re not suspecting him yet; this is routine questioning. Anyone connected to Hou Jiarou is part of our investigation.

Also, please tell Hou Jiarou’s father later. He has the right to know.”

The task force had first contacted the victim’s guardian, Li Hui, rather than the biological father. It was best for Li Hui to inform him.

“Oh...” Li Hui breathed a sigh of relief and fell silent, wiping her tears again, not responding to Ji Bowen’s final remark.

Ji Bowen waved at Fang Zhou.

Fang Zhou understood and left with his team, preparing to visit Zhao Zhiqiang. If his answers were suspicious, they would summon him to the station.

As the last person to contact Hou Jiarou, Zhao Zhiqiang was a significant suspect. From the police perspective, Hou Jiarou’s negative opinion of him might not be mere prejudice.

Although there were no signs of sexual assault, that meant little; Zhao Zhiqiang needed thorough investigation.

After obtaining Zhao Zhiqiang’s address, Fang Zhou, along with Tong Feng, Han Ling, and another detective, set out by car.

At the station, Ji Bowen met with Hu Lihui. Both had finished their questioning and exchanged results.

“Infidelity?” Ji Bowen raised an eyebrow.

Hu Lihui nodded. “Yes. Yang Qi said his relationship with Hou Jiarou soured because he cheated once—the affair was with a bank colleague, named and still working at the bank.

Also, he suspects Zhao Zhiqiang. Hou Jiarou had simple social relationships; only Zhao Zhiqiang had a motive.”

Ji Bowen said, “Fang Zhou has already gone to find out why Hou Jiarou called Zhao Zhiqiang.”

Hu Lihui speculated, “Could it be... revenge? After the new year, she argued with both her mother and husband, maybe she was retaliating against Li Hui and Yang Qi?”

Ji Bowen thought it over and found it unlikely. “No normal person would do such a thing unless Hou Jiarou was mentally unstable. Let’s wait for the investigation results before guessing.”

Hu Lihui agreed. “Alright.”