Diary of a Criminal Investigator

The reason Ms. Liang was invited to the Criminal Investigation Team is quite simple.

"Ms. Liang, based on what we currently know, your three ex-boyfriends Wang Gang, Zhao Jun, and Li Hao respectively committed suicide by burning charcoal within the span of a month."

Chen Jiang carefully watched the changes in Ms. Liang’s expression.

Unfortunately, he saw nothing.

Ms. Liang’s face seemed to be masked with something impenetrable; one could see her delicacy but not what was hidden behind.

Being able to juggle between eighteen men with complete ease, even after breaking up years later, when police came knocking, they claimed the money was voluntarily given to Ms. Liang. Such a woman...

Mind you, none of the eighteen individuals were simple characters; they were people of power and wealth before retiring.

Chen Jiang abandoned the idea and attempt to obtain valuable information through micro-expression judgments.

"We investigated all the recent three-month delivery records of these three individuals."

Chen Jiang openly presented the information they had already uncovered.

"Thank you, we found out that the charcoal and the metal basins used for suicide by these three individuals were indeed purchased by you, correct?"

Yes!

This has been the biggest find in these three suicide cases so far.

When Lu Chuan discovered the brand of charcoal used by the three were identical, he thought of this point.

Upon investigation, he found that indeed, the charcoal and metal basins used by the three were bought by Ms. Liang.

Since the items were bought by Ms. Liang and the suicidal actions of the three individuals have so many similarities, can we conclude this? That their suicides were instigated by Ms. Liang?

Faced with hard evidence, Ms. Liang did not refute.

She sat gracefully there, a smile on her lips, her voice unpleasant yet very gentle as she spoke to Chen Jiang.

"Officer Chen, my boyfriends and I were in a loving relationship while I was buying them things, it isn’t excessive, right?"

"Even after breaking up, we are still friends."

"I not only bought charcoal and metal basins for them but also similar items for others."

"If you don’t believe me, you can check my online shopping records."

"Moreover, my reason for buying them charcoal and metal basins was not for them to commit suicide."

"Just like a kitchen knife, it can be used for murder or cooking, that doesn’t mean someone who’s killed with a kitchen knife should implicate the seller, right?"

"Officer Chen, are you suspicious that I had anything to do with their suicides?"

Ms. Liang smiled.

"Officer Chen, you probably don’t realize, my relationship with my boyfriends goes far beyond a typical close relationship."

"I know what you’re suspecting, you’re thinking my boyfriends gave me money because I was after their money, aren’t you?"

Chen Jiang was somewhat astonished.

He didn’t expect Ms. Liang to have foreseen the police’s suspicions so thoroughly.

"But let me tell you, the emotions between them and me were real, we shared true love."

"Over the years, I’ve pursued true love, mingled with some very outstanding men, and also experienced happy moments and memories with them."

"But Officer Chen, do you know? People change, everyone’s pursuit of love differs at different stages of life."

"The aspirations I held in my forties differed from those in my fifties, and my understanding of life was also different."

"Among those I’ve dated, Officer Chen, you can inquire, if any of them thought I was with them for money, they can come to me, and I will return everything they ever gave me, and give back even double."

Chen Jiang...

He asked.

Chen Jiang thought Ms. Liang made her fortune via fraud, but when he asked, they declared it wasn’t cheating in existence, five old men claimed it was true love.

Even after breaking up, those five old men still wear the Vacheron Constantin watches Ms. Liang gifted them.

"Officer Chen, I sincerely tell you, the suicides of Wang Gang, Zhao Jun, and Li Hao deeply saddened me."

"We truly loved each other, and for their deaths... I regret it deeply."

"But it was their own matter, unrelated to me."

Ms. Liang sat there, her expression unchanged, her tone still gentle.

"I can even inform the police they discussed with me their suicidal thoughts, I even tried to dissuade them."

"But life is such, everyone must be accountable for their own life, isn’t it?"

"What I can do now is not accept the property they gifted me, return these valuable things to their children."

"Do you... understand me?"

Lu Chuan’s office.

Over in Xinjiang, during interrogation, Lu Chuan also invited two colleagues from the procuratorate.

"Very difficult!"

The two comrades responsible for initiating the indictment, after reviewing the relevant documents, shook their heads.

"From the angle of initiating a charge from our end, the evidence chain is incomplete."

"Firstly, there’s complete surveillance footage of the entire process of the suicider’s death, clearly showing the suicider resolutely killed themselves, from entering the parking lot to eventual death."

"Regarding the usage of charcoal or metal basins, regardless of who provided it, asking the real purpose of its provision is something we cannot judge from the use of the article."

"Thus, even if there are fingerprints on the charcoal or metal basins belonging to the suspect, we cannot use this as evidence."

"Moreover, there are no fingerprints."

"Although there are online purchase records, the two parties were once romantically involved, and according to your current investigation, he still maintains a friendly relationship with previous partners and maintains contact."

"So gifting some things between the parties is a normal act, can’t be used as evidence of suspicion."

"Captain Lu... presumed innocent."

Lu Chuan sighed.

Indeed, presumed innocent.

Lu Chuan and his team cannot convict someone based solely on suspicion.

And Lu Chuan is clearly aware of this, hence, they didn’t arrest Ms. Liang but invited her back to cooperate with the investigation, issuing an inquiry.

Now, Ms. Liang sat in another office, not the interrogation chair, unfettered by handcuffs, free entirely.

"Alright, thank you both, let’s gather together sometime."

"Captain Lu is too kind, feel free to call if anything arises."

After sending off the two colleagues from the procuratorate, Lu Chuan called Chen Jiang over.

"How’s it?"

Chen Jiang shook his head.

"Ms. Liang admits the items were purchased by her, and even admits all three spoke to her expressing suicidal thoughts."

"Yet... this cannot prove Ms. Liang’s connection with their deaths."

"Moreover, Captain Lu, even if... even if I say even, we have surveillance or recordings of Ms. Liang encouraging their suicides."

"Actually... it still wouldn’t be easy to convict the suspect..."