"No matter how many times you ask me, my answer will still be the same. It was really a coincidence that I met Mrs. Dai in the theater," Wu Yue was increasingly growing more anxious. "I didn't even want to face her because I knew that she would say some shit about my Grandma again!"
Huojin asked, "So was Miss. Yin correct? That she used to bully your Grandma?"
Her gaze turned dark and furious. "I didn't know before either. But after that day when that old hag talked so disrespectfully to my Grandma, I was stubborn to know the answer. Grandma refused to dwell on it much, but I understood that Mrs. Dai was a rotten apple. She had a big gang of arrogant girls she was a part of and they took pleasure in harassing others, even their seniors."
"The school authorities never took any action?"
"One of the girl's fathers was quite influential back then. Nobody wanted to lose their jobs. The gang grew even more cocky and they started harassing their teachers too, my Grandma being one of them. Eventually, she resigned when things got out of hand. She didn't tell me in detail, but she was physically hurt," she clenched her jaw, "That old hag was really rotten! Even a month back, she was acting as if they were such good days. But in reality, she was just enjoying the sadistic pleasure!"
Jia was taking note of her every expression as she asked, "When Mrs. Dai got the attack and you turned to talk to her, was she really not in a serious condition as you had claimed before?"
"W-Why are you asking me that again?"
"Because if you saw her struggling, then you would have felt pleased to see the bully in pain. Maybe you decided to ignore her purposefully and let her condition worsen to punish her for all the harassment she did to your Grandma."
"I swear I didn't!" Wu Yue banged her palms on the desk. "I-I had really dropped my glasses and couldn't see her clearly. It was a dark and loud action scene too. I do admit that I didn't turn all the way back because I didn't want her to recognize me…But I swear she looked to be fine!" she lowered her head, twiddling her thumbs. "Can I please leave now? I will be late for my part-time job if I miss my train."
Jia and Huojin exchanged glances. They had their suspicions, but there wasn't anything concrete to hold her in detention. It was all just speculation at this point.
He nodded to her, and she let out a breath. "You can leave, but you have to be present at all times if we ever need to question you again."
Wu Yue sprung on her feet and exclaimed in relief. "I will!"
She rushed outside, passing from beside a figure whose hawk-like gaze made her shudder.
It's that scary doctor again…Why does he keep staring at me like that?
Mingshen made his entrance, whistling a merry tune and brightening upon Jia's sight. "Spicy!"
"Don't, Mingshen," Jia pressed her forehead. "This supposedly simple case is already spinning out of control. I don't have energy to deal with you now."
Huojin sighed. "Who would have thought that Wu Yue would have a connection to the deceased like that?"
"Even if Dai Yaling had inhaled cat fur, it's all very circumstantial. There is no direct evidence like we found in Yin Xiaoling's case where she threw the inhaler away."
Huojin asked, "But Jia, do you really think that this could potentially be a murder case?"
She leaned back on her chair, releasing a small breath. "I cannot say, Huojin…On first glance, it definitely looks like an accident. But three people had serious qualms with her. Dai Meihui, Yin Xiaoling and surprisingly, now Wu Yue is in the picture too. Dai Meihui and Yin Xiaoling have similar reasons whereas Wu Yue hated her because she harassed her Grandma."
Mingshen yawned. "That wife? Does she have the power to fly from Gucheng to Dongdan?"
"He is right," Huojin flipped the pages of his small notebook. "I had confirmed that Dai Meihui was indeed at her office."
"That leaves Yin Xiaoling and Wu Yue. But even if Yin Xiaoling had thrown away the inhaler, how would she know that Dai Yaling would get an allergic reaction if it was intentional? Was it sheer luck for her that two people with fur on their bodies were seated right beside and opposite her?"
"You mean accomplices?"
"Could be."
"But who are those two? Ma Zhilan was right beside her and the Ma family doesn't even know the Dai family except for the one time that Dai Meihui helped out to find her granddaughter. And honestly, I don't feel she has anything to do with it. She literally got a panic attack. I felt bad for her."
Mingshen wore a proud smirk. "It was serious considering her age too, but nothing would have happened to the cool grandma with cool eyesight as long as I am there. She is all fit and fine now~"
Jia gave him a hard stare. "How come are you acting so humanly towards another human being? Do you have a fever?"
"I like intelligent human beings, especially ones who are sharp to notice our lovey-dovey relationship~"
"Where you are literally out to take my heart."
"Because only I can claim it," he smiled, twirling the scalpel around his finger. "Anyway, personal matter aside, drugs are enough of a reason too to be a motive~"
The investigator duo stared at him. "What?"
He pointed at the empty chair where Wu Yue was seated until a few minutes ago. "She is a drug addict."
—
The sky had already darkened by the time Wu Yue hastily walked out of the police station as she simultaneously typed on her phone with jittery fingertips.
'Where? The police are suddenly doubting me for that old woman's death! We need to meet.'
She got a response a few seconds later.
'2-5-10-19'
She looked at the numbers and felt a headache coming but replied okay nevertheless.
Wu Yue stuck her hand out to call for a cab. As one stopped before her, she quickly boarded it and said, "Subway, please."