Zhu Lin said, "Hou Dali is Hou Guolong's only son. To uncover the truth behind Yang Fan's drowning, he got into the criminal investigation department of the University of Law and has not given up for six years. To solve these cold cases, you need someone with that kind of stubborn persistence. Moreover, he graduated from the criminal investigation department of the University of Law, and based on feedback from Xiao Ding, his professional abilities are strong."
When Hou Dali began his internship at the criminal investigation unit, only a few people, like Zhu Lin and Lao Jiang, knew his hidden identity as the heir to the Guolong Group.
"Since that's the case, we should plan early. After two or three years of training, once he's familiar with everything, we can think about assigning him to work on the cold cases," Lao Jiang said, tapping his forehead. "Your idea is good, but within the current system, having a young person work on these cases and getting full support from the department will be quite difficult. Do you have a concrete plan?"
Zhu Lin smiled wryly and said, "No plan. Letting Hou Dali handle the cold cases is eighty percent wishful thinking."
Time flew by, and Hou Dali successfully completed his internship.
After the internship, the second unit held a farewell banquet for him. Every year, there are intern officers in the unit, and when they leave, Ding Hao usually gives a few lukewarm words of encouragement. But this "freak" Hou Dali quickly became the unit's star investigator and role model, making everyone forget that he was just an intern. During the farewell, he was treated like a true comrade.
In the summer of 2008, Hou Dali graduated from university and joined the Jiangzhou Criminal Investigation Unit as a regular officer. Along with him, his classmate Chen Haodang also joined the unit. Hou Dali worked in the second squad, while Chen Haodang joined the unit's office.
Hou Dali initially wanted to keep a low profile in the force, hiding the fact that he was the son of Hou Guolong and focusing solely on his cases.
Hou Guolong, a famous entrepreneur from Jiangzhou, had many stories about him circulating in the community. Over time, these stories became wealth legends, and every officer knew Hou Guolong's name. When Hou Dali started his internship, he didn't bring his file, but when he was officially assigned, the file had to go through the Public Security Bureau, making low profile a fantasy. On his first day at the criminal investigation unit's second squad, many of his colleagues asked if his father was indeed Hou Guolong. When they got confirmation, some curious colleagues asked, "Since you're Hou Guolong's son, why would you want to be a detective?" The underlying implication was "Are you crazy?"
Director Guan Peng called Zhu Lin and said, "Old Zhu, the new recruit, Hou Dali, is Hou Guolong's son. He interned with the second squad."
Zhu Lin feigned ignorance and said, "The personnel office should know best about this. When Hou Dali was interning, they only provided a list of names. There are so many people with the surname Hou in Jiangzhou, how would I know he was Hou Guolong's son? Is he really Hou Guolong's son?"
Li Dazui, upon learning that Hou Dali's father was Hou Guolong, got angry on the phone, expressing his frustration over his student's "deception" and demanded compensation for emotional distress.
Hou Dali knew he couldn't explain the true reasons to everyone, so he simply told them, "I like being a detective. Is that not acceptable?" He gave the same answer even when he treated Ding Hao and Li Dazui to dinner.
While this answer worked with his colleagues, he couldn't lie to his father. On the day he reported to the Jiangzhou Criminal Investigation Unit, Hou Guolong canceled all his engagements and prepared a meal at home to have a private conversation with his son.
"Guolong Group is already a modern enterprise, and to really control it, you need to invest time. If you spend your most valuable years in the police force, who will take over the family business? I'm an old-school person, and I can't rest easy or feel content handing over the company I built through hard work to someone else," Hou Guolong said, pouring his son a drink, hoping to persuade him to return to the family business. He knew it was a quixotic effort, but he couldn't rest easy without trying.
Hou Dali replied, "Maybe I have obsessive-compulsive disorder. Once I catch Yang Fan's killer, I'll quit and come back to Guolong Group."
"If the detectives were right back then, and if Yang Fan's death was truly an accident, you won't be able to catch a killer because there isn't one. Does that mean you'll be a detective forever? In that case, does your obsession even have meaning? Unless you genuinely enjoy being a detective, that's a different story. Life is short, and the most important decisions often happen unconsciously. It's like when I resigned without telling your mother—afterward, our lives underwent a major change. You're in the same situation now. The decision you make will determine the course of your life."
Hou Guolong knew his son's temperament, so he set aside his authority as both a father and the head of Guolong Group to talk to his son as an equal. He shared his life experiences, each simple but containing deep insights into life.
"Dad, thank you for saying all this. But for now, this is the only path I can take. I'm still young; I have time to start over."
For Hou Dali, life was divided into two parts: the time before Yang Fan's death and the time after. Although these two parts seemed continuous, with no clear distinction, Hou Dali knew that the moment he saw Yang Fan's body in the water, his life changed permanently and fundamentally. He was no longer the same Hou Dali but a version of himself marked by trauma. This trauma, initially subtle, had grown over time, like a small tree that eventually became a towering one.
If he couldn't find the killer, Hou Dali's soul would have no peace.
As for the possibility that Yang Fan's death was truly an accident, Hou Dali stubbornly refused to consider it, firmly believing in his own judgment.
His mother, Li Yongmei, once told him that his quest was a gamble with his life, asking if it was worth it for a woman he hadn't even married. Hou Dali didn't know if it was worth it; he was simply following his heart, immersing himself in an investigation that might not even exist.
Hou Guolong couldn't understand his son's choice. From his perspective, there were many ways to get the police to re-examine Yang Fan's case without getting personally involved. After failing to persuade his son again, he felt worse than if he had lost a major business deal.
Being a man of action, Hou Guolong quickly recovered from his disappointment and called Xia Xiaoyu.
"Dali's head is completely rusted. He can't see the bigger picture and can't focus on what's important. You need to find a way to make him sit on the sidelines in the criminal investigation unit."
"Boss, if that's the case, why not just prevent him from joining the unit?"
"If we block him from joining, he'll suspect we're meddling. Let him sit on the sidelines, break his illusions about being a detective, and eventually, he'll give up. More importantly, if he's on the sidelines, he won't be on the front lines, reducing the danger."
"Boss, I understand. This isn't illegal or against policy. It's just a concerned parent pulling some strings, which is easy to do."
Xia Xiaoyu, Guolong Group's agent in Jiangzhou, had deep connections and was well-versed in handling such matters.
FOUR DNA on a Duck Bone
There was disagreement among the leadership of the criminal investigation unit on how to assign specific tasks to Hou Dali and Chen Haodang.
Zhu Lin reviewed the files of Hou Dali and Chen Haodang and said, "Last year and the year before, we wanted students from the criminal investigation department at Southern Law University but didn't get any. This year, we're lucky to have two at once. They're both good, each with their own strengths. Chen Haodang was a student leader, a party member, and a top student at the university level. Hou Dali isn't a party member or a student leader, but his academic performance is excellent, and he received high praise during his internship."
The unit's political commissar, Hong Jinming, joked, "Hou Dali hid well. During his internship, he never revealed that he was Hou Guolong's son."
Zhu Lin pushed the two files toward him and said, "Old Hong, you're the political commissar. Make a proposal."
Hong Jinming said, "Chen Haodang joined the Party during university and was also a student leader. He seems promising. I suggest assigning him to the office. The office has been aging in personnel, and it could use some fresh blood."
Zhu Lin had high hopes for Hou Dali and wanted to groom him into Jiangzhou's next generation of leading detectives. He also hoped to entrust him with solving the cold cases. However, he hid his true intentions from the other members of the leadership team and said, "What about Hou Dali?"
Hong Jinming kept flipping through Hou Dali's file and said, "Let's assign him to the first squad. Given his special background, many in the first squad have children who need jobs. With Hou Dali there, it would be easier to help them find work."
"Commissar, one thing has nothing to do with the other," Zhu Lin said.
Vice Squad Leader and Captain of the Major Crimes Unit, Gong Jianmin, was clearly opposed to assigning Hou Dali to the Major Crimes Unit. His reasoning was solid: "Different cities have different internal structures within their criminal investigation squads, but no matter how they are set up, the first unit is always the Major Crimes Unit. This indicates the importance of the first unit. The Major Crimes Unit handles major cases, and it faces more danger. Frankly speaking, Hou Dali is Hou Guolong's son. I doubt whether a rich kid like him would be able to shield his teammates from bullets in the face of danger. It's not just me who doubts this; the team members have the same concern. Moreover, according to Jiangzhou's customary practice, to transfer to the Major Crimes Unit, one must have three to five years of work experience, demonstrate excellent performance, and possess outstanding professional skills to be qualified to join the Major Crimes Unit. Regardless of whether Hou Dali is really capable, he should first be trained for a few years before discussing his assignment to the Major Crimes Unit."
Zhu Lin said, "Old Hong, your thoughts?"
"Hou Dali performed well during his internship in the second squad. However, Old Gong's concerns are also very reasonable. I suggest placing Hou Dali in the second unit, where he can handle intelligence and data work first. This job is highly specialized and should be managed by someone with a strong educational background. A long journey tests the endurance of a horse; time will reveal a person's true nature. If he truly is a good piece of steel, he will eventually be used in more important positions."
Hong Jinming was fair-skinned and slightly plump. His appearance often gave the false impression that he had always worked in an office, but in reality, Hong Jinming had climbed the ranks from squad leader to unit leader and vice squad leader, with a standard criminal investigation leadership background.
Hong Jinming's suggestion was somewhat unexpected to Zhu Lin. After some consideration, Zhu Lin agreed with the commissar's suggestion. Hou Dali's unique status warranted putting him on the sidelines to temper his character. If he could endure this phase, he would be better entrusted with significant responsibilities. Considering this, Zhu Lin said, "I agree with the commissar and Old Gong's opinions. Commissar, please talk to both Hou Dali and Chen Haodang to help them quickly adjust to their roles and transition from criminal investigation students to police officers."
In practice, professionals responsible for collecting and organizing intelligence and data in the Criminal Investigation Squad have few opportunities to earn commendations, and the work is mechanical and dull, so many police officers are reluctant to do it. The professionals currently on the job can be summed up in two words: old and sick.
To ensure Hou Dali accepted the assignment, Hong Jinming specifically prepared a conversation plan. He planned to first discuss Hou Dali's performance during his internship and praise him, then talk about the importance of criminal intelligence work, especially the new characteristics of intelligence work in the current internet age, and finally announce the squad's decision.
When Hou Dali received the notice, he came to the commissar's office. He quietly listened to the commissar's half-hour speech, then calmly asked, "Commissar, am I assigned to the second unit?"
With a smile on his face, Hong Jinming kindly replied, "Yes, you'll be working in the second unit. This is a decision made by the squad leadership."
Hou Dali responded, "Commissar, I understand the importance of criminal intelligence work and will do my job diligently."
Given Hou Dali's special status and his willingness to cooperate, Hong Jinming felt a bit puzzled. He closely observed Hou Dali's expression but detected no sarcasm. He further explained, "Criminal intelligence work is very important, especially in today's era, where it forms the foundation of most criminal investigations. If the foundation is not strong, everything will collapse. Currently, there are issues with intelligence data work across the province, such as poor data transmission channels, insufficient information, and inadequate application of the information. We need someone with a strong educational background like yours. Of course, as a police officer in the second unit, in addition to collecting and organizing criminal intelligence, you'll also be responsible for tasks assigned by the unit leaders, including participating in operations. Let me clarify that collecting and organizing criminal intelligence is different from managing and educating informants in major and special cases."
"Commissar, rest assured, I will work hard."
Hou Dali responded decisively, without any sign of negotiating with the organization or expressing dissatisfaction. Although intelligence work is considered unappealing by many, it was a favorable position for him because it allowed him to collect and organize cases similar to Yang Fan's, making it an ideal job.
After the conversation, Hong Jinming personally took Hou Dali to the second unit and handed him over to Ye Dapeng.
Hou Dali knew that as Hou Guolong's son, working in the Criminal Investigation Squad would initially make him seem like a peculiar figure. He was mentally prepared for this and was indifferent to any strange looks from his colleagues, facing them calmly.
"Welcome to the second unit, high-achieving student from the Criminal Investigation Department! I was classmates with Old Ding from the second squad, and he spoke highly of you. When we have time, let's have a drink together." Ye Dapeng added, "I heard you're good at Sanda. We have fugitive pursuit tasks in the second unit, so be prepared."
Hou Dali straightened his chest and said, "I'm ready anytime."
Afterward, Ye Dapeng went downstairs to find Zhu Lin, complaining, "Squad leader, why did you assign a Buddha to the second unit? Hou Guolong is the richest man in the province; I really can't have Hou Dali on the front lines."
Zhu Lin glared at him, slammed the table, and said, "If Hou Dali could charge into battle under Ding Hao, why can't he do it in the second unit? Hou Guolong is a businessman; since when do businessmen control the Criminal Investigation Squad? Hou Dali is just a new police officer, and he should be used as such. If you can't properly use graduates from the Criminal Investigation Department, that's your failure."
When Ye Dapeng went back upstairs, he saw Hou Dali cleaning a desk in the archive room.
The second unit of the Criminal Investigation Squad was located on the fourth floor of the squad's office building, and the archive room was at the far west end of the fourth floor. Hou Dali shared an office with an older colleague who was three years away from retirement. The office was right next to the archive room. The older colleague was close to retirement and was on sick leave. After wiping the dust off the desk, Hou Dali took a deep breath, like a thief entering a treasure trove, and cautiously opened the archive room.
The archive room had a solitary computer and twenty rows of cabinets filled with files, labeled by year and categorized into personnel files, case files, criminal intelligence leads, sample files, and other files as needed.
Hou Dali wandered through the file cabinets, casually pulling out a file. Each thick file contained a segment of special history. Opening a file would bring out a vivid, bloody history, complete with the scent of blood.
After browsing for a while, he found the file on the Chen Lingfei case, which he had encountered during the capture of Tu Sun while interning. The Chen Lingfei file had only a thin set of basic materials; the main dossier was still in the first unit.
"Pervert, how did you end up here?" Chen Haodang had already reported to the Criminal Investigation Squad's office and found some free time to go from the second floor to the fourth to meet his old classmate. Chen Haodang and Hou Dali had an average relationship during school, with no conflicts but also no deep friendship. He originally wanted to stay at the provincial office but failed, so he chose the second largest city, Jiangzhou's Criminal Investigation Squad, as a second option.
"This place is fine; I like it." Hou Dali wasn't interested in promotions or wealth as a police officer; he was focused solely on solving cases, so his mindset was different from others.
Chen Haodang sat on the edge of the desk with one side of his buttocks, his left leg supporting him on the floor. "Your dad made his fortune in Jiangzhou and has deep connections. You should find a way to transfer to the bureau office or the political department; your career will progress faster there."
Hou Dali gave Chen Haodang an unceremonious side-eye and said, "We studied criminal investigation to work in the Criminal Investigation Squad. What's the point of going to the bureau office?"
"Your family environment is too good, you don't understand the struggles of ordinary people. The two of us from the Criminal Investigation Department are the only ones in Jiangzhou; we should look out for each other." Chen Haodang chose the Jiangzhou Criminal Investigation Squad after researching the career paths of provincial office leaders. One-third of the provincial office leaders had worked in Jiangzhou. Failing to get into the provincial office, coming to Jiangzhou was a roundabout way to advance.
Not wanting to waste time, Chen Haodang chatted for a few minutes and then went downstairs.
Hou Dali chased him to the door and said, "Let's drop the 'Pervert' nickname in the squad."
Chen Haodang turned back and laughed, "Too late, I've already mentioned your nickname. Everyone thinks it's a good one."
The archive room was in a quiet corner, and few colleagues passed by, so it was very peaceful. After flipping through some old files, Hou Dali looked up at the ceiling. After studying the ceiling, he picked up his phone and contacted Jin Chuantong,He asked him to organize a small gathering of a few classmates, specifically mentioning Li Wulin by name. Li Wulin had written a love letter to Yang Fan back in the day and was considered a suspect after Yang Fan's drowning, though he was later cleared of suspicion after an investigation.
Hou Dali wanted to directly interact with the classmates who had pursued Yang Fan back then, hoping to find some clues.
Jiangzhou No. 1 High School was the city's top school, and Class 1 was the top class. Most of the students from that class had been admitted to 985 or 211 universities, but only six of them had returned to Jiangzhou after graduation. Li Wulin attended Sannan Normal University and returned to teach at Jiangzhou No. 1 High School after graduation.
Jin Chuantong was the only one who didn't meet the Tier 2 university admission line and instead went to study abroad in Australia. He spent four years there, mingling mostly within the Chinese community and never really mastered English. After returning to China, he joined the family business and is now a proper "young master" in the company. That evening, Jin originally planned to invite six classmates to dinner, but in addition to the six from their class, seven others from different classes showed up, most of them attractive female classmates. These female classmates had dressed up carefully, some looking pure, others s*xy, each showcasing their most charming side.
The dinner was arranged at Jiangzhou Grand Hotel, which was owned by Guolong Group. The hotel offered a full range of services, allowing guests to enjoy themselves without leaving the premises. During the dinner, everyone drank heartily. After dinner, they booked a luxury private room and had a great time.
The gathering ended at two in the morning. Hou Dali drank quite a bit and didn't return to Gaosen Villa; instead, he booked a large room at the hotel. Once in his room, he went to the bathroom and vomited up all the alcohol, then paced around the room with a grim expression, embedding Li Wulin's latest appearance in his mind and pondering it over and over.
During the class reunion, after getting drunk, Li Wulin hugged Hou Dali and poured out his feelings of longing for Yang Fan, repeatedly lamenting that beautiful women are often fated to meet tragic ends. He admitted that after Yang Fan's accident, he was so heartbroken that he lost interest in studying, which is why he only got into Sannan Normal University. Based on his drunken behavior, it was clear that Li Wulin still couldn't forget Yang Fan, even after all these years.
The phone on the table started flashing.
Hou Dali picked it up and saw that it was a call from a female classmate, Yang Hong. He didn't answer. After a while, Yang Hong sent a text message: "Dali, where are you? I want to meet you."
Yang Hong was quite attractive and had dressed in a low-cut long dress that night, wearing a sparkling necklace that made her look s*xy and charming under the lights. Hou Dali knew Yang Hong was interested in him, but he neither answered the call nor replied to the message.
Yang Hong had drunk quite a bit and was slightly tipsy, sitting in her car in the hotel parking lot, calling and texting Hou Dali. She waited for half an hour without getting any response and finally left the hotel.
The next morning, as Hou Dali was having breakfast in the hotel restaurant, the hotel's deputy manager, Gu Ying, came over to greet him and specifically suggested, "Since you're often alone in Jiangzhou, you don't have to go back to Gaosen. You can book a room at the hotel; it's convenient for both dining and staying."
Hou Dali politely declined.
In Jiangzhou Grand Hotel, Hou Dali was indeed treated like a "prince," with countless people eager to serve him. But as soon as he drove into the Criminal Investigation Squad office building, he transformed back into an ordinary police officer and began organizing the dormant criminal intelligence files.
Yang Fan's death had been classified as an accident, so there were no records related to Yang Fan in the database. Hou Dali buried himself in the archives, looking for cases similar to Yang Fan's, hoping to find a clue that could lead him back to her case.
Based on this, he focused on the Chen Lingfei case.
The victim, Chen Lingfei, was a female teacher who had been working for two years.
Hou Dali's main job was to collect and organize criminal intelligence, and after developing an interest in this case, he officially requested the case files from the squad's archives under the pretext of organizing criminal intelligence materials.
Criminal case files are divided into litigation files (also known as the main file) and investigation work files (also known as the secondary file). The litigation file mainly includes legal documents used externally and evidence materials proving the facts of the case, which are compiled and sent to the People's Procuratorate for litigation. The investigation work file primarily includes internal approval documents, case research records, and other materials that are valuable for preservation but are not required as evidence in criminal proceedings. These are bound and archived for reference.
After repeatedly reading through the main and secondary files, Hou Dali committed the Chen Lingfei case to memory.
From a work responsibility standpoint, his main job was to collect and organize information, and he wasn't required to investigate cases. However, after thoroughly reviewing the case files, he couldn't help but immerse himself in the case.
The case details were as follows: After dinner, Chen Lingfei's mother went to her daughter's new home and found her lying unconscious in a pool of blood. She was in a coma and, despite efforts to save her, she died.
When the police arrived at the crime scene, medical personnel had already been there and had moved Chen Lingfei while she was unconscious; her parents had also disturbed the scene.
After an initial investigation, the police had two opinions.
One group believed that Chen Lingfei had fallen down the stairs in her two-story home. Based on the position where she was found at the bottom of the stairs, they suggested that she had lost her footing, fallen down the stairs, hit her head, suffered a severe brain injury, and died accidentally. The other group believed it was homicide, based on the large amount of spatter blood found on the stairs.
The autopsy report summary was as follows: There were multiple contusions and lacerations on the back of the head, subarachnoid hemorrhage ranging from mild to moderate, and contusions on the back, wrists, and hands.
Autopsy conclusion: First, the cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma to the head, resulting in skull fractures and brain damage; second, the time of death was around 7 p.m.
At this point, it was confirmed as a homicide, and the Criminal Investigation Squad opened a case, with the Major Crimes Unit taking over.
This led to a second round of debate within the Major Crimes Unit.
One faction believed that Chen Lingfei's fiancé, Dai Xiaofeng, was the killer. Upon investigation, they found that the doors and windows at the crime scene were intact, with no signs of forced entry, which pointed more to an inside job.
Most murder cases involve someone close to the victim. Couples see each other every day, and if there are unresolved conflicts, they can build up over time, leading to a shift from love to hatred, and ultimately resulting in violence. Therefore, they first focused their suspicion on Dai Xiaofeng.
The other faction believed they couldn't rule out the possibility of an outside perpetrator because Chen Lingfei and her fiancé were in the midst of wedding preparations, had just finished renovating their new home, and were in a good relationship, so Dai Xiaofeng had no motive to kill.
The most crucial point was that Dai Xiaofeng had no time to commit the crime. After investigation, it was confirmed that on the day of the incident, Dai Xiaofeng had been working overtime at his office in the west of the city, with several colleagues able to testify to his presence. Specifically, at 5:30 p.m., Dai Xiaofeng had scheduled a meeting for 7:00 p.m. His colleagues went out for dinner at 5:30, but due to an upset stomach, Dai Xiaofeng stayed behind and did not eat. When his colleagues returned around 6:20 p.m., Dai Xiaofeng was still in the office. Although there was a 50-minute window between 5:30 and 6:20 p.m., during the evening rush hour, it would have been impossible for Dai Xiaofeng to travel from his office in the west of the city to his home in the east and then return to the office in time.
The case had reached an impasse with no breakthrough.
After repeatedly studying the case files, Hou Dali decided to reconstruct the crime scene. The Chen Lingfei case revealed far more information than the Yang Fan case. If he couldn't solve this case, it would be even harder to crack the Yang Fan case.
The first thing he did was to verify how long it would take for Dai Xiaofeng to travel from his office in the west of the city to his home in the east and then back again.
There are three key links to identifying a suspect: the connection between the suspect and the victim, the connection between the suspect and the crime scene, and the relationship between the victim and the suspect.
The connection between the suspect and the crime scene mainly includes temporal, spatial, and evidential relationships. The core reason for excluding Dai Xiaofeng as a suspect was that he didn't have the time to commit the crime.
Dai Xiaofeng's colleagues confirmed that due to the need for overtime, they all went out for dinner around 5:30 p.m. that day. Dai Xiaofeng, feeling unwell, stayed in the office. His colleagues attested that he continued to feel stomach discomfort during this time and was taking medication. Around 6:20 p.m., after dinner, they returned to the office, and Dai Xiaofeng was still there. At 7:00 p.m., everyone attended the meeting in the office.