Fang Ming's eyes settled on Yuan Minsheng. His statement wasn't baseless; it stemmed from keen observation and reasoning.
Seeing the puzzled expressions of the police officers, Fang Ming smiled slightly and said, "I've never been to the scene, but let's think about this logically. If I were Yuan Minsheng and I had stolen the gold jewelry, I would have known that the theft would be discovered. So, why wouldn't I escape immediately after stealing it? Why wait until after the discovery to try and flee?"
His question made the officers frown. One of them eventually responded, "It's possible he was planning to escape but didn't expect Mr. Cai to return so soon."
"That's possible," Fang Ming conceded. "But if you were Yuan Minsheng and you stole the gold, wouldn't you be paying close attention to when the boss would return? As the head of security and a long-time employee, wouldn't he have found an excuse to ask the manager about the boss's return date? Or even subtly inquire about it through some reason? That would give him ample time to prepare his escape."
Before the officers could retort, Fang Ming added with a smile, "And you might argue that he's not that clever. But consider this—managing to steal from a safe and avoid detection until now must have required a detailed plan. Someone capable of pulling that off wouldn't overlook such a critical detail."
Fang Ming's logic left the officers momentarily speechless. They had initially assumed Yuan's guilt because of his attempted escape, but Fang Ming's reasoning brought to light numerous doubts in the case.
"Officers, I swear I didn't steal the gold jewelry. I ran because I panicked—I knew I wouldn't be able to explain myself," Yuan Minsheng said, his tone earnest and sincere.
"Whether you did it or not, you need to come back to the station for further investigation," one of the officers replied sternly.
"Understood," Fang Ming said, interjecting politely. "But wouldn't it be better to stop by Baoyuxuan first and gather more information about the situation?"
His suggestion wasn't just for the sake of the investigation; Fang Ming himself wanted to inspect the site. He was confident that Yuan Minsheng wasn't the thief.
The reason? Fang Ming had discerned it from Yuan's facial features.
Signs of Injustice in a Face
In physiognomy, the human face is divided into twelve houses and thirty-six sub-sections. One of these areas, near the corners of the eyes, is called the "traitor's gate" (jianmen).
When this area appears greenish, it signifies an impending legal disaster. Earlier, Fang Ming hadn't paid close attention, but when he did, he noticed that Yuan Minsheng's traitor's gate was not only green but also tinged with white.
Green tinged with white—a sign of false imprisonment.
Based on this observation, Fang Ming was certain Yuan had been framed. However, he couldn't share this reasoning with the police, lest they dismiss him as a superstitious fraud.
A Detour to Baoyuxuan
"Officers, you're taking Yuan Minsheng to the station, but what about his daughter? You can't just leave her here on the street. Why not head to Baoyuxuan first?" Fang Ming suggested.
The officers exchanged glances and, after some deliberation, decided to accept his proposal. They escorted Yuan toward Baoyuxuan, with Fang Ming following behind.
The crowd that had gathered to watch gradually dispersed. Fang Ming approached Yuan's daughter, squatting down and extending his hand.
"Come with me. I'll make sure your father's name is cleared," he said gently.
The little girl pursed her lips, her distrust evident. She hadn't forgotten how Fang Ming had tripped her father earlier.
"Fine. Follow me, then," Fang Ming said with a wry smile, retracting his hand. He started walking after the officers, and after some hesitation, the girl followed quietly behind him.
At Baoyuxuan
Baoyuxuan wasn't far from the antique street. When the police entered with Yuan, a middle-aged man in a Tang-style suit stormed out, pointing angrily at Yuan.
"Yuan Minsheng! Have I ever treated you unfairly? How could you betray me by stealing from my store?" the man shouted.
"Mr. Cai, I swear I didn't steal the gold jewelry," Yuan said, shaking his head fervently. But neither Cai Wenli, the store owner, nor the other employees seemed to believe him. Their gazes were filled with disdain and contempt.
"Don't deny it! Who else could it have been? You're the only one with a key to the room. No one else could've entered!"
Fang Ming, who had followed them in, didn't interject immediately. Instead, his eyes scanned the store's lobby. The store was filled with displays of gold jewelry and gemstones. At the center of the lobby stood a gilded pixiu statue.
In Chinese folklore, the pixiu is a mythical creature believed to attract wealth. It is said to consume riches from all directions but never release them, symbolizing prosperity and wealth retention.
Clearly, Cai Wenli placed great faith in this belief—judging by the size of the statue.
Fang Ming's gaze lingered on the pixiu for a few seconds before shifting. He approached one of the employees.
"How long has that pixiu been here?" he asked.
"About half a year, I think," the employee replied, assuming Fang Ming was part of the police.
"It's very shiny. Do you clean it daily?" Fang Ming continued.
"Of course. Our manager personally wipes it down every day," the employee said, though his tone suggested he found the practice tiresome.
"Interesting." Fang Ming said no more, heading toward the second floor. The security guards stationed there didn't stop him, assuming he was part of the investigation.
Investigating the Vault
Reaching the second floor, Fang Ming immediately noticed the vault room. Its door was open, and inside, a corner safe stood with its door ajar, completely empty.
This was clearly where the stolen gold had been kept.
The room was empty. Fang Ming approached the safe, reaching his hand into the bottom. His eyes, however, were focused elsewhere in the room.
"This position, this distance… So that's how it was done. Clever," Fang Ming murmured, a smile forming on his lips. He now understood how the gold had been stolen. All that remained was to identify the thief.
Just then, a cold voice interrupted him.
"Who are you?"
At the doorway stood a strikingly beautiful woman with a stern expression. Her face was cold as ice as she looked at Fang Ming.
"I'm just looking around," Fang Ming said, noting her authoritative demeanor. She wasn't in uniform, but her aura unmistakably marked her as a police officer.
"You have no business here. This is a crime scene, and unauthorized entry is illegal. If you can't explain yourself, I have the authority to detain you," the woman said.
Fang Ming raised his hands in a placating gesture. Her tone and icy demeanor told him she was serious. "Alright, I came here to verify a theory. And now I've got my answer."
"What theory? What could you possibly be verifying here?" the woman asked, her brows furrowing.
Fang Ming sighed. "I don't believe Yuan Minsheng stole the gold. I came here to figure out how the theft happened. And now I know."
The woman, Ouyang Xueqing, a detective with the criminal division, narrowed her eyes. She had doubts about Yuan's guilt herself, but as a professional, she trusted evidence over intuition.
"If you're willing to cooperate, I believe we can catch the real thief," Fang Ming said.
Ouyang Xueqing studied him carefully. Unlike her colleagues, who often avoided her gaze, this man seemed unflustered by her scrutiny.
"What do you need me to do?" she asked after a long pause, intrigued despite herself.
"Simple. When we go back downstairs, have the pixiu statue in the lobby moved," Fang Ming replied.
"That's it?" she asked, skeptical.
Fang Ming nodded. "The pixiu might just reveal the identity of the thief. If I'm wrong, you can hold me accountable for wasting your time."