Animal Detective-Chapter 35: Learning Crime

Chen Chao accompanied Shen Xin out of the detention area.

"Xiaoshen, what’s this about the mongrel Li Jin mentioned?" he asked as they walked.

Shen Xin explained the situation.

He also briefly mentioned his analysis at the time.

For example, that the human traffickers might have killed the dog when they abducted Wu Jiawang.

"So that’s how it is."

This detail wasn’t recorded in the sub-bureau’s case file.

He stopped, lit another cigarette, and thought for a moment before saying, "Shen Xin, Li Jin said he saw this dog. Do you have any way to help me find it?"

Previously, if an investigation led to a dog, Chen Chao would have found it utterly absurd, a complete joke.

But after witnessing Shen Xin use a stray cat to find Li Jin and crack the case, Chen Chao’s tolerance for such wild, unconventional investigation methods had increased significantly.

No matter how bizarre the method, as long as it solved the case, it was fine.

Just as he had told Shen Xin before, solving a case by checking cell tower data was just as mind-boggling.

"I can certainly give it a try," Shen Xin nodded.

Even if Chen Chao hadn’t asked, Shen Xin would have looked for the dog himself.

Li Jin said he saw it with his own eyes.

No matter what, it was a lead.

’Think outside the box,’ he thought. ’What if the traffickers thought the dog was pretty when they abducted Wu Jiawang and just took it home to raise as their own?’

Finding the dog could very well lead to finding the traffickers.

"But Captain Chen, does this mean we’re reopening the Wu Jiawang disappearance case?" Shen Xin asked.

’Isn’t it a bit unofficial to investigate it just like this?’

Chen Chao stamped out his cigarette and smiled. "This is a cold case. Suspending the investigation doesn’t mean we stop investigating. It’s just on hold. If a lead comes up, we definitely follow it."

He told Shen Xin to notify him if he found anything, said he had other matters to attend to, and then got in his car and left.

Shen Xin turned his head and glanced back toward the detention area.

’Never mind why Li Jin specifically asked to see me and gave me the clue about the mongrel,’ Shen Xin thought. He found Li Jin’s reaction a bit strange.

He was in a detention center, about to be sentenced, yet he didn’t seem to care at all.

Sure, he was an orphan with no family ties, but he shouldn’t be so completely unfazed by the prospect of prison.

At this thought, Shen Xin, who had already gotten into his car, went back into the detention area.

"Captain Ma."

Shen Xin found the guard who had helped him with the interrogation earlier.

His surname was Ma, and he held the position of deputy captain. He was in his forties and quite friendly. Seeing Shen Xin return, he asked if he needed to interrogate Li Jin again.

"No, Captain Ma. I came back to ask you about Li Jin. For instance, has he shown any abnormal behavior, or has he said anything unusual in the detention area?" Shen Xin asked.

The supervision in the detention center was very strict.

Especially for someone like Li Jin, who was about to be sentenced and had just arrived, he would definitely be a subject of close observation.

They worried he might get desperate and do something rash.

So Shen Xin figured Captain Ma would know about Li Jin’s situation.

"Abnormal behavior?" Captain Ma looked up and thought for a moment. "You know, now that you mention it, there is something."

Shen Xin’s interest was immediately piqued, and he quickly asked what it was.

Before Captain Ma could answer, he couldn’t help but laugh. "Well, I wouldn’t really call it abnormal. It’s just that his cellmate said that after Li Jin was locked up, he tried to talk to a suspect awaiting trial. That suspect was involved in an underground bank, brought in for money laundering."

"Li Jin tried to get close to him, washing his clothes for him, wanting to learn the tricks of money laundering."

"But, well, the guy ignored him. He just took the opportunity to have Li Jin wash his clothes for a couple of days. Once Li Jin realized what was happening, he stopped bothering him."

"Someone in the cell reported it to us. The guard in charge of the block talked to Li Jin, who said he was just curious and had no other intentions. I don’t think it’s a big deal. He’s about to be sentenced anyway. Whatever schemes he’s got, he can be slowly reformed in prison."

After finishing, he asked Shen Xin if that counted as abnormal behavior and if it was any help to him.

Shen Xin frowned, not sure what to say.

’It’s not exactly abnormal.’

Just as Li Jin himself said, he was just curious and wanted to ask around.

Inmates bragging to each other in prison was a common occurrence.

But he wasn’t just asking around; he wanted to learn, even proactively washing someone’s clothes to get close to them.

’It feels like Li Jin is trying to learn how to commit more crimes.’

For a moment, Shen Xin couldn’t figure out what Li Jin was thinking. He said his thanks and drove away from the detention center.

Finding the dog wasn’t urgent. He had plans for tonight.

Besides, Shen Xin hadn’t figured out how to find it yet.

When he was looking for the calico cat in Xianghong Village, he hadn’t noticed a mongrel like that.

That could only mean its territory was larger and not necessarily confined to Xianghong Village.

Compared to stray cats, stray dogs might be a bit easier to find.

Because dogs are generally more friendly toward humans.

Shen Xin decided to take some time tomorrow to look for it. If he really couldn’t find it, he’d fall back on the method he used for the calico cat and let Da Mei handle it.

Or, he could have Baiwan look for it.

’A cat to find a cat, a dog to find a dog,’ he thought. ’Baiwan is very smart, too.’

Back at the station, he reported the situation to Yao Wensheng.

At first, Yao Wensheng found it incredible, saying that Shen Xin was really getting fixated on cats and dogs. Then he told Shen Xin that if it was an arrangement from Chen Chao, he should help out.

Not only were they all one big family, but if someone from their station could help the sub-bureau crack a case, it would bring honor to their station as well.

Near the end of his shift, Shen Xin received a WeChat message from Zhang Qian with an address.

She knew his work hours were irregular and said they would wait for him, so he could come over whenever he was free.

That’s what she said, but Shen Xin couldn’t really make them wait too long.

He found a chance to glance over at the criminal investigation division.

He didn’t see Zhang Jian. When he asked, he was told Zhang Jian was out on a call.

’Forget him,’ he thought. ’It would be inappropriate and awkward to go together anyway.’

At six o’clock, Shen Xin said goodbye to Dong Yueming and left work on time.

He drove home first and rummaged through his things, but was stunned to find he didn’t have a single decent piece of clothing to wear.

It wasn’t that his clothes were too cheap, but that he hadn’t gotten around to washing any of them.

Shen Xin often let his laundry pile up for a week before finding a chance to take it home and wash it all at once.

Even though he had a washing machine in his apartment.

Wearing his police uniform was definitely not an option.

’Might as well just buy something new.’

He took a quick shower, blow-dried his hair, used some gel to style it, shaved his stubble, and checked himself out in the mirror.

"Da Mei, do I look handsome?"

Shen Xin turned his head to ask Da Mei, who was perched on the toilet.

Da Mei let out a MEOW, leaped gracefully off the toilet, and walked away without a backward glance.

He ran to a nearby mall and bought a new outfit.

It wasn’t anything too formal, just his usual casual style.

When he came out in the new clothes, he looked very handsome. Even the sales associate gave him a second look.

Only then did he drive to the location.

Yangquan Restaurant.

He had never eaten here before, but it was bustling, so the food was probably good.

He asked the front desk and was told they were in a private room on the second floor.

He knocked and entered, only to be surprised to find that Zhang Jian was already there.

The enthusiastic greeting he was about to say got stuck in his throat.

Zhang Jian, however, was quite warm. He immediately stood up and invited Shen Xin to sit down.

"Oh, you kid. We invite you for dinner, and you bring a gift?" Zhang Jian’s wife chided gently.

Her surname was also Shen; her name was Shen Yue Mei.

Seeing her, Shen Xin finally understood how a big, burly man like Zhang Jian could have such a beautiful daughter.

Zhang Qian had clearly inherited her mother’s looks.

Shen Yue Mei was in her forties, the same age as Zhang Jian, but she looked like she was only in her early thirties. Her skin was fair, her features were striking, and she had an exceptionally good aura about her.