Diary of a Criminal Investigator-Chapter 246: Investigation at Haizhou Normal University
Qin Yong seemed to agree with Ren Qiang’s words.
He nodded frequently after listening.
As the case developed to this point, although many uncertainties remain, the basics are clear.
Whether Zhao Wenjun committed murder or not, logical reasoning cannot be used as evidence.
What is most important now is to thoroughly investigate the relationship between Wu Rui and Chen Lili, and whether Wu Rui can be found quickly.
A month ago, Wu Rui resigned from Zhao Wenjun’s company, and bloodstains matching Wu Rui’s blood type were found in his former car’s trunk.
This made everyone have a bad premonition.
Sun Jun’s Action Group One and Ren Qiang’s Action Group Two were busy.
However, the Crime Scene Investigation team was not idle this time either, as Zhao Wenjun’s car still needed inspection.
Fortunately, the most troublesome step of collecting trace evidence had already been completed, and Lu Chuan’s main work now was in the lab.
The main difference between the analysis of trace evidence and general evidence collection analysis is precision.
In general evidence identification and analysis, the samples are relatively abundant, and the experimental instruments are less precise.
However, in trace evidence identification and analysis, the targets are often just a few grams of evidence.
So few samples are not enough for reagent staining in general evidence identification.
Therefore, optical instruments are heavily relied upon in trace evidence identification and analysis.
Chemical methods are rarely used for identification.
Haizhou City Normal University.
"Wu Rui studied Applied Chemistry Education and graduated last June."
Wu Rui’s advisor during his studies was Wang Min, a graduate student at Haizhou City Normal University.
Zhang Hui was responsible for investigating Wu Rui and Chen Lili’s situation at school.
Zhang Xiao and another group had already gone to both their homes to understand the relevant situation.
"How was Wu Rui’s performance in class? Has he contacted the school after graduation? Does he have a girlfriend?"
"Wu Rui’s grades were average. He originally wanted to pursue a master’s degree but wasn’t eligible for guaranteed admission, and he didn’t pass the exams. I heard he planned to take the public service exam, but later there was no news."
"After graduation, we tracked the employment of graduates. At the end of last year, I called all graduates... wait, let me find the records from that time..."
"Here it is, Wu Rui said he worked in a private company in PR, but didn’t say which company."
"He didn’t seem to have a girlfriend during college, but I’m pretty sure about this. However, you can ask his roommates. There’s one named Sun Biao, who’s still in school for a master’s, and they were the closest friends."
Haizhou City Normal University Grape Corridor.
"Officer Zhang, this is Sun Biao, Wu Rui’s dorm mate. I’ll leave you guys to chat; call if you need anything."
Zhang Hui nodded, thanked Wang Min, and looked at the somewhat nervous Sun Biao.
"Hello, Sun Biao. I’m Zhang Hui from the city bureau’s Criminal Investigation Team. I’d like to learn about Wu Rui’s situation from you."
"Officer Zhang... Old Wu... Wu Rui, did something happen... to him?"
Sun Biao wasn’t stupid. With the police coming to ask him about Wu Rui, something must have happened.
"It’s unclear at the moment. Wu Rui is currently just missing, and it’s uncertain if anything has happened."
Zhang Hui paused: "So, Sun Biao, the information I need from you today is critical, and I hope you’ll cooperate and help us find Wu Rui as soon as possible."
"Ah! Yes, yes, you can count on me. I’ll cooperate fully."
"When was the last time you saw Wu Rui?"
"February 19th."
Without hesitation, Sun Biao accurately stated the last time they met.
Zhang Hui’s expression paused slightly.
The nineteenth of last month, more than a month ago, nearly two months now.
Even if Sun Biao and Wu Rui were good friends, would he remember so clearly?
Most people would generally say February, at most early or late February.
How did Sun Biao remember so clearly?
"Sun Biao, no wonder you secured a place for graduate school. It seems your memory is excellent, remembering the date so clearly."
"Not at all, it’s not that I have a good memory. Our graduate winter break was short, and a few days after the New Year, I returned to school for practice."
"February 19th was my birthday, so I remember it clearly, and Wu Rui invited me to Ocean Restaurant for a meal."
Birthday?
No wonder.
But...
"You mean the Ocean Restaurant on Women and Children Road?"
"Yes, that’s the Ocean Restaurant. Wu Rui drove an Accord to pick me up from school."
Ocean Restaurant is quite famous in Haizhou City.
The main ingredients are seafood, but it’s quite expensive, with reportedly an average spend of over a thousand yuan per person.
Wu Rui actually invited Sun Biao to such an expensive restaurant.
Based on the current information, Wu Rui’s parents live in a rural village of a county under the jurisdiction of Haizhou City, with a modest living standard.
Sun Biao continued speaking, pulling out his phone: "This phone is also a birthday gift from Old Wu, worth ten thousand."
Zhang Hui glanced at it, the latest model of the iPhone 16.
"He treated you to such an expensive meal and gave you a phone worth over ten thousand yuan. It seems you two were really close."
Sun Biao nodded: "We were indeed close. His family’s condition was modest. In his sophomore year, his dad got sick and needed money for the hospital. I lent him the one hundred thousand yuan I had saved from my childhood’s New Year’s money."
"Back then, it saved his dad’s life."
"Did Wu Rui pay back the money later?"
"He did, at the end of last December."
"I asked him what job he found, but he didn’t say in detail. Just mentioned working in PR at a fruit company."
"He managed to land several big orders for the boss, and they even gave him a car, the same Accord he picked me up in."
The hundred thousand debt, the ten thousand yuan phone, meals costing over a thousand per person.
Zhang Hui recorded everything and continued questioning.
"Does Wu Rui have a girlfriend?"
Faced with Zhang Hui’s question, Sun Biao was unexpectedly momentarily stunned.
After a while, he replied with some uncertainty: "Probably... not."
Probably not?
What do you mean by probably not?
"Sun Biao, you’re good friends with Wu Rui, why are you uncertain about whether he has a girlfriend?"
"Well, it’s not that I’m unsure. During college, he really didn’t have a girlfriend but had a crush on a girl from the math department."
"When he graduated, he seemed to confess to her, and they talked about taking the public service exam together."
"But later, whenever I asked, he either said nothing or changed the topic, never stating whether he had a girlfriend or not."
Sun Biao spread his hands: "So I stopped asking, and he never mentioned it."
"What was the name of the girl he had a crush on?"
"Her surname is Chen, named Chen Lili."
