Animal Detective

Chapter 229 - 223: Case Closed, Time Capsule (3)

"It’s been nine years, hasn’t it? I almost forgot."

Bai Jifei muttered to himself.

"The stench of love... It’s nauseating," Zhao Tianxing said, looking heartbroken.

On the other end of the video call, the two officers quickly found the tree.

"Looks like the ground’s been dug up before," one of the officers said, puzzled.

Right away, the two of them found something to start digging with.

After digging about thirty centimeters, they actually found a plastic lunchbox.

"There are three pieces of paper inside. Should we open them?" one officer asked.

Bai Jifei froze. "Three? That’s not right. There should only be two. One from me, and one from Jiang Qi."

As he spoke, he gestured for them to open it.

"Alright, I’m taking a look then."

An officer opened one of the papers and read its contents aloud.

It seemed to be the one Bai Jifei had written.

"Jiang Qi, from the moment I met you, I knew you were the love of my life. So, to my future self... I don’t know when you’ll be digging this up."

"I also don’t know why you’ve dug it up. But no matter what’s happened—whether you’ve had a fight or life has thrown you a curveball—Bai Jifei, you remember why you love Jiang Qi. And you keep on loving her."

Bai Jifei muttered along, repeating the last sentence with a dazed look in his eyes.

In the observation room, Zhao Tianxing let out a long sigh, about to make another sentimental comment.

But before he could get a word out, a single look from Sun Zhao scared him into shutting his mouth.

The officer on the other end opened another piece of paper. "This one says Shenghai Bank, followed by a string of numbers. No idea what it means. And I feel like this paper looks a bit newer."

Ding Yuwei was taken aback and immediately looked toward Bai Jifei.

In the observation room, Shen Xin, Sun Zhao, and the others all turned to look at Old Zhou.

When they were investigating it as a homicide, Old Zhou had been the one to look into the couple’s finances.

Zhou Zhongyi looked completely lost. "I don’t remember them having any accounts at Shenghai Bank."

Inside, Bai Jifei had the same confused expression, but he clearly didn’t care. He anxiously asked what was written on the last piece of paper—the one from Jiang Qi.

The officer on Zhongming Island opened the last paper and read it out.

"Hubby, haha, you’d better become my husband! I hope you become my husband."

The officer on the other end sounded particularly awkward reading the word "Hubby."

But Bai Jifei’s tears started streaming down his face in an instant.

"And to our baby... Mommy and Daddy promised to bring you back here and open this box together."

"What should I say? I should say, ’Sweetheart, from the moment Mommy and Daddy met, you were probably destined to be our precious baby.’"

"Like the stars in the sky, as Mommy writes these words, a little angel is getting ready to become our baby."

"And Hubby, I hope that when we open this box, I’ll still love you just as much as ever."

"Maybe by the time we open it, we’ll be an old man and an old lady. Or maybe I’ll have already passed on, haha. I have to go before you, because I know the one left behind will be in so much pain. Please forgive my selfishness."

"I feel like I’m being a little pessimistic, but if that really happens, then please, you have to live a good life for me. We promised to love each other forever, and living on is also a form of love."

By the time the officer finished reading, Bai Jifei was sobbing, his face buried in his hands.

In the observation room, everyone exchanged glances.

Zhao Tianxing tilted his head back, savoring the moment, then said, "Even though that guy Bai Jifei is a real bastard, it feels like they were really in love. I wonder when I’ll..."

He trailed off, looking dejected.

Shen Xin didn’t comment. After a moment of thought, he said, "Captain Sun, I remember Bai Jifei’s statement mentioned that Jiang Qi used to work at this Shenghai Bank, right?"

Sun Zhao froze for a second, then remembered it too.

He immediately pressed the talk button and told Ding Yuwei to have the officers on the other end go to Shenghai Bank and find out what that string of numbers meant.

Ding Yuwei explained the situation to the officers, took one last look at the sobbing Bai Jifei, and left the interrogation room.

Back in the observation room, she saw that Shen Xin had returned, her expression a little distant.

Shen Xin didn’t notice at all. He was silently pondering the meaning of the numbers.

’The officers on Zhongming Island said that piece of paper was different from the other two—it was newer.’

’Bai Jifei also said they each put one piece of paper in and buried it, so there should only be two.’

’So who put the extra one in?’

’Did Jiang Qi have someone put it there for her?’

’What was the purpose? Considering what she wrote, maybe she wanted to give Bai Jifei the courage to live on after she took her own life.’

’But who did it?’

’That foreigner?’

’No, that can’t be right. According to Ding Junbao, the guy was terrified when they found him.’

’So if he had done it, he definitely would have confessed.’

’That means she must have entrusted it to someone else we haven’t found yet.’

’And this string of numbers.’

’Old Zhou checked their bank accounts and found nothing. There are a few possibilities. Either it’s not a personal account, or it’s with a foreign bank or a local bank—not one of the major ones.’

’Of course, those banks can be checked too, but it requires a specific inquiry.’

Just as he was thinking, Ding Yuwei tapped him and asked about Wang Shengyu.

"We found them. It should be his parents."

Ding Yuwei let out a long sigh of relief. "That’s wonderful."

Shen Xin nodded. It was indeed good news.

He pulled out his phone and did a quick search. Sure enough, Shenghai Bank was a foreign bank.

Around noon, the officers in Zhongming made a trip to the bank and reported back with the results.

It was a private safe deposit box opened by Jiang Qi.

And it had been open for five years.

Seeing the specific date the account was opened, Shen Xin suddenly realized it was around the same time Jiang Qi had quit her job.

Now, they needed a key to open the safe deposit box.

They asked Bai Jifei, but he knew nothing about the safe deposit box or where the key might be.

He also wanted to see what was inside.

In that case, their only option was to go through official channels and apply to have it forcibly opened.

The process would take a few days.

The Songling side had already confirmed that Jiang Qi’s death was accidental, caused by severe dehydration.

The woman had indeed let herself die of thirst.

As for Bai Jifei, preparations were being made to transfer him to a detention center.

He had caused quite a scene, but after they found the letter, he had calmed down considerably.

Shen Xin and Ding Yuwei were the ones assigned to escort him.

As they were leaving the precinct and about to get into the car, he suddenly stopped and turned to look at Captain Chen and the others who had followed them out.

"Captain Chen, I’m very sorry. I wasn’t thinking clearly and caused trouble for all of you."

"I’m sorry!"

He gave a deep bow.

Chen Chao was taken aback, not expecting this from Bai Jifei. After a moment, he said, "My condolences. Live a good life."

Bai Jifei nodded slightly and turned to get into the police car.

The ride was silent. They reached the detention center and finished the paperwork. Just as Shen Xin and Ding Yuwei were about to leave, Bai Jifei called out to Shen Xin again.

"Officer Shen, I just remembered something. My dogs at home... I’ll have my parents take care of them."

"Aren’t you training police dogs? The Malteses are no good, they can’t be police dogs. But the two Bloodhounds... I’d like to give them to you. They’ll be of more use in your hands."

After speaking, he bowed deeply once more, then turned and walked into the cell block.

Shen Xin raised an eyebrow slightly, still angry with him.

’Pudding’s death was just too unfair.’

At this point, the case was more or less closed.

All that was left was a loose end—the safe deposit box at Shenghai Bank.

A few days later, after the Lantern Festival, the paperwork for the box still wasn’t finished. Shen Xin, however, had an unexpected visitor.

「Lv Youwei’s Office.」

Shen Xin knocked and entered, surprised to find that Lv Youwei had a guest—one he recognized.

Liu Jie.

"Liu Zhi, what are you doing here?" Shen Xin asked, surprised.

Liu Jie smiled kindly. "I’ve come to ask you for a favor, kid."