Street Hustler and His Policewoman Wife

Chapter 212 212: Masking One Scent with Another

"Are you messing with me?"

Chen Xiao could sense that the Sister Miao Doctor in front of him had quite a fiery temper.

Watching Sister Miao Doctor pull back her hand, Chen Xiao said, "I just feel unwell but can't figure out where the problem is."

Sister Miao Doctor frowned, "Are you married?"

"Yes."

"Is your wife not around?"

"No."

"If it really doesn't work, spend a little money. I think you're just restless, making trouble out of nothing."

Sister Miao Doctor said this with no intention of continuing to speak with Chen Xiao.

But Chen Xiao was stunned.

He seriously scrutinized Sister Miao Doctor, who went to the counter with a mocking look in her eyes:

"Why are you staring at me when I'm so old?"

Chen Xiao withdrew his gaze, "Sister, although this is a Miao Medical Clinic, people come for treatment, and there should be some customer service, right?"

"Come if you want; don't if you don't. I've opened a Miao Medical Clinic; I won't starve, nor will I get rich. If you want good service, go to Jiang Anguang Clinic on another street. If you want excellent medical skills, that's also on that street at Huang Zhao's Chinese Medicine Clinic, where an old doctor is quite remarkable."

Chen Xiao laughed, "You're pushing patients to others?"

"I'm almost closing, can't keep going."

Chen Xiao thought for a moment and replied, "I'm indeed not here to see a doctor; I want to ask you about some people."

"No time," Sister Miao Doctor flatly refused.

Chen Xiao wasn't in a hurry and directly said, "I want to ask about Xue Xiangdi or Xiong Ruru."

The Sister suddenly stopped, then said, "They're dead."

"I know, that's why I'm asking you about them."

"Are you a cop?" Sister Miao Doctor looked up, confusion in her eyes.

Chen Xiao shook his head, "Not exactly a real cop; you can consider me a crime consultant for the precinct's criminal investigation team."

At this point, the Sister Miao Doctor came out from behind the counter again and seriously asked, "How's the case going, have you caught the killer of those two girls?"

Hearing the Sister's question, Chen Xiao felt his choice was right.

Why was he so candid only with Sister Miao Doctor after visiting so many clinics?

The reason is her straightforwardness.

Nasty or pleasant words, she says them bluntly.

She won't deliberately cozy up for business just because Chen Xiao is a patient wishing for service.

By observing life, one understands that seemingly impeccable people aren't always suitable for exchanging secrets.

In contrast, those who are straightforward or aloof can often open up once they interact closely.

In Chen Xiao's view, Sister Miao Doctor belongs to the latter group.

So he tried to open up!

It turns out Sister Miao Doctor knew Xiong Ruru and Xue Xiangdi and also paid attention to their situations!

Chen Xiao shook his head, "We haven't caught the killer yet, but Sister, you must know them well, right?"

"Not really well. I have no strong feelings about that Xiong Ruru girl, but Xiangdi, what a pity," said the Sister, with a sigh in her tone.

"How so?"

"Xiangdi was the kind who repaid kindness, unlike Xiong Ruru, who didn't cherish herself."

Chen Xiao said nothing, and Sister Miao Doctor asked again, "Are you really a consultant for the police?"

"You can contact any leader in the local precinct's criminal investigation team."

"Okay, I believe you."

"Do you know another girl who was good friends with them?"

"I think her name was Caixia. She and Xiong Ruru both came here for treatment; Xiangdi just accompanied them. One time Xiong Ruru, being indiscreet, went to an illegal clinic for an abortion and felt terrible, fainted at my clinic's doorstep."

"I brought her in, prescribed her some medicine. But those three girls couldn't gather a hundred bucks between them. I was going to let it go, but Xiangdi insisted on doing my laundry and cooking, then chopping herbs for two days to settle it."

Chen Xiao nodded, "Did you have more contact with them later?"

"Xiangdi lived on another street. I thought she was a nice kid, just with the wrong crowd and an odd boyfriend. I felt sorry for her and would call her over to eat and secretly cook for her."

Continuing, Sister Miao Doctor looked puzzled, "I really don't understand; what was so good about those people? Why did she stick with them? Even the little money she earned was spent on them. I warned her that staying with those people would lead to trouble."

"But she didn't listen, didn't listen!"

"Did they like eating hotpot?" Chen Xiao seemed to ask a question unrelated to what they were discussing.

Sister Miao Doctor immediately nodded, "Yes, especially Xiangdi; she loved those soup-based dishes."

"Sister, are you married? Have kids?"

Sister Miao Doctor frowned, "Why are you prying into my personal life?"

"It's related to the case."

"I'm married; my kids are in my hometown. Planning to close the clinic and go back to be with them."

Chen Xiao, "That's a pity. It seems your medical skills are quite good."

"Skills aren't enough; knowledge of Miao Medicine is even less recognized than Chinese medicine. The best around here would be Mr. Huang Zhao; Jiang Anguang is a fraud, and I don't know enough about Western medicine to comment."

Chen Xiao smiled, "Were they familiar with that Jiang Anguang and Doctor Huang Zhao?"

"Not very sure, but they are nearby doctors, so there was some talk. Xiong Ruru didn't have a good impression of Huang Zhao, she was thrown out twice for medical visits. But she had it coming; the old man was right to scold her for not respecting herself."

Feeling something brush across his mind, Chen Xiao paused, unsure.

After a moment, Chen Xiao continued, "I have a question, a bit bold. Do you have a way to mask the smell of a corpse in your Miao or Chinese medicine?"

Chen Xiao never forgot the issue of corpse odor.

If it were winter, it might be okay, but now, during the hot lunar months, in Shencheng City, the heat was at its peak.

If the corpse isn't stored frozen or treated, g covering its natural decay would require significant effort.

Sister Miao Doctor thought, "Medicinal herbs can cover part of it, but only to some extent. In this weather, just masking with other smells won't suffice; the stench would be most evident!"

Before Chen Xiao could speak again, Sister Miao Doctor added, "I was aware when Xiong Ruru and Xiangdi were found and went to see. Now that you ask me about this, I can't think of how to completely cover that."

Chen Xiao fell silent instead of continuing his inquiry.

Some words that Sister Miao Doctor said seemed to remind Chen Xiao.

Covering with another smell!

But what scent could cover up the stench of death?

After pondering for an unknown amount of time, Chen Xiao asked, "Among these doctors you know, whose family had a child in elementary school, especially a girl, die accidentally?"

Sister Miao Doctor thought and said, "I've been running this clinic for many years. I just remember Huang Zhao's granddaughter, who was in third grade, drowned last year."

Chen Xiao's eyes sharpened, "When last year?"

"Around September or October."

"Was she a Young Pioneer at school?!"