Han Feng held his breath and was about to explain when You Mingxu spoke again in a calm tone: "Campus Loans are when unscrupulous merchants deceive college students into taking out loans, essentially lending them money at exorbitant interest rates. They then use various illegal methods to collect debts, such as threats, harassment, and even physical confinement. Two years ago, the government introduced multiple policies to ban Campus Loans. But there are still some who slipped through the cracks and continue to do this. For the rest, look it up online."
Yin Feng immediately nodded: "Understood."
Han Feng suddenly felt that the other party hadn’t been sarcastic earlier—could it be they genuinely didn’t know? Moreover, this consultant... why did he seem like You Mingxu’s subordinate? There was none of the sophisticated aura expected of an expert consultant.
Han Feng still explained: "After Zhao Feier’s case last year, we thoroughly investigated the Campus Loan angle: In the three months before her death, Zhao Feier had borrowed over 100,000 yuan from three loan companies. However, we ultimately ruled out any connection to these companies or their staff. First, for two of the companies, Zhao Feier borrowed through online platforms—she never met anyone from these companies, and the loan amounts were small. We verified the alibis of all relevant personnel and eliminated them as suspects. The third company was called 'Fen Jinbao,' from which Zhao Feier borrowed the most—nearly 90,000 yuan. Just two days before her death, she took out another 20,000 yuan loan. But this company was also ruled out because during the period of Zhao Feier’s disappearance and death, they happened to be in Thailand for their annual meeting. Moreover, from a motive standpoint, it didn’t make sense—if Zhao Feier died, the debt wouldn’t be repaid, and everyone involved would suffer losses."
Everyone nodded in agreement. You Mingxu also found it reasonable, as Campus Loan companies were only after money and almost never willing to get involved in murder.
Then Han Feng saw the provincial consultant blink his watery eyes and say, "Oh, then did Liu Yisha borrow money from any of these Campus Loan companies? She was planning to open an online store and needed startup funds. She probably had no other sources of income, right?"
Everyone was taken aback.
Lao Tan glanced around and asked, "Has Liu Yisha’s phone been found yet?"
"No."
Lao Tan: "What about the recovered phone communication records and bank statements?"
Fan Jia, who was in charge of technical aspects, replied, "We’ll have all of them shortly."
Lao Tan nodded: "Verify this situation as soon as you get them."
——
The provincial task force was staying at the guesthouse next to the Huaicheng Police Station. That night, when You Mingxu returned to the guesthouse, she learned that she and Fan Jia were originally supposed to share a double room, but Chen Feng had already booked her a single room next to Yin Feng’s. Fan Jia covered her mouth and laughed, happy to have a room to herself. You Mingxu didn’t mind and went straight to her new room.
The room was likely the largest in the entire guesthouse, furnished with an old-fashioned tea table and sofa. After sitting down, You Mingxu felt as if she were exuding the aura of a middle-aged veteran cadre. Her room was on the first floor, and outside the window was the deep night and a quiet street. Occasionally, pedestrians passed by.Just then, Ding Xiongwei called: "Xiao You, I've got some good news for you. My police academy classmate, Professor Fan Shuhua, happened to be on the phone with me when I received the case files you sent back, so I showed them to her. Fan Shuhua is a renowned criminal psychology expert in the country and an advisor to the Ministry of Public Security. She's very interested in this case and said she'll provide us with a preliminary criminal psychological profile later. I asked her to contact you directly."
You Mingxu was delighted to hear this, while also thinking: A criminal psychology expert? I've got one right here too. But Professor Fan's qualifications and experience were far beyond what that guy could match. She laughed and said, "Alright, Lao Ding, I didn't know you had connections with Ministry of Public Security experts."
Ding Xiongwei, usually serious and reserved, actually let out a rare soft laugh and said, "Old classmates—naturally she'd do me this favor."
You Mingxu suddenly remembered that Ding Xiongwei had been widowed for over ten years, and he usually devoted all his energy to work, earning him the nickname "Extermination Master." Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she asked, "Is Professor Fan single?"
Ding Xiongwei paused, then said calmly, "You little devil. She's on a business trip in the U.S. right now. Wait for her call."
You Mingxu was still smiling after hanging up, thinking, Even though winter is approaching, it seems even Ding Xiongwei is starting to have peach blossoms blooming.
At this thought, her mind automatically conjured up Yin Feng's appearance from today—wearing a jacket and trousers, tall and handsome. When he wasn't grinning foolishly, his looks were strikingly handsome, and his presence was outstanding.
She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them, thinking: Appetite and lust are part of human nature. I must see past his perfect exterior and recognize the brain-damaged essence beneath.
Right at that moment.
She abruptly looked up and saw a pair of eyes flash past under the big tree outside the window. They were cold and unfamiliar eyes, making her instantly think of a snake flicking its tongue. Then a dark shadow vanished in a flash. You Mingxu sprang up from the sofa, rushed straight to the window, stepped onto the sill, and leaped out.
However, the long street was quiet, the streetlights silent, with only a few hurried pedestrians who stared in surprise at this woman who had suddenly jumped out. You Mingxu frowned and chased in the direction where the shadow had disappeared. But after running over a hundred meters in one breath, there wasn't a ghostly shadow to be seen. Or perhaps that person had long pretended to be a pedestrian and passed right by her.
You Mingxu had been in the police force for years, but this was the first time she'd encountered something like this. With a grim expression, she walked back, thinking: So someone was spying on me?
A random peeping tom?
A vengeful person holding a grudge from a past case?
A chill suddenly ran through her heart as she thought of two other possibilities—
Could it be related to the serial murder case she was currently working on??
Or perhaps, related to Yin Feng.
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