Good and Evil Chapter 116: Summoning Yan Wanyi and Returning to the Crime Scene

Xu Lang did not refuse when he heard that he needed to summon Yan Wanyi. He immediately contacted her and instructed her to come to the public security bureau as soon as possible.

An hour later, Yan Wanyi appeared at the bureau, and Xu Lang finally met her in person. At first glance, Xu Lang felt that this woman was not as simple as she appeared.

Yan Wanyi was indeed very young. Her records indicated she was in her thirties, yet she looked to be in her early twenties. Xu Lang was long accustomed to women appearing younger than their actual age. With the rapid economic development, there were more wealthy people, and as a housewife, Yan Wanyi’s daily life—aside from managing the household—consisted of spa treatments and gym sessions. Naturally, she took good care of herself; this was the typical lifestyle of a wealthy woman.

In the No. 1 interrogation room, Xu Lang and Yan Wanyi sat across from each other. After they exchanged glances, Xu Lang pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lit one, and began to smoke.

Initially, Yan Wanyi felt a visceral tension. Most people rarely dealt with the police unless something specific happened, and no one wanted to be involved with them otherwise. However, when she saw that Xu Lang’s pack of cigarettes was a cheap brand costing only a dozen yuan, a trace of disdain flickered in her eyes—the unique look wealthy people reserve for those they deem inferior. Though the expression was fleeting, Xu Lang caught it.

"Tell me about the night of the incident again," Xu Lang said, exhaling a cloud of smoke.

"Tell you again? I’ve already said everything there is to say. I’ve told you exactly what I saw. What else do you want to ask?" Yan Wanyi said with some impatience.

"Since you’ve already said it, you shouldn't mind saying it again," Xu Lang replied coolly.

"You don't investigate the murderer who killed my husband, but you keep pestering me with questions. What kind of logic is that? Is this how you police handle cases? You’re just a bunch of people eating taxpayers' food without doing anything for the taxpayers."

After saying this, Yan Wanyi rolled her eyes at Xu Lang, her expression one of utter disdain and impatience.

"Tell me about the night of the incident again," Xu Lang said, looking at her through the smoke, his tone deepening.

"Fine, I'll say it. Why are you being so fierce?"

After muttering to herself, Yan Wanyi obediently began to recount the events of the night Han Xingchang was murdered. When she reached the part where the assailant appeared—just as she and Han were having a heated argument and were on the verge of a physical altercation—Xu Lang interrupted her. "You mean to say that before the assailant appeared, neither you nor Han noticed any movement outside the bedroom, right?"

Interrupted, Yan Wanyi looked visibly annoyed, her face twisted in displeasure. However, after seeing Xu Lang’s impassive expression, she nodded dutifully and said, "Yes, so what?"

Xu Lang pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "What property was lost from your home after the incident?"

Caught off guard by the question, Yan Wanyi was silent for a long moment, simply staring at him. Xu Lang repeated the question. Only then did she respond, "Over thirty thousand in cash, and some jewelry."

"What specific jewelry was lost?" Xu Lang continued.

"A Rolex watch that was on my husband’s wrist, and a diamond ring."

"Besides those items, what else was missing?"

Yan Wanyi thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Nothing else."

Seeing her answer, Xu Lang narrowed his eyes slightly and asked slowly, "Nothing else? Think carefully."

Yan Wanyi hesitated, about to repeat her answer, but she noticed Xu Lang’s gaze fixed on her own neck. The words she was about to blurt out were stifled in her throat. She took a deep breath and said, "There was another diamond ring, a platinum necklace, and a pair of Chanel earrings."

"Were these pieces of jewelry stolen from you?"

Yan Wanyi nodded. "Yes."

"Is the jewelry you lost similar to what you are wearing right now?" Xu Lang asked in a low voice.

As soon as these words left his lips, Yan Wanyi’s expression stiffened. She instinctively reached up to touch the necklace around her neck, but before her hand could reach it, she pulled it back.

"Officer, what exactly are you trying to ask? By the sound of it, are you suspecting that I killed my husband?"

After lowering her hand, she suddenly raised her voice, clearly having realized the implication. Xu Lang ignored her bluster, which was clearly a sign of inner weakness. He watched her calmly, and once she finished shouting, he said, "I’m asking these questions simply to find out how your husband, Han Xingchang, died, so we can identify the killer sooner. Don't you want the police to catch the murderer? As for whether you killed your husband, that’s not for me to decide—the facts will speak for themselves."

"You... you..."

Hearing this, Yan Wanyi’s face flushed red and then paled. She pointed a finger at Xu Lang, unable to utter a word for a long time, clearly infuriated. Finally, she dropped her hand, lowered her head, and stopped speaking.

Seeing her silence, Xu Lang suddenly asked, "Do you know Shi Dehua?"

"I know him. Oh, no, I don't."

When Xu Lang mentioned the name, Yan Wanyi blurted out that she knew him, but immediately corrected herself, claiming she did not.

Xu Lang did not believe her denial. If she didn't know him, why would Shi Dehua, a criminal defense lawyer, be involved in her civil lawsuit? However, he did not pursue this line of questioning further and instead told her to continue her account of the night of the crime.

The once-confident Yan Wanyi, rattled by Xu Lang’s series of off-beat questions, began to lose her composure, her narrative becoming disjointed—a clear sign that her inner state was far from calm.

For the remainder of the session, Yan Wanyi spoke while Xu Lang listened without interruption. Once she finished, she said, "Officer, I’ve told you everything I know. Can I go back now? My husband is dead, and he left me with a massive mess to clean up. I am very busy."

Ning Yanran, who was in charge of taking notes, put down her pen and looked at Xu Lang, awaiting his decision. She had expected him to find a reason to detain Yan Wanyi, as the current clues suggested she was inextricably linked to the death of her husband. Yet, there was no hard evidence. To her surprise, Xu Lang nodded and allowed her to leave.

Yan Wanyi stood up, walked out of the interrogation room, and left the bureau.

After she was gone, Ning Yanran wanted to ask something, but Xu Lang spoke first: "Have someone follow her secretly. See who she’s been close to lately. Also, put Shi Dehua under surveillance."

Ning Yanran agreed with following Yan Wanyi, but hesitated about monitoring the lawyer. "Shi Dehua is a famous lawyer in the field. Is it really appropriate for us to do this?"

"Look at this, and then look at this."

Xu Lang pulled out a photo of the watch stolen from Han Xingchang, then used his phone to pull up a news article. The photo showed Shi Dehua and Yan Wanyi together, and on Shi Dehua’s wrist was a watch—a Rolex.

Seeing the photos, Ning Yanran understood everything. She immediately assigned people to follow both suspects. The two then left for the Xishan Villa district to examine the crime scene.

At the entrance, Xu Lang stopped the car and went to the security booth to chat with the guard. Inside, he saw the surveillance monitors. Though the district was small, it housed a dozen villas belonging to wealthy bosses like Han Xingchang, or the young, beautiful women they kept as mistresses.

The cameras covered only major areas like the entrance and main streets; there were no cameras in front of or inside the villas to protect the privacy of the wealthy residents. Xu Lang knew all too well that behind the polished exteriors of such people often lay dark, unsavory secrets.

After Ning Yanran showed their credentials, they were let in.

Because of the murder, Yan Wanyi had not lived in the villa since, staying instead in a five-star hotel—a luxury only the wealthy could afford.

Inside the villa, the scene remained untouched. Xu Lang wandered around before settling in the master bedroom, where a patch of dried, black blood stained the marble floor like a dark map.

Police had scoured the place thoroughly over the past month, finding nothing new. Xu Lang checked the door lock—undamaged—and the windows—all closed and locked from the inside.

"The locks were not tampered with, and the windows have been shut since the police arrived," Ning Yanran noted.

Xu Lang confirmed this; it was impossible for an outsider to have entered through the windows. He then checked the secondary bedroom—where Yan Wanyi had been held—and the study, which had been ransacked, though nothing of note was found besides a third party's footprints.

Finally, they reached the stairs and discovered they led to a third floor. Xu Lang climbed up to find a locked door covered in dust.

"Why is there no report on this in the case file?" he asked.

"The officers checked it, but since it was locked and covered in dust, and Yan Wanyi didn't have a key, they didn't force it open," Ning Yanran explained.

"I see," Xu Lang said enigmatically. "Get someone to open it. I want to see the attic."

They returned to the first floor, which was tidy and untouched, then left for the bureau.

The case was at a stalemate. The only way forward was to break through Yan Wanyi’s defenses. She was intelligent, proud, and beautiful—a woman Han Xingchang had been possessive and suspicious of. He had even hired a private detective agency to investigate her.

Back at the bureau, Xu Lang instructed Ning Yanran: "Since we have no other leads, we focus on her. The previous private investigation was professional, but the police have resources they cannot access. We will dig deeper."