Diary of a Criminal Investigator-Chapter 344: A Clue

Lu Chuan took a photo of the metal hook with his phone, but he didn’t go straight back to the office.

After watching a movie with Shen Yan and having some late-night snacks, it was already past ten.

Besides, rushing back to the office was pointless. The case in Liangzhou was a cold case from three years ago, and having clues wouldn’t change anything in a day or two.

Moreover, Lu Chuan’s discovery was merely a hypothesis.

The indentation on the body resembled those left by a metal hook used to open manhole covers, but whether it actually was or not was still just a guess.

Lu Chuan could just tell Liu Guodong about this guess at work tomorrow.

As for what Liangzhou City would do, that was out of Lu Chuan’s hands.

Restarting the car, Lu Chuan said goodbye to Lu Yao and left.

"Is our son back?"

Lu Chuan’s mother was quite pleased with her son’s now regular early outings and late returns; not coming home meant he was with his girlfriend.

"Mom, you’re not asleep yet?"

"We can’t sleep well until you’re back."

After serving Lu Chuan a bowl of white fungus soup, Lu Chuan suddenly felt like his mom was back to the time before his college entrance exams.

Tender, kind, and loving towards her son.

"When are you bringing Shen Yan home to let your mom meet her?"

"Well..."

Lu Chuan put down the half-finished bowl of white fungus soup, realizing it wasn’t quite delightful.

"I have a case on hand right now. Once I’m done, I’ll talk to Shen Yan about it."

"What’s the big deal about being busy with a case? You can come over on the weekend."

Comrade Lu didn’t say anything from the side, only reading the newspaper.

But Lu Chuan knew without thinking that the two of them had definitely discussed this.

"Alright, Mom, I’m going to sleep first. I’m a bit tired after the movie. See you tomorrow!"

With that, he couldn’t bother with the remaining half bowl of white fungus soup and went back to his room.

He took out his phone.

"What are you up to?"

The usual greeting, but Shen Yan on the other side was delighted to see it.

"Just finished washing up, getting ready to sleep."

"Oh, what would you like for breakfast tomorrow? I’ll bring it over for you."

"No need, my mom made donkey meat dumplings. I’ll bring you some tomorrow—how many do you want?"

"Twenty!"

"Okay, go to bed early. See you tomorrow."

"Good night..."

Lying in bed, beside Shen Yan was Mother Shen: "Daughter, when are you bringing Lu Chuan over to visit?"

"Uh, Mom, the investigation team has a case recently, quite busy. Let’s talk after this period passes." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Busy with what? You’re a forensic doctor, he’s in crime scene investigation. Aren’t those departments quite idle?"

This is the drawback of having the whole family in the system: your parents know your status better than you do, and lying is impossible.

Shen Yan shook her head with a wry smile: "We’re busy too, okay, Mom, you should go to sleep. I have to get up early for a training session at the municipal bureau tomorrow."

"Just take our car to the municipal bureau."

"Oh, no need, Lu Chuan is coming to pick me up tomorrow. I’ll go with my mentor from the investigation team to the municipal bureau."

"Fine, get some rest."

"By the way, Mom, make more dumplings tomorrow, Lu Chuan wants to eat."

Mother Shen: "..."

Early the next morning.

In the car, Lu Chuan quickly finished off sixteen dumplings.

"How does it taste?"

"Yum yum, delicious, donkey meat dumplings are really tasty."

"Eat more if you like, I brought thirty for you."

Mother Shen had indeed made plenty more, and Shen Yan brought them all out.

Chatting about love while eating donkey meat dumplings, the two happily arrived at the Criminal Investigation Team.

When they arrived, Wang Changjiang was just taking a public vehicle, so Shen Yan didn’t go upstairs and set off directly.

At the crime scene investigation office.

When Old Bai and Yang Sen arrived, they smelled the aroma of meat.

"Hmm, donkey meat?"

Despite Old Bai’s age, his nose seemed to be getting more sensitive, detecting the aroma immediately upon entering and even recognizing it was donkey meat.

"Shen Yan brought dumplings this morning. Brother Bai, have a taste."

Out of thirty dumplings, Lu Chuan had finally eaten twenty, leaving ten.

"Did Shen Yan bring them for you?"

"Then we shouldn’t eat them. They wouldn’t taste as good for us."

"Who cares if they taste good or not?"

Zhang Hui walked in: "Whose dumplings are these? I didn’t have breakfast, so I’ll dig in."

"Those are for Lu Chuan, from Forensic Doctor Shen."

Zhang Hui was about to take some when he suddenly paused: "Then maybe not."

"Brother Hui, it’s okay, have a taste, they’re good."

Zhang Hui shook his head like a rattle: "Forget it, I’m suddenly not hungry. I’ll just bum a cigarette."

"Why are you here so early?"

Yang Sen handed an opened pack of Chunghwa to Zhang Hui, who accepted it politely.

"I heard from Brother Qiang this morning that the team is planning an event this weekend, but the venue hasn’t been decided. I came to ask for your suggestions to report back to the office."

"An event?"

Old Bai’s eyes widened: "Our team... hasn’t done this stuff for how many years?"

"Hehe, I heard this time the municipal bureau allocated funds specially. Last year our team ranked first in the provincial department, and the municipal bureau received a reward, which they’ve now passed to us."

Last year?

Yang Sen grinned broadly: "How long has it been? Last year’s funds only now being released?"

"Well, it’s good that they’re released at all."

Old Bai saw it clearly, it’s been like this every year.

"We don’t have any opinions, just wondering if the timing could be changed so it doesn’t have to be on the weekend?"

"We’re already busy with our team’s work; weekend rest opportunities are few. Now an event takes up another day..."

Yang Sen nodded emphatically.

Compared to other frontline detectives, crime scene investigation isn’t particularly busy, but given the chance to rest, no one wants to work overtime.

Zhang Hui felt the same.

"That’s a good suggestion, I’ll make more contacts and relay this suggestion back."

After saying this, Zhang Hui left to gather more opinions on this suggestion, as he figured everyone would agree one hundred percent.

Who knows what Captain Qin was thinking, doesn’t he have a family?

An hour later, Liu Guodong returned from the morning meeting.

Old Bai, seeing that it was already this time, knew today was likely uneventful.

"Just now during the morning meeting, Captain Qin announced the team event for Saturday and asked for opinions from each department to see what everyone thinks."

Liu Guodong picked up an enamel cup, the water temperature was just right, and he drank over half in one gulp.

Mmm mmm mmm.

Lu Chuan brought the kettle and refilled it: "Zhang Hui just came by and mentioned this. We don’t have any opinions."

Old Bai nodded: "Do whatever, whenever, we just wish the timing could be changed. Why does it have to be on Saturday?"

Yang Sen handed a cigarette to Liu Guodong: "Right, working a case over the weekend is one thing, but doing activities and working overtime is no fun."

Liu Guodong... is also human.

He’d also like a weekend off.

"Alright, I’ll pass this suggestion up."

With business out of the way, Lu Chuan reported last night’s discovery to Liu Guodong and showed him the photo on his phone.

"I already compared the photos this morning; the indentation on the body does indeed closely resemble this metal hook."

Metal hook?