Chapter 367: Chapter 367: I Want to Dig Up the Whole Mountain!

After finishing the call with Guo Zhengchang.

Chen Xiao sat down against a large tree on the mountain.

He began to sort through all the case details he knew in his mind.

From the mouth of the old lady of the Zheng Family, Chen Xiao was able to confirm.

In April 1990, Zheng Xiang brought Qiu Tingfang into the welfare institute.

Less than five months later, around September 1990, Qiu Huasheng and his wife arrived in Hai City.

Among a group of children, they chose Qiu Tingfang and adopted her as their daughter.

In March 1991, Zheng Xiang suddenly fell ill with a heart disease and passed away.

Then it was this year.

First, Qiu Tingfang and her adoptive parents returned to Hai City and began a high-profile search for her biological parents.

The high profile was, as Qiu Huasheng personally admitted, partly to genuinely find Qiu Tingfang’s biological parents and partly to pave the way for the Qiu Family’s business plans.

Then, Qiu Tingfang was murdered on Leigong Mountain.

After that, another Qiu Tingfang was also killed and was buried on the road leading to the cenotaph.

Then Mu Rong also suddenly died of an illness!

Upon sorting through this, Chen Xiao suddenly furrowed his brow deeply.

Zheng Xiang died of a sudden heart attack.

Mu Rong also died of a sudden heart attack.

The two had no connection, yet died of the same condition, which struck Chen Xiao as an odd coincidence.

So coincidental, in fact, that Chen Xiao suddenly felt that Qiu Huasheng seemed suspicious.

As an adoptive father.

Chen Xiao felt that nine out of ten adoptive fathers in this world probably wouldn’t want their adopted daughter to find her biological parents.

Because if she did find them, all the years of nurturing and effort could potentially go to waste.

However, as a businessman, Qiu Huasheng’s actions could be understood.

It was just like how Chen Xiao had once used local notoriety to expand his influence in Shencheng City.

However, Sanshui Town is really not a very suitable place for investment.

Moreover, Sanshui Town doesn’t have a large labor force!

Calming down and thinking it over, Chen Xiao couldn’t help but think how a smart and cunning businessman, who would even use his adopted daughter’s quest for her parents to his advantage, could possibly make a mistake in his choice?

Would he really choose Sanshui Town just because it’s his adopted daughter’s hometown?

Chen Xiao found it unlikely!

The more he thought about it, the more suspicious Chen Xiao found Qiu Huasheng.

Thinking of this, Chen Xiao called out to Pan Huiping.

The latter quickly came over and asked, "What have you figured out?"

"What do you think of this Qiu Huasheng?"

"Qiu Huasheng?" Pan Huiping muttered, then asked, "Are you asking about him as a person, or in relation to the case?"

"Talk about both, especially why he would invest in Sanshui Town. I have some businesses, and honestly speaking, Hai City is indeed a very suitable place for investment, but I would never choose Sanshui, not even interested in the Celestial Valley District."

Pan Huiping replied, "Isn’t it because of Qiu Tingfang?"

"Do you think a seasoned businessman would really do that just for his adopted daughter?"

Pan Huiping shook her head confusedly, "I don’t understand those business matters."

Chen Xiao smiled wryly, "You’re right, let’s change the topic. In terms of the case, how many people have died of sudden heart attacks now?"

With this question, Pan Huiping’s thoughts fell into place.

"Two people!"

"Exactly, one is Dean Zheng, and the other is Mu Rong. Let’s theorize a conspiracy, who do you think benefits most from the deaths of these two people? Or more specifically, considering they may have had a secret in common with someone else who had contact with them, whose interests are best served by their deaths?"

"Qiu Huasheng!" Pan Huiping replied without hesitation.

Chen Xiao snapped his fingers, "So, do you think Qiu Huasheng is deeply suspicious?"

"Yes, but his shoe size is too big!"

Chen Xiao nodded, "That’s true, the shoe size doesn’t match, but that’s secondary, since a shoe print can’t be used as evidence in court, so let’s put that aside. Let’s just discuss if Qiu Huasheng is a suspect, why would he commit murder?"

"There’s no reason, especially with the appearance of two Qiu Tingfangs, he has even less reason."

Chen Xiao fell into silence for a while.

Pan Huiping had made her point very clearly.

If only Mu Rong and Qiu Tingfang had died, then Qiu Huasheng might still be a suspect.

But with both Qiu Tingfangs dead, it became hard to reasonably suspect Qiu Huasheng.

After all, the other Qiu Tingfang had nothing to do with him.

Chen Xiao’s silence also caused Pan Huiping to fall quiet.

However, shortly afterward, Chen Xiao continued sketching on the portrait of Boss Qiu described by Wu Guansheng.

This time, he was drawing the clothes.

The set of men’s fashion in the cenotaph!

Although it was drawn to scale.

For Chen Xiao, the skeletal structure was enough to allow him to approximately estimate the decedent’s physique.

So even though the drawing was to scale, whether it would fit had already formed in his mind.

Pan Huiping, observing the drawing, squinted her eyes and said, "It fits well."

"Yes, it fits perfectly! But it’s precisely because it fits so well that’s it’s problematic...," Chen Xiao didn’t finish his sentence but stopped himself, as Pan Huiping slightly opened her mouth and exclaimed:

"I see! Perhaps the cenotaph is not just a cenotaph, but a real grave! Only later was there a swap of the remains!" 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"It’s quite possible, but if the men’s clothing in the cenotaph was only meant to accompany the burial, then the clothes would surely show traces of corpse tissue."

"Exactly!" Pan Huiping said, then thought for a few seconds and added, "I’m considering whether we should dig three feet deep at Leigong Mountain to see if we can find Dean Zheng’s bones there!"

Pan Huiping’s tone was very excited.

Yet despite her excitement, her actions were calm.

Even Chen Xiao didn’t urge her, but instead frowned and pondered.

His expression seemed to suggest he was contemplating the likelihood of this hypothesis.

While he was lost in thought, Chen Xiao’s train of thought was disrupted by the phone ringing.

He glanced at the caller ID, immediately answered, and silently noted how fast Guo Zhengchang worked.

"Hello, Elder Guo, did you find someone so quickly?"

Guo Zhengchang responded, "I know a master woodcarver whose ancestry is from Xiuzhou, but he hasn’t seen the person you drew."

"If that’s the case, what else did he say?" Chen Xiao felt this wasn’t enough information for Guo Zhengchang to call him.

Sure enough, Guo Zhengchang replied, "While contacting him, he gave me a suggestion. He said that if you want to know about the people at the exhibition back then, it would be better to visit the local Wood Carving Association, where they might have archived photos of the exhibition attendees!"

After Guo Zhengchang finished speaking, Chen Xiao immediately stood up and had a revelation, exclaiming:

"Right, how could I forget about this resource!"

"Even the Exquisite Heart can make oversights sometimes. Go investigate quickly, I’m also eager to find out why Lou Xiaodong really sent you ’Ten Demon Sons’."

After the conversation, Chen Xiao immediately informed Pan Huiping, and together, they headed to the Xiuzhou City Wood Carving Association.