C10 Investigating the Case Together!

Lu Wangshu couldn't miss the emphasis Qiao Liang placed on the words "substantial reward."

Shifting in his seat, Lu Wangshu feigned nonchalance and chuckled, "Oh, really? But you know, I'm not all that concerned about the money. What matters to me is our friendship. We've known each other for years. Since you've asked for help, how could I possibly stand by and do nothing? Right?"

Qiao Liang had to suppress a laugh at Wangshu's response.

He didn't call him out, though. Instead, he nodded along, saying, "Exactly, that's why I came to you. I know you're a stand-up guy with the skills needed, which is why I'm asking you to step in once more."

Wangshu nodded, clearly pleased with Liang's tact. He smiled and asked, "Alright, let's hear it. What's this case about?"

Just as Qiao Liang was about to explain, he noticed Lin Xiangyi was absent. He turned to Wangshu, "How about we call Xiangyi down and wait until everyone's here before I go into details?"

Wangshu hesitated, "I'm worried she's still deeply affected by Zhou Yang and Chen Rou's case, struggling to cope."

"I'm not as fragile as you imagine."

Startled by the familiar female voice behind them, Wangshu and Liang turned to see Lin Xiangyi descending the stairs, her presence as striking as ever.

Wangshu paused, concern etched on his face. "You're... all right?"

Xiangyi nodded, a warm feeling spreading through her as she stepped down. She had just steadied her emotions when she overheard Wangshu's comment.

He claims he's not worried about me, yet here he is, clearly concerned, Xiangyi mused.

Qiao Liang watched Xiangyi approach, a teasing smile on his face, wondering if the previous case had left her in shock.

"Xiangyi, what are you daydreaming about?" Qiao Liang asked with a look of curiosity.

"What's up?" Lin Xiangyi snapped back to reality, looking bewilderedly at Qiao Liang. She suddenly realized that despite Qiao Liang's lengthy visit, she had no idea why he was there. With a slight curl of her lips, she inquired, "Oh, that's right, what brings you to the office today, Mr. Qiao?"

Reminded by Lin Xiangyi, Qiao Liang recalled his reason for visiting and started to discuss the case at hand.

"A few days ago, the police received a report about a female ghost with disheveled hair haunting the boys' dormitory at Yongzhou No.1 Middle School every midnight. The situation has had a terrible impact; a number of students have been frightened," Qiao Liang explained.

Lu Wangshu, upon hearing Qiao Liang's account, expressed his surprise, "A female ghost scaring boys? That's quite unusual. This case sounds intriguing."

As an atheist, just like Qiao Liang, Lu Wangshu was convinced that there were no such things as ghosts or gods, only individuals seeking to exploit such beliefs for their own nefarious purposes.

Typically, those who resort to spooking others target girls, who are generally more easily frightened.

But this ghost impersonator was targeting boys, suggesting that their motives extended beyond simply sowing chaos at the school. Clearly, they were after something more.

Qiao Liang, realizing this, seemed to have read Lu Wangshu's mind and nodded in agreement, "Exactly, I also suspect there's more to this case."

"Oh, by the way, you mentioned the principal offered a substantial reward for solving the case quickly. But where did the principal get so much money?" Lu Wangshu inquired.

Qiao Liang explained patiently, "It's not the principal who's paying. Many students were scared by the ghost, but Yang Hanh was particularly affected. The money is coming from Yang Hanh's parents."

Yang Hanh had been deeply troubled since his encounters with the ghost, unable to eat or sleep. He had lost a significant amount of weight, and his complexion had suffered greatly.

In just a few days, he couldn't take it anymore and was admitted to the hospital. Qiao Liang had heard rumors that Yang Hanh's mental state seemed to be deteriorating.

Yang Hanh was an only child and a bona fide heir to a wealthy family. That's why his parents were willing to pay a hefty sum for the police to thoroughly investigate the matter and get to the bottom of it as quickly as possible.

Lu Wangshu gave a nonchalant nod, signaling his understanding.

"After the incident, we even staked out the boys' dormitory at Yongzhou No.1 Middle School for several days. But despite our efforts, we didn't encounter anything out of the ordinary—not even a ghost or a cockroach. Yet the students there insist they've seen a ghost," Qiao Liang recounted, clearly exasperated by this baffling campus ghost case.

Lu Wangshu gave Qiao Liang a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Maybe the person got wind that you were coming and deliberately stayed away," he suggested.

Qiao Liang nodded in agreement with Wangshu's assessment.

After a moment's thought, Wangshu spoke with conviction, "The police made too much noise last time. This time, I'll go in alone. I'm curious to see who's been playing tricks and scaring people."

No sooner had he spoken than Lin Xiangyi immediately voiced her disagreement. "I don't agree. I'm coming with you."

Wangshu shook his head decisively. "That's not a good idea. You're a girl; it's not right for you to stay up all night and stake out the boys' dormitory."

Xiangyi understood that Wangshu was concerned for her well-being, but she was determined to accompany him.

Ever since she was young, she had been captivated by the novels of Jin Yong and Gu Long, always longing for the moments when the heroes and heroines fought side by side. Now that she had a chance to live out such an adventure, she wasn't about to pass it up.

With that in mind, Xiangyi challenged him, "Why are you still holding onto gender stereotypes? What century are we in? If you can do it, there's no reason I can't."

Lu Wangshu gave Lin Xiangyi a resigned look and said teasingly, "Alright, let's set aside the issue of enduring hardship for now. With your level of courage, you'd be scared to death by your own shadow before a ghost even showed up."

Lin Xiangyi pouted and glared at Lu Wangshu, her teeth clenched in frustration.

There was no helping it; timidity was Lin Xiangyi's weak spot. If she ended up accidentally tipping off Lu Wangshu, wouldn't all his efforts be in vain?

Noticing a slight softening in Lin Xiangyi's expression, Lu Wangshu's tone grew gentler. "Xiangyi, I know you want to help me. But you're too easily frightened, and I worry it might be too much for you. So, let me handle this on my own."

Lin Xiangyi's eyes dimmed, silently conceding.

Relieved to have resolved the issue with Lin Xiangyi, Lu Wangshu turned to Qiao Liang and proposed, "We shouldn't delay any longer. How about I stake out the place tonight?"

"Tonight?" Qiao Liang was taken aback by Lu Wangshu's decisiveness.

Seeing Qiao Liang's astonishment, Lu Wangshu offered a reassuring smile. "Yes, tonight. The element of surprise is to our advantage."

"Okay then. First, I'll take you to the principal's office to brief him on the situation. The school wouldn't normally allow outsiders to stay overnight without permission," Qiao Liang explained.

Lu Wangshu nodded in agreement.

An hour later, Qiao Liang drove Lu Wangshu and Lin Xiangyi to the school. After parking, Lu Wangshu suggested, "Park by the side entrance. We should keep this as discreet as possible—the fewer people who know, the better."

Qiao Liang, grasping Lu Wangshu's intent, nodded and steered towards the side entrance of the school. After parking, they got out of the car.

Having visited the school previously, Qiao Liang was familiar with its layout. He led Lu Wangshu and Lin Xiangyi past the experimental building, skirted the cultural corridor, and made their way to the administrative building.

The principal's office was located on the third floor of the administration building. Qiao Liang and his two colleagues took the elevator up and entered the office.

Upon hearing the knock, the principal looked up toward the sound. Having previously met Qiao Liang and recognizing him as a police officer, he quickly greeted him with a smile, "Mr. Qiao, welcome. Please have a seat. I'll just get you a cup of tea."

"There's no need," Qiao Liang interjected as the principal was about to fetch the tea, "We're here on official business and are pressed for time, so we'll skip the tea to avoid wasting it."

The principal, acknowledging Qiao Liang's point, didn't press the issue and responded, "Very well, then. The three of you, please make yourselves comfortable."