C18

Upon hearing the principal's prompt, she snapped to attention and said, "Oh, the gate at the rooftop fence—I locked it, fearing an accident might occur. Please wait here for a moment while I go find the key."

Mrs. Zhang was about to head back to the dormitory office when Lu Wangshu, suspecting she might be up to something, followed her and said, "Mrs. Zhang, with all due respect, your eyesight might not be what it used to be. I wouldn't want us to lose time, so allow me to help you search."

Mrs. Zhang instinctively wanted to decline, but considering the principal was nearby, she reluctantly nodded in agreement. "Alright, let's look together," she said, and they both entered the dormitory office.

Once inside, Wangshu didn't actually join in the search; instead, he kept a watchful eye on Mrs. Zhang's every action.

With her back to Wangshu, Mrs. Zhang opened a drawer and, after a quick, cautious glance over her shoulder, was about to close it.

Sensing something amiss, Wangshu approached her with a half-smile and said, "Mrs. Zhang, there's no need to rush in closing that drawer. Are you sure you checked it thoroughly?"

With that, he forcefully slid the drawer open. As expected, there was a key lying next to a label that read "Rooftop Fence Gate."

Wangshu, with a slight smile, retrieved the key and teased, "Mrs. Zhang, you really must pay closer attention."

Without waiting for a response, he promptly left the dormitory office.

Lin Xiangyi watched him emerge, key in hand, while Mrs. Zhang followed behind with a drastically altered, downcast expression.

Catching Xiangyi's eye, Mrs. Zhang awkwardly gestured with her face, then turned away as if to avoid further scrutiny.

"The key's in hand; let's head up quickly," Wangshu announced, striding toward the stairwell. Reaching the entrance, he paused and looked back at Mrs. Zhang, who was still standing there watching them. "Mrs. Zhang, please, join us," he invited.

The principal didn't dwell on Lu Wangshu's comment, simply reasoning that since Mrs. Zhang was the dormitory supervisor for the male dorm building and the incident occurred there, it made sense for her to accompany them. He nodded and said, "Mrs. Zhang, please join us."

Mrs. Zhang gave the principal a look of concern and replied, "Oh dear, with my old arms and legs, I'm quite slow. I think I'll pass on joining you."

"There's no need to worry about being slow; we're not in a rush. And to say you have old arms and legs is far too modest. You're up and down the stairs every day checking the dorm rooms at lights out. That's quite a workout," he reassured her.

Without further comment, Mrs. Zhang followed Lu Wangshu's lead.

They quickly reached the fifth floor. Wangshu approached the fence gate first, aligning the key with the lock before inserting and gently turning it. With a click, the gate swung open, and they proceeded to the rooftop in succession.

The rooftop was simply a square flat area, adorned with nothing more than a few solar water heaters.

Lin Xiangyi scanned the area and her eyes caught sight of a white dress discarded in a corner. She pointed excitedly and exclaimed, "Look over there! What is that?"

Following the direction of Xiangyi's gesture, the others spotted the white dress as well.

Xiangyi moved to approach it, but Qiao Liang halted her. He pulled a pair of rubber gloves from his pocket, donned them with care, and then stepped forward.

Xiangyi immediately grasped why Qiao Liang had stopped her. If the dress bore fingerprints from the prankster, her hasty touch could destroy the evidence.

Qiao Liang examined the dress and discovered a wig beneath it. The wig was jet black, uncurled, and very long, reaching from the scalp down to the waist.

Seeing the dress and wig, Wangshu couldn't suppress a smirk and remarked, "Just as I thought. Qiao Liang, Mrs. Zhang, it's indeed the work of our ghost impersonator."

Upon hearing Lu Wangshu's words, Lin Xiangyi was taken aback and exclaimed in disbelief, "Wangshu, what are you saying? How could Mrs. Zhang be the one masquerading as a ghost?"

"Truth will out after the interrogation, Mrs. Zhang," Lu Wangshu said, gesturing for her to proceed, a slight smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

Despite her reluctance, Mrs. Zhang cast a glance at Lu Wangshu and realized she had no choice but to follow him. She was, after all, getting on in years, and even if the thought of escape crossed her mind, there was a police officer present. Her agility was no match for the police.

Lu Wangshu escorted Mrs. Zhang to the police station, accompanied by the principal. As the head of Yongzhou No.1 Middle School, where Mrs. Zhang served as the dormitory supervisor, it was only natural for the principal to be involved.

Moreover, the principal harbored a deep-seated belief that Mrs. Zhang couldn't possibly be the culprit behind the pranks. Known for her kindness and warmth, it was hard for him to reconcile this image with that of a trickster. He was determined to hear Mrs. Zhang's side of the story in person.

Upon their arrival at the police station, they made a beeline for the interrogation room. Initially, Qiao Liang and another officer were set to conduct the interrogation, but Lu Wangshu insisted on being involved, leaving Qiao Liang with the task of record-keeping.

"Mrs. Zhang," Lu Wangshu began, fixing his gaze on her, "if I've accused you of being the 'ghost,' rest assured, it's based on solid evidence. There's no point in hiding anymore. Just come clean."

Unfazed, Mrs. Zhang looked back at Lu Wangshu and responded, "What do I have to confess? Just because a white dress and a wig were found on the rooftop, I'm suddenly the one playing ghost?"

"Mrs. Zhang, why persist in denial at this hour? Tell me, were you wearing a pair of 'grandmother shoes' last night? Interestingly enough, the 'ghost' captured on the surveillance footage was also wearing 'grandmother shoes' that look identical to yours. Quite the coincidence, wouldn't you say?"

Indeed, upon hearing the accusation, Mrs. Zhang's face subtly shifted, and she quickly became panicked. "So what if the shoes are the same? You can't seriously believe I'm the one behind these ghostly antics just because of the shoes," she protested.

"The shoes being identical might merely be a coincidence, but the fact that the supposed ghost scattered a handful of white powder while leaving last night is peculiar. That powder was tested and turned out to be cold medicine, and coincidentally, you've had a cold these past few days. It's all quite suspicious," Lu Wangshu said methodically, laying out his analysis.

Mrs. Zhang felt a surge of alarm at Lu Wangshu's words. In her haste the previous night, she had torn open a packet of cold medicine and flung it at Lu Wangshu in defense, a move she now realized was rather careless.

She hadn't anticipated Lu Wangshu's keen perception. He had not only spotted the white powder on the ground but had also collected a sample to have it analyzed by the police.

His attention to detail was indeed impressively thorough.

During their conversation, Lu Wangshu had detected the heavy nasal quality in Mrs. Zhang's voice. Later, after hearing from Qiao Liang that the powder was confirmed to be cold medicine, Lu Wangshu had connected the dots and became utterly convinced that Mrs. Zhang was the one masquerading as a ghost.

"Mrs. Zhang, there's really no need for you to keep beating around the bush," Lu Wangshu said calmly. "If we go to the dormitory management station later and find the same cold medicine you're currently taking, we'll have all we need to confirm your guilt."

At his words, Mrs. Zhang's face betrayed her terror. She struggled to maintain her composure, yet her hand on the table began to shake uncontrollably.

Then, looking directly at Lu Wangshu, she asked, "If everything is as you say, why wait for my confession? Wouldn't it be simpler to just arrest me?"

"Confession brings leniency; resistance brings severity. I'm offering you a chance—a chance to lessen your sentence," Lu Wangshu replied earnestly.

Mrs. Zhang let out a sigh and finally ceased her struggle. Since everything was predetermined, any further attempts to argue would be in vain.

Indeed, the evidence and conclusions drawn by Lu Wangshu were undeniable truths.

"Alright, I admit it. I was the one who disguised myself as a ghost in the boys' dormitory to frighten the students," Mrs. Zhang confessed.

In the interrogation room, the principal was taken aback by her admission.

Since the incident, he had considered countless suspects who might be behind the haunting. Yet, he had never once suspected Mrs. Zhang.

Mrs. Zhang had been a longstanding employee at Yongzhou No.1 Middle School, serving with dedication and without a single incident for many years.

Moreover, she was known for her kindness and constant smile, which endeared her to everyone.

Even though her smile had become rarer following Du Le's death, the principal had never imagined she could be responsible for such an act.

It was a shock to discover that the least likely individual was in fact the mastermind.

The principal was deeply saddened by this revelation.

The interrogation proceeded. Lu Wangshu, maintaining his composure, inquired, "Then why did you do it? What was your motive for haunting the school?"

"It was to get back at Yang Hanh," Mrs. Zhang spat out the name with a sudden venom in her voice, her eyes flashing with a chilling coldness.

Lu Wangshu and Qiao Liang exchanged glances, both bewildered. Why was it Yang Hanh again?