C20 Conflict

Director Lee glanced at Qiao Liang and said, "If I say close the case, then close it. Why all the fuss?"

Qiao Liang shook his head, his neck stiff with defiance, and said firmly, "No, it can't be closed. This case isn't over; it can't just be dropped like that."

Seeing Qiao Liang's persistence, Director Lee grew somewhat irritated. "Why are you so headstrong? Tell me, what did Yongzhou No.1 Middle School ask us to investigate?"

After a moment's recollection, Qiao Liang replied without hesitation, "To identify the person causing mischief in the boys' dormitory."

"Exactly," Director Lee nodded. "Now, have we caught the person responsible for these tricks?"

Qiao Liang then grasped the intent behind Director Lee's earlier question and answered reluctantly, "Yes, we've caught them. But..."

Director Lee cut him off abruptly, "No 'buts.' They wanted us to find the culprit, and we did, and we caught them. That settles the case. There's no need to dwell on trivialities."

"Sir, it's not trivial at all; it's the truth. Du Le wouldn't have taken her own life without a reason. Her death must have a cause. We need to uncover the truth—it's a matter of life," Qiao Liang said, growing increasingly agitated.

After hearing Qiao Liang's plea, Director Lee sighed and said, "I understand your point, but have you considered the consequences if our continued investigation reveals that Du Le's death involves more than meets the eye? What then of the officers who initially ruled her death a suicide and closed the case?"

Qiao Liang fell silent, understanding Director Lee's point. Initially, no one had come forward to suggest that Du Le's death was anything but straightforward, potentially involving a hidden manipulator. As a result, the case was treated as a tragic suicide due to overwhelming stress by the high school student.

At that time, Mrs. Zhang was also overwhelmed by grief over her daughter's sudden passing, confined to a hospital bed, unable to provide any leads or evidence to the police.

A case that had been closed for so long was now being called into question, with suggestions of hidden secrets lurking behind it. One can only imagine the public's reaction to such news.

The media and the people would undoubtedly lash out at the police.

Director Lee, as the head of the police department, did not want to see such an event unfold. He was acutely aware of the dedication and hard work that each officer put in quietly behind the scenes. It was a tough job for everyone.

Du Le had already died, and it was clear that her death resulted from a fall from a building. This fact was indisputable. Therefore, even if it were discovered that someone had provoked or insulted her into taking her own life, the police could at most reprimand the individual involved. They wouldn't be able to take any serious action.

When weighing the options, it seemed better to err on the side of caution.

It was with this sense of helplessness that Director Lee had expressed his views.

After listening to Director Lee, Qiao Liang sighed and said, "Teacher, I respectfully disagree. I believe we should pursue the investigation and explain our rationale to the public. We cannot avoid action simply for fear of public outrage. That would be the gravest mistake."

Director Lee understood Qiao Liang's point. He fell silent, seemingly giving the matter some thought.

Qiao Liang realized that the possibility of reopening the case might hinge on his ability to persuade Director Lee. Without his consent and approval, the case could not be revisited.

"Teacher, if we uncover the truth behind Du Le's death, I'm confident we can rectify our oversight. After all, this was a lapse on the part of the police. If we don't look into it, won't someone else eventually notice?"

Qiao Liang paused, then added, "Mrs. Zhang is aware that there's more to her daughter's death than meets the eye. What about Du Le's classmates? Aside from others, wouldn't her roommates find the circumstances odd? They may be scared now, preferring to keep to themselves, but if they come around and decide to approach the police, won't we have to reopen the case anyway?"

Looking earnestly at Director Lee, Qiao Liang stated, "Teacher, if it comes to that, choosing to reexamine the case now would be the best course of action."

Director Lee mulled over the decision for quite some time before finally conceding. He nodded and said, "Alright, go ahead. I consent to you reopening the investigation, but I expect you to crack this case quickly."

"Really?" Qiao Liang was surprised that he had managed to persuade Director Lee, who was known for his inflexibility and reluctance to reverse his decisions.

Seeing Qiao Liang's reaction, Director Lee couldn't help but chuckle. "Kid, why would I deceive you? You're fully in charge of this case. As for Lu Wangshu..."

Director Lee trailed off, tapping his fingers on the desk as if wrestling with how to proceed.

Qiao Liang eagerly interjected, "Teacher, please let Wangshu be involved. He surely won't let you down."

After a brief pause, Qiao Liang added, "Plus, you're Wangshu's mentor. You're well aware of his stubbornness. Even if we don't include him, he'll certainly find a way to uncover the truth on his own. It would be better for us to have him on board from the start. It's a win-win situation."

Director Lee glanced at Qiao Liang, his voice tinged with hesitation, "But we are the police, after all. Continually involving an outsider in our cases—what kind of impression does that give? People who are unaware might think we're so incompetent that we need a no-name detective to solve our cases."

Qiao Liang understood that Director Lee's bias against Lu Wangshu was deeply ingrained and not something that could be easily erased with a few words. All he could do at the moment was to get Director Lee to soften his stance as much as possible.

After pondering for a moment, Qiao Liang said, "That won't be the case, Teacher. When the police collaborate with a detective to solve a case, the media doesn't usually make a fuss. Look at Japan's Detective Conan or England's Sherlock Holmes—the public holds them in high regard. Rest assured, Teacher. Besides, you've already stated that I'm fully responsible for this case, so just turn a blind eye and allow Lu Wangshu to join us."

Director Lee exhaled deeply and nodded, "Alright, since you've put it that way, I won't object further. Do as you see fit."

After finishing, Director Lee turned and resumed his seat. "Okay, handle it as you see fit. I have nothing more to add. You may leave now."

Qiao Liang exited the office. Lu Wangshu and Lin Xiangyi were waiting for him just outside. As he emerged, they approached him.

Lin Xiangyi inquired, "What took you so long in there?"

Before Qiao Liang could respond, Lu Wangshu chimed in, "Isn't it obvious? Director Lee must have kept him for another tea session."