C25 Investigate

If Lin Xiangyi was right, Du Le's two roommates must have already come clean about everything.

With that thought, Lin Xiangyi felt a twinge of deflation.

Indeed, if an amateur journalist and presenter like herself could figure it out, professionals like Lu Wangshu and Qiao Liang certainly would have no trouble.

Lin Xiangyi fell silent after speaking.

Lu Wangshu noticed her sudden quiet and asked with a slight frown, "What's the matter, Xiangyi?"

"Nothing, nothing at all," Lin Xiangyi replied, shaking her head. She then walked over to Lu Wangshu with a smile and said, "The person I was questioning has confessed. I assume the two you were dealing with have confessed as well, right?"

"Yes, they've told us everything," Lu Wangshu confirmed with a nod.

Hearing this, Lin Xiangyi's face lit up with joy. "That's excellent. Let's go arrest the director now."

With that, she turned to head out.

"Wait," Qiao Liang called out, stopping Lin Xiangyi in her tracks.

She turned back, puzzled, and asked, "What's the matter?"

Qiao Liang exchanged a glance with Lu Wangshu, and after a brief hesitation, he said, "We can't arrest the director just yet."

"Why not?" Lin Xiangyi was perplexed. With the witnesses in hand, why couldn't they proceed with the arrest?

Qiao Liang paused before explaining slowly, "Because as it stands, the evidence isn't sufficient."

"Not sufficient?" Lin Xiangyi was taken aback, not grasping what Qiao Liang and Lu Wangshu were getting at.

Lu Wangshu gave a wry smile and explained, "Here's the thing: in cracking a case, the most crucial and convicting evidence is physical evidence. It's hard to falsify, which makes it highly credible. Testimonies are secondary and are only relied upon when there's no physical evidence."

After hearing Lu Wangshu's explanation, Lin Xiangyi, still somewhat confused, asked, "So what now?"

"Even though Du Le's roommates have confessed, their accounts alone aren't strong enough to be considered conclusive evidence. Their statements are all secondhand from Du Le. And since Du Le, the person directly involved, has passed away, the credibility of her roommates' testimonies in court would be very low," Lu Wangshu explained calmly.

Qiao Liang nodded, signaling his agreement with Lu Wangshu's assessment. "These testimonies are too weak; they don't hold water. If the director of education denies the accusations, or worse, turns the tables and claims that Du Le's roommates conspired to slander him, then they deliberately fabricated their statements. Since Du Le has passed away, there would be no one to contradict his version of events. If that happens, it would be a significant setback for us."

Lin Xiangyi finally grasped the situation.

Not only did Lin Xiangyi understand, but so did Du Le's three roommates. One of them, visibly anxious, asked, "What can we do then? Are we powerless to bring the director to justice on behalf of Du Le?"

The mood in the meeting room grew tense, and silence fell over the group.

Lin Xiangyi felt a deep sadness. It was clear to her that the teaching director was the culprit, yet there seemed to be no way to put him behind bars. The thought was unbearable.

Then, as if struck by a sudden revelation, Lu Wangshu's face lit up with a knowing smile. "We shouldn't be so quick to despair," he said confidently. "There might be another victim within this school."

Lin Xiangyi, puzzled by his statement, inquired, "What do you mean? What other victim are you talking about?"

Seeing their puzzled expressions, Lu Wangshu explained to Lin Xiangyi and Qiao Liang that while he was staking out Yongzhou No.1 Middle School, he overheard a student mentioning that the teaching director was looking for her. It was around the same time as the evening study session.

At the time, Lu Wangshu hadn't thought much of it. But after hearing the testimony of Du Le's roommates, he couldn't help but link the two events. Could it be that this girl had suffered harassment from the teaching director, just like Du Le?

If so, her testimony could be the key to ensuring the teaching director couldn't evade justice.

With this thought, a slight smirk appeared on Lu Wangshu's lips.

"But do you remember the student's name?" Lin Xiangyi pressed Lu Wangshu for more information.

He nodded, "I don't know her full name, but her name includes the characters 'Wangshu,' which are the same as in my name. That's why it's etched in my memory."

"Wangshuu?" The three girls exchanged glances upon hearing the name. The dormitory head then turned to Lu Wangshu and inquired, "The girl named Wangshuu you mentioned, is she the one who's tall, slim, and has a fair and pretty complexion?"

Lu Wangshu shook his head, replying, "It was quite late, and there were many students around, so I can't be certain. Do you know her?"

The dormitory head offered a slight smile and explained, "She's a key member of our school's Literature and Art Club. Not only is she talented in singing and dancing, but she's also quite attractive and has a wonderful personality."

Another girl chimed in, "Exactly. Her grades aren't the best, but that's not an issue. She's aiming for a career in the arts, so her academic performance isn't a big concern."

Curious, Lu Wangshu asked, "Which class does she belong to?"

"She's in the class next door. There are only two classes on our floor, so she won't be hard to find," the dormitory head informed him.

Lu Wangshu nodded in understanding and then instructed the three girls, "Got it. I'll go look for her. You three head back to the classroom. And remember, no matter what you're asked, don't divulge anything."

The girls solemnly agreed, "You can count on us; we won't spill a word."

With that, they turned and exited the conference room.

Once they were gone, Lu Wangshu addressed Qiao Liang and Lin Xiangyi, "Let's go see the principal. To meet with that girl, we'll need his assistance."

Qiao Liang and Lin Xiangyi nodded in agreement with Wangshu's plan. They assumed the principal had returned to his office after leaving the conference room, so they made their way there in succession.

As expected, upon their arrival, they found the principal in his office, engrossed in his computer screen, busy with paperwork. He looked up and eagerly asked, "How did the questioning go?"

"We've uncovered some information, but we need to speak with one more person," Lu Wangshu responded.

"Whom do you wish to see?" the principal inquired.

"We want to see a girl named Wangshuu from the class next to Du Le's," Lu Wangshu replied.

"Wangshuu?" The principal hesitated and asked with uncertainty, "Do you mean Wangshuu?"

Lu Wangshu and his group weren't sure of the girl's last name, so they admitted, "We're not sure of her exact surname, but she seems to be a mainstay of the school's literary and arts group."

"That must be Wangshuu. Okay, you all head to the meeting room and wait there for a bit. I'll go and bring her to you," the principal said, then turned and left the office.

The principal thought Lu Wangshu and the others were looking for Wangshuu because of some past friction with Du Le, so he didn't give it much thought.

Girls, after all, can be vain and competitive. The principal understood this well.

Du Le was the school's beauty, academically and morally outstanding, and many people admired her. Wangshuu, on the other hand, was a key member of the school's literary and arts group, excelling in singing and dancing, and also quite attractive. Aside from her less-than-stellar grades, she was doing quite well.

It would make sense, then, if there was some discord between the two girls, the principal mused.

While contemplating this, the principal made her way to Wangshuu's classroom and asked the teacher to call her out. Wangshuu soon emerged from the classroom.

Wangshuu had a sweet demeanor and a tall stature, truly a sight to behold.

"Principal, were you looking for me?" Wangshuu asked, puzzled as to why she was being sought out.

The principal nodded and said, "Come with me, there's something I need to ask you."

With that, the principal turned and walked briskly ahead. Wangshuu, though unsure of what the matter was, obediently followed with a look of confusion.

They quickly reached the meeting room door. Wangshuu noticed three unfamiliar faces inside and gazed at them with curiosity.

The principal stopped and said to Wangshuu, "Wangshuu, these are police officers. They need to speak with you."

Wangshuu was taken aback to discover that the three individuals before her were actually police officers. She paused momentarily in surprise.

While Wangshuu was still processing this revelation, the principal turned and left the room. After a brief hesitation, Wangshuu took a seat across from Lin Xiangyi.

"It's quite warm today. Aren't you feeling overheated with that scarf wrapped around your neck the whole time?" Lu Wangshu inquired.

Wangshuu shook her head and replied, "No, I'm okay. I've been sensitive to the cold since I was young. I have a particularly weak constitution, so wearing the scarf isn't too bad. I'm not overly hot."

Lu Wangshu gave a nod of understanding and without further ado, got down to business. "Last night, after the evening study session, did the director of education seek you out?"

Wangshuu was visibly taken aback by Lu Wangshu's question, clearly surprised that he was aware of the incident. After pondering for a moment, she gave a slight nod and confirmed, "Yes, he did."

"And why did he seek you out so late?" Lu Wangshu pressed on, his gaze intent.

Wangshuu clenched her jaw and after a brief pause, she revealed, "He wanted to discuss some academic matters with me."