"Do you recognize him?"
Chen Xiao looked at Luo Dali in surprise.
The latter looked puzzled, "I can't be sure, but those flashy clothes made me think of someone."
Chen Xiao didn't ask who it was but instead waved to Liang Yan and Lin Xi.
The two women quickly came over, Lin Xi: "Chen Xiao, what's up?"
"Can Dali and I go in and see the deceased's face? Dali might recognize him."
Hearing this, Liang Yan nodded without hesitation, "Then come in quickly, we're having trouble confirming his identity right now."
Chen Xiao followed Luo Dali as they moved unimpeded into the cordoned-off area.
When Luo Dali saw the tragic condition of the deceased, his face instantly changed colors, and then he squatted on the ground and vomited violently.
Chen Xiao also didn't feel well.
Having lived two lives, this was his first time being in such close contact with someone who died a violent death.
Especially since the body was dismembered.
After Luo Dali recovered, Liang Yan asked, "So, can you recognize who it is?"
"I do, his name is Zhao Xiaohong, among the people I know, he's the only one who likes wearing studded clothes and floral arm tattoos."
"Can you be a bit more specific?"
"Zhao Xiaohong is from Ai Lake Village in Hongshan District. His father, Zhao Hai, is in the home appliance business. Their family is quite well-off, and his dad has always been grooming him to be the successor."
After Luo Dali finished speaking, Liang Yan had a rough idea: "Do you have any contact information for his family?"
"I have his father's."
Liang Yan immediately called someone over, and soon after getting the number, that person quickly called Zhao Xiaohong's father, Zhao Hai.
But Luo Dali was still staring at Zhao Xiaohong's body, muttering, "How could this guy end up dead? It doesn't make sense."
Chen Xiao picked up on something and asked, "What, you know him well?"
"Not quite, but I've never heard of him offending anyone. Also, Brother Chen, looking at this guy's outfit, what kind of person do you think he is?"
Chen Xiao didn't speak, but Luo Dali gave a wry smile: "He's a very kind person!"
This answer completely surprised Chen Xiao.
He had thought Zhao Xiaohong might be different from what he expected.
After all, people usually form their first impressions based on someone's attire.
Wearing studded clothes, with an explosive hairstyle, not just floral arm tattoos, but also a row of ear studs clearly visible in his ears.
In this era where the counterculture is beginning to sprout, Zhao Xiaohong would definitely be seen as being at the forefront of fashion trends.
But such an "unconventional and rebellious" look makes many people see him as not a good person at first glance.
Luo Dali continued, "The way Zhao Xiaohong became is greatly related to his old man. Zhao Hai was part of the same batch of businessmen as my dad, and they got wealthy around the same time. People, once they have money, want to live different lives."
"So that year, Zhao Hai was hell-bent on divorcing Zhao Xiaohong's mom, and eventually drove her to drink poison and die. From that moment on, Zhao Xiaohong changed. He went from a top student in school to a bad student who fought and smoked all day."
"After entering society, even though Zhao Hai kept grooming him, Zhao Xiaohong had no interest in the business. Instead, he often tricked money out of his dad to support some of his classmates."
Even Lin Xi was shocked, "Are you saying he helped many of his classmates?"
Luo Dali nodded, "Yes, there are a lot of rich people these days, but even more are without money. In high school, Zhao Xiaohong had several classmates from very poor families. After he quit school, he kept asking his old man for money, and surprisingly, he financially supported those classmates through college."
"Would Zhao Hai allow that?" Chen Xiao couldn't help but ask.
"What could Zhao Hai do if he didn't agree? Zhao Xiaohong already showed through his actions that if Zhao Hai didn't let him do as he pleased, he'd do whatever it took. Zhao Xiaohong was truly outstanding before, even always pre-approved by the school as a future candidate sure to enter a prestigious university!"
After Luo Dali finished, both Chen Xiao and Lin Xi fell silent.
Even among the listening officers, some sighed repeatedly.
For a young person, family upheaval can truly alter the course of one's entire life.
This was certainly true for Zhao Xiaohong.
No one expected that Zhao Xiaohong would end up like this in the end.
Not only was he murdered, but his head was stuffed into his pants.
Chen Xiao stayed at the scene for a little while longer before Liang Yan said, "Xiaoxi, Chen Xiao, the scene has been thoroughly examined, we need to wait for some results next, let me drive you two home."
Before Chen Xiao and Lin Xi could reply, Luo Dali volunteered, "Captain Liang, I can take Brother Chen and sis-in-law home, you go ahead and work!"
"Alright, if there's any new information I'll inform you. Oh, by the way, don't forget about tomorrow's matter."
Chen Xiao and Lin Xi nodded simultaneously, then followed Luo Dali home.
On the way, Luo Dali curiously asked, "Brother Chen, what was Captain Liang talking about earlier?"
Lin Xi replied with a smile, "Your Brother Chen is going to the district police criminal investigation team to collect a reward tomorrow."
Luo Dali's face lit up with joy, "Ah? There's even a reward! Is it because of that Red Cotton Pants case?"
Lin Xi affirmed, and Luo Dali laughed heartily, "How much is it? No matter how much it is, you two owe me a feast tomorrow."
"Alright, alright, we'll treat you well tomorrow, and just as it happens, your sis-in-law needs to report to the district office tomorrow too."
"Wow...this is double happiness! Brother Chen is rich, sis-in-law got promoted, your family is amazing!"
Luo Dali was genuinely happy for them.
Chen Xiao and Lin Xi were also overjoyed by their friend's words.
But after some more idle chatter, Chen Xiao returned to the topic.
"Dali, you just said Zhao Xiaohong was a very kind person. If so, who do you think would kill and humiliate him in such a manner?"
Luo Dali shook his head, "How would I know? I only know about him, I'm not familiar with his life. I call him kind because he was always doing good deeds. Besides supporting those classmates through school, he often visited nursing homes to see lonely elderly folks."
Upon hearing this, even Lin Xi couldn't help but express, "That's quite a stark contrast in character, if it weren't for Dali saying this, I wouldn't believe the deceased was such a person."
Chen Xiao remained silent.
He was eagerly looking forward to the arrival of the next day.
Because only when the next day arrived, would that calendar, which appeared in his mind, reappear.
Only, aside from providing Chen Xiao with some special skills, the information on that calendar seemed to be the same as a normal calendar.
Unexpectedly, tomorrow would already be August 7, the Lunar July 14, which still wasn't a very auspicious day.
[August 7, 2006]
[Lunar Calendar: July 14, an inauspicious day, avoid major events.]
[Unfavorable: (Day of the Year's Ruin) Open, Break Ground.]
[Favorable: Sacrifice, Set Stove, Gain Wealth, Capture!]
Hmm?
Tomorrow is actually a day favorable for gaining wealth and capturing!
But being an inauspicious day, it's not suitable for promotions or appointments!