Volume Seven: Shadows of Jiangcheng Chapter Four: Fengchuan Corporation

With the investigation order and search warrant in hand, Yaoguang and her team hurried to the Fengchuan Group without delay.

“This Fengchuan Group’s legal representative is Zhang Fengchuan. It’s an IT company with some reputation in the city, located in the financial district at Fengchuan Tower,” Captain Li said as he reviewed the documents.

Half an hour later, their car stopped at the base of Fengchuan Tower.

“Wow, this place is impressive,” Huo Mingkun remarked, glancing up at the office building.

“Let’s go,” Yaoguang said. The group walked to the reception desk. “Hello, we’re the police. Please, we’d like to see your manager.”

“Please wait a moment,” the receptionist replied, picking up the phone. “Vice President, there are several officers here to see you.”

Soon after, a woman dressed in a blue suit skirt walked out. “Hello, I’m the vice president, Wang Qing. I’m currently in charge of the company. Please, follow me to the VIP room.” Her gestures and demeanor conveyed a calm assurance.

“Thank you.” Yaoguang and her colleagues followed Wang Qing upstairs to the VIP room. She ordered tea and, after the staff closed the door, smiled gently. “May I ask what brings you here today, officers?”

“Oh, we’re not here to instruct you, just to learn a bit about your manager, Zhang Fengchuan,” Yaoguang replied.

“The general manager is on a business trip. He told me to look after the company while he’s away,” Wang Qing said.

“Did he mention where he was going?” Captain Li asked.

“No, you might not know, but our manager is quite spontaneous. He often sets off on trips without any notice, never tells us where he’s headed. He just sends a message saying he won’t be around for a while and asks me to keep an eye on things. We’re used to it,” Wang Qing explained.

“How long does he usually stay away?” Yaoguang inquired.

“That’s hard to say—it depends on his mood. Sometimes three to five days, a week, ten days, or even half a month. He doesn’t come to the office often, and we don’t think much of it,” Wang Qing responded.

“And when he’s away, you don’t contact him?” Yaoguang pressed.

“We do, but not unless it’s urgent. Frankly, our manager has a bad temper. If we call too much, he gets annoyed. But overall, he’s good to us. Recently, an employee’s father was hospitalized and the family couldn’t afford it. The manager heard about it and immediately gave them a hundred thousand,” Wang Qing said.

“Do you know your sales supervisor, Ma Yanran?” Captain Li asked.

“Yanran? She’s very capable, especially eloquent. She’s got a girlish personality, tends to be clingy, and she’s an excellent drinker. She’s always at the front for company social events,” Wang Qing replied.

“How good is she at drinking?” Yaoguang asked.

“She never gets drunk, no matter how much she drinks,” Wang Qing said.

“What’s the relationship between your manager and Ma Yanran?” Yaoguang continued.

“They’re a couple—everyone in the company knows. They planned to get engaged this month; we all received invitations. The manager took her with him on this trip. Officers, has something happened? You’re asking so many detailed questions,” Wang Qing asked, looking at Yaoguang.

“They’re dead,” Yaoguang answered.

“Dead? That’s impossible—we spoke by phone just a week ago,” Wang Qing exclaimed, her face betraying shock and grief.

“Can you identify if these clothes are theirs?” Yaoguang handed her two photos.

“Yes, that’s exactly what they wore when they left. How did they die?” Wang Qing asked, stunned.

“Murder. The case is still under investigation. I can’t disclose too many details. Can you show us your manager’s office?” Yaoguang requested.

“Of course, please follow me.” Wang Qing led them to the office on the seventeenth floor.

Yaoguang entered the lavishly decorated room—a grand desk, shelves behind it lined with ornaments, and a large tea table in front. On the desk were several photos of Ma Yanran and an ashtray containing several cigarette butts. Yaoguang nodded to Huo Mingkun, who immediately bagged the cigarette ends as evidence. Yaoguang moved further in and discovered a spacious lounge with a bathroom inside. On the bathroom shelf were two sets of toiletries—one for a man, one for a woman.

“These belong to your manager and Ma Yanran?” Yaoguang asked.

“Yes. The lounge is only ever open to Yanran,” Wang Qing replied, wiping away tears yet still managing a smile.

Yaoguang took some strands of hair from the woman’s comb and placed them in an evidence bag. “How was the relationship between your manager and Ma Yanran?” she asked.

“Not exactly good, but not bad either. The manager had a bad temper, often scolding Yanran, but he relied on her for everything—even drinking water, he’d call her name. He never liked any of the secretaries assigned to him, so Yanran took over the role. She gave the sales manager tasks to others and only handled company negotiations herself. I once asked Yanran privately why she was never upset with the manager despite his constant criticism. She said she loved him and didn’t care what he did, as long as he didn’t drive her away,” Wang Qing said, finally unable to hold back her tears at the mention of Ma Yanran.

“Forgive my boldness, but how do you know so much about their relationship?” Yaoguang asked. “You can choose not to answer.”

“Of course. When the police ask, I answer. Actually, I’m the manager’s cousin, and Yanran is my best friend. I introduced Yanran to my cousin,” Wang Qing explained, drying her tears.

“Thank you. Do you know if Zhang Fengchuan has any other relatives in Jiangcheng?” Captain Li asked.

“No. My cousin is an orphan; he lost his parents as a child, and his grandparents died early too. He grew up in our home. After graduation, he went into business, and perhaps fate favored this child without a family, as he succeeded effortlessly and founded Fengchuan Group. Out of gratitude, he made me vice president,” Wang Qing explained.

“What about Ma Yanran?” Captain Li asked.

“That’s another coincidence—Yanran is also an orphan. Perhaps that’s why they had so much in common,” Wang Qing replied.

“Thank you for your cooperation. Here’s my number—if anything comes up, please call me,” Yaoguang said.

“Thank you, Officer. If the case is solved, please let me know. I’d like to bring them home for burial, so they can rest in peace,” Wang Qing said, handing over her business card.

“Of course, I’ll contact you. My condolences—take care,” Yaoguang said, accepting the card and comforting Wang Qing with a pat on the shoulder.

“Thank you,” Wang Qing replied. “Oh, here’s my cousin’s villa address and the spare key. Please check it out; I hope it helps.”

“Thank you. Here are the investigation notice and search warrant for your cousin’s residence. Since you’re his only relative now, please sign here,” Yaoguang said.

“Alright,” Wang Qing nodded, signed, and handed back the documents.

“Thank you. We’re leaving now.” As Yaoguang and her team exited Fengchuan Group, night had already fallen outside. “Let’s go. Take this back for DNA comparison,” she said, getting in the car, lighting a cigarette, feeling somewhat weary.

According to Wang Qing, Zhang Fengchuan and Ma Yanran’s relationship wasn’t as ideal as it appeared. Ma Yanran was utterly devoted to Zhang Fengchuan, but he seemed indifferent to her. Huo Mingkun commented, “Sis, I feel like Zhang Fengchuan didn’t really love Ma Yanran—it’s more like he depended on her, both mentally and in daily life.”

“Yes, I agree. Two people with similar backgrounds comforting and relying on each other. Zhang Fengchuan lost his parents as a child and grew up in someone else’s home. No matter how kindly Wang Qing’s family treated him, he would always be cautious. That childhood trauma made him hard-working, sensitive, and perhaps humble, all stemming from his own insecurity. Lacking the warmth of family, he found in Ma Yanran, who was so compliant, the dependency he once felt for his relatives. But his childhood left wounds, so his temper wasn’t good. As for Ma Yanran, though she was lively, her inner defenses were strong. Sharing similar experiences with Zhang Fengchuan, she felt a deep resonance and gave herself to him entirely—he was her lifeline,” Yaoguang sighed. “Captain Li, have you finished mapping Zhang Fengchuan and Ma Yanran’s social connections?”

“Yes, we’ve completed it. Zhang Fengchuan, being the company president, had somewhat complex connections, but insiders say he was low-key and cautious, likely due to his background. He rarely attended industry events or even company gatherings. Besides Wang Qing’s family, he had no relatives in the city and few friends. As for enemies, the industry reports that he was reserved, balanced, with a temper but humble and well-regarded. Ma Yanran’s routine was very simple—either at the company or at Zhang Fengchuan’s villa, almost always with him, even shopping together. She only appeared at company functions, and always accompanied by Zhang Fengchuan. No other relatives in the city, and her only friend was Wang Qing. Colleagues described her as lively and cheerful, always smiling, but other than Wang Qing and Zhang Fengchuan, she kept her distance from everyone else,” Captain Li said.

“So we can rule out revenge as a motive. The victims’ suitcase contained no phone, wallet, or ID—it could be a robbery, but there’s more at play here,” Yaoguang paused, then continued, “We deduced the killer had considerable means and was highly educated, with strong self-control. Would someone like that commit murder for money? Robbery is usually a crime of impulse, but this killer’s psychological state doesn’t match that profile. So we can rule out robbery as well.”

“Crime of passion doesn’t fit either. Their lifestyle left no time or opportunity. If someone liked Ma Yanran, they could have just killed Zhang Fengchuan—why kill her too? Likewise, if someone liked Zhang Fengchuan, why not just kill Ma Yanran? So, master, I don’t think a crime of passion fits,” Jiang Yun said.

“You make a good point. I’ve thought about that as well,” Yaoguang replied.

“Could it be that Jiangcheng has a serial killer and they just happened to be chosen?” Huo Mingkun asked.

“That’s possible, but after careful consideration, it doesn’t fit. Serial killers usually have severe personality disorders, often due to trauma or their environment. They tend to pick targets with certain similarities—like women in red, or people from the same profession. Rarely do they target families, since their selection is random. But look at our victims, Zhang Fengchuan and Ma Yanran—they could be considered a family. What do they have in common? Only that they’re both orphans. Do you think a serial killer would research their victims’ backgrounds?” Xuan Chen said.

“Yes, you’re right. If only we could find their heads and arms, or their phones and wallets, we'd have more clues,” Huo Mingkun sighed.

“Tomorrow, let’s check out Zhang Fengchuan’s villa. Maybe we’ll find something new,” Chu Tianyou suggested.

Everyone nodded silently, and the car fell into a hush.

“Phoenix, after a long day, let’s go eat,” Captain Li said, breaking the silence.

“Yes, we only had one meal today, let’s go... It’s on me,” Yaoguang said.

“You helped us so much, and got so much done in just half a day—this meal should be my treat,” Captain Li laughed.

“Then you’ll have to be generous, Captain Li—Phoenix’s family are all five-star chefs,” Huo Mingkun joked.

“What are you saying, you rascal... Captain Li, you pick the place. Don’t listen to him,” Yaoguang laughed.

“Jiangcheng is famous for its seafood, and the prices are reasonable,” Captain Li replied.

“Perfect... Let’s go to a street stall, not a hotel,” Yaoguang laughed.

“Agreed. Hahahaha...”