Chapter 35.2: Stolen Identity
After thinking about it, Chen Dong smiled.
“Every case Jiang Xia has been involved in so far has been solved. Maybe she really does have a bit of luck on her side. I might as well take a gamble. Who knows? Maybe tomorrow I’ll be bringing the killer back in handcuffs!”
“Hahaha! Old Chen, you’re so desperate to solve the case that you’ve gone crazy!”
“Hey, don’t laugh. Counting the human trafficking case, Jiang Xia has solved two cases since she got here. No, three! She really does seem to have some good luck.”
Although police officers couldn’t believe in superstition, solving cases really did sometimes depend on luck. As Dong Weiguo spoke, he became more interested himself. “Why not add me to the team? I took a nap this afternoon, so I’m not tired either.”
Jiang Xia quickly said, “I’ll go too.”
She wouldn’t be able to sleep well at the office anyway. She might as well go check the records. If they found something, she could work through the night. Once the case was solved, she’d have plenty of time to rest.
Tan Bingyi was tempted as well, but putting everyone on the line based on a single deduction ultimately wasn’t a rational decision. He suppressed the impulse and said,
“Fine. You three. And don’t wait until after the meeting. Go now. Everyone else stays at the bureau, work out the direction for the investigation, then get some rest.”
“No problem.”
Once it was settled, Jiang Xia, Chen Dong, and Dong Weiguo walked straight out of the conference room.
As they walked down the hallway, Jiang Xia took the initiative. “Let’s find Director Guo first. He should know who we need to contact to check the archives.”
“Sure.”
The three of them headed downstairs.
…
Guo Zhitang was still in the interrogation room. He wasn’t handcuffed, but he had been temporarily prohibited from leaving. When he saw the police officers approaching, he immediately asked, “Comrades, you’re not questioning me anymore, so when can I go home?”
“Director Guo, there are still quite a few suspicious points surrounding you.”
Chen Dong spoke first, his expression somewhat stern. “The police have a new line of suspicion now. You’d better cooperate with us. We’re planning to check Zhou Jingyun’s records. Do you know who we should contact to get access to them as quickly as possible?”
“Of course I’ll cooperate.”
After all, he was still under suspicion of murder. Guo Zhitang immediately said, “The records are all kept by the personnel department. If you want to check them, you’ll have to call the department head, Yao Fangmin, and have him bring whoever manages the archives and the keys over there. That way, you can start checking as soon as you arrive.”
“By the way, I know the phone number. Why don’t I make the call?”
“Sure.”
Chen Dong knew exactly what he had in mind. He added, “After you make the call, we’ll go over together.”
Having a factory official cooperate and help coordinate things would make everything much easier.
Guo Zhitang quickly got through to him. After the two of them discussed the matter, everyone hopped on their bicycles and hurried toward the machinery factory.
To save time, they took a shortcut. There were no streetlights in the narrow alley, and even though the moon and stars were bright tonight, once they turned in, it was still pitch-black. Riding through it made everyone feel a little uneasy. Fortunately, there were several of them, and they had specifically brought flashlights, so they could see the road ahead. They chatted as they rode, and before long, they arrived.
They had reached the machinery factory.
Two people were waiting at the main gate. One was Department Head Yao, while the other was Old Zhang, who was in charge of the archives.
Yao had been sleeping soundly when a phone call suddenly dragged him out of bed, so it was inevitable that he was in a bad mood. He didn’t come forward to greet them, merely standing at the gate with an indifferent expression.
Seeing this, Chen Dong immediately got off his bicycle and leaned it against himself. He took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, and handed it to Yao with an apologetic smile.
“Oh, Department Head Yao, I’m really sorry to have dragged you out here so late at night to help us.”
Hearing this, Department Head Yao looked up. The three police officers all looked somewhat haggard, and he had seen two of them earlier that day. The little resentment he’d been harboring dissipated.
He accepted the cigarette. “Sigh, you police officers have it tough too. You’ve been busy all the way until now and still haven’t stopped. Come on, let’s go to the archives room.”
Jiang Xia rode her bicycle behind them.
They soon arrived outside a room.
Old Zhang took a key from his pocket, unlocked the door, pushed it open, and switched on the light.
Under the somewhat dim orange glow, rows upon rows of archive shelves immediately came into Jiang Xia’s view. From top to bottom, every file was wrapped in kraft paper. Some were thin, others thick, and there were so many that it was impossible to know where to start.
Fortunately, they had an archivist with them.
Old Zhang walked inside and began searching for the files by their numbers.
“All of our factory’s records are kept here.”
Department Head Yao stood outside the room, chatting casually as he waited. “Old Zhang is mainly responsible for keeping these. There are more than five thousand files, so it’s not easy to manage them. Every so often, we even have to take them all out and air them in the sun, otherwise they’ll get moldy.”
Chen Dong picked up the conversation. “It’s not too bad here. The rain in spring and autumn just makes things a little damp. I heard that down south, when spring comes, there can practically be water inside the houses.”
“Then wouldn’t the rain come right into the house?” Department Head Yao found it hard to imagine. “I really wonder how they manage to preserve their archives.”
Seeing that they were busy chatting instead of doing anything, Jiang Xia couldn’t help asking, “Brother Chen, don’t we need to fill out a request form to inspect the files?”
At the time, personnel files were sealed with glue and were strictly forbidden to be opened by private individuals. Only authorized organizations could unseal them for inspection or review, and the police were among those authorized.
However, they still needed to present a formal notice requesting the retrieval of evidence and have the personnel department keep a record of the inspection. That way, there would be proof that the file had been accessed properly and had not been opened by unauthorized individuals.
At her words, both Chen Dong and Department Head Yao froze for a moment.
They had come in such a hurry that they had forgotten about it.
Chen Dong paused. “Uh, it’s fine. We’ll go to the office and fill it out afterward.”
Right.
Jiang Xia shut her mouth.
They had claimed that Zhou Jingyun couldn’t possibly have stolen someone else’s identity, yet just look at the way the machinery factory and its staff handled things. If she hadn’t said anything, they probably would have forgotten the paperwork altogether!
“Found it!”
Not long afterward, Old Zhang located the deceased’s file among the many others. He checked the name to make sure it was correct, then took it out.
“Comrade, this is Zhou Jingyun’s file. Please take a look.”
As he spoke, Old Zhang handed the file to Chen Dong.
Jiang Xia quickly stepped forward and stood beside him, ready to examine part of the file herself.
The deceased’s file was quite thick, about one and a half fingers wide. Chen Dong took it and stepped over to the table just inside the archive room. He had just reached into the leather briefcase tucked under his arm to take out a knife and open the file when he noticed that the edge of the file had already begun to peel apart.
He set down the briefcase and untied the string. The file immediately fell open on its own.
Chen Dong froze for a moment. His brows gradually drew together as he looked up at Old Zhang and Department Head Yao, his expression turning serious.
“Has someone opened this file before?”
“No, no, absolutely not.” Old Zhang hurriedly waved his hands. “I’m the only one who works in this archive room. Nobody else comes in here. The glue was probably just too thin. After getting damp and then being dried out, it cracked. This happens all the time.”
As if afraid Chen Dong wouldn’t believe him, he turned around, took another file, untied the string, and showed Chen Dong that it had come open in the same way.
Looking at Old Zhang’s deeply wrinkled face, Chen Dong suddenly felt his blood pressure rising.
Damn it!
Who the hell knew whether anything in these files was actually genuine anymore?!
Jiang Xia, who had witnessed the whole thing, felt a little exasperated as well.
Every time she thought the incompetence of this ramshackle operation couldn’t possibly get any worse, someone would jump out and prove her wrong.
She sighed and urged him, “Brother Chen, just open it and take a look first.”
Well, they were already here. They might as well check it.
Praying that nobody had tampered with the contents, Chen Dong opened the file and took everything out.
There was quite a thick stack, but most of the documents were fairly standard: a birth certificate, a personal information form, political-status records, political-background investigation materials, academic records, and, most numerous of all, records from his time as an educated youth.
The lighting was too dim, making it difficult to see clearly. Chen Dong laid everything out on the table, picked up a flashlight, and began examining the documents under its beam.
Jiang Xia naturally stood beside him and looked through them as well.
She picked up the educated-youth records. The very first page stated his assignment: Hongqi Brigade, Siying Commune, Zichuan County.
But that alone wasn’t enough. She lowered her head and was about to turn the page when Chen Dong, who had just found the academic records, spoke up.
“Jiang Xia, you were right. This bastard changed his name. The name on his university records is Fu Jianjun!”
There was a hint of excitement in his voice.
Who changed their name and changed their surname along with it? That was highly unusual!
Jiang Xia felt somewhat relieved. This confirmed at least part of her theory.
But how exactly had this guy managed it?
She lowered her head and flipped through several documents. “He was born in Jiazhou, and his original name was Zhou Hong. He also attended elementary school in Jiazhou. Then how did he end up…? He was adopted by Fu Zongyi at the age of twelve, and his household registration was transferred here, so he changed his name to Fu Jianjun? There’s even an adoption certificate?!”
Looking at the faint red seal stamped on the adoption certificate, Jiang Xia was momentarily stunned.
He had been adopted, which explained the change of both his name and surname, and his household registration had been transferred along with his adoptive father’s. At first glance, there was actually nothing obviously wrong with his life history. Jiang Xia even began to wonder whether her own deduction had been mistaken.
Chen Dong was a little confused too, but he quickly came around.
“There’s no way to tell whether this certificate is genuine. We’ll have to verify it. Checking the official seal would mean making a trip all the way to the Niushi Police Station in Jiazhou… But Fu Zhongyi is supposed to be local. We can look for him here. Let me see… Fenjin Subdistrict, Shizhong District, Changning City? Huh? Isn’t that right here?”
Hehehe.
There was no need to guess anymore.
There was a ninety-nine percent chance these records had been forged!
Jiang Xia had originally thought they would have to investigate the educated-youth records, but looking at this, there was no need anymore.
She set down the papers and turned toward the three machinery-factory employees standing outside the door.
“Does our factory have an older worker named Fu Zhongyi, probably over fifty, who has a son named Fu Jianjun?”
“Huh?”
The three men were all rather bewildered by the question.
Guo Zhitang vaguely guessed the reason and hurriedly racked his brain, trying to remember. Unfortunately, the harder he tried, the more elusive the memory became. Department Head Yao, who was in charge of personnel matters, looked even more awkward. How could he possibly remember the names of so many people in the entire factory?
Old Zhang, who had remained silent all this time, scratched his head.
“Fu Zongyi? That name sounds familiar.”
He thought for a moment before saying uncertainly, “I think Old Fu from the Security Section might be called that. But I really don’t know about his son. Hang on, you all wait here. I’ll check the files.”
Jiang Xia quickly stepped aside to let him through.
Old Zhang searched through a row of files for a while before pulling out one that looked extremely old.
He looked down at the file and suddenly realized something.
“So his name is Fu Zongyi. I’ve been calling him Old Fu for so many years that I didn’t even know what his real name was.”
Jiang Xia was getting anxious. She stepped forward and took the file from him, glancing at the name before frowning slightly.
Why was it Fu Zongyi (傅宗义) instead of Fu Zongyi (傅宗一) with the other character?
Had it been deliberately written incorrectly?
With that thought in mind, Jiang Xia untied the string. Sure enough, the seal had already come undone as well, so she didn’t need to open it herself.
As she took out the documents, she casually asked, “Uncle, are you familiar with this man? Is he on duty tonight?”
“He’s getting old, so he doesn’t work night shifts anymore.”
Old Zhang said, “I’m not particularly close to him either. It’s just that the things kept here are all quite important, so the Security Section often comes by to patrol. They help me out from time to time, too. He was the one who helped me put away the files the last time we aired them out.”
Jiang Xia’s hands suddenly stopped.
So that was it. That was it!
No wonder Zhou Jingyun’s identity had suddenly been discovered.
It was because of this!
She lowered her head and found the personal information form.
Excellent. The form listed three generations of ancestors and two generations of descendants. The third son was indeed Fu Jianjun, and he had no wife or children.
It was basically confirmed.
Jiang Xia handed the sheet of paper to Chen Dong.
“Brother Chen, let’s get two security officers from the Security Section. We need to go to Fu Zongyi’s house.”
＊
Machinery Factory Residential Compound — Fu Zongyi’s Home
It was already very late.
The moon hung directly overhead, and its bright light streamed through the window, casting a clear glow across the room and illuminating the area around the bed.
Fu Zongyi was still awake.
Lying on his side with his eyes open, he stared at the newspaper on the table.
A particularly eye-catching image was printed on it: a man lying on the ground with a gaping wound in his head, accompanied by several enormous black headlines.
Dead Body Discovered in Alley! Killer Ruthless and Inhuman!
Fu Zongyi simply stared at the picture.
He was calm. He felt neither fear nor satisfaction. There was only a faint sense of relief that made him feel, at the very least, that when he went to the afterlife, he would finally have the face to meet his son.
Dad knew you didn’t drown by accident.
You’d been afraid of the water ever since you were little. You always kept as far away from it as you could. Even if you’d failed your entrance exams, gone drinking to vent your frustration, and wandered out while you were out of your mind, you still wouldn’t have gone anywhere near the water.
You really were killed.
The person who killed you even stole your university records and took away the life you should have had.
He deserved to die.
He should return your life, your future, and the honor of being a university student!
He didn’t want to give them back? Fine. Dad would take them back for you.
Fu Zongyi continued staring at the newspaper.
He remembered Guo, the department head, being taken away by the police when he returned home that day.
A hint of worry rose in Fu Zongyi’s heart.
He had been keeping an eye on Zhou Jingyun for some time, and he also knew about Guo Xiaohui. The girl had truly been deceived terribly, and now her father had gotten dragged into it as well. Fu Zongyi had originally thought that killing the man would conveniently solve a problem for them, but instead, he had ended up getting Guo investigated.
The police wouldn’t really identify him as the killer and torture a confession out of him, would they?
A trace of panic arose in Fu Zongyi’s heart.
He had absolutely no desire to drag anyone else into this.
How could the police have investigated so quickly?
It had only been a few days! The newspaper had only just reported the murder. He’d planned to wait a little longer—just a little longer—until everyone in the city knew about it before turning himself in.
Sigh.
He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to wait that long this time.
Tomorrow, then. If Director Guo still hadn’t returned by tomorrow afternoon, he would go to the newspaper office and turn himself in.
That was what Fu Zongyi thought as he continued staring at the newspaper.
Beside him, his wife breathed steadily in her sleep. Feeling the warmth radiating from her body, his expression grew even calmer.
Suddenly, someone began pounding forcefully on the door.
The dog started barking loudly, and the lights in his eldest son’s room came on at once. He got out of bed, still dressed, and called out loudly, “Who is it?”
“Police!”
Someone shouted from outside.
Police?
Fu Zongyi froze.
How did they get here so quickly?!
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