Attending ex-girlfriend's wedding, arresting the groom's officer on the spot

After the meeting, each group acted swiftly, with Zhang Hui personally leading a team back to the Lijing residential area on the outskirts of the city. He still felt that Li Baochun's wife, Li Li, had withheld some information in her previous statements, perhaps out of fear or as a deliberate concealment. Only by questioning her more closely in person could he find any clues. When he saw Li Li again, she was in a better state than before, no longer breaking down in tears, but the weariness and aloofness in her eyes were hard to hide. Unlike the plain-colored loungewear she wore the last time they met, Li Li was now wearing a well-tailored beige cashmere coat, a delicate diamond necklace, and a striking Rolex Datejust women's watch on her wrist—the dial was inlaid with small diamonds, the design was novel, and the market price was at least 50,000 yuan.

Zhang Hui's gaze lingered briefly on the watch, a cloud of doubt instantly forming in his mind. Li Baochun worked in the scrap metal recycling industry, her income was already unstable, and she owed 150,000 yuan in high-interest loans, was also in arrears on payments to multiple suppliers, and had even secretly taken money from the family savings for working capital. Given the family's financial situation, it was impossible for them to afford such an expensive watch. What was even more puzzling was that Li Li's cashmere coat and delicate diamond necklace were all from well-known brands, her overall outfit quite expensive, completely contradicting her previous description of "the family's savings being taken by her husband, and their life being difficult." "Ms. Li, excuse me for bothering you, we have a few more questions we'd like to verify with you." Zhang Hui subtly withdrew his gaze, his tone still gentle, but he was secretly observing Li Li's words and actions.

Li Li gestured for the investigators to sit down and poured water for everyone, her movements calm and composed, a stark contrast to her previous panicked and distraught state. "Officer, is there anything else you want to ask? I've already told you everything I know." Li Li sat on the sofa, her hands folded on her knees. The watch on her wrist reflected a dazzling light under the lamp. She subconsciously tucked her wrist into her sleeve, a subtle movement that Zhang Hui noticed. "We'd like to ask again, before Li Baochun disappeared, did she mention any specific characteristics of debt collectors? Or did she bring any strangers home?" Zhang Hui deliberately posed seemingly unrelated questions, actually observing Li Li's reaction.

Li Li frowned, recalling carefully, her tone tinged with impatience: "I've already told you, he never talks to me about business, and he rarely brings strangers home. I've never met those debt collectors; he always makes phone calls behind my back." Her answer was consistent with her previous one, offering no new information, but her eyes kept darting around, avoiding direct eye contact with Zhang Hui. Seeing this, Zhang Hui changed the subject, his gaze landing on her wrist: "Ms. Li, your watch is very beautiful, a very stylish design."

Li Li's body stiffened abruptly, her face instantly turning somewhat unnatural. She quickly hid her wrist behind her back, stammering, "This...this was a gift from a friend, nothing valuable." "A gift from a friend?" Zhang Hui pressed, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable sense of pressure. "Could you tell us who this friend is? From what we understand, Li Baochun's financial situation has been extremely dire recently. She not only owes a huge amount of debt but has also used up the family's savings. Based on your family's actual income, it's probably difficult for you to afford such a luxury item."

Caught off guard, Li Li panicked instantly. Her eyes darted around, her hands gripped the hem of her clothes tightly, and her voice trembled: "I...I already told you it was a gift from a friend, please don't ask anymore." Her unusual reaction further confirmed Zhang Hui's suspicions. This watch was definitely not a gift from an ordinary friend; it likely concealed a secret. "Ms. Li, we understand how you feel right now, but please cooperate with our investigation," Zhang Hui said seriously. "The value of this watch far exceeds your family's normal spending level. Considering the circumstances of Li Baochun's murder, any unusual clues could help us find the killer. If you deliberately conceal it, it will not only hinder the investigation but may also put you in a passive position."

Under Zhang Hui's relentless pressure, Li Li's psychological defenses gradually crumbled. She covered her face and sobbed softly, finally managing to speak after a long while: "I'll talk... I'll talk. This watch wasn't a gift from a friend, it was from Chen Gang." "Who is Chen Gang?" Zhang Hui immediately pressed, instructing his team members to quickly record the key information. "He is... he is my lover." Li Li's voice was barely audible, filled with shame and fear. "We've been together for almost a year. He owns a small building materials company and is quite well-off. These clothes and the watch were all bought for me by him."

According to Li Li's confession, Chen Gang, 38 years old, runs a small company called "Xinlei Building Materials," mainly engaged in the wholesale of building materials. He had some sporadic cooperation with Zhang Hai's decoration company. The two met at a building materials market event. Li Li accompanied Li Baochun to the market to collect scrap metal and happened to meet Chen Gang. Chen Gang was immediately smitten with the beautiful and gentle Li Li and took the initiative to pursue her. At that time, Li Baochun often left early and returned late, had a volatile temper, and lacked care for Li Li. Their relationship had long been over in name only. Under Chen Gang's gentle offensive, Li Li quickly succumbed, and the two secretly began an affair.

"Did Li Baochun know about your relationship?" Zhang Hui continued to press, as this was crucial in determining whether Chen Gang had a motive for the crime. Li Li's body trembled slightly, her eyes filled with fear: "Yes... He found out three months ago. That night, he came home early and caught Chen Gang and me in the living room. He was furious, grabbed a bottle from the table and smashed it at Chen Gang, pushing me to the ground. Chen Gang didn't back down and fought back, but in the end, Chen Gang couldn't beat him and ran away in a sorry state."

Li Li recalled that after catching Chen Gang in the act, Li Baochun severely beat and verbally abused her, threatening to kill both of them. In the following period, Li Baochun became even more irritable and suspicious, not only monitoring her daily movements but also repeatedly causing trouble at Chen Gang's company, demanding compensation for "emotional distress," threatening to expose their relationship and ruin Chen Gang's reputation if he refused. "Chen Gang initially didn't want to escalate the situation and gave Li Baochun 20,000 yuan, but Li Baochun was insatiable, feeling that 20,000 yuan was too little, and kept pestering Chen Gang for more money, even threatening to report Chen Gang for tax evasion," Li Li said. "I advised Li Baochun several times to stop harassing him, but he wouldn't listen, saying that Chen Gang had ruined his family and he had to pay the price."

This news caught Zhang Hui's eye. Chen Gang and Li Baochun not only had an emotional dispute, but also a fierce conflict over extortion and threats, giving them a strong motive for the crime. (End of Chapter)