Chapter 19: Would someone afraid of water choose to jump into the sea to commit suicide?

Liu Xun: "Qin Yanbin is the male lead of that short drama. After the show aired, rumors spread that their on-screen chemistry had turned into a real-life romance. They were recently spotted watching a movie together, though neither has ever addressed the gossip."

"Let’s assume they really are secretly dating. They would surely spend Valentine's Day together, which would explain why Xia Linlin was dressed entirely in red."

Gao Yi nodded. "Following your hypothesis, does that mean they had an argument during their date, and Xia Linlin, acting out of spite, ran here in the middle of the night to jump into the sea?"

"Or, did this Qin Yanbin bring her here and push her into the water?"

Liu Xun: "It's also possible that after the date ended, Xia Linlin was kidnapped by a deranged fan and brought here."

Shu Yan interjected, "The deceased shows no signs of defensive wounds or blunt force trauma."

Liu Xun: "..."

"Let’s wait until the autopsy determines the cause of death," Shu Yan said as she stood up. Turning to Lu Chengfeng, she added, "We’re heading back to perform the autopsy now. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible."

"In the meantime, you can follow my suggested timeline to investigate the surrounding area."

Lu Chengfeng said gently, "Understood. Thank you for your hard work."

Shu Yan turned and instructed Zhang Yong to arrange for trace evidence technicians to accompany them back for the autopsy. Every autopsy requires one or two technicians on-site to record the process via video and photographs.

Gao Yi called over the team responsible for transporting the body, who placed it into a body bag and loaded it onto the transport vehicle.

In the past, the old municipal bureau lacked an autopsy suite, forcing everyone to travel to the suburban funeral home for examinations. When Zhao Jianguo applied for the new office building, he specifically requested an annex dedicated to the forensic center. Beyond the autopsy suite, it featured various laboratories and advanced equipment.

As Lichee City is a special economic zone, its rapid growth over the last decade has pushed its population into the top five nationwide. Where there are more people, there is more crime; upgrading the forensic center was essential to improve efficiency and, consequently, the case resolution rate.

While sitting in the investigation vehicle heading back to the city, Gao Yi vividly described the evolution of the new municipal bureau to the three interns on board. In addition to Yang Guang and Taozi, the third intern, a male named Wang Qiang, was from the trace evidence unit.

The forensic department suffered from a severe gender imbalance, heavily skewed toward men. Shu Yan was the only female forensic pathologist at the time; the other team consisted entirely of men.

Gao Yi took a sip of water to moisten his throat and continued: "With a case like today's, you should be thankful the weather isn't hot yet. In the summer, bodies decompose quickly, and the stench is absolutely unbearable."

"After an autopsy, you can scrub yourself three times and still not get the smell off. And that’s not even mentioning 'bloated corpses'—if you ever encounter one of those, you won't be able to eat a proper meal for an entire month. The mere thought of that smell is nauseating."

Yang Guang asked curiously, "Why is it that we rarely encounter bloated corpses nowadays?"

Gao Yi: "It’s mainly because our population density in Lichee City is high, and there is surveillance everywhere. The smell of a decomposing body is distinct from ordinary trash; as soon as an odor starts to drift, it’s quickly discovered."

Wang Qiang nodded. "A bloated corpse takes at least five days to form. Usually, they wouldn't go undiscovered for only two or three days."

Gao Yi: "Exactly. I advise you not to be curious about bloated corpses. I've only seen three or four in my life. Your Senior Sister Yan has seen many more; she began interning under Director Liang during her freshman winter break."

Taozi turned to Shu Yan. "Sister Yan, how many have you seen?"

Shu Yan counted silently in her mind. "A dozen or so, I lose track. But adipocere is the most terrifying—I’ve only seen it once, during my junior year internship, and I hope never to see it again for the rest of my life."

The two men were intrigued and pressed Shu Yan to share the details of that unforgettable experience. It was rare for Shu Yan to open up, and she recounted the story in such vivid detail that even Gao Yi, a veteran pathologist, was mesmerized.

By the time she finished, they had arrived back at the bureau, and the transport vehicle had pulled in as well. Everyone headed to the autopsy suite to change and prepare.

Once ready, they entered the room. Looking at Xia Linlin lying on the examination table, Shu Yan clasped her hands together and whispered:

"Ms. Xia, I am truly sorry for this intrusion. If you were murdered, please guide us to the evidence. If not, please lead us to the reason you chose to end your life, so we may provide your family with answers."

As a woman, Shu Yan found it hardest to witness the death of someone as young as Xia Linlin—a rising star whose life had been brought to such an abrupt, tragic end.

Shu Yan knew a forensic pathologist shouldn't be biased, but her intuition told her this was no ordinary drowning.

While waiting for the trace evidence technicians to finish their photography, Gao Yi sighed. "Acting is a high-risk profession. Many actors suffer from depression, and there have been precedents of them taking their own lives because of it."

"Xia Linlin didn't have depression," Wang Qiang interrupted, stopping his work. "Actually, I’m a fan of hers. I attended her fan meeting just a few days ago, and she even signed an autograph for me."

Everyone turned their curious gaze toward Wang Qiang. Shu Yan encouraged him, "Wang Qiang, please go on."

Wang Qiang hesitated. "I don't know if this is helpful to the case..."

Shu Yan: "Any information about the deceased helps us analyze the situation and find a direction for our autopsy. Just tell us whatever you know."

Wang Qiang: "Oh, right. Well, on February 8th, Xia Linlin’s agent held a fan meeting. I happened to be off that day, so I went. It was at a cafe in the city center."

"That cafe often hosts these types of events. It was quite crowded, maybe two or three hundred people. Those who arrived late couldn't even squeeze in. Luckily, I went early and managed to get a seat right in front of her."

Shu Yan: "What was her demeanor like? Was there anything unusual?"

Wang Qiang: "Nothing unusual. She seemed to be in great spirits. She loved the color red; she said she lacked 'fire' in her Five Elements and needed to incorporate it to improve her luck. Speaking of which, I remember now—"

"She mentioned that day that she was terrified of water. She said she had consulted a fortune teller who told her to stay away from water her entire life, so she would never accept roles that required her to go into the water. Plus, she couldn't swim."

Taozi frowned. "Would someone so afraid of water choose to end their life by jumping into the sea?"

Gao Yi: "It is indeed highly suspicious. Based on our experience, those who commit suicide rarely choose the method they fear most—for instance, someone with a fear of heights wouldn't choose to jump off a building."

Wang Qiang added, "Also, Xia Linlin said that day she had received a great script for a short drama. She expected to start filming in late February and have it ready for the public by mid-March."

"In short, she seemed very happy and had many plans for her future. Since she graduated from dance academy and only got into acting by chance, she was planning to take advanced courses in performance."

"By the way, the person who chose her for the short drama was her rumored boyfriend, Qin Yanbin. I saw in the gossip columns that Qin Yanbin became infatuated with Xia Linlin after seeing her dance performance and invited her to star in the drama he was investing in."

Shu Yan was surprised. "Qin Yanbin invested in that drama? And what is Qin Yanbin’s background?"