Soon after, Lü Qingqing wanted to find Ren Canglong to understand the situation, but strangely, Ren Canglong had disappeared.
However, this did not affect Lü Qingqing's conclusion on the case.
This day's case analysis meeting could be described as everyone wearing smiles. Hu Jia was smiling, Ouyang Wen was smiling, Lü Qingqing was smiling, and Qiao Huali was also smiling.
But, to everyone's surprise, Tong Hua was also smiling.
"Hmph, seeing someone holding back their frustration and forcing a smile makes me feel so good," Hu Jia deliberately raised his voice.
He had originally intended to provoke Tong Hua, but Tong Hua was indeed a person who could endure it, as if Hu Jia's words had nothing to do with him.
"Captain Hu's words are not pleasant to hear. Lü Qingqing's abilities have been fully proven this time. With such a skilled person in our police station, as the head of the Judicial Department, I am truly happy for her," Tong Hua calmly took a sip of tea, and then nodded at Lü Qingqing, "Well done, praiseworthy."
Lü Qingqing rolled her eyes internally, but then she thought, this Tong Hua was clearly fuming, yet his face was beaming with a smile, which was quite disgusting to him.
"Hahaha..." Hu Jia laughed the most heartily. Although he didn't know what had happened before, he knew what was happening now.
"Director Qiao, once the culprit is apprehended, this competition will probably be over," Ouyang Wen said with a smile.
"Indeed, it should end. Heh heh, I knew it, how could my people fail to solve even one case?" Hu Jia was even more smug: "Not only was the riverbank incineration case solved, but the hospital drug theft case was also resolved. Under such immense pressure, who else in the criminal investigation team could have handled cases so successfully?"
The implication was that only Lü Qingqing could.
Ouyang Wen signaled Hu Jia to tone down his bragging a bit. Listening to this guy boast incessantly, Director Qiao had forgotten to announce Lü Qingqing's victory.
"Director Qiao?" Ouyang Wen called out again.
Qiao Huali seemed to snap back to his senses. He uttered an "Ah," then looked at Lü Qingqing, "Well, indeed, Lü Qingqing is a remarkable woman, exceptionally astute."
Hu Jia put away his smile. When his fiancée was praised, he had to be well-behaved and not miss any beautiful words.
"But..." Qiao Huali paused instinctively at this point.
Everyone turned to look at him, but what?
This turn of phrase sounded wrong.
"But Tong Meng hasn't returned yet," Qiao Huali said.
Upon hearing this, Hu Jia's face fell. What was going on with Uncle Qiao? Even if he had to pretend to be fair, he should at least do it properly.
With Tong Meng not even present, who was he putting on a show for?
"Tong Meng has been absent without leave for many days, and no one knows where she's daydreaming now. Could it be that the second team will remain without a leader as long as she doesn't return?" Hu Jia thought, Qiao Huali probably needed an excuse. So he offered one.
"Hmph!" Unexpectedly, before Qiao Huali finished speaking, Tong Hua snorted dismissively at him. "Captain Hu's words are misplaced. Tong Meng hasn't failed to return; she's actually reporting back at the bureau office."
What?
Everyone was stunned.
Qiao Huali looked at Lü Qingqing with regret. "Actually, Tong Meng returned as early as last night. She first identified the killer, Cheng Qian, and arrested Ren Canglong, and also apprehended Cheng Qian."
Ah?
Not only was Lü Qingqing somewhat shocked, but Hu Jia and Ouyang Wen were also surprised.
Tong Meng was already back?
And she had identified the killer in advance?
And both those killers were already in custody?
She was so fast!
"Tong Meng has been gone for so long, how did she catch the culprits?" Hu Jia stood up, his face looking very displeased. He suspected Tong Meng had reaped the fruits of Lü Qingqing's labor.
"Xiao Jia, this is not the place for you to cause trouble. Lü Qingqing only mentioned Cheng Qian as the killer this morning, but Tong Meng had already completed all the interrogation work last night." Qiao Huali knew Hu Jia's temper well, but this time he really couldn't continue to shield him. "This is a competition, a competition that everyone knows about. What is the purpose of the competition? It is to select a capable and responsible person. This time, you are truly late."
The implication was that he who gambles must accept the outcome. If Lü Qingqing didn't even have the courage to admit her loss, then what right did she have to be the leader of the second team? To lead her subordinates into battle?
Hu Jia was truly silenced by Qiao Huali's words, not just because Qiao Huali's words were accurate, but more so because of the phrase "Xiao Jia."
Qiao Huali rarely called him that in public. When he did, it meant he was not acting as a superior, but as an uncle.
He hoped this nephew would give him some face and stop causing trouble.
And it was trouble without any justification.
"Where is the evidence? Does Tong Meng have a complete chain of evidence for the entire murder case?" Ouyang Wen was somewhat unconvinced.
"Hmph, of course. We have both human witness Ren Canglong and physical evidence, the insulin withdrawal form," Tong Hua said, then produced a pile of documents, all of which were warehouse records that Lü Qingqing and others had previously examined. "You didn't hear Tong Meng identify the killer, and then intentionally spread rumors this morning to claim the credit, did you?"
"Tong Hua! Watch your words! Do you think everyone present is like some shameless siblings?" Ouyang Wen was enraged.
Tong Hua was about to retort, but then he saw Hu Jia's cold gaze and shriveled his neck. Forget it.
There was no point in a war of words, especially for that ungrateful person.
"I, Lü Qingqing, have always conducted myself honorably. I accept the outcome of this competition." Lü Qingqing knew that she had indeed lost. Since the news that Cheng Qian was the killer had not been leaked, there was no way Tong Meng could have stolen her credit.
Secondly, normal case handling is based on the apprehension of the suspect as the closing time. However, this is a competition, and whoever finds the killer first wins.
Because, what if the killer had already fled the country? Would they have to wait a year or two for an international pursuit before declaring the competition over?
Lü Qingqing accepted it. Since Tong Meng dared to report back, it meant she had absolute evidence to prove Cheng Qian was the killer.
"Hahaha... As expected, Lü Qingqing is indeed sensible and bold. If you lose, you lose. Under my leadership in the future, you will surely shine brightly and surpass me." Tong Meng's laughter echoed from outside the office. Before she even entered, she was already acting like a master.
Except for Tong Hua, everyone's expression turned grim.
She appeared full of triumph, with a smile on her lips and even a cheerful gait. Upon entering, she glanced at Hu Jia, as if no one else mattered, and walked directly to Qiao Huali, saluting: "Report, Officer Tong Meng has returned from her assignment and, not having failed the leadership's trust, has successfully solved the Huangshaxi Fire Oil Incineration Case."
"Good! Well done! The younger generation is indeed formidable!" Qiao Huali, being the director, had to support Tong Meng for the sake of team unity, even if this outcome was not exactly what he had anticipated. The victory was clear.
Two consecutive praises, not at all stingy.
"Everyone was very curious where you went during your quiet departure."
Tong Meng knew that Qiao Huali was prompting her to explain her case-solving process.
"Your subordinate went to Chengdu!"
Tong Meng's statement genuinely made Lü Qingqing look at her with new respect. She hadn't expected Tong Meng to have investigated the situation in Chengdu so early and personally traveled there to solve the case.
If it hadn't been for two phone calls from Chengdu, she wouldn't have known about the Chengdu incident at all.
It seemed this competition's loss was not unjust.
However, how did Tong Meng know that the insulin buyer was in Chengdu? No, when she left Chongqing, the theft of insulin had not yet been reported to the police. What did she rely on to determine that she would find answers in Chengdu?