Xiang Xia is missing?
According to the police investigation, Xiang Xia was from Linshui and had only been in Chongqing for two to three years. She rented a two-bedroom apartment in Shangqing Temple with another girl.
According to her roommate, Mei Ju, Xiang Xia did not return home last night.
Upon hearing this, a natural answer sprang into everyone's minds.
The thief is within our ranks!
"Was Xiang Xia on duty yesterday?" Hu Jia asked Yue Hongling.
"We only have two people in finance. Yesterday, the boss and I were entertaining the construction team for the renovation, so she was the only one working," Yue Hongling replied.
Hearing this, Hu Jia immediately ordered a city-wide search for Xiang Xia.
With a clear direction for the theft case, the cinema let them go. The previously lively place suddenly became deserted.
Lu Qingqing felt a little regretful. This was her first time watching a movie.
Just as the young man took the beautiful woman's hand, the police rushed in.
Walking out through the aisle, Lu Qingqing looked back with lingering regret.
"I'll bring you again next time," Hu Jia seemed to know what Lu Qingqing was thinking.
"Okay, you buy the tickets!" Lu Qingqing chuckled.
Just as Lu Qingqing turned her head, she saw a figure hiding behind a pillar.
The moment the person's eyes met Lu Qingqing's, they quickly looked away.
Yue Hongling?
This was the third time Lu Qingqing had seen Yue Hongling acting suspiciously.
The first time, when she and Hu Jia were going downstairs, Yue Hongling looked at her as if she had something to say, but ultimately did not.
The second time, after going downstairs, Lu Qingqing habitually glanced up at the finance office and saw Yue Hongling peeking at her.
"Is there something wrong? Or do you have something else to say?" Lu Qingqing walked up and directly approached Yue Hongling.
"I..." It was clear that Yue Hongling hesitated.
"Just say whatever comes to your mind. Don't worry, we'll keep it confidential," Lu Qingqing thought Yue Hongling knew some clue and was hesitant due to scruples.
"Are you suspecting Xiang Xia?" Yue Hongling asked.
"She is just a person of interest in our investigation. Since she has disappeared, we need to find her regardless of whether she is involved in this matter," Lu Qingqing said.
"Mm!" Yue Hongling nodded. "Actually, I wanted to say that this girl is very good. She is well-behaved, diligent, and responsible at work. I don't believe she would do such a thing. Also, someone in the theater is pursuing her, and she is considering resigning."
After speaking, Yue Hongling turned and hurried upstairs.
"Hey?" Watching her hurried departure, Lu Qingqing found her inexplicable. It was as if she had said something but also said nothing.
"No need to call her. She has already said what she wanted to tell us," Hu Jia said, standing beside Lu Qingqing.
What did she mean?
"She is reminding us to investigate that Manager Zhang," Hu Jia hinted.
Manager Zhang?
Lu Qingqing thought for a moment and immediately understood Yue Hongling's intention.
When she said she believed Xiang Xia, she was indirectly implying that Xiang Xia was a good person and lacked the motive to commit the crime.
Furthermore, she mentioned someone in the theater was pursuing Xiang Xia, but did not directly name them. This indicated that this person was someone Yue Hongling did not want to provoke.
Finally, she said Xiang Xia was considering resigning, which implied Xiang Xia did not like the person pursuing her and would even quit her job.
This caused Yue Hongling to have scruples.
And made Xiang Xia feel pressure.
Who was it?
It could only be a high-level executive at the cinema.
...
Just then, Li Yang and Luo Wenwu returned.
However, they did not bring good news. Since the cinema was under renovation, there were many miscellaneous people and more workers on site.
They often carried various tools and materials around. It was not just paper boxes, but even wooden crates were carried everywhere.
Therefore, it was impossible to accurately identify a suspect based on this.
"If the personnel flow is so high, how does the cinema manage its inventory?" Lu Qingqing asked.
"The cinema has two main gates. The first is the main entrance where audiences enter. The second is in the backyard, which is for staff and miscellaneous personnel to enter."
Luo Wenwu said that the guards at both gates had not seen anyone carrying paper boxes in or out. After all, it was a large item, and anyone carrying such a thing would be questioned.
Then, this matter became strange.
"You two, go and ask the gatekeepers separately. When was the last time they saw Xiang Xia, and whether she was carrying a bag or moving anything out," Hu Jia assigned tasks to Li Yang and Luo Wenwu, then turned to Lu Qingqing and said, "Come on, let's take a walk."
The backyard of the cinema was not large, surrounded by walls over two meters high. The area was messy, with construction waste piled everywhere, and paper boxes were also visible.
Perhaps because of the stifling heat, many workers were shirtless while working, especially when carrying heavy objects, they would habitually shout work chants.
Men working shirtless might be considered indecent in other places, but it was common in the Sichuan and Chongqing regions. Not only on construction sites, but even men strolling on the streets could be seen bare-chested.
After all, in weather so hot that eggs would cook on the ground, who cared about a little modesty?
Hu Jia wandered around the yard alone, while Lu Qingqing stared intently at the shirtless workers.
"You're a young lady, you should at least be a little more discreet," Hu Jia recalled Li Yang saying Lu Qingqing was reserved. Was this what reserve looked like?
"Get lost!" Lu Qingqing's face darkened. "I'm thinking, if a basket of bricks requires two men to carry, how did Xiang Xia move ten thousand silver dollars out?"
Right!
Lu Qingqing's words immediately enlightened Hu Jia. They had only considered the value of the silver dollars but overlooked their weight.
Generally, a silver dollar would have a weight difference due to wear and tear during use, usually around 26.9 grams, which is a little over half a tael. Even with slight fluctuations, it wouldn't be too much.
Ten thousand silver dollars would weigh 269 kilograms, approximately 538 jin.
So heavy, let alone one woman, even ten more wouldn't be able to move it.
Therefore, searching for suspects carrying boxes had been a wrong direction from the beginning.
"If it were you, how would you transport so many silver dollars?" Hu Jia asked Lu Qingqing.
"Two methods: either transport them separately, or find a means of transport," Lu Qingqing turned to look at the wheelbarrows used on the construction site for carrying bricks and soil, which would be excellent tools for the crime.
...
"Master, I'd like to ask, how many wheelbarrows do you have here?" Hu Jia immediately found the site manager.
"30 vehicles," the manager, who already knew Hu Jia and his companions' identities, was very cooperative.
Upon hearing this answer, Lu Qingqing's face darkened. "But there are only 29 vehicles here!"
"What?" The construction site manager's face changed. Although wheelbarrows were not expensive, losing them meant paying compensation.
He quickly circled the construction site several times and finally returned cursing, "I don't know which scoundrel took the vehicle and didn't return it. If I find out, I'll skin him alive!"
"Do you have records for the wheelbarrow usage?" Hu Jia had already determined the method of transporting the silver dollars. If they could find out who had used these wheelbarrows in the past two days, it might provide a clue to advance the case.
"They are for carrying bricks and soil. Who would keep records for that?" the manager dashed Hu Jia's hopes.
Just then, Li Yang and Luo Wenwu returned.
"What's wrong?" Lu Qingqing asked, seeing their displeased expressions.
"Don't mention it. I don't know what kind of people this cinema hired. It's like Cao Pi's wife entering a vegetable garden—Zhen Ji uprooting vegetables. They don't even know when Xiang Xia left the cinema," Luo Wenwu said indignantly.
"You mean, no one saw Xiang Xia leave the cinema?" Lu Qingqing ignored Luo Wenwu's idiom, as it was too sophisticated and she dared not think too deeply.
"Yes! The old gatekeeper, Lao Wang, last saw Xiang Xia at 1 PM yesterday when she came to work. But he has no memory of when Xiang Xia left," Li Yang replied.
She was seen arriving at work but not leaving.
And most importantly, she had not gone home.
Could it be that Xiang Xia was still in the cinema?