C23 Bad Management

Xiao Chennai paused thoughtfully before saying, "Let's start by questioning Lian Xiangsheng."

Since Lian Xiangsheng had his own lawyer, they needed to see if they could get him to talk before his attorney arrived. If Lian Xiangsheng met with his lawyer, he might clam up completely. Time was of the essence.

Lian Peng would have to be put on hold for the time being.

Upon entering, Hua Ning and Cheng Sheng noticed that Lian Xiangsheng's face was still flushed, likely from a recent argument with Lian Peng. He didn't even blink as they walked in.

Hua Ning took a seat, opened her notebook, and began with the standard procedure of verifying personal information. Initially, Lian Xiangsheng cooperated, answering every question posed to him.

That is until Hua Ning asked, "Did you know your father had purchased a life insurance policy worth five million?"

Lian Xiangsheng scoffed, retorting, "Do you really think I need that money? Five million wouldn't even buy me a car."

Hua Ning frowned. "Mr. Lian, please work with us and avoid irrelevant comments."

With a look of scorn, Lian Xiangsheng replied, "I'll say it again—I don't need that five million. Even if I were desperate for cash, I wouldn't take the old man's dirty money."

The extent of the animosity between father and son was unclear, but Lian Xiangsheng's disdain for Lian Dongshen was palpable.

"So, you are aware of the five million?" Hua Ning pressed.

Lian Xiangsheng rolled his eyes. "The old man was clever, making sure his death had value."

Hua Ning had believed that the bond between Lian Dongshen, who had raised Lian Xiangsheng from a young age, would carry some emotional weight. However, Lian Xiangsheng's behavior completely shattered her assumptions. Lian Dongshen had passed away only recently, yet Lian Xiangsheng showed no grief, as if the deceased were a stranger to him.

Based on his response, it seems Lian Xiangsheng was aware of the five million yuan insurance policy. It's possible that Lian Dongsheng even considered changing the beneficiary to Lian Xiangsheng.

With this thought, Hua Ning let out a sigh.

Just as she was about to pose additional questions, the interrogation room door swung open, and a police officer escorted a man in a black suit inside.

"Excuse me, I'm Mr. Lian's attorney. I've given prior notice, and I'm here to take Lian Xiangsheng with me now."

Hua Ning instinctively objected, "No, you can't!"

The attorney wasted no time with pleasantries, handing over the documents to Hua Ning, "I've completed all the necessary procedures. From this moment forward, my client will cease to cooperate with your investigation. Should you need anything, please contact me directly."

"You..."

"My client is under no obligation to participate in your investigation. If you intend to detain him, you'll need to present evidence."

With that, the attorney turned to his client, "Lian Xiangsheng, we're leaving."

Without so much as a glance at Hua Ning, Lian Xiangsheng followed his lawyer out of the room.

Watching their retreating figures, Hua Ning pondered deeply.

Noticing her grave expression, Cheng Sheng inquired, "Have you discovered something? What's with that look?"

"Do you not think the lawyer seemed overly eager?" Hua Ning mused aloud. "Typically, even if they're here to collect their client, they wouldn't be so brusque. His rush to remove Lian Xiangsheng makes me wonder if he's scared Lian might reveal something he shouldn't."

In the conference room, Xiao Chennai chimed in, "You're suggesting that Lian Xiangsheng's lawyer appeared overly eager?"

He posed the question while reviewing the interrogation transcript in his hands.

Hua Ning nodded, "Yes, his urgency was abnormal, not even a hint of courtesy. As you know, lawyers have multiple clients and will likely interact with us frequently in the future, so they usually maintain a level of politeness. But this..."

Her thoughts drifted back to the lawyer's actions, leading her to speculate, "Could it be that the real culprit is Mr. Lian, and his lawyer is privy to the truth?"

"Also," Cheng Sheng interjected, "we uncovered something else during our investigation."

Hua Ning nodded. "Yes, because of this situation, I believe that Lian Xiangsheng is a prime suspect."

She paused, then continued, "Our investigation into Lian Xiangsheng's background revealed that his factory was struggling financially and had accumulated a significant amount of debt. His inability to repay the money has led to credit issues."

Having credit issues makes securing a loan extremely difficult, almost impossible.

The only option for Lian Xiangsheng to salvage his factory was to borrow money from acquaintances.

This was the first time Hua Ning had proactively shared her suspicions, and she did so with sound reasoning. Xiao Chennai, seeking to encourage her analytical thinking, asked, "Assuming Lian Xiangsheng is the culprit, what would his motive be?"

Hua Ning's brow furrowed as she pondered before responding, "Lian Xiangsheng might have wanted to borrow money from Lian Dongshen, but either Lian Dongshen refused to lend it or didn't have the funds to do so."

Given Lian Xiangsheng's animosity toward Lian Dongshen, this scenario was plausible.

Xiao Chennai nodded his approval. Encouraged by his response, Hua Ning spoke with even greater conviction.

"At first, Lian Xiangsheng may not have harbored much resentment towards Lian Dongshen, considering they were father and son. But later, upon discovering the five-million-yuan insurance policy and learning that Lian Dongshen had named Lian Peng as the beneficiary, Lian Xiangsheng's anger must have been palpable."

One can only imagine how infuriated Lian Xiangsheng felt at that moment. Both sons of the same father, yet while his factory was on the brink of collapse, his idle younger brother was made the beneficiary of a five-million-yuan insurance policy by their father.

Ding Yu empathized, nodding in agreement. "If I were in his shoes, I'd probably feel heartbroken and furious. It wouldn't be far-fetched for someone to develop resentment towards their father under those circumstances."

Hua Ning nodded. "Exactly, which is why Lian Xiangsheng didn't just let it go. He meticulously planned the murder of Lian Dongshen."

Aside from Xiao Chennai, everyone else nodded in agreement. Hua Ning's speculation seemed to align well with the situation, and it might very well be the truth.

Hua Ning turned to Xiao Chennai, her eyes curving into a smile, brimming with anticipation.

Xiao Chennai, however, was puzzled. "But even if he did kill Lian Dongshen, Lian Xiangsheng wouldn't be able to access the money. To kill his own father out of sheer hatred? He must realize that if he's caught, his life is over, and his child's future prospects would be destroyed."

If a person's direct relatives are convicted murderers, it can hinder the children's futures. Many professions conduct background checks, and such a familial connection would undoubtedly be a disqualifying factor.

Could it be that Lian Xiangsheng committed such a heinous act solely out of a deep-seated hatred?

"Furthermore, why was Lian Xiangsheng's plan so intricate? How did he come to know all these details?"

The meeting room was enveloped in silence.