Card Room (Rebirth)

That morning, Xiao Lou turned on the computer and searched the ‘alumni records’ section of the medical school’s forum. This section was used for contacting students of various years after graduation. Xiao Lou quickly found the information on Cheng Shaofeng and his senior Lin Rongrong.

Both Cheng Shaofeng and Lin Rongrong belonged to the department of clinical medicine. When Cheng Shaofeng enrolled at university, Zhao Sen and Lin Rongrong were already in their third year. It just so happened that there was a male doctor at Incheon Hospital called Li Ran who was Lin Rongrong’s classmate during university. Therefore, Xiao Lou brought a cup of coffee during the lunch break to chat with this colleague.

Xiao Lou first asked him about the situation of several patients he was in charge of. Then he shifted the topic to Lin Rongrong. “By the way Dr Li, you graduated from the medical university right? Do you know Lin Rongrong from Clinical Class 1?”

Li Ran smiled. “Lin Rongrong? Of course I know him. We enrolled at the same time and were even roommates during university.”

Xiao Lou met this Dr Li at work every day but he hadn’t expected him to hold an important clue. Xiao Lou moved a stool over and sat down. He asked casually while drinking coffee, “Where did your roommate go after graduation? It seems he isn’t working at our hospital?”

“He isn’t a doctor.” Li Ran looked at Xiao Lou in a puzzled manner. “How come you suddenly mentioned him?”

“Oh, a friend of mine was good friends with him during university and asked me yesterday for help finding out news about him.” Xiao Lou quickly made up an excuse.

“I see… in fact, I don’t know where he went after graduation.” Li Ran smiled apologetically.

“Oh? You were university roommates but you didn’t keep in touch?”

“It’s a long story.” Li Ran coughed. “Lin Rongrong and I might’ve been roommates but we weren’t very close. In my first year when I went to the dormitory, I saw my roommate’s name stuck on the door and wondered why ‘Lin Rongrong’ sounded like a girl. Later, he came to the dormitory with a suitcase. It turned out that he was a pretty boy. He had a cold personality so I didn’t dare talk to him.”

“He wasn’t well-liked in university?”

“He was relatively withdrawn. He always went to the library to study alone and didn’t chat with his classmates. At that time, everyone else liked to play games but he never participated. However, his grades were really good. He got scholarships every year.” Li Ran sighed and shook his head. “Alas, it is a pity. At the beginning of medical school, we all thought he would be the most promising classmate. He was admitted to graduate school but he didn’t end up going there.”

“He was admitted but didn’t go? Did something happen?”

“Something happened in his family. I heard he had no father since he was a child. His mother raised him by herself. He was admitted to our hospital as a graduate student the year he graduated but on the day of the graduate interview, his mother died of uremia. He didn’t attend the interview and missed the best opportunity.” Li Ran’s face was full of regret as he talked. He obviously felt sorry for his former roommate.

“Uremia?” Xiao Lou was taken aback for a moment. This was a syndrome that was difficult to deal with in the late stage of chronic kidney disease and required hemodialysis. Hemodialysis was expensive and also difficult for patients. The only way to completely improve the symptoms of uremia was through a kidney transplant.

A speculation gradually emerged in Xiao Lou’s mind and he continued to ask, “Is the condition of Lin Rongrong’s family not good? Did he have money for a kidney transplant for his mother?”

“No, his family is from the remote countryside and his mother didn’t have a stable source of income. They could only live on subsistence allowances. During university, he applied for financial aid every year and was busy working and studying. Maybe it was because he was too busy but he seldom played with us.” Li Ran leaned back against the chair, his face full of helplessness. “His family was so poor, forget about money for a kidney transplant, he needed to save money every time his mother received dialysis. I once saw him eating instant noodles in the dormitory for a whole week. He was extremely thin during school and looked malnourished. I could hardly bear to look at him.”

“He didn’t retake the graduate examination after his mother died? With his grades, couldn’t he pass the entrance examination after another year of reviewing it?”

“Perhaps this incident was too big a blow. At the time, he posted to his circle of friends asking what is the point of studying medicine? He couldn’t even save his closest relative. Maybe he was frustrated but in any case, he didn’t go to graduate school or become a doctor.” Dr Li paused. “It has been so many years since graduation but he never went to any class reunion, nor did he contact us. I don’t know where he works.”

“Yes, I know him.” Xiao Lou continued, “I heard my friend say that Lin Rongrong and Cheng Shaofeng had a good relationship. Do you know Cheng Shaofeng?”

“I know him. They met at an orientation party. Lin Rongrong is good at playing the guitar. It is said he was self-taught but he was really great. At that year’s orientation party, there was no performance from our class. The head teacher knew he could play the guitar and asked him to perform for them. It happened that Cheng Shaofeng also liked playing guitar. After becoming acquainted backstage, they became familiar with each other.” Li Ran scratched the back of his head. “Cheng Shaofeng was just like a little fan. He called Li Rongrong ‘senior’ and often came to our dormitory to get review materials. Lin Rongrong wasn’t stingy and would lend his notes to this student. The relationship between them was much closer than between us roommates.”

“Cheng Shaofeng called him… Senior?”

“Yes, Lin Rongrong was two years ahead of Cheng Shaofeng so he should be called this.”

It seemed that Zhao Sen didn’t lie about this. Cheng Shaofeng and Lin Rongrong really did have a good relationship and the students around them all knew this.

Xiao Lou listened and was finally able to sort out the cause and effect.

Cheng Shaofeng and Lin Rongrong had a good relationship during their studies. Lin Rongrong helped Cheng Shaofeng out and should be a respected senior. During their studies, Cheng Shaofeng called him ‘senior’ out of courtesy. It would be reasonable to call him ‘Brother Rong’ after graduation.

Lin Rongrong’s mother died of uremia. He studied medicine for many years but couldn’t save his only relative. Thus, he gave up on graduate school in despair. In addition, he was born to a poor family so he might’ve become psychologically distorted as a result. He embarked on an illegal and criminal path, relying on the medical knowledge he learned to make huge profits.

He took the graduate exam for cardiac surgery and during his internship he worked as an assistant in the operating rooms for cardiac surgeries. Obviously, he was very interested in heart surgery. He taught himself to play guitar and was quite smart. He might not be a doctor but he had a good academic record and solid foundation. After several years of self-study and practice with cadavers, he might be able to learn the procedures for a heart removal and kidney removal. It was just that due to his lack of clinical experience, mistakes would inevitably occur during the operation. As a result, some people suffered from severe side-effects and died after the operation…

The more Xiao Lou thought about it, the more he felt his guess was reasonable. He immediately told Yu Hanjiang what he had learned.

At the same time, Xiao Lou raised his own doubts. “There’s one point that doesn’t make sense. Lin Rongrong’s family is poor and he shouldn’t have any powerful relatives. It would be hard for him to form a large-scale organ trafficking organization with his own ability. From my point of view it would be more plausible for him to be the surgeon in this organization instead of the leader.”

Yu Hanjiang had already arranged for his colleagues to investigate all of the suspects’ household registration information, work history, bank records and social relationships.

He heard Xiao Lou’s analysis and agreed. “Lin Rongrong is indeed very suspicious. I investigated and found that he didn’t work as a doctor after graduation. He went to work in a pharmaceutical company and did scientific research. The name of the company he worked for was ‘Huaxin Pharmaceuticals’ which had its business license canceled by the Food and Drug Administration. Guess who the company’s boss is?”

“Is it Rong Cheng?” Xiao Lou touched his chin and analyzed it. “The sale of counterfeit and inferior medicines hurt many people and some were admitted to hospital. As a result, the owner of the pharmaceuticals company Rong Cheng was sentenced. His business must’ve had its qualifications revoked.”

“Yes.” Yu Hanjiang agreed. “Lin Rongrong was an employee of this boss.”

“They actually have this connection… after Rong Cheng was arrested and jailed, where did Lin Rongrong go?”

“His current whereabouts are unknown and this is what I feel is most suspicious.” Yu Hanjiang was silent for a moment. Then he piled up some documents and turned to the last page. “There is good news. Song Xiaoqing’s identity has also been determined.”

“The person who bought two houses from He Rong? Is she related as well?”

“Yes, she is a rich woman who does business related to medical equipment. She has an older brother who is the biggest real estate developer in the city. The Jinxiu Villa project in Qingshui Town was developed by her brother’s company. Previously, she had a romantic relationship with Rong Cheng. When Rong Cheng was arrested, the police suspected her but there was no evidence. The source, whereabouts and accounts of her company’s medical equipment were all clean. After Rong Cheng was in prison, she broke up with him. She never visited him in prison and the two of them broke off contact completely on the surface.” Yu Hanjiang picked up a pen and marked the key points in the information. “After checking, I found that these people are inextricably linked.”

Who was the most suspicious?

Yu Hanjiang shared all the clues in the group, which caused the team members to develop a massive headache when they finished reading.

Xiao Lou carefully sorted out the situation of these people and typed: [Lin Rongrong is likely to be the doctor performing surgery at the illegal clinic. I don’t think he is the Brother Rong that Cheng Shaofeng was talking to. At that time, Liu Qiao followed Cheng Shaofeng to the airport. Cheng Shaofeng called Brother Rong to say he would be there in half an hour. Brother Rong must be a capable person and Cheng Shaofeng had to report to him when escaping. Brother Rong also arranged for the driver to hit Cheng Shaofeng and kill him… I don’t think Lin Rongrong would have the skills to do so? Could ‘Brother Rong’ be the Boss Rong of the pharmaceutical company?]

Boss Rong made a lot of money through unscrupulous means by selling fake drugs through his pharmaceutical company. His assets were confiscated after he was arrested but who knew if he had transferred his assets abroad long ago? Moreover, Yu Hanjiang found that the last time he appeared was to take an international flight. Did he really go abroad or was it just a cover?

Maybe when he sold the fake medicines, he had already formed this underground organ trafficking organization?

There were so many suspects with ‘Rong’ in their names. Who was Brother Rong, who was a member of the organization and who was an interference item?

In order to facilitate the understanding of the team members, Yu Hanjiang summed up the current clues.

[Zhu Qingrong had his doctor’s license revoked for manslaughter while Lin Rongrong was discouraged from studying medicine due to his mother’s death. Both of them might’ve become psychologically twisted to go to extremes, becoming executioners in a dark operating room.]

[Rong Cheng was the boss of a pharmaceutical company. He has a lot of money and a history of selling fake medicine. He Rong’s source of funds is unknown and his uncle was the assistant of Shao Qingge’s father. He opened an entertainment club and knows a lot of people. Both of them have the capital and strength to set up a huge underground organ trafficking organization.]

[There is also Nie Rong who was sentenced to prison for embezzling public funds. His suspicion is low but he can’t be completely ruled out.]

Long Sen had a headache and held his temples. [I feel that everyone is a suspect but who is the most likely?]

Qu Wanyue: [I also think that ‘when you pull a radish out of the ground, some dirt will come up with it (uncover evidence of other crimes during the investigation of a crime). Several suspects have a relationship with each other. Is it possible that we just touched the edge of the organization and haven’t touched the real core?]

Yu Hanjiang asked a question. [Cheng Shaofeng called this person Brother Rong. Does this person necessarily need to have ‘rong’ in his name?]

Everyone saw this sentence and were startled. Due to inertial thinking, Cheng Shaofeng called the other person Brother Rong so they thought that the other person was called ‘XX Rong’ or had the surname Rong. Yet what if Brother Rong was just a code name?

Yu Hanjiang: [We will continue to investigate these people. I’m leaving for Qingshui Town now. @Xiao Ye @Old Mo, you will join me tomorrow for Uncle Zhong’s 60th birthday party.]

Xiao Lou spoke through the heart channel. “I’ll go with you.” He always felt that something would happen tomorrow. This type of vague premonition meant he couldn’t rest assured of Yu Hanjiang’s actions.

Yu Hanjiang told him, “You haven’t had a good rest these few days. Xiao Ye and Old Mo are here. You don’t need to run so far. Just stay at the hospital and wait for my news.”

Xiao Lou was stubborn. “I will take a day off tomorrow and accompany you to go.”

Yu Hanjiang knew that Xiao Lou was worried about him and couldn’t refuse. “Okay, then I will come to the hospital tonight at 6 o’clock to pick you up.”

***

At 6 o’clock in the evening, Xiao Lou finished asking for leave. He went to the duty room to change into normal clothes and came to the place where he agreed to meet Yu Hanjiang.

The two of them ate dinner before Yu Hanjiang took Xiao Lou and drove to Qingshui Town. In order to avoid too much attention, he drove his own private car. The car quickly got on the highway. Xiao Lou sat in the front passenger’s seat and it wasn’t known what he was thinking.

Yu Hanjiang glanced at his side profile and asked in a low voice, “What are you thinking about so seriously?”

Xiao Lou frowned thoughtfully. “I just feel that there is an important clue we have missed.”

“We have checked everything that should be checked. What part is irking you?”

Xiao Lou thought carefully before his eyes lit up. “Liu Renyuan’s kidney! In the very beginning, we found that Liu Renyuan’s kidney disappeared. Later, we suspected that his kidney went to Chief Shao. Then we found out that Chief Shao’s kidney wasn’t a DNA match. Chief Shao’s kidney came from the delivery worker Wang Wei. Liu Renyuan’s kidney was transplanted to a woman called Luo Yuwei. Have you checked her?”

Yu Hanjiang was silent for a moment before answering, “You told me this information and I certainly wouldn’t miss it. However, the results of the investigation are disappointing. This Luo Yuwei died at home at the end of last year.”

“Died?” Xiao Lou’s eyes widened slightly. “Was she killed? Or did she die of natural causes?”

Yu Hanjiang replied, “According to the results of the autopsy, she died of rejection after the kidney transplant. Her family members have already emigrated so this clue line has been broken.”

Xiao Lou frowned.

What else was being overlooked by them?

Teacher Qu said ‘when you pull a radish out of the ground, some dirt will come up with it’ (uncover evidence of other crimes during the investigation of a crime). Maybe these things were just ‘dirt’. Then where was the real ‘root’ of the radish?

Proofreader: Paranoid Kitten & Fictional Reality