The two bantered for a few more sentences before finally hanging up the phone. Without waiting for Zhou Ning’s instructions, Zhu Xingxing had already dialed Cui Lili’s cellphone, and as soon as the call connected, Zhu Xingxing passed the phone to Zhou Ning.
"Big sister, if there is enough blood from the victim’s heart, can you add a test? Look into the vitamin A content in the victim’s blood, you can do that, right?"
Cui Lili paused for a mont, obviously making a joke at Zhou Ning’s expense.
"Yes, it can be done. The fastest I can get you the results is tomorrow morning, can you wait?"
Zhou Ning laughed. What a question—that’s certainly manageable. After all, in the hospital, this test would take two or three days.
"Okay, thank you big sister."
After hanging up the phone, Liu Yufei couldn’t hold back and quickly pressed for answers:
"What do you an? The victim wasn’t poisoned—or rather, wasn’t poisoned by that organophosphate, but by the vitamin A poisoning that you ntioned? So that’s why the victim exhibited so many symptoms and even lost control of their emotions? Is that what you an?
But, can vitamins even cause poisoning?"
At that mont, soone rose from their chair, yawning and looking over at the group. Zhou Ning hadn’t expected to see Peng Shinian here, sleeping.
"In July 2012, a case was reported on a professional magazine in Mi Country: A 3-year-old girl’s parents tried to prevent her from catching a cold by giving her a daily dose of vitamin A that was 100 tis the usual amount for a whole month. As a result, the girl suffered from symptoms like itching all over, dehydration, convulsions, eventually causing her heart to stop beating.
Symptoms of vitamin A poisoning generally include loss of appetite, itchy skin, dry and brittle hair, hair loss, cracked lips, irritability, bone pain, fractures, and increased intracranial pressure. These are typical of chronic poisoning, but a large dose intake in a short period can be fatal.
For instance, the famous Australian explorer, Douglas Mawson, went to Antarctica in 1911. When they arrived, their supplies were lost. Mawson killed the only sled dog they had left in the hopes of surviving the harsh weather by eating the dog at.
A few days later, his companion suddenly died. He thought his companion had frozen to death, but after surviving the blizzard and returning to Australia, he consulted with biologists and learned the true cause of his companion’s death. It turned out that the companion, disliking the tough at, had eaten the liver, which is rich in vitamin A, and thus suffered from acute vitamin A poisoning."
Zhou Ning barely managed to suppress a smile while Liu Yufei nodded stiffly.
"I get it now, a large dose of vitamin A can be lethal. However, the excessively high values that were found inside the victim’s body don’t reach the amount that causes the kind of poisoning death you’re talking about, right? You’re a doctorate in entomology and botany, how do you know about this too?"
Caught off guard by the question, Peng Shinian suddenly had nothing to say, but Mr. Zhao ca over with a grin, stepping in front of Peng Shinian and winking at Liu Yufei.
"Being a double doctorate isn’t for nothing; it just ans he’s most excellent in those two fields, but it doesn’t an he only knows about those two things. Our poet here has recently taken a keen interest in studying the poisonous side effects of various plants and animals in the Qindao Area, right?"
Peng Shinian nodded and pushed his glasses up.
"If a person suddenly experiences severe emotional fluctuations, it’s indeed possible that they’ve ingested a large amount of vitamin A in a short period. We can go to the victim’s ho and have a look. Aren’t you currently unable to determine the nature of the case?"
Zhou Ning’s eyes lit up. Indeed, Peng Shinian’s idea made sense. Even if ingested in a short period, it wouldn’t be in just one or two als—it’s fat-soluble and very greasy—how could one consu so much at once?
Drink oil?
Of course, it might not be oil taken orally.
Even with an enema, after the lubrication, it would be directly excreted—not accumulated within the body.
Zhou Ning pulled out his phone and started searching for the various dosage forms of vitamin A available on the market. Most of them were soft gel capsules, with the highest dosage at 25,000 units; an intake of 100,000 units a day for 3-6 months could lead to chronic poisoning.
Of course, single-ti intake of 100,000 to 150,000 units could trigger acute poisoning, but due to different individual tolerances, so adults could get poisoned with a dose of 500,000 units.
Seeing this, Zhou Ning quickly put away his phone.
"Zhu Xingxing, send the victim’s liver and stomach slices to the lab. Skip testing the blood from the heart and directly check the accumulation of vitamin A in the liver. If it’s a large dose ingested in a short period, it will be stored in the liver."
Zhu Xingxing ran off quickly, and Liu Yufei’s brows furrowed deeply.
"If that’s the case, Director Zhou, co with to the front building. Get ready to inspect the place, I’ve asked for the victim’s address, then we can go straight to the scene. Large doses require a thod of ingestion. They ate beef noodles at Mr. Li’s at noon; if there was sothing wrong with the food, Kong Wanshan would show symptoms too."
Zhou Ning raised his hand, interrupting Liu Yufei.
"Hold on, let’s go to the front building. Have a blood test done on Kong Wanshan too, to see if the vitamin A levels in his body are excessive. Mr. Zhao, gather all the investigation tools, we’ll follow Liu Da."
Peng Shinian stood up, hastily taking off his lab coat.
"I want to co along and have a look too, take with you."
Zhou Ning nodded.
Everyone followed Liu Yufei to the front building, where Fang Mu was still interrogating. Liu Yufei, along with Mr. Zhao, went in and directly drew blood from Kong Wanshan, who was completely baffled. Though he didn’t understand what they were doing, he did not resist much.
Mr. Zhao went out to send the samples for testing, while Kong Wanshan stared at Liu Yufei in the interrogation room, and she said:
"Does Li Li know you’re married?"
Kong Wanshan nodded.
"Yes, she knows. My second child takes dance lessons at Li Li’s dance school, and the kid insists on having drop off and pick up. My wife also has to ferry our eldest to Go lessons. That’s how we got to know each other. Li Li is especially nice to my second one, and my wife has even invited her for als.
We’ve known each other for almost five years now, but it has only been about two or three years since I’ve been involved with her. Lately, she’s been acting up, wanting to divorce my wife and marry her. Even for the sake of my two children, I can’t do that. My eldest is fourteen and the youngest is twelve already. If I get divorced, at least one of them won’t be able to live with , and I can’t accept that."
Zhou Ning raised an eyebrow, not expecting Kong Wanshan to be so forthcoming.
Upon hearing this, Liu Yufei lost the urge to leave. She leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms, and looked at Kong Wanshan with a serious gaze, asking:
"Does your wife know about your affair?"
Kong Wanshan’s head shook like a bobblehead, stating very firmly:
"She doesn’t know. She’s busy every day with the two kids, looking after the food and clothing of the entire family. My father is still in the hospital and needs soone to deliver his als and look after him long-term. Even though we have a caregiver, she visits every day. If she knew, she wouldn’t act like this.
Additionally, we were a couple who started with nothing. When she was with back then, I was just a little clerk with no education. After working as a supervisor for so ti and getting to know a few people, I started taking on construction projects, and step by step, I’ve co to where I am now, establishing my own real estate company just six years ago."
Kong Wanshan spoke hurriedly, appearing indifferent when asked other questions. One could feel he didn’t want this matter to involve his wife, a reaction that was sowhat unexpected.
Is he trying to maintain the image of a good husband and father,
or does he genuinely have feelings for his wife?
The door to the observation room opened with a sound, and Mr. Zhao ca back. Seeing the odd expressions on both Zhou Ning and Peng Shinian’s faces, Mr. Zhao’s face was full of gossip.
"What happened, what happened? What did he say while I was out? Share with quickly."
Zhou Ning didn’t respond, but Peng Shinian spoke in a lowered voice, repeating the information. Mr. Zhao rubbed his chin, looking analytically at Kong Wanshan. Despite his chubby and honest appearance, Mr. Zhao was actually very sensitive.
"Tsk, I think, the success he has today definitely can’t be separated from his wife. Such a man may have flown his flags elsewhere, but he still hopes for harmony at ho. His wife takes care of their natural children and his parents, which is more reliable than hiring anyone, no matter how much it costs. As for the mistress, it’s just a fling.
When we had the car accident this noon, and he ca to deal with it, the way he placated Li Li, how should I say it, was very indulgent, but it’s rely tolerance towards sothing pleasant. Once such a relationship threatens his family, he might cut ties cleaner than anyone else. Right, doesn’t that Li Li have a dance school? Shouldn’t we check it out?"
Zhou Ning nodded.
"Let Zhang Qiangmin send a couple of forensic investigators along. Let’s split up later; they’ll head to the dance school, and we’ll go to Li Li’s house. Today’s Sunday, so there should be more people at the dance school, which ans we can learn more about Li Li’s social relationships."
Mr. Zhao grinned.
"Right, if she could snag a Kong Wanshan at the school, there’s naturally the possibility of a second or third. According to what he said, he knew Li Li for five years and was with her for only three, which was after he established his real estate company. There’s definitely sothing to consider there!"
After hearing these words, Peng Shinian nodded vigorously.
"I’ve realized that you have a really strong analytical ability."
Mr. Zhao chuckled, wrapping an arm around Peng Shinian’s shoulder.
"I tell you, poet, I’ve seen too much, due to my environnt. I’ve encountered all sorts of things. You could say nothing surprises anymore. So people crave success and will use any ans necessary, guaranteed to refresh your understanding of society. They’ve finished asking him questions; let’s follow them and take a look."
Sure enough, in the next room, they were pulling Kong Wanshan up. They didn’t handcuff him, but his face carried a trace of panic. He glanced at the clock, which displayed the ti as 16:44.
Peng Shinian nudged Mr. Zhao’s arm, leaning in close.
"This guy has glanced at the clock several tis. Is he planning sothing, or does he need to make it sowhere on ti?"
After so thought, Mr. Zhao snapped his fingers.
"According to what you said, he ntioned earlier that he usually picks up his child from dance lessons. It must be getting close to the ti to pick up the kid. We’re going to the dance school next; he’s probably afraid of running into his own wife there."
As they opened the door of the observation room, Kong Wanshan in the adjoining room grabbed the door fra, preventing everyone from leaving.
"Excuse , officer, could you please wait a little before we go? My wife will soon be there to pick up our child, and I don’t want her to see going with you."
Liu Yufei nodded.
"You will co with us to Li Li’s house, and my colleagues will go to the dance school to investigate. Let’s go; we can’t waste any more ti, or else I’ll have to bring all the dance school parents in for questioning."
Kong Wanshan visibly sighed with relief and quickly said:
"This is just a traffic accident, why keep focusing on ? Indeed, I lent Li Li the car, but it has been half a year since then. If sothing happened while she was driving, how could it be my fault?"
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