“My mom became like this because of them!” As she spoke, Wang Xiaowen covered her face with both hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

Ji Chenjiao pushed the box of tissues toward her. When she calmed down a bit, he continued, “Why do you say that?”

Wang Xiaowen tilted her face upward, trying hard to hold back her tears. Her sorrow seemed genuine, yet her words carried a trace of bitterness. “My mom used to be great—she treated me, my dad, and my grandma really well. Back then, I was still in school, and my dad was just a regular worker. Life was hard, but we got by because she managed everything so carefully.”

In Xiarong City, manufacturing and pharmaceuticals were booming, but unless you were a technician or above, wages for older workers were below average. And living expenses in the city were high. Life was indeed difficult for ordinary worker families.

“After my mom retired, Zhou Qingxia started coming around a lot. At first, my dad and I thought it was a good thing—that she deserved to go out and have fun, make up for the life she hadn’t enjoyed when she was younger.” Wang Xiaowen lowered her head, murmuring as if to herself, “I got a good job after graduation, working in advertising planning. It’s tiring, but it pays well. My dad was rehired as a senior technician after retiring two years ago—his retirement and rehiring wages combined are even more than what I earn. Our family’s situation became very different from before.”

“My dad and I were both happy to give my mom money. They wore pretty clothes for their photo shoots, and I even took her shopping. But three years ago, she started to change…”

Wang Xiaowen choked up again, her hands clenched tightly in pain. Her voice rasped in her throat, unable to go on.

Ji Chenjiao had a strong hunch about where this was heading—Liu Yuchun, once a thrifty and devoted wife and mother, had gradually been consumed by materialism under the influence of her social circle.

But that conclusion came with a caveat—it was all in Wang Xiaowen’s eyes.

“Zhou Qingxia’s circle? All their husbands are businessmen—of course money’s easy for them. They wore different clothes every time they went out. My mom didn’t have that many outfits, so Zhou Qingxia would lend her some. She even told her, ‘You’ve worked hard your whole life—now that you’re retired, isn’t it time to live for yourself?’”

“My mom changed. She only cared about her appearance. She had more makeup and clothes than I did. When I started working, I gave her five thousand a month. In recent years, I raised it to eight thousand. My dad gave her all his wages. She used to save it, but then she started spending it all on clothes!”

Wang Xiaowen’s grief slowly morphed into anger. Her shoulders trembled slightly. “We talked to her so many times. Every time, she used Zhou Qingxia’s nonsense to argue back.”

Ji Chenjiao asked, “How much is her pension? Did you ever consider stopping the money?”

“Three thousand!” Wang Xiaowen replied. “One month, my dad and I only gave her two thousand, and she sulked at home all day, saying she suffered all her life in our family. I couldn’t take it anymore. And she did carry the family through hard times. So I gave in and gave her money again.”

“In other words, you couldn’t change her habit of spending to keep up with others?”

Wang Xiaowen nodded grimly. “Every family has its struggles.”

Ji Chenjiao continued, “Where do you live now?”

Wang Xiaowen hesitated. “South District.”

“Rented place?”

“Yes.”

“When did you move out, and why?”

“A year ago. I just couldn’t take it anymore. Out of sight, out of mind.”

Ji Chenjiao asked, “Was it long-standing tension that finally boiled over, or did something specific happen?”

“Both, I guess. But the main thing was when she started using Muyin.” Wang Xiaowen shook her head helplessly. “Officer, do you use Muyin?”

Ji Chenjiao shook his head. He didn’t have time for social media. The city bureau did have official accounts on all platforms, though, to connect with the public.

“That app ruins people. After my mom started using it, it was like her soul was sucked out. I’d leave for work—she’d be scrolling. I’d come home—she was still scrolling. She started buying more and more clothes, and then came the hats. People online called her the ‘Queen of Hats,’ and she totally lost herself.”

“My job requires me to work overtime even at home, brainstorming ideas. The house was always filled with that trashy Muyin music. I couldn’t take it.” Wang Xiaowen trembled with fear. “I had to leave that house. Leave her.”

Ji Chenjiao asked, “Did you and Liu Yuchun fight over your decision to move out?”

Wang Xiaowen hesitated for a few seconds, then lowered her voice. “We argued.”

“She couldn’t bear to part with you?”

“She couldn’t bear to part with my money!” she blurted out, then immediately looked guilty. “I mean… I stopped giving her money once I moved out. But my dad still gave her everything.”

Ji Chenjiao asked, “How was the relationship between your parents?”

“My dad’s weak. He gives in to her all the time.” Wang Xiaowen said bitterly, “My grandma was seriously ill. My dad was still working. Logically, it should’ve been my mom taking care of her, but she never visited once. She only cared about chasing her beauty and the praise she got online.”

After listening to this long family drama, Ji Chenjiao steered the conversation back. “Why did you say ‘they’ were responsible for Liu Yuchun’s death?”

Wang Xiaowen said, “They’re the only ones I can think of—especially Zhou Qingxia. My mom was clueless. She didn’t see through Zhou Qingxia’s intentions, but I did. Back when we were poor, and my mom didn’t know how to dress up, they used her as a foil to make themselves look good. They flattered her face to face and mocked her behind her back.”

“But they didn’t expect my dad to get promoted and me to get a good job. Our family got better off. My mom was already pretty. Once she had clothes and makeup, she looked way better than those old women. They were jealous.”

Ji Chenjiao could sense the contradiction in Wang Xiaowen’s words and emotions—on one hand, she resented her mother’s excessive spending; on the other, she was clearly proud of her mother’s beauty.

“Especially after they all started using Muyin. Popularity could suddenly be measured with numbers. My mom soared ahead of them, and Zhou Qingxia was furious!”

Ji Chenjiao asked, “Did Liu Yuchun tell you this?”

“I observed it!” Wang Xiaowen said. “Even though I didn’t go home much, she was still my mom. I followed her account. I read the comments. Those women were so jealous! This past Spring Festival, I went home for New Year’s dinner. My mom mentioned that a few times they didn’t invite her to photoshoots. I checked Zhou Qingxia’s videos—they were from when their Hongyun modeling team got invited to shoot. Isn’t that clear-cut jealousy?”

Ji Chenjiao said, “Jealousy doesn’t necessarily lead to murder.”

Wang Xiaowen replied, “Don’t be so sure. When those women get jealous, they’re capable of anything.”

Unlike the outspoken Wang Xiaowen, Liu Yuchun’s husband, Wang Huiqiang, was silent and awkward, rubbing his calloused hands nervously.

Ji Chenjiao asked him similar questions. Wang Huiqiang was silent for a long time before saying, “I didn’t like her hanging out with Zhou Qingxia and those women either. But there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t win arguments with her. I don’t spend much money myself. If money could keep the peace at home, then I gave her all of it.”

Ji Chenjiao asked, “Did Liu Yuchun ever complain to you about problems outside the home?”

Wang Huiqiang said awkwardly, “We didn’t talk much. Only when I was late with money would she come find me.”

“You gave her all your money—what about your mother’s illness?”

“She has a pension and major illness insurance. Barely enough to get by.”

Ji Chenjiao looked at Wang Huiqiang’s worn work uniform and weathered face—he looked nothing like the glamorous husband of the so-called “Queen of Hats.”

He submitted—but did he harbor resentment?

Ji Chenjiao asked, “When did you last see Liu Yuchun?”

“Two Sundays ago. I went home to get some clothes.”

“Last time you contacted her?”

“Before that.” He pulled out his phone and found the transfer record. “April 9.”

The case was still in its early stages. Ji Chenjiao didn’t press too deeply. Even this conversation was more like a casual chat. What Wang Xiaowen and Wang Huiqiang said wasn’t as important as how they reacted to Liu Yuchun’s death.

Wang Xiaowen’s grief had been overtaken by anger. Wang Huiqiang barely reacted at all.

They were family who had once relied on each other, but years of mutual frustration had turned affection into weariness.

Ji Chenjiao could taste a trace of relief—almost liberation—in both of them. Liu Yuchun, once a mere internet persona known as the “Queen of Hats,” had now become a three-dimensional figure.

Her family believed she died because of jealous “plastic sisters.” Her friends thought her family played a part. But judging from the crime scene, the killer knew her online habits—strongly suggesting someone from her social circle.

Liu Yuchun appeared to be popular, but the contrast between her online praise and the resentment she faced in real life was striking.

There weren’t many people who truly loved her.

Ji Chenjiao walked toward the forensic and trace analysis lab. Once more detailed reports came out, he’d assign the next investigation targets.

An Xun had completed the autopsy. The cause of death matched Ji Chenjiao’s preliminary conclusion—the murder weapon was not a regulated blade but a small household stainless steel kitchen knife, about 17 centimeters long, with a blade angle around 60°.

Toxicology showed that Liu Yuchun had taken sleeping pills. Combined with the pill bottle found in her bedside drawer, she likely had a habit of using them.

Xi Wan also brought over the trace inspection report. The scene had been cleaned, and the footprints found were all from Zhou Qingxia and others. The most crucial piece was the door lock, which was confirmed to have been unlocked with a technical key, not a regular key. The key Zhou Qingxia found in the iron gate grid was one that Liu Yuchun used personally, and it only had Liu Yuchun’s and Zhou Qingxia’s fingerprints.

“Liu Yuchun had taken sleeping pills and was in a deep sleep in the early morning, so even if the murderer opened the door, she wouldn’t wake up,” Xi Wan said. “After killing her, the murderer took her key and deliberately made it seem like someone else opened the door.”

Ji Chenjiao, however, said, “What if the murderer entered beforehand? They could hide in a room and wait until midnight to act.”

An Xun asked, “What if they got caught? Entering in advance seems a bit unnecessary.”

“It’s not unnecessary, it’s actually easier,” Liang Wenxian, who had just returned from the scene, said. “I spoke with Liu Yuchun’s neighbors, and the houses on Ganzi Street don’t have property management, and the security is average. So, the residents have the habit of leaving the key in the lock hole at night, with the security lock definitely latched. Once the security lock is latched from the inside, it’s very difficult to pick the lock. But if they go out during the day, especially just for a short time, people don’t usually lock the door, and Liu Yuchun was the same.”

Ji Chenjiao asked, “Did Liu Yuchun go out between the evening and night of the 26th?”

Liang Wenxian replied, “She went out every evening at that time to dance in the square.”

“That makes sense,” Ji Chenjiao crossed his arms. “With a little lockpicking knowledge, it’s easy to open a door that wasn’t double-locked or had the safety lock engaged, and the murderer could also time it to avoid the surveillance cameras.”

Liang Wenxian was a bit helpless. “He was too cautious. The surveillance on Ganzi Street is easy to avoid, so the chances of finding him on the cameras are very low.”

“That’s also a possibility,” Ji Chenjiao said. “Now the focus of the investigation should be on Liu Yuchun’s photography and video circles, both online and offline. Also, not only should we check people who knew Liu Yuchun, but also groups similar to the Hongyun Model Team.”

“Yes.”

Soon after the thorough investigation began, several screenshots of chats were posted online, and informants revealed that the person who killed the ‘Queen of Hats’ might be her daughter, Wang Xiaowen!