Chapter 571: The Top Five

"How’s everyone doing with their hands?"

After school, it’s quite common for rural teachers to gather and play mahjong as a form of entertainment across the country.

But Chen Xiao’s appearance was so abrupt.

Even the teachers almost thought a school leader or someone to catch gamblers had come.

"Who, who are you?"

After a few seconds of being stunned, one male teacher couldn’t help but ask.

Chen Xiao smiled and said, "Hello teachers, I’m from out of town, a criminal investigation consultant. I’m here to investigate a case. Here’s my badge, please have a look."

Being in a foreign place.

When you’re unfamiliar with people and places, it’s not a bad thing to be more polite and courteous to strangers.

After receiving Chen Xiao’s badge and realizing he was a criminal investigation consultant from the Shencheng City Police Department, their expressions turned a bit unnatural.

Because... he’s still a cop!

At this moment, the male teacher who spoke first couldn’t help but give a sheepish smile:

"Advisor Chen, did you inform the local police station about your case investigation?"

"Not yet, and there’s no need to worry. Teachers are people too, and after work, it’s normal to seek some leisure activities like playing cards!"

"Exactly, exactly, we’re just a few old friends playing small stakes mahjong!"

Chen Xiao nodded and then asked, "Among everyone here, who’s been teaching at this school the longest?"

This question left the teachers a bit puzzled.

But their eyes collectively turned towards another male teacher.

That male teacher wasn’t the oldest, more middle-aged.

Chen Xiao then looked at him and asked, "Are you the one who’s taught the longest?"

"I guess so, I’ve been here since I started working, nearly fifteen years now."

Hearing fifteen years, Chen Xiao immediately knew this was the person he was looking for.

But he still couldn’t confirm whether he had taught Zhu Nianying.

"Do you remember a female student named Zhu Nianying? Her grades were always among the best in school, hmm... she would have been a student around ten years ago. After she graduated from middle school, her family arranged for her to marry into Chang Quezi’s family in the town."

Initially, the male teacher frowned, clearly unable to recall.

But upon hearing about her being married into Chang Quezi’s family, the teacher immediately nodded:

"I remember, I remember, Zhu Nianying from Zhu He Village, excellent grades! At the time, if she had taken the exams, she definitely could have become an outstanding student in a key high school! But her family, for some reason, didn’t let her continue with her education! She wasn’t even allowed to take the high school entrance exam!"

Hearing this, Chen Xiao immediately responded:

"Then, teacher, shall we chat somewhere? Old San, you know how to play mahjong here, right? Sit in for this teacher, I’ll cover any losses, and any winnings go to him."

Hearing about playing mahjong.

Zhu the Third eagerly rubbed his hands together, full of excitement, and said, "Alright!"

After Zhu the Third took his place at the table, Chen Xiao pulled out a cigarette in the dormitory hallway and offered one to the teacher.

The teacher’s surname was Luo. Between the index and middle fingers of his right hand, there was a noticeable yellowish-black stain, indicating he was an old smoker.

And because he was a smoker, when he saw Chen Xiao also smoking, he immediately smiled and said:

"Advisor Chen, are you new to smoking?"

"Ha, it’s mainly because I didn’t want Teacher Luo to smoke alone and feel bored."

"If you can’t smoke, don’t. This stuff isn’t good for your health."

Chen Xiao quickly stubbed out the cigarette and got straight to business:

"Teacher Luo, I’m here in Zhu Guan Town this time to investigate the matter of Zhu Nianying."

Teacher Luo took a puff of his cigarette: "We’re all from the same town, and she was also my student. Initially, when you mentioned her, I didn’t quite remember. But now I recall fully, that girl went missing, right?"

"Yes."

"Ah, she had such a hard life. If she had been born into another family, she might have become a talent by now, right? At the very least, she could have secured a decent job in society. She was very resilient and diligent!"

"As teachers, we’ve seen many brilliant students, but there aren’t many girls with both resilience and academic talent. It’s a shame, she ended up with parents like that!"

Teacher Luo spoke with indignation in his voice.

However, these things happened many years ago.

No matter how much you regret, lament, or resent, it has become meaningless.

After discussing these matters, Chen Xiao suddenly realized a problem.

Although he had found another person connected to Zhu Nianying,

How could he extract the information he wanted from this connection?

After some thought, Chen Xiao frowned and asked:

"From what I understand, Zhu Nianying actually had quite a closed personality. Was she like that at school too?"

"Closed? I don’t think so! She was a very helpful student, and she tutored a lot of classmates in our class!"

The teacher spoke, and suddenly seemed to remember something else.

"Right, she tutored a lot of classmates. Back then, the study atmosphere in the class was particularly good. No one was jealous of her good grades, and many humbly sought her advice. She didn’t act superior because of her academic performance, she would help anyone who asked."

"If I remember correctly, there were five of them at that time. They called themselves the top five, meaning in every exam everyone else could only compete for the sixth place, as these five would occupy the top five ranks."

"Unfortunately, later on, Zhu Nianying didn’t take the exam, and the remaining four in that year’s exam all made it into the top thirty in the county! One made the top ten, two made the top twenty, and one made the top thirty!"

"If Zhu Nianying had participated, the top ten might have included one more!"

Teacher Luo spoke with increasing regret, even showing a sense of deep regret.

Chen Xiao listened intently.

From what he understood, Huang Zhao’s most apparent evaluation of Zhu Nianying was her resilience.

As for her talents in studying traditional Chinese medicine, Huang Zhao didn’t consider them very strong.

But fortunately, Zhu Nianying’s hard work compensated for her lack of talent!

Perhaps, in her studies, Zhu Nianying didn’t have exceptionally strong talents, but she was diligent and hardworking enough.

"Do you have the contact information for the other four students among the top five?"

"I have one, but as for the other students, I remember them visiting me after they started high school. But since then, I’ve never seen them again."

Teacher Luo said, and sighed: "That’s how teaching is, it seems like you have students everywhere in the world. But as time goes by, you send off batch after batch of students, yet very few continue to visit us."

Chen Xiao understood this reality very well.

Because as people grow up, they have to face issues beyond just studying, teachers, and family relationships.

They face the greatest challenge in life—life itself.

"Would it be convenient for you to provide me with that student’s contact information, Teacher Luo?"

"If it’s about asking about Zhu Nianying, it should be alright, especially since she returned to work at the First People’s Hospital in West Origin City after graduating."

Chen Xiao suddenly realized: "Then I should definitely pay her a visit!"