When the four of them gathered downstairs at the Lakeside Hotel, it was just eight o'clock. There were no cars on the road, only some people who had gone on an early trip during the holidays, and some who had just returned from the New Year's Eve.
The two targets given by Xiaozhi are Liu Sihuang, the owner of a barbecue restaurant, and Tang Kebo, a construction site contractor.
"Eh? Isn't this barbecue restaurant near our home?" Liu Yingying said looking at the address.
"We have been to this store! When it was newly opened, we went there and ordered the set menu recommended by Zheng Xiaoting." Yue Chen recalled the store name after seeing it.
"Oh, yes! The owner of that store was quite polite, and I hope it has nothing to do with this case." Liu Yingying also recalled.
"How about we go to the construction site first?" Yue Chen suggested, because he was worried that Liu Yingying's subjective emotions would affect the efficiency of the investigation.
"Yeah, this barbecue restaurant is open so early in the morning." I don't know if Li Kainan really understood Yue Chen's thoughts or just simply brought up this fact, but he did give Yue Chen an effective assist.
Yue Chen drove to a construction site in the northern suburbs of the city. A young man who looked like a person in charge was already waiting at the entrance of the construction site.
"Hello, I am the supervision manager of this construction site. My name is Pang Lianqiang. After I received your call just now, I got up quickly and came here." The young man greeted him enthusiastically.
"Happy New Year, Manager Pang. I'm sorry to have you come here during the holiday. We will understand the situation as soon as possible so that it won't affect your holiday." Liu Yingying said after getting out of the car.
"It's okay, it's okay. We should cooperate with you in your work." Manager Pang was very polite.
"Are we just going to chat here?" Yue Chen was in the car and didn't know whether to get out of the car or not.
"Just park your car across the road, away from our gate, so as not to get scratched. Then I will take everyone to the office." Manager Pang enthusiastically found a parking space for Yue Chen.
Everyone followed Pang Lianqiang to the so-called office, which was nothing more than a tin room slightly separated from the construction area.
"You also live at the construction site?" Yue Chen saw some daily necessities in the back room of the office.
"I just started working, and the house I rented is in the southern suburbs. Unfortunately, this project was placed here for me. If I come here from home, it will take at least two hours by taking the subway and changing buses. I am a newcomer.
We can’t imitate those veteran workers who leave their posts without permission and live on the construction site so that they can build a good relationship with their co-workers and learn more management experience.” It sounds like Pang Lianqiang is a positive and hard-working young man.
"Manager Pang is really full of positive energy. No wonder he became a manager at such a young age." Li Kainan admired sincerely.
"That is to say, he is a manager, but he is actually a safety supervisor. Watching these migrant workers on the construction site do not cause any problems, mainly supervising and managing construction accidents and safety hazards." Pang Lianqiang said.
"Do you know all the workers on this construction site?" Bai Mengge asked.
"There are only 49 people in total, and I should know them all." Pang Lianqiang said firmly.
"Are you sure there are only these 49 people and there won't be other random people mixed in?" Liu Yingying asked.
"All workers at our construction site are registered with their real names, and wages are paid through personal bank cards. What can outsiders sneak in to do? I often eat and chat with my fellow workers, and I have never heard of outsiders sneaking in." Listen.
It seems that Pang Lianqiang is quite serious and responsible.
"Then do you have a man named Tang Kebo here?" Liu Yingying asked.
"Old Tang! He is the leader of the miscellaneous team. He has some management skills, and he is learning electric welding recently. He said that he needs to learn more skills because his children need money for school." Pang Lianqiang said.
"Is he at the construction site? Can you take us to see him?" Bai Mengge asked.
"Of course, he should be in the dormitory, but maybe he drank too much yesterday and I don't know if he's awake now." Pang Lianqiang replied.
"Aren't you going to do construction today?" Yue Chen asked.
"It's not easy for everyone. They have worked hard for a year. If we give them two days off, they will work more efficiently." Pang Lianqiang really knows some management.
Pang Lianqiang made a call, and after a while, a man with blurred eyes walked in.
"These guys are from the Criminal Police Team of the Municipal Bureau. They are here to find out some information from you. You must cooperate well." Pang Lianqiang introduced Tang Kebo.
Hearing that the police were looking for him, Tang Kebo's remaining trace of alcohol completely disappeared. He shook his head and tried to wake himself up.
"Do you know Xiahong?" Liu Yingying got straight to the point.
"Xiahong? Something really happened to him?" Tang Kebo's eyes widened.
"Oh? Tell me everything you know." Liu Yingying turned on the recording device.
"I actually don't know anything. Xiahong and I are fellow villagers, and we have a pretty good relationship. Last Monday or Tuesday, he called me and asked me if I was still at the construction site, and then said that his ID card was lost.
He couldn't find a job and asked me if I had a position for him." Tang Kebo began to explain.
"What did you say?" Liu Yingying asked.
"I told him that this construction site was very strict in recruiting people. If he didn't have an ID card, he might not be able to join the job, so I asked him to find Lao Liu and work at his barbecue restaurant for a few days. I would take him with me when I have a chance to finish working at the construction site."
Tang Kebo mentioned an old Liu.
"Who is Lao Liu you are talking about?" Liu Yingying asked.
"Liu Sihuang, he opened a barbecue restaurant in the city, and business is very good in winter!" Tang Kebo's answer confirmed everyone's guess.
"Okay, thank you for your cooperation. If there is any news about Xiahong, please contact us as soon as possible. Happy New Year." Liu Yingying ended the question.
"It seems that Xiahong really lives in this barbecue restaurant." Liu Yingying said after returning to the car.
"Yes, the world is so small." Yue Chen also sighed.
"I don't know if Liu Sihuang knows what's going on with Xiahong. Don't really try to protect Xiahong." Liu Yingying still had a good impression of Liu Sihuang.
"Boss Liu is a cheerful person. Maybe I just heard from a friend that a fellow villager is in trouble. Please help me. There should be no other problems." Yue Chen consoled him.
"The barbecue restaurant is not open at the moment, so it is estimated that Liu Sihuang will not be in the store. However, Xiahong, who has nowhere to go, is most likely hiding in the store." Liu Yingying's analysis is not unreasonable.
"Let's go to the barbecue restaurant now and guard outside first to prevent Xia Hong from escaping. Then let Liu Sihuang open the door and arrest him." Yue Chen gave suggestions.
"I'll call Xiaoting and ask her to contact Liu Sihuang, lest Liu Sihuang really has more connections with Xiahong and easily alert the snake." Liu Yingying chose to be more cautious.
"Let her reserve the earliest table for us," Yue Chen added.