The farce was finally over.
The matter of Han Shaokang carrying the knockout powder was not over yet. They still had to find the person who sold the knockout powder to prevent more people from being victimized.
Zhang Shungu walked over. "Captain Han, there's a situation in the kitchen."
"What's wrong?"
"One of the chefs ran into the kitchen when no one was paying attention after being interrogated. I followed him when I saw him, and I found that he had hidden some meat products."
"Let's go take a look."
Han Bin went to the kitchen. A man in a chef's uniform stood in front of the chopping board. Two police officers sat on both sides of him.
Han Bin sized him up. The man looked a little nervous. "What's your name?"
"My name is Wei Changsheng. I'm the chef of this restaurant."
"Why did you run into the kitchen just now?"
"My … my dad likes to eat mutton, but it's quite expensive. He doesn't usually eat it, so I wanted to bring some home and cook for him."
"You're stealing from the restaurant?"
"No, no, I'm not stealing."
"Does your store manager know?"
Wei Changsheng hesitated and shook his head. "I don't know."
"Then tell me, if this isn't stealing, what is it?"
"It's really not stealing. You don't know much about our industry. Chefs like us … how should I put it? Let me tell you this. Our restaurant's management is quite strict. Some ingredients can only be used on the same day. After today, we won't give them to our customers. It's a pity to let these ingredients go blind. Sometimes, we also bring them home to eat. "
Han Bin said, "I've only heard that the kitchen has an endless supply of ingredients. The chef can eat whatever he wants, but I've never heard that he can take them home."
"Our restaurant is a little different from other restaurants. Because we're a barbecue restaurant, it's not suitable to eat from the same pot. We can bring ingredients home to eat. It's also a benefit for employees."
Although Han Bin felt that this statement was a little unreliable, it was still a different profession. Maybe some restaurants were special.
"Previously, the police had clearly said that the ingredients in the restaurant must be sealed and tested. Didn't you hear it?"
"I heard it. I just feel that it's a waste to send these ingredients for testing. After the testing, they can't be eaten. What a waste. Also, the test doesn't require too many ingredients, so I just wanted to take some. "
Wang Xiao said, "You didn't just take some, you took most of the lamb chops and hid them at the top of the cabinet. No matter how I look at it, it looks like you deliberately hid them."
There was a set of cabinets on the wall of the kitchen. They were about the height of a person, and there was a gap of more than ten centimeters between the top of the cabinets and the roof. It was difficult for a normal person to see the ingredients through that gap.
"Police comrade, what I said is true. I just want to take it home for the elderly to eat."
Han Bin walked to the kitchen table and checked the ingredients on it. They were all lamb chops, and there were dozens of them.
"Do you know Chen Zihe?"
"Who's Chen Zihe?"
"The one who died."
"I don't know him. I've never seen him before. I'm just busy in the kitchen."
"Then why did you poison him?"
"Police comrade, I'm innocent. I've never left the kitchen. How could I have poisoned him?"
"I've seen his dining table, and there are lamb chops on it. This means that he might have died from eating lamb chops. Your act of hiding lamb chops makes me suspect that you're the murderer."
Wei Changsheng was so scared that his teeth were chattering. "Police comrade, Chen Zihe's death has nothing to do with me. These lamb chops are good and not poisonous. If you don't believe me, I can make them for you."
Han Bin laughed. "Don't say that. I haven't lived long enough."
"What are you saying? I wouldn't dare to harm you. These lamb chops are really not poisonous."
Han Bin's tone was solemn. "Wei Changsheng, I'm telling you, the consequences of lying to the police are very serious."
"I know."
"You don't know.
This is an intentional homicide case. No matter what your motive is, as long as it affects the police's investigation, it can be considered as obstructing the law. This crime can be punished, understand? "
Wang Xiao patted his shoulder. "Brother, think carefully. Three generations of the family will be affected."
Wei Changsheng lowered his head. His face was full of hesitation.
"Say something."
Wei Changsheng clutched his chest. "I'm not feeling well. I want to rest. I can't breathe."
"Do you need me to call 120?"
"No need. I'm just nervous. I'll be fine after some rest."
Han Bin waved his hand. "Take him to the restaurant next door to rest."
"Yes."
There was a criminal case in the mall, and the entire mall had been cleared. Han Bin could use any store he wanted.
Han Bin said, "Call the restaurant manager, Liu Ping, in?"
Not long after, Feng Na called Liu Ping in.
Han Bin looked at her again. She was in her thirties and a very capable person. "Manager Liu?"
"How long have you been working in this restaurant?"
"More than three years."
"How long have you been the manager?"
"More than a year."
"What are you responsible for in the restaurant?"
"I'm in charge of everything except finance."
"You're also in charge of the kitchen?"
"Yes."
"Who's the head chef in your kitchen?"
Liu Ping said, "Our restaurant is different from other restaurants. We mainly roast meat, and the chef's main job is to cut and marinate the ingredients. The kitchen's work is relatively simple, and the requirements for the chef are not high. That's why we don't have a head chef position."
"Oh, you have quite a lot of power."
"It's alright."
"How does your restaurant deal with the ingredients that can't be used on the same day?"
"If it can be frozen, we usually freeze it. If it can't be frozen, we usually let the staff eat it. We definitely won't let the customers eat it the next day. "
"What if the staff can't finish it?"
Liu Ping said, "Throw it away."
"Wouldn't it be a pity to throw it away? Is it possible for the staff to bring it home to eat?"
Liu Ping pursed her lips and glanced outside. "The company doesn't have a written rule, and we don't really encourage it. But sometimes some ingredients are hard to preserve, and it's a pity to throw them away. Some chefs will bring them home to eat, and I usually turn a blind eye."
"That means your restaurant tacitly allows the chefs to bring the leftover ingredients home."
Liu Ping nodded. "Yes."
Wang Xiao said, "This rule of your restaurant is quite strange. If it goes on like this for a long time, how are you going to manage the kitchen? Wouldn't it be a mess? It's inevitable that someone will be selfish and steal the restaurant's ingredients home. "
"You're right. We will strengthen the management in the future."
"How long has Wei Changsheng been in the restaurant?"
"About a year."
"How's the work situation?"
"It's alright. He can take hardships."
"Has he ever brought the restaurant's ingredients home before?"
Liu Ping hesitated. "Yes."
"You didn't stop him?"
"Those ingredients have been marinated and can't be frozen again. It's not fresh to eat it the next day, and it's a pity to throw it away. He wanted to bring it home, so I agreed."
"Has there been any food poisoning in your restaurant in the past?"
"No, absolutely not. Our restaurant uses the freshest ingredients. Not only do we have to ensure the customers' health, but we also have to ensure the taste."
Han Bin said, "Let's stop talking about this. You can leave now."
"Captain Han, when will the investigation on our restaurant end?"
"That's hard to say."
"Then when can we reopen for business?"
"Wait for the notice."
Liu Ping sighed softly and left the kitchen.
Han Bin ordered, "Call the restaurant's chefs in. I want to question them one by one."
"Yes."
Not long after, another chef came in. He was tall and thin and looked about the same age as Han Bin.
"How should I address you?"
"My name is Hao Shaobo."
Han Bin pointed at the chair opposite him. "Sit down and talk."
"Hao Shaobo, how long have you worked in this restaurant?"
"About a year."
"You've been working in the kitchen?"
"No, I was a waitress at first. Sometimes I would come to the restaurant to help. Later, the manager saw that I was doing well in the kitchen, so he transferred me to the kitchen as a chef."
"Looks like your cooking skills are pretty good."
"It's alright. I'm mainly responsible for cutting and marinating the ingredients. It's quite simple. Our restaurant is a chain restaurant, so it's basically industrialized."
"Will there be leftover ingredients after the restaurant closes?"
"Yes, there will be leftover ingredients in any restaurant."
"How do you process them?"
"If they can be re-frozen, they'll usually be frozen."
"What if they can't be frozen?"
"Then they'll be eaten."
"They can't finish it."
"Throw it away."
"It's a pity to throw it away. Why don't you take it home?"
Hao Shaobo smiled. "Of course not. If we do that, the kitchen will be in a mess. Everyone will think of ways to bring the ingredients home. The restaurant will go bankrupt soon."
"Are you sure the restaurant has never taken ingredients out before?"
"Absolutely not."
"Not even the chefs."
Hao Shaobo's tone was firm. "No."
"Are you familiar with Wei Changsheng?"
"Not too bad. He brought me around when I first came to the restaurant."
"Has he ever taken out ingredients from the restaurant before?"
"No, Brother Wei would never do such a thing."
"How's the relationship between Wei Changsheng and your manager?"
"Quite good."
"How good? Do they have any private contact? "
"They're just colleagues. Sister Liu is married, so they probably don't have any private contact. Of course, I'm not sure about the specifics, but as far as I know, they don't. "
"I understand. You can leave now." Han Bin ordered the team member beside him. "Next."
A moment later, another chef walked in.
This chef was also young, not tall, and looked a little shy.
Han Bin asked the same question again.
The result was the same as Hao Shaobo's. The restaurant never allowed its employees to take ingredients out of the restaurant.
Following that, Han Bin asked the other restaurant employees one after another. Their answers were basically the same as Hao Shaobo's.
Only Liu Ping and Wei Changsheng's statements were different.
Wang Xiao said, "Captain Han, it looks like the problem lies with these two. But why did they hide the lamb shoulder? There are many ingredients in the kitchen, but they only hid this one."
Li Qin said, "Could it be that they really poisoned Chen Zihe?"
Han Bin thought about it and felt that it was unlikely. First, Chen Zihe died from poison. Even if the two wanted to poison Chen Zihe, there was no need for them to smear so much poison on the ingredients. Second, Chen Zihe's wife also ate the barbecue, but she was not poisoned.
Of course, judging from the current situation, there was definitely something wrong with the lamb shoulder. Otherwise, the two of them would not have deliberately taken the risk to hide it. As for what the problem was, they would only know after further investigation.
Li Qin said, "Captain Han, should we call Liu Ping in to interrogate her?"
"No, call Wei Changsheng in."
Returning to the kitchen, Wei Changsheng looked around as if he was looking for something.
Han Bin went straight to the point. "How's your body?"
"Much better."
"Can we continue the interrogation?"
"Yes."
"Then you can continue."
"Officer, I really have nothing else to say. What do you want me to say?"
"Hehe, not bad. You're quite stubborn. You still want to be a hero? Continue. "
Wei Changsheng just shook his head and did not answer.
Han Bin looked at him. "Liu Ping has already confessed. What's the point of continuing?"
"Confessed?"
"What did she confess?"
"She told me everything about what you two have done."
Wei Changsheng's expression turned ugly. After hesitating for a long time, he said, "Officer, I have nothing to do with her. What I said just now was true. I took the ingredients for my father to eat."
"Sure. Looks like Liu Ping was right. You're the mastermind. You're much more stubborn than her. But with Liu Ping's testimony and the relevant evidence, it's useless no matter how stubborn you are. "
"What mastermind? How could I be the mastermind? "
"Liu Ping has already confessed. According to her testimony, you're the mastermind and she's just an accomplice. Her crime won't be too serious, but you're in trouble. "
Wei Changsheng covered his mouth with his right hand and shook his head. "No, no, she's lying. I'm not the mastermind. I'm not."
Wang Xiao scolded, "If you're not, then who is?"
"Liu Ping is the mastermind."
Han Bin took the opportunity to ask, "How is Liu Ping the mastermind?"
"She was the one who asked me to hide these lamb chops. If she's not the mastermind, then who is?"
"Why did she ask you to hide these lamb chops?"
Wei Changsheng averted his gaze. "I don't know either."
"It's not that you don't know. You just don't want to say." Han Bin stood up and patted his clothes. "It doesn't matter. Anyway, we already have Liu Ping's testimony. We'll convict her according to her testimony. She's the accomplice and you're the mastermind."
"I'm really not the mastermind."
Han Bin shrugged. "There has to be a mastermind for every case. Since you're not willing to say, I can only believe Liu Ping."
"Don't believe her. She was the one who asked me to do it. In the end, she's even accusing me. You can't believe this woman's words."
"Then tell me, why did you hide those lamb chops? Did you guys use the lamb chops to poison Chen Zihe? "
"No, you really didn't. These lamb chops were not poisoned at all."
"Then why did you guys hide them?"
"These … there's a problem with the quality of the lamb chops."
"What problem?"
"They're defective. They're not good meat."
Han Bin shook his head. He still did not believe Wei Changsheng's words. The police took the lamb chops to test for harmful ingredients. As for whether the meat was good or not, the police didn't care.
"It seems that you're still not as honest as Liu Ping. I still believe her reason more. You, the mastermind, are still too cunning. "
Wei Changsheng panicked and shouted, "I'm not the mastermind."
"Then why did you lie?"
"I didn't lie. There's really a problem with the quality of the lamb chops."
"Be more specific."
If the police take it away, they will definitely detect it. At that time, not only our restaurant but the whole company will suffer, so Liu Ping told me to hide the meat. It was all Liu Ping's order. She is the person in charge of this restaurant. It has nothing to do with me. I'm just a small chef. This restaurant, no, even if this company collapses, it has nothing to do with me. At worst, I can work in another restaurant. It's only ten thousand yuan a month. Why do I have to do this? "
"Damn, this kind of meat is banned by the state, and you guys still dare to use it." Han Bin cursed because he almost ordered the lamb chops just now. It was just that Wang Ting didn't want it because she felt that this position was a little fatter.
"I'm just a worker. It's all my boss's orders. I don't know either. I'll do whatever they tell me to do. "
"Slap!" Han Bin directly slapped his head. "This slap is for the customers in the restaurant."
"Cuff him up and take him to the police station for interrogation."
"Police comrade, what I said is true. It's really Liu Ping who ordered me to do this. She's the mastermind. It's all her orders." Wei Changsheng's voice was so loud that the people outside could hear him.
Zhang Shungu quickly covered his mouth. "Shut up. Don't shout anymore."
Under everyone's gaze, Wei Changsheng was handcuffed and taken away. The staff and customers in the restaurant were all surprised.
Some people couldn't sit still. They stood up and asked the surrounding police officers, "Police comrade, what happened to him? Why are you arresting him?"
"Did he poison Chen Zihe?"
The reply they got was usually the same sentence. "Don't ask. I'll tell you what I need to tell you."
"Liu Ping, come in."
Hearing her name called, Liu Ping's body trembled. She also heard Wei Changsheng's shout.
After entering the kitchen, Han Bin raised his chin. "Manager Liu, do you want me to put handcuffs on you?"
"No, no, I don't need it. I'm willing to cooperate with the police investigation."
"Then tell me. Why did you poison Chen Zihe?"
"I didn't poison Chen Zihe."
"That's not what Wei Changsheng said."
"What did he say?"
"Fine. You still want to get more information from the police? Then don't talk here. Let's put on the handcuffs and go back to the police station. We have plenty of time."
"Police comrade, I'll tell you. I admit that I asked Wei Changsheng to hide the lamb chops, but I never asked anyone to poison Chen Zihe. I'm the manager of this restaurant. If something happens to him, I'll also be implicated. How could I do something so stupid? "
"Then why hide the lamb chops?"
"Because … the quality of the lamb chops is questionable." Liu Ping was still hesitating.
"If you're troubled, then don't say it. We'll just take Wei Changsheng's statement. "
"Don't. I want to tell you. I've already told you. The lamb chops contain S-grade meat essence. If the police take them away, they'll definitely find out. Then our company's reputation will be ruined. I can't be the manager anymore. I only asked Wei Changsheng to hide the lamb chops out of consideration for the company's interests. "
"Really?"
"Absolutely."
"Since you know that the lamb with S-grade meat essence can't be eaten, and the country has banned it, why do you still sell it in your restaurant?"
"In the past, this aspect wasn't strictly checked. Many farmers use it, and many restaurants also use it. It's not just our company. It wasn't until 315 this year that many restaurants didn't dare to use it anymore."
"Then why do you still use it?"
"Our company doesn't dare to buy anymore. This batch is the stock we bought in the past. It's already been bought, and we can't return it. If we throw it away, the company will suffer a huge loss. We thought that it'd be fine after we sell it, and we won't buy anymore. Who knew that something would happen? "
"From your tone, you sound like you're being wronged."
"No, no, I don't think I'm being wronged. I know what I'm doing is wrong, but it's also the company's decision. I'm just following the company's instructions."
"Hiding the problematic lamb during the police investigation and affecting the police investigation was also your company's instruction? Who instructed you to do that? Tell me. "
"Well … no, it was my own decision. My intention wasn't to obstruct the police investigation. I just wanted to protect the company's reputation. Although the lamb chops contain S-grade meat essence and are harmful to the human body, they won't die immediately. At least half of the customers here ordered the lamb chops. They'll be fine after eating it.
I can guarantee that there won't be much of a problem after eating the lamb chops, and it has nothing to do with Chen Zihe's death. "
Han Bin snorted coldly. "I can also guarantee that you and your company will have a big problem."
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