You seem confident that it wasn't a lab leak on the basis that Chinese scientists have no reason to lie and that the (alleged) first case wasn't a scientist.

What about the CCPs long track record of cover ups and lies instills you with confidence that there isn't a top-down effort to coverup a possible lab leak?

If the CCP wants a cover up, then the scientists under their employ will probably lie. Very few would be brave enough to be publicly truthful in such a situation.