The continuation of the meal was rather hasty. Soon, other diners began to join their table due to a lack of
available seats.
A young couple sat next to them, engrossed in their intimate conversation, which left Zhou Tuoxing's already
limited topics of conversation completely depleted. He Chuan Zhou also fell silent, focusing on finishing her
noodles.
This was not an ideal place for a heart-to-heart talk; Zhou Tuoxing found it noisy and agitating. Many of
the questions he wanted to ask lost their chance to be voiced.
When it was time to pay, He Chuan Zhou ordered a takeout of fried rice cakes for Brother Huang. Zhou Tuoxing
stood behind her, added her on WeChat, and sent her his home address and phone number, saying, "I usually
keep my WeChat notifications silent. If you need anything, just call me."
Although He Chuan Zhou could have easily found his information from his last visit to the precinct, Zhou
Tuoxing insisted on watching her call him back to ensure she had saved his number before he left satisfied.
Standing on the street, Zhou Tuoxing was about to hail a cab and was still entering his address when a
timely text from the diligent driver Xiao Chen popped up, asking if his dinner had ended.
Xiao Chen had just finished his own meal nearby and thought that if Zhou Tuoxing’s rebellious phase was
effectively managed, he might as well give him a ride back. After all, good technicians were hard to find
these days.
The two met up successfully. As Xiao Chen drove at a leisurely 30 km/h, he stole glances at Zhou Tuoxing,
trying to gauge his mood through mere observation.
However, it was difficult to discern what Zhou Tuoxing was thinking when he wore that contemplative look.
Xiao Chen cautiously asked, "How did the conversation go tonight?"
Zhou Tuoxing nodded and then, seemingly out of context, said, "She bought me an 18.5 yuan bowl of noodles."
Xiao Chen, feeling quite clever, found a perfect angle for consolation, "That's pretty expensive; it must
have had meat."
Unexpectedly, Zhou Tuoxing turned his head slowly, giving him a frosty look.
Xiao Chen's scalp tingled as he felt baffled. "But she's a detective! Their pay mostly comes from dedication
and risking their lives. Plus, they don't earn much. She's being quite generous!"
Zhou Tuoxing stared at his profile and said, "We also talked about you."
"Me?" Xiao Chen carefully stopped at a red light, his eyes darting around without looking at Zhou Tuoxing,
and asked, "What did you say about me?"
As Zhou Tuoxing recalled the conversation, he realized that Xiao Chen's presence had been a constant theme
throughout, causing his gaze towards him to change.
Why was this guy so annoying?
Xiao Chen felt wronged. He had only met He Chuan Zhou twice; why use him as a conversation filler? Was it
because his broad back seemed perfect for taking the blame?
Xiao Chen muttered, "Maybe you two shouldn't meet anymore."
---
By evening, Xu Yu and Shao Zhixin had arrived at A University. They found the second-hand bookstore near the
west gate.
The sky hadn't completely darkened yet, but the area around the university town was already brightly lit.
The nearby snack street and shopping center were bustling. A large red stage had been set up on the street,
and the sound of advertisements and background music blared loudly, deafeningly.
Xu Yu lifted the curtain and walked in first. The hundred-square-meter store was divided into different
sections by irregular walls. Many students were browsing the books near the entrance, indicating good
business.
Xu Yu stood at the entrance for a while, seeing no one to greet them. He proactively approached a young
female employee wearing a red apron and raised his hand, saying, "Hello."
"Hello," the young woman replied with a polite smile. "How can I help you?"
Xu Yu glanced around, but his view was obstructed by the partition walls, allowing him only to see the
bookshelves filled with books. "Is there anyone else here besides you?"
The girl smiled and asked again, "How can I assist you?"
Xu Yu pulled out his credentials and quickly showed them to her. Her expression changed, taking on a more
serious demeanor.
Xu Yu smiled and said, "Don't be nervous. How many employees do you have here?"
"Counting the manager, there are four of us. One is a guy who mainly handles the heavy lifting," the
employee responded meticulously. "It's mostly self-service here. Our customers are all A University
students, so they're pretty self-sufficient. Do you have any specific concerns?"
Just as Shao Zhixin was about to answer, Xu Yu spoke first, gently, "Nothing major. Someone reported seeing
a suspicious man hanging around the store recently. We came to check it out. Were you the one who reported
it?"
"Not me," she quickly shook her head, then thought for a moment, "I haven't heard anything about it."
"Can you gather the other employees for me to ask them? We need the informant's signature," Xu Yu said.
The girl took out her phone and said, "Please wait a moment. We work here part-time as students, and one of
us is still at a club activity. Let me ask."
Xu Yu took a photo of Liu Guangyu out of an envelope. The girl looked at it closely, scanning it several
times before confidently stating, "I haven't seen him. At least not often. If he were a regular, I'd
remember."
The other employees who arrived later also looked at the photo and shook their heads, indicating they didn't
know him.
Xu Yu had been observing their subtle expressions and didn't detect any lies.
The first girl asked, "Could it be a prank call?"
"We're verifying that. This person has indeed gone missing recently, which is suspicious. If you see him,
try not to alert him and call us directly," Xu Yu explained.
The male employee nearby grew cautious upon hearing this and asked worriedly, "I heard there was a murder at
Guangyuan Community recently. Is the killer still at large? Is that why you're locking down the city?"
Xu Yu studied him calmly and said, "You seem well-informed about local news."
The male employee hesitated, then lowered his voice and inquired, "I heard the victim was the boss of
Guangyi. Is that true?"
Xu Yu smiled and asked, "What about the boss of Guangyi? Do you know him?"
The male employee sighed regretfully, "I don't really know the boss, but our club often gets sponsorship
from their company. It's a stable partnership. Some of the equipment in our store, like rackets and
backpacks, was sourced through their connections."
Xu Yu, intrigued, asked, "Does your manager have a good relationship with Mr. Tao?"
The female employee excitedly answered, "Our manager used to be in sports, a great runner! Guangyi has
sponsored the provincial team before. I don't know how well they know each other, but they've taken photos
together."
As they spoke, their gazes shifted past Xu Yu to someone behind her. Xu Yu turned to see a girl with a long
ponytail walking in from the entrance.
The employee introduced her, "This is our senior and also the manager."
She looked very young, with a youthful and modest appearance, even seeming younger than the other employees.
Shao Zhixin commented, "You look like a student."
The girl smiled slightly, "I graduated last year."
Perhaps because she was an athlete, her muscular build was impressive, exuding a spirited and athletic vibe.
Her demeanor was more approachable than He Chuan Zhou's, but her defined features also gave her a slightly
aloof air.
Xu Yu asked, "What is your name?"
"Yuan Lingyun."
Xu Yu turned the photo towards her.
As soon as Yuan Lingyun saw the picture, her lips twitched involuntarily before she composed herself and
said, "I've seen him before; he used to deliver takeout here. But I haven't seen him around lately."
Xu Yu: "Do you know him?"
Yuan Lingyun's tone was flat: "No, I don't."
Shao Zhixin recorded the information of the two store clerks and took a photo, then told them to get back to
work.
With only the three of them left, a few curious customers from a distance were glancing over.
Xu Yu asked quietly, "Do you know Tao Xianyong well?"
Yuan Lingyun shook her head: "I know him, but we're not close."
Xu Yu stared into her eyes: "Do you know that he's dead?"
Whether she was absent-minded, or it was her nature, Yuan Lingyun seemed completely drained. Her responses
were mechanical and devoid of emotion.
Even if she was reciting lines, she appeared far too indifferent.
She didn't care if her attitude aroused suspicion in the police; she was too exhausted to engage.
"I know."
Xu Yu paused and asked, "Where were you on March 18th?"
Yuan Lingyun replied, "At the store. The surveillance footage is still there; you can check."
She added helpfully, "I'm not the killer. Don’t waste your time on me."
Xu Yu scrutinized her face and nodded, "I believe you."
Yuan Lingyun lowered her head, fiddling with her fingers, lost in her thoughts. Xu Yu didn't disturb her.
After a moment, she looked up and asked, "Anything else?"
Xu Yu confirmed, "You really don't know Liu Guangyu?"
She opened her mouth, then firmly shook her head.
Xu Yu hesitated, uncertain whether to take her to the station for questioning. She glanced at Shao Zhixin,
who looked innocent and clueless, and shook his head in confusion.
Xu Yu sighed, "Fine. I'll go call Captain He."
She went to a secluded spot and explained the situation.
"Without evidence, how can we justify it?" He Chuan Zhou said. "Have Shao Zhixin keep an eye on her. But I
doubt she'll run; if she wanted to, she'd have done it by now."
Xu Yu replied, "I'll head back then. Should we have the cleaning lady identify her? I think she's the
mysterious woman we've been looking for."
For some reason, there was a sudden silence on He Chuan Zhou's end. After a few seconds, she said, "Wait for
me outside the cleaner's place."
Xu Yu found this odd but agreed, "Okay."
---
At 6:52 PM, He Chuan Zhou walked out from the shadows of the alley.
The dim light above her cast fragmented shadows as she moved, creating crisscrossing patterns.
Xu Yu recognized her immediately from her tall, slim figure and quickly waved. As she approached, Xu Yu
noticed that He Chuan Zhou's expression seemed unusually cold today.
Instinctively, she put away her smile, said little, and followed He Chuan Zhou up the stairs, knocking on the
door.
The cleaner, upon seeing them, nodded slightly, still somewhat reserved, and let them in.
"Sorry to bother you. Can you see if this is the person?" Xu Yu showed her Yuan Lingyun's photo on her
phone.
The cleaner took the phone, staring intently at the photo. From where Xu Yu and He Chuan Zhou stood, they
could see her thin neck bowed low.
Xu Yu began to sense something unusual.
Finally, after the screen dimmed from inactivity, the cleaner moved.
She lifted her eyes, glanced at Xu Yu, then turned to He Chuan Zhou with a swallow and a hoarse voice, "Yes.
It's her."
He Chuan Zhou, standing near the kitchen door, turned at the response, her tone neutral, "I thought you'd say
it wasn't."
"Uh...?" Xu Yu dragged out the sound in confusion, looking to He Chuan Zhou for help.
He Chuan Zhou explained, "Three people had keys to the Guangyuan apartment: Tao Xianyong, Yuan Lingyun, and
you. We always thought Yuan Lingyun gave the keys to the killer, but her later appearances at the crime
scene were too strange, very illogical. Actually, the one who disclosed Tao Xianyong's whereabouts to Liu
Guangyu and provided the keys was you, wasn't it?"
The cleaner's face twitched slightly with tension, her fingers turning white from the tight grip, but she
didn't deny it.
He Chuan Zhou walked over, pulled up a chair to sit facing her, and asked, "I'm very curious. Why?"