Brother Huang mouthed the words, saying the two men had quite a few similarities. Their family situations
were a mess, and if they talked more, they might even sympathize with each other.
He Chuan Zhou: "Where did Xu Chun Hui go afterward?"
"No idea. Whether she's alive or dead, I don't know," the other person replied. "But I did hear from some
villagers that she might have gone to work in the city, sending money back occasionally for her son. But Liu
Guang Yu's father wasn't any good; he took his son's money too."
He Chuan Zhou asked, "Can her identity be verified? What about the marriage certificate?"
The old man said, "Let me put it this way. Xu Chun Hui married her husband back in the '80s. In the '80s, in
impoverished remote areas, you can't imagine how it was. It wasn't just economically backward; there was
also little regulation. Some people got married as soon as they came of age or even before, arranged by
their parents. They might not even get a marriage certificate, just have a feast and live together."
He Chuan Zhou looked grim and asked skeptically, "Xu Chun Hui, she's a local, right? Not someone from
outside?"
The old man guessed what she was implying: "I'm certain she wasn't trafficked. Because Liu Guang Yu kept
causing trouble, I investigated it, trying to understand their family better. Xu Chun Hui's family was
extremely poor before she married. Our village is poor, right? Her family lived halfway up the mountain. She
had four brothers; do you understand? When she got married, her parents took the dowry and immediately used
it for her brothers' marriages. She didn't have any say in it. Many locals didn't even speak Mandarin well,
and their lives were quite muddled. Everyone was in a similar boat, but she was particularly unfortunate."
He paused, taking a couple of deep breaths before continuing, "Back then, the Liu family was in better shape
because Liu Guang Yu's grandparents were well-respected in the village, and they provided a substantial
dowry. But his father was useless. Poor Xu Chun Hui's tough times began shortly after she married, when the
older generation passed away."
He Chuan Zhou asked curiously, "Did Liu Guang Yu's father ever talk about Xu Chun Hui?"
"Yes, often, but nothing he said was trustworthy or useful," the old man replied indignantly, coughing with
the effort. After a sip of water, he continued, "Liu Guang Yu's father got married early, and when they
didn't have children for several years, he constantly blamed and abused his wife, saying it was her fault.
When Liu Guang Yu was finally born, he accused her of having an affair and beat her even more. I think Xu
Chun Hui couldn't take it anymore and ran away. That lazy man was truly absurd. Having such a father was a
real misfortune."
The colleagues felt frustrated. Finding the right words to curse felt inadequate.
He Chuan Zhou handed the phone to Brother Huang, asking if he had any more questions.
Brother Huang inquired about some minor details, but the person on the other end knew little about Liu Guang
Yu's situation in City A and couldn't provide useful information.
Brother Huang thanked him and was about to hang up when the old man hesitantly asked, "Did Liu Guang Yu
commit a crime?"
Brother Huang glanced at He Chuan Zhou, who replied tactfully, "It's something serious."
There was silence on the other end, followed by the sound of a lighter clicking.
The old man took a deep breath, exhaled heavily, and let out a forced laugh, his raspy voice sounding even
more weathered: "He strayed off the path after reaching adulthood. One day, he told me he wanted to find a
job and start anew. I thought it was great. But he couldn't get used to the factory work; the older workers
and management bullied him, and he wasn't one to take it lying down, so he quit. Later, I heard he went to
City A ... I thought the next time I heard his name, it would be good news."
After a few more rambling remarks, he couldn't continue and hung up.
"Xu Chun Hui..." Brother Huang returned the phone, repeating the name several times before asking He Chuan
Zhou, "Why are you so interested in this person?"
He Chuan Zhou, arms crossed, was scrutinizing a photo on the board and responded absentmindedly, "Am I?"
Brother Huang, knowing her well, said, "Your expression says you are."
He Chuan Zhou shifted her gaze, thought for a moment, and uncertainly replied, "I just have a feeling that
the relationship between Liu Guang Yu and Yuan Ling Yun isn't some deeply emotional romance."
Brother Huang was intrigued: "Why?"
He Chuan Zhou shook her head: "It just doesn't feel that way. It's a hunch."
A hunch based on unconvincing details.
For instance, although Liu Guang Yu kept the bookstore flyer, he didn't linger near the shop or follow Yuan
Ling Yun. When the rent increased, he moved out.
He wasn't obsessive. If he truly loved Yuan Ling Yun, it showed he was rational and calm.
And in the housekeeper's description, Liu Guang Yu's emotions about Yuan Ling Yun's situation were too
intense.
Could someone he had only met a few times have such deep entanglement and emotions?
He Chuan Zhou didn't know, having never experienced love at first sight.
"Liu Guang Yu is 26 this year. Yuan Ling Yun is 22. They are about four and a half years apart."
Yuan Ling Yun started school early because her father didn't want to take care of her, putting her in
elementary school before finishing kindergarten, so she graduated early.
He Chuan Zhou pulled out a photo of Yuan Ling Yun and placed it next to Liu Guang Yu's, tilting her head:
"Do you think it's possible they are related by blood?"
Brother Huang looked closely, conflicted.
"Um..." He scratched his brow, hesitating. "You could say they look alike. Their eyes and noses are similar.
But you could also say they don't look alike... it's a bit of a stretch. Parental genes have a big impact."
A colleague, understanding, said, "Yuan Ling Yun's family record lists her mother as Xu Quan Hui. Liu Guang
Yu's mother is Xu Chun Hui. The names are quite different!"
Brother Huang countered, "Not necessarily. You have to remember that City's A and City's C dialects are
different. What sounds different to us might sound similar to them. Plus, 'Xu' and 'Hui' differ only in
tone. So, the names could be quite similar."
And both mothers didn't stay to raise their children, disappearing midway. Though it could be a coincidence.
He Chuan Zhou asserted, "Anyway, I don't think it's a case of hired murder. Liu Guang Yu did it willingly.
He didn't even tell Yuan Ling Yun about his plan. That's why she went to the crime scene again after Tao
Xian Yong's death."
Brother Huang asked, "Then what about the money?"
He Chuan Zhou replied, "Exactly, the money makes it even stranger. But if it were to help a brother,
wouldn't it make more sense?"
A colleague disagreed: "Even if they are siblings, one grew up in City A, the other in City C. They might
never have met and have no connection. Why would they kill for each other? And Yuan Ling Yun clearly doesn't
want to acknowledge Liu Guang Yu; she said she doesn't know him."
Another chimed in: "Exactly. Even siblings who grew up together might not go that far. The only thing that
can drive someone crazy like that is love. Captain He, you might not understand what it's like to be a
simp."
He Chuan Zhou shook her head, not insisting on defending herself.
They might not understand how much someone from a broken family can obsess over familial bonds.
Growing up in vastly different environments makes it difficult to empathize with such emotional matters.
Before they could come to a conclusion, Shao Zhixin and Xu Yu returned.
Xu Yu gestured outside, indicating that she had completed her task.
Brother Huang organized the various documents on the table and asked, "Yuan Ling Yun is here. Should I go
first?"
He Chuan Zhou nodded, "Thank you."
Brother Huang rubbed his face, wanting to pick a lucky audience member to accompany him. Usually, he paired
up with Xu Yu, but today he favored Shao Zhixin.
After all, everyone had been enduring this for days, and not many still looked presentable. With his messy
hair making him look intimidating, he indeed needed a partner like Shao Zhixin, who was more of a...
cheerful presence.
Shao Zhixin, thrilled to be chosen, repeatedly assured, "Brother Huang, don't worry, I'll perform well!"
He thought Yuan Ling Yun wasn't a tough case and should be easy to interrogate.
Brother Huang handed him the documents and briefly explained the existing information.
Worried he might mess up, Shao Zhixin, filled with excitement, asked, "Brother Huang, are there any special
interrogation techniques?"
Brother Huang, with a meaningful look, advised the young man not to always seek shortcuts: "There's no trick
to this kind of questioning, only sincerity. Use your heart to move her. If you can't, then use your acting
skills."
Shao Zhixin immediately felt the difficulty level rise, nervously asking, "If I have to act, what approach
should I take?"
Brother Huang thought, "Do you even have a second approach?" He slapped Shao Zhixin's shoulder and said,
"Improvise! Watch for my cues. If you really can't manage, just smile and keep quiet."
Shao Zhixin, still delighted, replied, "Got it!"
The two entered the room one after the other. Yuan Ling Yun was looking at the notice of rights and
obligations on the wall and didn't turn around at the sound.
Brother Huang sat down, leaned back, and after confirming all the equipment was on, he said coldly, "Name."
Yuan Ling Yun replied lifelessly, "Yuan Ling Yun."
After asking some irrelevant questions, Brother Huang got straight to the point: "What's your relationship
with Liu Guang Yu?"
Yuan Ling Yun said, "No relationship."
Brother Huang sneered, tapping the table with his right fingers: "Then why did you transfer money to him?
23,200 yuan. Do you think the police are just eating and doing nothing? Do you need me to remind you of the
date?"
Yuan Ling Yun remained silent.
Brother Huang waited, then raised his voice, "You're still not cooperating? I advise you to be serious. The
police know much more than you think, like your relationship with Tao Xian Yong. I'm giving you a chance to
confess honestly. Don't ruin your future."
At this point, if it were Xu Yu, she might gently interject, "Brother Huang, don't say it like that."
Brother Huang nudged Shao Zhixin with his foot. The kid picked up the cue and said, "Yuan Ling Yun, you're
an A University graduate with a bright future."
His expression was sincere, showing his naivety: "I just graduated not long ago, and you look about my age.
I understand your concerns, but you don't need to worry. The police will protect personal privacy."
Brother Huang, already impatient, said each word carefully: "I just want you to answer why you transferred
that money to Liu Guang Yu. You can't remember your own transaction?"
Shao Zhixin added, "I believe if you wanted to kill Tao Xian Yong, you wouldn't have waited this long. If
there's something you're hiding, I hope you can trust us."
Yuan Ling Yun looked at them calmly and suddenly asked, "Do you have any evidence proving I had an unusual
relationship with Tao Xian Yong?"
Shao Zhixin was stunned.
Yuan Ling Yun continued, "I don't understand what you're talking about. Do I have any problem with Tao Xian
Yong? Our relationship was clear; he helped me a lot. Why would I want to kill him?"
Shao Zhixin advised, "Denying it won't help. The surveillance system in City A is more powerful than you
think. The fact that we found you says a lot. Moreover, your fingerprints were found in the apartment at
Guangyuan Community."
Yuan Ling Yun closed her eyes, seemingly detached, not reacting to his words.
Brother Huang, interested, asked, "You're really defending Liu Guang Yu, aren't you?"
"I'm not defending him," Yuan Ling Yun replied calmly. "He has nothing to do with me."
Brother Huang asked, "Do you know what he did?"
Without expecting Yuan Ling Yun to answer, he continued, "He helped you kill Tao Xian Yong."
Yuan Ling Yun's eyes flickered, perhaps in surprise, as she blinked rapidly before quickly masking her
reaction and shaking her head coldly, "He wouldn't kill for me. I didn't want to kill anyone."
Brother Huang asked, "Do you know where he is?"
Yuan Ling Yun deflected, "My whereabouts are clear every day; I can't be the murderer. My reason for
transferring money to Liu Guang Yu is personal, and I don't want to explain it to you. What Liu Guang Yu did
has nothing to do with me. The two things can't be linked as evidence."
After saying this, Yuan Ling Yun remained silent.
Brother Huang tried various tactics, alternating between coaxing and intimidating, but couldn't get any
useful information about Liu Guang Yu from her. Shao Zhixin's emotional appeals also failed. This made
Brother Huang suspect that they might have misjudged her character.
Usually, a recent college graduate wouldn't remain so composed without experience in such situations.
During the questioning, he laid numerous verbal traps. An ordinary person, no matter how determined, would
slip up, but Yuan Ling Yun remained unfazed.
Her psychological resilience seemed unusually strong.
Brother Huang, parched, saw Shao Zhixin's smile stiffen. After nearly an hour, Brother Huang decided to ask
the far-fetched question from He Chuan Zhou's theory: "Is Liu Guang Yu your brother?"
Yuan Ling Yun sat quietly, eyes closed, without showing any extra emotion. If not for her occasional change
in posture, Brother Huang would have thought she was asleep.
Brother Huang, frustrated, wondered why He Chuan Zhou's theory didn't seem to hold up.
Based on her attitude, Yuan Ling Yun seemed genuinely indifferent to Liu Guang Yu.
Apart from a slight reaction when learning Liu Guang Yu was a murder suspect, she showed no further concern
for him.
In this context, Brother Huang thought the relationship between a goddess and her ardent admirer might be
more fitting.
Leaning his chin on his hand, Brother Huang switched to a more friendly approach: "You think we're wrong?
You can refute it. Let's communicate. Why be so closed off? When I was your age, I had a strong desire to
talk."
Perhaps sensing his softened attitude, Yuan Ling Yun responded graciously, "I want to leave."
"I want to leave too!" Brother Huang said. "Just answer one question for me, okay? What's your relationship
with Liu Guang Yu?"
Yuan Ling Yun turned her head again, looking at the notification wall she'd read countless times.
Brother Huang tapped the table, trying to get her attention: "Hey, I haven't moved on to the next question
yet. Why so guarded?"
Before he could proceed further, someone knocked on the door.
Xu Yu peeked in, smiling, and asked, "Do you need a break? Water or a snack?"
Shao Zhixin raised his hand timidly, "I need to use the restroom."
Xu Yu lovingly said, "Go ahead."
Brother Huang raised his eyebrows in confusion as He Chuan Zhou approached, carrying a box of buns and
nodding at him.
Brother Huang stood up, and the two swapped positions.