Jiang Pingxin had sat in silent protest several times in front of the police station, each time persuaded to leave by He Chuan Zhou, who seemed to have a special technique for doing so.
He Chuan Zhou’s eyelids twitched slightly, but she was surprised by something else—had Jiang Pingxin actually seen the murderer?
Thinking it over, it was believable. Jiang Pingxin had patrolled the area near the river for years, especially during windy and rainy days, rarely missing a day. It's reasonable that she might have seen some important clues. What was more intriguing was why Han Songshan had been in that desolate area.
Xu Yu propped her chin with one hand, sincerely asking, "Based on your understanding of her, do you think she’s telling the truth?"
He Chuan Zhou clasped his fingers, lowered his gaze to the table, and pondered for a moment before raising his eyes, saying, "Jiang Pingxin often lies, but it’s always related to investigating her sister’s case. People around her say she’s not the type to cause trouble without reason or be unfeeling, so I don’t think she’d joke about a criminal case. If she says she saw the murderer, I tend to believe it."
Rubbing the knuckles of her thumb, she added, "She might not have seen the actual crime, or she would have reported it then, but she likely did see someone she suspected to be the murderer. Her description might be somewhat exaggerated to grab your attention."
Xu Yu blinked, frowning in confusion, "Then why didn’t she tell us?"
He Chuan Zhou said, "You can reason with her."
"Reason with her?!" Xu Yu felt a tickle in her throat just thinking about it and exclaimed, "Huang and I have reasoned with her so much we could write a book! But she just doesn’t listen!"
He Chuan Zhou said, "Maybe she doesn’t want to say."
"Why?" Xu Yu pressed on, "Is she afraid of the murderer’s retaliation? Or does she really want to use this to threaten us into investigating?"
Shao Zhixin sat nearby, his large eyes darting around, completely unable to join the conversation.
He Chuan Zhou’s lesson ended there: "It's time to go home, I’m leaving." She stood up, ignoring the hopeful looks from the two young officers, and opened the door.
Xu Yu did not dare to ask He Chuan Zhou to stay, since Brother Huang had ordered her not to interfere with the investigation. She suddenly remembered that she forgot to tell her that Zhou Tuoxing had been taken to the station, so she quickly wrote a text message and sent it, unsure if He Chuan Zhou would see it.
Zhou Tuoxing was still in the interrogation room, reluctantly sharing Han Songshan’s secrets with Brother Huang under persistent questioning. Some information came from long-term investigations, some from journalist friends.
He had been investigating Han Songshan for some time and knew more about his social dealings than the police did.
"Han Songshan has been married three times and had multiple lovers. It’s said he had a girlfriend in college, someone from his village, and their parents expected them to marry. Her parents even helped pay for part of his college expenses."
Zhou Tuoxing recounted this gossip with a serious expression, as if reciting his research paper.
"They secretly dated for a few years, but Han Songshan thought she was uncultured and coarse, so he never revealed their relationship. After graduation, they went their separate ways and barely kept in touch, essentially breaking up.
"After being fired for fabricating news, Han Songshan quickly amassed some wealth through his connections and ruthless methods, marrying a local woman in City A and having a daughter. They divorced shortly after. The second marriage lasted less than a year. After moving to City D, he married a third time and had a son, now six years old, whom he dotes on."
Huang nodded, twirling his pen, and asked, "How are his relationships with his ex-wives?"
"Terrible. He’s not generous with women, and even his relationship with his daughter is poor—they haven’t seen each other in years." Zhou Tuoxing said, "He cheated during all his marriages. His ex-wives had no clear idea of his finances during the divorces, resulting in hasty settlements, and minimal child support."
"Oh..." Brother Huang nodded thoughtfully, "Do you know who his enemies are?"
Zhou Tuoxing pressed his nose bridge, his voice muffled as he shook his head, "If you’re asking who has a motive to kill Han Songshan, there are too many. Close ones include He Chuan Zhou and Tao Ruiming, distant ones include abandoned women and those harmed by his reporting. After being fired, he completely abandoned journalistic ethics, doing everything for money. Listing everyone would be a monumental task. He’s very cautious, rarely leaving evidence. Even when discovered, there’s no crucial proof. He’s been sued many times, either winning or settling out of court, with only one minor defamation conviction."
Brother Huang listened intently, then patted his chest, looking righteous and dedicated, saying, "Don’t worry about us being inconvenienced. This is our duty as public servants! Make a detailed list, and we’ll verify them one by one. Han Songshan usually operates in City D, so there shouldn’t be many suspects fitting the crime’s timeframe."
Zhou Tuoxing glanced coldly, his face expressionless yet somehow mocking. He closed his eyes briefly and looked away, not refusing outright.
Brother Huang realized that like their team leader He, Zhou Tuoxing appeared stern but could be pushed further.
Brother Huang, understanding human weaknesses better, kept a straight face and asked, "Why did Han Songshan target He Xu? Tao Ruiming said it was because He Xu indirectly caused his mother’s death."
Zhou Tuoxing showed a cold smile, "That’s fucking nonsense."
His vulgar language shocked both officers, who subconsciously thought he was too refined to speak so crudely. After all, he always wore suits to the station, very mindful of his appearance.
Zhou Tuoxing bit his molars, a dark anger flashing in his eyes before he quickly concealed it, "Han Songshan and his mother were close, but she died of cancer, unrelated to money. Han Songshan resented He Xu mainly because He Xu exposed his scams and indiscretions, causing him public humiliation. His mother had long passed by then."
Brother Huang, recalling an article by a certain author, found it hard to imagine how a young man with ideals could become so ruthless and unscrupulous within a few years of entering society.
They seemed like two entirely different people.
Zhou Tuoxing didn't hold back, "Han Songshan is vindictive, retaliating against anyone who wronged him.
"He’s deeply insecure, and his pursuit of wealth and fame is ingrained. If his news fabrication hadn’t been exposed, he might have maintained his moral facade. After being unmasked, he indulged in a descent into greed."
In his early years, he wore a facade of innocence to elicit goodwill and sympathy due to his poverty.
Seeing society’s harsh realities, he quickly revealed his claws, trying to reclaim lost dignity and pride.
Essentially, he was always self-serving and profit driven.
Huang sighed, not wanting to delve deeper into Han Songshan’s character.
The two talked for a long time, and when it was time for Zhou Tuoxing to leave, Huang still felt reluctant to part with him.
Standing at the door, he shook Zhou Tuoxing's hand vigorously and said, "Let's work together again next time."
After thinking it over, he corrected himself, "Let's make sure to give each other a heads-up before working together next time."
Zhou Tuoxing had been talking for hours, with some issues being repeated over and over. He looked visibly tired and didn't want to say another word. He pulled his hand back and walked downstairs.
Brother Huang returned to the office with Zhou Tuoxing's list, smiling as he handed it to a colleague and said, "Verify this. Also, check who among them is in City A."
He glanced into the corner of the room, lifted his chin towards Xu Yu, and asked, "How did it go?"
Xu Yu's face immediately filled with sorrow, and she said dejectedly, "A complete failure!"
Shao Zhixin looked even more downcast, like a wilting plant.
Brother Huang looked at them with disdain, half-sitting on the desk as he reprimanded, "What's wrong with you two? So incompetent."
Xu Yu protested, "Captain He even rolled her eyes at me."
Shao Zhixin complained, "She was mostly glaring at me!"
"You deserved it!" Xu Yu said matter-of-factly. "I used to be Captain He's favorite, and she never scared me!"
Shao Zhixin's chest tightened, and he let out a dramatic cry, "Wow!"
When He Chuan Zhou stepped out of the dim elevator and opened her door, she thought for a moment she had entered the wrong place.
The room had been meticulously cleaned. The floor was spotless, and even the living room curtains had been taken down and were drying on the balcony.
There were several bouquets of sunflowers on the coffee and dining tables. The pile of old furniture in the living room was covered with new dust covers, each tagged with a sticky note.
He Chuan Zhou went over to tear them off. Some notes read "can be thrown away," while others indicated that certain items were not suitable for her to decide on, so she should handle them herself.
An inexplicable unease welled up in He Chuan Zhou’s chest, a feeling closer to instinctive fear. She called out Wang Yifei's name twice but received no response. Just as she was about to head to the balcony, she noticed a sticky note pressed under the vase on the coffee table.
In neat black handwriting, it read:
"Sis, the password for the green card is my birthday. Please give it to my dad, it's the money I've saved over the years. He’s currently working at a small restaurant on XX Road in the western part of City A.
"The password for the blue card is Uncle He's birthday. It's the money you sent me before. I wanted to buy you a gift, but you already have too many things at home, so buy something you like.
"I took a photo from the living room. I won't return it, but I'll send you a painting once I finish it.
"I found a job in City D and am moving there today, so I won't say goodbye."
Out of habit, He Chuan Zhou flipped the note over and saw one more line on the back: "Sis, remember to eat well."
Her heart skipped a beat, and the veins in her neck seemed to swell inexplicably. She reassured herself, then quickly walked to her room, rummaged through the closet for a key, and rushed to the building across the street. She unlocked the rusty door lock.
As the phone's light shone inside, dust near the entrance stirred up from the wind.
The place still looked as it had for years, with no signs of habitation. Wang Yifei had never returned home.