All Team B agents watching inside and outside the interrogation room tensed up, waiting for Qin Hongliang’s response.
The air seemed to freeze at this moment, seconds stretching indefinitely.
Jiayi thought she could hear a thumping, perhaps her own heartbeat.
“I—” Qin Hongliang lifted her head to utter the first word, her eyes suddenly catching the pale wall beside her. Her eyebrows shot up, her pupils slightly constricting, and she paused, closing her mouth.
Her eyes shifted, her hands grasping the edge of the table, Qin Hongliang stared down at her hands, remaining silent for a long while.
Jiayi exhaled softly, understanding that Qin Hongliang had caught on.
Sure enough, a minute later, Qin Hongliang lifted her eyelids and when she looked at Jiayi again, there was no longer a storm in her gaze, only a chill.
She stared at the policewoman across from her for a while before shaking her head:
“We’re all just pitiable people in this world. Even if I hate everyone, it doesn’t mean I would kill, madam. I’m just a bit smarter than others, seeing through some things. That also makes me not fit in, disliked by everyone. Is that also wrong?”
Sanfu gently squeezed Jiayi’s shoulder, both knowing that even though Qin Hongliang was about to reveal the truth earlier, the moment had now passed.
This time, they in Team B had encountered a tough nut to crack.
Jiayi didn’t speak, her lips pursed, her eyes fiercely defiant as she stared back at Qin Hongliang.
“Tu Guisheng says I’m the murderer? He’s even more suspicious, right? If you find anything dubious at his place, of course, you’d suspect him. How could it be connected to me? Officer, it’s not targeted at me, right?”
Qin Hongliang crossed her arms and sighed, shrugging:
“I really didn’t expect Tu Guisheng to kill Meini. That’s so scary. Meini just borrowed some money from Tu Guisheng and didn’t want to pay it back. How did it come to murder?
“Thinking that I actually had a relationship with him, I’m really scared now.”
“You said he was your alibi? How can you now say he’s the murderer?” Jiayi tilted her head, catching the loophole in Qin Hongliang’s words.
“Well, if I have an alibi, how could I be the murderer?” Qin Hongliang suddenly covered her head again, feigning dizziness:
“Ah, speaking of which, ever since I left Tu Guisheng’s house, my head has been really foggy. Could Tu Guisheng have drugged me?
“Madam, I feel really unwell, can I go home?”
“You said Tu Guisheng drugged you?” Jiayi frowned.
“Who knows.” Qin Hongliang shrugged again.
“Do you want to take a urine and blood test?” Sanfu, standing behind Jiayi, asked.
“Sure.” Qin Hongliang nodded indifferently.
Jiayi, looking at Qin Hongliang’s expression, suddenly felt that perhaps Qin Hongliang had also drugged herself—the same kind he gave to Tu Guisheng.
Sanfu walked over to invite Qin Hongliang for the tests, and she cooperated with a smile.
However, when walking by Jiayi’s side, she turned to glance at the policewoman next to her, leaned in, and whispered, “What about the lucky marksman and the righteous heroine? Ha, stupid policewoman.”
“What are you doing? Hurry up.” Sanfu turned back to see Qin Hongliang standing next to Jiayi with a sneer and urged her unhappily.
Qin Hongliang then nodded and followed.
Standing outside the interrogation room, Fang Zhenyue looked through the small window and saw Jiayi still standing there, worrying about her. He walked to the door to enter and comfort her, only to realize she wasn’t upset or crying, but grinding her teeth.
…
After undergoing urine and blood tests in the forensic department, Qin Hongliang left. The results for both her and Tu Guisheng’s tests would not be available until the next day, just like the test results of the evidence collected from Tu Guisheng’s house today.
The detectives from the Major Crime Team B also decided to head to Yi Ji for a good meal, leaving all work troubles at the office today.
What a case full of anger and pain, we’ll talk about it after the sun rises tomorrow.
Leaning against the car window, Jiayi replayed all of Qin Hongliang’s reactions and words from the interrogation room.
She silently reviewed the interrogation process, considering what could be improved or how she might better handle Qin Hongliang’s emotions.
While thinking, she resolved to read more books and learn more knowledge. Whether it’s knowledge about criminal detection, forensic science, or criminal psychology, she wanted to understand more and more!
With her resolution set, she recalled the words Qin Hongliang had said in anger.
Once a person starts contemplating philosophy, it’s inevitable to become low-spirited—after all, a philosophical temperament is also known as a ‘melancholic temperament’.
Jiayi envisioned the kind of future Qin Hongliang described; how terrible it would be if it truly happened. If she could no longer solve cases, how many people would be disappointed. Would Sir Fang and her colleagues change?
Then she thought of Zhao Meini’s family; her parents hoped Zhao Meini would achieve great things, but not only did she fail to fulfill their wishes, she also went astray, to the extent that her parents disowned her…
The typhoon had passed, and the storm had lessened. Although it was still cloudy today, it already seemed like a good omen.
Perhaps tomorrow will be a sunny day.
Under the neon lights, the damage caused by the typhoon was still visible.
Signs and debris in the alleys were all in disarray, and even the trash cans on the streets were still somewhat crooked… Some passerby even had hair looking as though it had just been ravaged by the typhoon.
But living in such a city, no one feels particularly indignant.
When the storm is set, no one wastes their emotions because of it.
After the rain stops, friends splash through puddles together to eat at street food stalls.
Jiayi sighs softly, words cater to personal interests, emotions touch people’s hearts.
But sometimes, people’s thoughts and moods are also fooled by language.
If she wants to be smart, she should step out of Qin Hongliang’s linguistic context.
People should not be trapped by ‘language’, ‘semantics’, ‘big flags’; they should step out of the ‘positions’ and ‘emotions’ preset for them by everyone, every business, every group, and think more transcendentally about ‘self’ to escape the internal friction.
Jiayi thinks, to hell with Qin Hongliang, to hell with being a show-off or a victim, whether building high rises or having them collapse.
After all, being happy is what matters most in life!
…
…
When a group alights from the car, the sky has already begun to darken. The first dinner rush at Yi’s restaurant has passed, and a few tables of customers are leisurely enjoying their meal.
Yi Jiadong finally catches his breath from the busy state of crowded tables and waiting queues. He wipes his hands and chats with the diners at the counter.
Uncle Ah Gan, having sold out his newspapers, also comes to Yi’s for a delicious dinner. Eating seafood porridge with pickled radish, he smiles at Yi Jiadong:
“Now that Jiajun can win the top ten student medal and Jiaru can help you make milk tea, and not to mention Jiayi, who is a police detective, earning money and imposing too. You’ve finally made it through, and it’s about time they repaid you.”
Yi Jiadong laughs heartily, proud of his siblings, but doesn’t take Uncle Ah Gan’s talk of repayment too seriously.
“What can’t you think of? You’re 29 already, and still without a wife. That Yin Yangzi guy on Oak Street, who used to fix bicycles on the sidewalk and now drives a big car, has two wives—one in Hong Kong, another in the mainland. Two sons, each looking like their mothers, showing us their photos, all very handsome. You haven’t even touched a son’s hair yet. All your money goes to your siblings, and you don’t even have your own house,” Uncle Ah Gan can’t help but worry for Yi Jiadong.
Hearing Uncle Ah Gan emphasize the topic, Yi Jiadong finally straightens up, a bit preoccupied.
Thinking about gratitude to gain returns only makes oneself unhappy.
One should think only about whether they are happy when they give, without worrying about what they might receive in return. One can only control their own actions, not others, and should not add to their troubles.
Waving his hand towards Uncle Ah Gan, he jokes:
“You only see what he boasts to you, not the scratches that both his wives left on his face. When he can no longer drive his big car, watch out, neither his wives nor sons may want him anymore.”
“Hahaha, Jiadong, you’re almost hitting the nail on the head. Yin Yangzi’s two kids are getting bigger, and his situation is becoming more and more thorny,” said another guest at the table, who also knew the gossip about Yin Yangzi and joined in the laughter, “Their family, it’s only a matter of time before the entertainment gossip turns into murder news.”
Yi Jiadong shook his head and laughed:
“Life is just a few decades. There are those who have spouses and those who are unhappy; there are those without spouses who are happy. Whether you have a wife or children or not, it doesn’t matter. I’m happy now, isn’t that good enough?”
“You can’t say that, I have to tell your siblings about it, they need to repay you as their big brother,” Uncle Ah Gan emphasized.
Although Yi Jiadong always seemed happy, he actually had very strong personal convictions.
He laughed and interrupted:
“What do I want in return? A few years of happiness is still happiness. Do you think marrying and having children guarantees happiness, when there are so many couples who chase each other with knives and axes? Does saving money to buy a big house guarantee happiness? What’s the joy in living alone in it?”
“Jiadong, if I could think like you, I’d be much happier every day,” sighed Wen Shu from another table, eating cart noodles. He had recently been arguing with his elder brother over the inheritance left by their father, feeling both hatred and annoyance every day.
After saying that, he took a bite of the beef tripe in his cart noodles, chewing vigorously, then simultaneously picked up chives, squid, and mushrooms, enjoying the mix of textures and flavors.
Feeling satisfied after a good meal, he focused again on listening to Yi Jiadong’s conversation, which was both pleasant and enlightening.
It seemed that all the vexing gains and losses, the conflicts and competitions, were nothing compared to the colorful toppings on the cart noodles.
The struggle must go on, but couldn’t it be done in a calm and peaceful manner?
“You need to think it through, don’t regret it later,” Uncle Ah Gan said, seeing that Yi Jiadong truly had an open mind, showing a look of envy but also worrying that Yi Jiadong wasn’t looking far enough ahead.
Being carefree now, but regretting later in life that he hadn’t gained enough.
Yi Jiadong smiled, bowed his head in silence, cleared the table, putting dishes back into the sink to rinse, then returned to continue wiping the table.
While folding the dishcloth, he softly spoke:
“Our family now, sharing an egg tart, you take a bite, I take a bite, it’s also happiness. I know many rich people who, even though they eat abalone and bird’s nest every day, are not happy. For us, such low cost, just one egg tart, but four people are happy, that’s very good.”
He had probably thought it over repeatedly since deciding to take up the responsibility for the whole family after his parents’ unexpected passing.
Were those days without petty squabbles and complaints? Yi Jiadong had long forgotten, nor would he revisit them. Some things, once considered deeply and thoroughly, are enough.
Life shouldn’t always be pondered, just like meat shouldn’t always be chewed. Then living would be like chewing tasteless meat.
“In the future, when they get married, I will definitely miss our current life. But nostalgia, after all, signifies something beautiful. Since it’s beautiful, why reject it? After all, we are bound to part ways in the future, so enjoying every beautiful day now is what matters.”
“People, as social animals, whom do we not stay with? As long as we are happy, spending a day with siblings or with a wife is just the same. I am currently spending my days with my siblings, happily watching over them. Later, when I’m with my wife and children, I’ll be just as happy watching them. People shouldn’t just look at what they lack.”
“When they all leave home, I’ll marry. Good things come to those who wait.”
“You really think things through,” Uncle Ah Gan laughed heartily. “You make me feel like having a drink.”
“How about another plate of peanuts?” Yi Jiadong raised his eyebrow.
“No problem at all!” Uncle Ah Gan slammed the table in agreement.
Yi Jiadong turned to fry peanuts and as he passed by Jiajun, he patted his head, and with his other hand open, Jiaru, who was standing at the milk tea counter, immediately came over and bumped her head under his elder brother’s palm.
After petting the two little ones, Yi Jiadong whispered:
“Don’t listen to Uncle Ah Gan. I’m very happy, and you guys are here helping me, right? When you leave home, no one owes me anything.”
The two little ones didn’t speak, but as Yi Jiadong walked into the kitchen, the siblings looked at each other for a while, and then both burst out laughing.
After their laughter, they scratched their heads and went back to their own tasks—continuing with their homework and making milk tea.
It seemed like no one really understood, but some words are probably already imprinted in the subconscious, turning into a kind of warmth, nourishing the soul and life.
…
Outside Yi’s place, Fang Zhenyue and Yi Jiayi hid and listened to Yi Jiadong speaking. The other detectives, although curious, didn’t rashly barge in.
Having just returned from a delivery, Sun Xin looked at the group of detectives lined up outside the door like thieves, baffled.
Drawing close to the detectives, curious to know what was going on, he positioned himself at the back.
At that moment, the conversation inside ended, and Jiayi finally stepped inside.
Fang Zhenyue watched little eleven’s uplifted back of the head and clicked his tongue.
Sun Xin, carrying his doubts, followed inside, walked into the kitchen, and shared what he had seen and his questions with Yi Jiadong, who burst into hearty laughter, patted Sun Xin on the shoulder without explaining, and walked out briskly to attend to the guests.
…
After the detectives seated and ordered their dishes, Fang Zhenyue leaned back in his chair, savoring Yi Jiadong’s words.
Even he was inspired by those words, feeling suddenly enlightened.
“Aren’t you bothered by Qin Hongliang’s words anymore?” He glanced at Yi Jiayi, his hand resting on the table, casually asking.
“All that negative energy has been blown to the Pacific by the tail end of the typhoon.” Jiayi turned her head, raised an eyebrow, and smirked, already rejuvenated.
“Wow, I’m so mad I could die. Sister Eleven truly is Yi Dong’s sister, very broad-minded indeed.” Liu Jiaming said angrily while slamming the table and pointing a finger at Jiayi.
“In that woman’s eyes, there is not a single good person in this world,” Gary said with a curl of his lip.
“She judges others by her own petty standards,” Uncle Jiu remarked with a cultured air.
“Exactly, Qin Hongliang just wants to provoke you, to poke at your lungs. If you get really angry, aren’t you just falling for it?” Jiayi, mimicking Liu Jiaming’s manner, slammed the table and nodded earnestly.
“I want to make a splash, I’ll make a splash. I want to catch thieves, I’ll catch thieves. Whether I succeed or not, what does it have to do with us?” Fang Zhenyue said, pausing as he pinched his teacup on the table, “Come on, dispel the bad luck and bad mood, boost our spirits.”
Being carefree and doing what one wants, even if it’s exhausting, how can one feel pitiful?
“Brother Yue, it’s just tea, you know.”
“Hahaha, drinking tea instead of liquor, eh?”
“I’ll drink this cup of tea!”
Everyone else joined in, heartily drinking tea.
“Haha!” Jiayi, hearing Fang Zhenyue’s words, clinked cups with everyone vigorously and raised her fist in an invigorating gesture.
“Your older brother is the real philosopher of this world, isn’t he? He understands life better than any of us,” Fang Zhenyue said, gazing at the broad back of Yi Jiadong, who was barely visible in the back kitchen, also feeling a profound strength emanating from this elder brother.
Images from childhood flashed before him, striking his chest so violently that it brought tears to the eyes of this tough man.
He clenched his fists, slightly turned his head away, and pulled his thoughts out of the memories, focusing only on the present, which made him feel somewhat better.
Jiayi didn’t notice Fang Zhenyue’s change, also looked towards her own older brother, and proudly said:
“Independent of favors, seeking no return. Independent of honors, seeking no recognition.”
Perhaps because these truths were gleaned from worldly experiences, they were so plain yet so silently moving.
With emotions running high, everyone drank and made merry, and after that, Jiayi was re-energized.
…
After dinner, having bid farewell to the other detectives, Jiayi went home to carry out her decisions.
She studied until all the homework and revision tasks for her siblings Jiaru and Jiajun were completed, and the neighbors had turned off their lights, then she crawled into bed to sleep.
The alarm rang at 5 AM, as she had set earlier.
She quickly silenced the alarm, struggled out of the covers half-awake, and as the cold air hit her brain, she suddenly became resolute.
A warm bed? No! A lazy sleep-in? No!
Jiayi quickly dressed and washed up, left a note for her brother not to worry about her breakfast, and set off with her backpack.
Her thin frame on a thin bicycle broke through the morning fog, passing through the still-drowsy streets of Hong Kong, heading straight for the community of Zhao Meini on Portland Street.
After arriving downstairs at Zhao Meini’s building, she locked her bicycle and then climbed up the stairs.
Using the key she had applied for in advance, she opened the door and stood at the spot in her mind’s eye where she heard a low rumble, to make sure everything was just like that day, she even boldly suppressed her instinctual fear and did not turn on the lights.
Since asking the neighbors had not revealed what that sound was, she decided to come and listen for herself!