Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Mountain Blaze (09)

The small county town was lively at night. Hai Shu arrived at Tang Jinli’s parents’ home according to the address. It was a well-maintained residential area; Mr. Tang and Mrs. Tang had been working away for years, but it seemed they had earned quite a bit of money.

The door was opened by a young man who looked just over twenty. He stared at Hai Shu in surprise. “Who are you?”

Hai Shu said, “Are you Tang Jinli’s younger brother?”

The young man took a step back in shock, then turned and shouted inside, “Dad, someone’s looking for my sister.”

Mr. Tang came to the door, Mrs. Tang followed behind, craning her neck nervously. Mr. Tang said, “Tang Jinli no longer lives here. We don’t know her contact information either.”

Hai Shu revealed her identity but hesitated a bit when explaining the purpose of her visit. When the Tang family learned she was a police officer, they became even more nervous. The younger brother, Tang Jinxun, said, “My sister… has she done something wrong?”

Hai Shu entered the house and saw a family photo on the cabinet—a family of three. Tang Jinxun noticed her gaze and said awkwardly, “This was taken after my sister left.”

Hai Shu nodded. “Right. Recently in Huiyong City, we discovered a female corpse…”

The Tang family listened calmly. The living room fell into oppressive silence. A few minutes later, Mrs. Tang covered her eyes and staggered into the bathroom, sobbing.

Tang Jinxun said, “It’s really my sister? But… why?”

Hai Shu said, “We can’t determine that yet. We only identified Hua Zhanping through DNA similarity. What we need from you now is to provide biological samples.”

Mr. Tang trembled. “Okay… okay, we’ll cooperate. But Officer Hai, can you tell us what has happened to her these past few years? How did it suddenly… just…”

He couldn’t finish. Grief seemed slow to awaken in this family, but when they truly realized their daughter might be gone, the buried emotions erupted.

Hai Shu didn’t immediately ask too much about Tang Jinli—partly to give them time to process, partly because confirming the identity was more important. Interviews could wait.

The local brother unit provided substantial help. The DNA results came out at midnight: Mr. Tang and Mrs. Tang were indeed the biological parents of the victim. If Tang Jinli was their only daughter, then the victim was undoubtedly Tang Jinli.

The three members of the Tang family, red-eyed, went to the county bureau. Tang Jinxun asked, “Can we go see my sister?”

Hai Shu said, “The body is in Huiyong City. If you want to go, of course, but she was killed last winter, and we only discovered the body now, so…”

Tang Jinxun shivered, glanced back at his parents, and retreated.

Hai Shu now needed to learn about Tang Jinli from her family. In many murder cases, the family is the suspect. After learning from Hua Zhanping that Tang Jinli had conflicts with her family, Hai Shu’s gaze on them carried more scrutiny.

The Tang family didn’t react to their daughter’s death with extreme emotions—not crying hysterically or fainting. Considering their family situation, this was reasonable.

Mr. Tang sighed repeatedly when talking about Tang Jinli, entering an emotional state, even expressing regret about having a son. He remembered Tang Jinli’s childhood; she was very close to him and his wife, heartbroken over their hardships outside. She often said she wanted to grow up quickly so she could take over the business, letting them rest.

Everything changed after his wife became pregnant again. They hadn’t intended to have a second child, but since she was pregnant, they let it happen. Besides, Tang Jinli had been lonely in the old home; having a brother meant they could look after each other.

“We ignored her feelings,” Mr. Tang said. His wife was six months pregnant when returning to Tiepǐn County; they couldn’t terminate. They thought Tang Jinli would be happy like them, but she cursed them furiously, saying if they dared to have another child, she would kill the younger one.

Mr. Tang didn’t understand. The first time he hit Tang Jinli, she looked at him with resentment. She seemed like a stranger.

After Tang Jinxun was born, Tang Jinli never held him. She changed—no longer spoke proactively. When adults called her, she responded perfunctorily. Mr. Tang thought it wasn’t a big problem—just a child’s tantrum. She’d grow up and appreciate having a brother. Blood ties are precious; friends outside are strangers, but the brother is family.

But as Tang Jinli grew, she became increasingly obstinate, no longer silent, her words sharp and biting. Every relative was mocked. Mr. and Mrs. Tang realized they couldn’t control her. Tang Jinli began spending extravagantly; she hated her parents, hated the brother who stole attention. Spending their money was her way to find balance.

In her last years at home, Mr. Tang came to terms and realized he had wronged his daughter. He gave her what he could. If her ventures failed or she stayed at home, he and his wife said nothing. Relatives criticized Tang Jinli secretly; he would defend her. They didn’t expect her to succeed.

Fortunately, the son was sensible and smart. When they were gone, he could take care of her.

“But she never understood us. We really weren’t favoring sons over daughters.” Mr. Tang shook his head, noticing his son nearby; his expression turned embarrassed and unpleasant. “I’m not saying I regret having you, I…”

Tang Jinxun patted his father on the shoulder. “Dad, I understand.”

Hai Shu was a little puzzled. She thought Tang Jinli had left after a severe family conflict, but it seemed they hadn’t had intense arguments later.

“Why did Tang Jinli leave?”

Mr. Tang said, “She just said she didn’t want to see us.”

“No arguments?”

“After all these years, we couldn’t fight.”

Three years ago during the Spring Festival, the Tang family appeared lively as usual, but everyone was actually watching Tang Jinli’s expression, afraid of saying the wrong thing and angering her. No one expected that after the Lantern Festival, Tang Jinli packed her luggage, placed her keys and bank cards on the coffee table, and said she was leaving this home and would no longer keep in touch.

The farewell was almost entirely silent. Mr. Tang and Mrs. Tang looked at her but had no energy to stop her. When they heard the door close, they even felt a sense of relief. Being with Tang Jinli had been exhausting—not because she spent a lot, but because of her coldness and resentment. Family love is said to be the strongest bond, yet it is far more fragile than people imagine. Losing this bond was a relief for everyone in the household.

Only Tang Jinxun ran after her and called, “Sister,” but Tang Jinli didn’t look back.

Hai Shu looked at Tang Jinxun. “After she left, did she completely cut off contact with all of you? Even with you?”

Tang Jinxun lowered his head, his tone hesitant. “She never contacted us again.”

Hai Shu stared at Tang Jinxun. “Little Tang, do you know something?”

Mr. Tang immediately turned around. “You’ve been in contact with your sister?”

“No!” Tang Jinxun denied immediately. “I just… I just watched her videos!”

Tang Jinxun shakily took out his phone, opened a popular app, and found “Huǎn Huǎn Ba Huǎn Huǎn” in his follow list. “This is her. I saw it at home and remembered it. I’ve watched every video she posted. She doesn’t know I’m following her.”

Hai Shu took the phone. “Huǎn Huǎn Ba Huǎn Huǎn” was registered four years ago, with over 300 videos. Tang Jinli appeared frequently, the same person as in the photos. Hai Shu was about to ask, “She hasn’t posted since last year, don’t you find that strange?” when she suddenly saw the latest video was posted on January 6 of this year.

By then, Tang Jinli had already been dead! After her death, someone continued updating her account with videos!

Hai Shu checked the videos from last autumn and winter. Tang Jinli’s videos only went up to December 20, and many shared the same background and outfit.

Tang Jinli had leftover content on her phone. Once the suspect used all the stock, they could only post videos without her in them. After January 6, nothing was posted.

Hai Shu also checked Tang Jinxun’s browsing history and follow list. His account had no avatar, the name was just random characters, and he only followed “Huǎn Huǎn Ah Huǎn Huǎn,” liking and commenting on almost every video. His comments were simple, like “Good morning” or “Here to see you again.”

The account “Huǎn Huǎn Ah Huǎn Huǎn” was verified as a cultural planner. The videos were varied: makeup, cooking, movie reviews, even short courses on scriptwriting. It had nearly 10,000 followers; the most commented video had 103 comments. Tang Jinxun’s comments were inconspicuous. Fans who regularly checked in like him were extremely rare.

Tang Shu immediately opened Tang Jinxun’s private messages. Tang Jinxun nervously said, “I haven’t sent her private messages. I was afraid she’d suspect it was me. I just wanted to see what she was doing. If she was doing well, I’d be relieved. I made this account purely for her and didn’t dare set an avatar.”

No… it wasn’t about whether he sent messages, Hai Shu thought. After Tang Jinli was murdered, someone had been posting videos long-term from her account. If that person were careful, they might check every comment and find this small check-in account. They’d think, who is this person? Why are they so interested in Tang Jinli? Do they know each other in real life? Posting these videos, would it reveal any flaws? Moreover, the suspect was likely very familiar with Tang Jinli. Did she ever mention her family situation to him? If yes, he would know about Tang Jinxun and might even guess who is behind the small account.

Tang Jinxun stammered in explanation. Hai Shu told him to calm down. “After December last year, did anyone contact you? Say strange things to you? Not just private messages?”

Tang Jinxun paused. “No… but now that you mention it, I remember one thing.”

“What?”

“I knew my sister was in Huiyong City because the scenery in her videos was easy to guess. After Spring Festival, I planned to visit Huiyong to see a classmate. Her videos hadn’t been updated for a long time, so I thought of checking the park she often filmed in. But when I got there, I didn’t dare ask around, afraid she’d find out. Later, during those days in Huiyong, I often felt like someone was watching me. I asked my classmate, and they said I was being paranoid.”

Hai Shu asked Tang Jinxun to mark the places he visited in Huiyong City on a map. The park Tang Jinli often went to was in Yan’ai District, and another street was in Qianxin District.

Tang Jinxun was an outsider, unfamiliar with Huiyong’s district layout. Hai Shu, however, knew well. Yan’ai District was in the south, adjacent to Guibai District, one of the central urban areas. Qianxin District was in the north.

Hai Shu sent the account “Huǎn Huǎn Ah Huǎn Huǎn” to Sui Xing. “These videos were posted after Tang Jinli’s death. Can you find out the posting location?”

“I’ll try,” Sui Xing took it. “I found something in the New City of Guibai District.”

Hai Shu opened the video. She preferred discussing clues face-to-face with Sui Xing; it felt more reassuring than just hearing his voice.

“The New City isn’t as reliant on Guibai Village tourism as we thought. Maybe it used to be, but in recent years, due to favorable land prices and convenient transport, many small e-commerce and marketing companies have registered there. One building is quite distinctive; I saw many influencers taking photos there.”

“Liu Shazi is also active in the New City.”

Hai Shu was slightly surprised. “What is he doing in the New City?”

Sui Xing chuckled. “Selling cotton candy, making sugar figurines.”

Hai Shu widened her eyes slightly. These require tools, but in the previous search, police hadn’t found any relevant tools at the Liu household.

Sui Xing continued, “I didn’t expect it either. But Liu Shazi has small cash income in his personal account; turns out it’s from selling candy. He’s quite well-known on influencer streets. His products aren’t tasty, but visually pleasing. Later I found his vehicle. Vendors kept their carts in building corridors; they wouldn’t get stolen.”

Hai Shu thought, “Self-reliance isn’t shameful, but he won’t say.”

Sui Xing added, “Not only Liu Shazi, many people from Guibai Village buy shops in the New City after making money. Many of these small companies rent the villagers’ shop fronts. One person even bought the shop and opened his own store.”

“Who?”

“Liu Buquan, the village chief,” Sui Xing said. “Not a big company—just a digital product dealer. Cameras, computers, phones. The place is large, occupying a full floor, but quite empty inside.”

Xie Jingyu had somehow wandered over. “The villagers sure know how to make things happen.”

Sui Xing saw Xie Jingyu and recalled the villagers causing trouble. “You’re the one who helped our Hai team fight them?”

Xie Jingyu smiled and greeted, “Hello.”

Hai Shu, always worried Xie Jingyu might say something strange, figured all the necessary clues had been exchanged, and said goodbye to Sui Xing.

Xie Jingyu said, “Is my driving that unimpressive?”

Hai Shu: “Aren’t you a special forces soldier?”

Xie Jingyu shook his head. “Your skill at changing the subject is top-notch.”

Hai Shu remembered that this person had only driven so far and seemed to have done nothing else, so she asked, “Hey, Special Forces bro, got any thoughts?”

The Special Forces bro tilted his head. “Don’t expect too much from a soldier with strong limbs and a simple brain.”

Hai Shu: “……”

The investigation in Tiepin County was basically complete. Tang Jinli’s family, while having a possible motive, could be excluded based on time and location.

Hai Shu rushed back to Huiyong City. By then, almost all the locations appearing in the “Huǎn Huǎn Ah Huǎn Huǎn” videos had been located. She had visited Guibai Village last spring; three videos were related to it. The camera angles were well chosen, showing almost no other visitors.

The Tang Jinli in the videos and the one described by her family seemed like two completely different people. Her family said she was full of resentment, emotionally unstable, either silent or explosive. In the videos, with light makeup, she looked like a gentle girl-next-door; with heavier makeup, she was mature and glamorous. She always smiled at the camera, rarely mentioning her family, never complaining about her parents or brother, instead saying she had a bright and handsome younger brother, but was temporarily away working and couldn’t live with her family.

Most videos were filmed in Yan’ai District and Qianxin District. Even between these two districts, there were noticeable differences. In Qianxin District, Tang Jinli often filmed street scenes, walking and sharing her thoughts on life. When buying peaches, the shop owner’s wife smiled and said, “Oh, you’re here again?”

In Yan’ai District, she dressed more elegantly, appearing in new parks, graffiti streets, and office buildings. Content focused on check-ins and store visits.

The police thus knew she lived in Qianxin District. Streets appearing in the videos further narrowed the search. A fruit vendor and a braised food stall owner pointed to the old residential area on Naihe Alley. “This girl seems to live there. We’ve seen her many times. But recently, she hasn’t been around—maybe she moved.”

Hai Shu walked toward the old residential area. These were old buildings without elevators. Many units were empty. Blackened walls were plastered with rental ads. Few people came to look. Hai Shu was watching when a short woman in her fifties approached. “Girl, looking for a place? These ads are useless. You need me!”

Hai Shu immediately asked, “Why are they useless?”

The short woman said, “Sigh, the landlords aren’t here. What good is posting this? Auntie lives here. I’ve registered all the houses. What kind of place do you want? I’ll find it for you!”

Hai Shu understood. In this area, the houses were so old that chain agencies didn’t bother. The advantage went to independent brokers like this woman.

The short woman looked Hai Shu over. “Girl, you’re young, here to work, right? Many single women like you live here. Come, I’ll show you a place. Clean ones I rent to women, dirty ones to men…”

Hai Shu followed her to the 4th floor of one unit. The woman took out a row of keys, picked one, and opened the door. “Go in, two bedrooms and a living room, 800 yuan. You can’t even rent a single room for this price elsewhere.”

Hai Shu looked around. The furniture was old; the TV was a big boxy one, the air conditioner had turned brownish. The woman said it was clean, but it didn’t seem very clean.

Hai Shu went to the door and casually closed it. The woman froze, instantly alert. She had seen many cases where showing a place went wrong, but this was a woman—shouldn’t be dangerous.

Hai Shu showed her badge. “Auntie, I’m actually investigating someone.”

The woman paled but quickly patted her chest. “You scared me! Police? Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Hai Shu opened Tang Jinli’s videos. “She lived around here. Have you seen her?”

The short woman glanced briefly. “Her? Didn’t she move?”

“Which unit did she live in before?”

“Wait a moment. I didn’t rent her place. I’ll make a call.”

Half an hour later, the woman nodded. Another woman in her fifties arrived, taller, also an independent broker.

The tall woman said, “Little Tang’s place, I rented it at the time. Right in the building across!”

Hai Shu said, “Then please take me to see it.”

The tall woman hesitated. “Ah, no, someone’s living there now!”

Hai Shu went to the window, looked in the direction the tall woman indicated. On the balcony of 5-2 hung two rows of clothes, for men, women, and children.

“When did Little Tang move out?” Hai Shu asked. “When was the place rented again?”

The tall woman grew nervous. “Police girl, may I ask what happened?”

Hai Shu said, “Tang Jinli was murdered.”

The tall woman’s legs went weak; she nearly fell. The short woman quickly steadied her. “Dead… dead?”

Hai Shu nodded. “We are verifying the time Tang Jinli left this place.”

The tall woman sat down, took a breath, and started from the beginning.

About two and a half years ago, she was chatting at her fruit stall when she met Tang Jinli, who was looking for a place to live. Tang Jinli looked at several of the apartments she had, and eventually moved into 5-2 across the way. The unit’s owner was an old man, taken away by his children to live elsewhere, and hadn’t returned in years. Tang Jinli’s lease was for one year, paying rent every three months, sent to the old man’s account. According to the old man, Tang Jinli had never missed a payment, but on December 25 last year, the old man called the tall woman, saying Tang Jinli’s rent was due on the 20th, but the money hadn’t arrived and he couldn’t reach her by phone.

The tall woman went to 5-2 and knocked for a long time, but no one answered. She called Tang Jinli’s phone; it rang, but no one picked up.

“Hey! Dressed so nicely, and still just disappears without a word!” As an independent broker, the tall woman had seen this many times—tenants just leave—but luckily the deposit is usually one month, so the landlord doesn’t lose out.

She and the old man agreed to have someone pry open the lock to find a new tenant. When the door opened, the apartment was just as she imagined: all personal belongings were gone, and there was a strong smell of disinfectant.

Her impression of Tang Jinli improved. Many runaway tenants leave the place messy, damage appliances, and only leave because they know they won’t get their deposit back. Tang Jinli had cleaned everything thoroughly and even used disinfectant, saving her a lot of work.

Before the Spring Festival, 5-2 was rented to a young couple selling fried pancakes at the bus station.

Hai Shu applied to Qiao Heng for an investigation order and opened the door to 5-2. The couple, learning their apartment had a previous incident, were surprised. The tall woman quickly said, “Nothing happened here to anyone, why worry? Where else can you rent such a cheap, large place?”

Hai Shu and her team inspected the apartment. It was the largest layout in the old residential area: three bedrooms and a living room, with decor that showed no signs of age. The master bedroom was especially bright, perfectly fitting the currently popular boutique style.

Hai Shu compared with videos. Most of Tang Jinli’s indoor videos had been filmed here.

“Was the apartment like this before?” Hai Shu asked.

The tall woman said, “No way. Little Tang arranged it herself. After she fixed it up like this, when I showed the place to others, everyone said it was great.”

After the team finished inspecting, they shook their heads. Hai Shu knew it was unlikely they would find anything important. After Tang Jinli was murdered, someone had taken all her belongings and disinfected the apartment. Now, with new tenants having lived here for over two months, all traces of Tang Jinli had been erased or covered, as if she had never lived here.