Chapter 66

Chapter 66 Mountain Blaze (26)

The village chief of Guibai Village, Liu Buquan, and the glass factory director, Guang Yongguo, both had unseen hands behind them. When Liu Buquan successively killed the Liu, Li, and Si families, those hands helped him handle the bodies, all of which were buried on the mountain at Yue Sheng Villa—currently, this seems the most likely scenario.

Wen Xu, unusually showing concern, moved a chair next to Haishu and sat down. “How do you tell Cheng Wei? Your father left you back then—not to fight for your future as you thought, but simply to have one less mouth to feed at home?”

Haishu pinched the bridge of her nose, staring at the report. When Cheng Wei repeatedly emphasized that he could understand his father’s actions, she was nearly convinced. In that environment, Si Xiaowei was the only boy in the Si family. Si Fengluan wouldn’t allow him to suffer with him. Before sending him away, he even asked Liu Zhida for help. Only when it became impossible did he choose to send Si Xiaowei away. How is that not love?

But what she could never reconcile with was that Si Fengluan did not consider Si Xiaowei’s safety.

What happens to such a small child if taken by a villain? Cheng Wei claimed that no matter how bad it got, it could not be worse than staying with the Si family—but is that really true? Facing a pervert coveting a young boy, the outcome could be unimaginable.

Cheng Wei kept saying he understood; was he deliberately avoiding the worst possible scenario?

The Si family’s reaction after Si Xiaowei’s disappearance is worth examining. Si Fengluan remained calm. Si Xiaolan was sad for a while. The two elders showed little reaction, only the Si family’s daughter-in-law was heartbroken until her death.

Cheng Wei had no blood relation to the corpse suspected to be Si Xiaolan. So perhaps he was the child of the Si daughter-in-law, and Si Xiaolan was not—this was a family pieced together for some reason. Losing her only child, how could the Si daughter-in-law not grieve? Yet the Si family likely prevented her from searching for Si Xiaowei, indirectly causing her death.

But all of this is now unverifiable.

Wen Xu took a sip of strong tea. “How does Cheng Wei accept this? He put his whole future on the line for Si Fengluan and Si Xiaolan.” He paused, then added, “I’ve worked with many forensic experts; he is the most—”

Haishu said, “The best one.”

Wen Xu snorted. “Not exactly. The best implies talent, and talent often implies arrogance. Cheng Wei’s talent is average; he has a low presence, but wherever I need him, he always appears on time. He always buries his head, fulfilling the responsibility on his shoulders.” Wen Xu’s regret deepened, “Why couldn’t he hold back and not post that message?”

Haishu said, “Even the calmest person has inner storms. He’s trying to make up for what he lost as a child. He said he felt weak as a kid and wanted to become brave. I’ll talk to him, and inform Captain Qiao too.”

Near the city bureau was a cheap lunch box place. Haishu saw Cheng Wei had eaten there a few times and bought two portions to bring back.

Cheng Wei looked surprised. “Haishu, why are you bringing me lunch?”

“This place your favorite?” Haishu said. “I was passing by, so I grabbed some to try.”

Cheng Wei sensed she had something to say. “Is this about my punishment?”

Haishu spoke honestly. “Not yet; Captain Qiao is still swamped with the explosion case.”

Cheng Wei gave a bitter smile. “I’m causing you trouble.”

Haishu didn’t immediately mention the DNA comparison. The two ate in silence. Cheng Wei’s appetite was poor; he stopped with half left. “I’m full.”

“Wait two minutes.” Haishu finished her portion and was about to clean up, but Cheng Wei was one step ahead, putting the lunchbox in his bag.

“Haishu, you have something to tell me, right?”

Haishu looked into Cheng Wei’s eyes. After a moment, she said, “Of the bodies at Yue Sheng Villa, four were identified as parent-child with Li Yunting and Liu Xing.”

Cheng Wei’s shoulders tensed, fists clenched. “Then I…”

Haishu said, “So we judge that after Liu Buquan’s killings back then, someone helped him gather and bury the victims on the mountain. Among the bodies we found, there should be your father and sister.”

Cheng Wei frowned. “…Not there?”

Haishu was silent for a few seconds. “The DNA doesn’t match. But among those bodies, two are suspected to be Si Fengluan and Si Xiaolan.”

Cheng Wei’s eyes became blank, as if he didn’t understand what this meant. Haishu pursed her lips and said no more. She knew it wouldn’t take long for Cheng Wei to realize the cruel truth.

Cheng Wei kept swallowing, eyes on the table, head gently shaking, muttering nervously, hands fiddling together. But after a few minutes, he calmed, lifted his head, the storm in his eyes settled. He opened his mouth, voice slightly hoarse compared to before. “Haishu, I understand what you mean, but there’s another possibility, isn’t there?”

In that calm tone, even tinged with a hint of a smile, there was deeper sadness, making Haishu’s heart twitch.

Indeed, there was another possibility—the two remaining bodies were not Si Fengluan and Si Xiaolan. They were buried elsewhere, so Cheng Wei’s DNA didn’t match any bodies on the mountain.

“When I was a child, life was hard, but what was good? My parents kept a close watch over me and my sister. She was younger but always gave way to me. If we had better conditions, we would have been truly happy.” Cheng Wei spoke slowly. “The day I was sent away, I felt his reluctance and concern. He worried for me, but there was nothing he could do.”

Pausing for a moment, Cheng Wei’s eyes were red. He smiled and wiped them. “Haishu, you’re an observer. You probably think the first possibility is more likely, right?”

Haishu remained silent.

“But they are gone, only I am alive. I can’t ask: Dad, why did you send me away?” Cheng Wei sighed. “The living can make choices, so I choose to believe the second: Si Fengluan is my father, and he and Xiaolan have not yet been found.”

Haishu nodded. “If I were you, I would probably make the same choice.”

Cheng Wei smiled. “Thank you, Haishu.”

Haishu got up, ready to leave, lifting the bag with the lunchbox. Cheng Wei called her again. “Haishu.”

“Hm?”

“We’ve only worked on two cases together, and I feel regretful.” Cheng Wei’s voice trembled ever so slightly. “You’re a great captain, a great female officer. If… if I could continue working under you, it would be perfect.”

Haishu stayed silent, then turned back. “Accept the punishment you deserve, but don’t take off your uniform.”

Cheng Wei could no longer hold back the tears he had suppressed for days. The whole police office was filled with sobbing. Haishu walked over, pressed firmly on his shoulders, and patted him hard. “I, Teacher Wen, and Xingxing—we’re all waiting for you to come back.”

Closing the door, Haishu walked a few steps, then suddenly felt unable to move. She leaned against the wall and let out a deep breath.

What was Cheng Wei thinking while crying? Regret? Reluctance? Or resentment at the cruelty of fate? Perhaps all of them. She couldn’t say, “It’s okay, everything will be fine.” Adults have to pay the price for what they’ve done; no one can bear it for them. But she also knew someone like Cheng Wei would get through it. What obstacle is insurmountable? To live is to fight one obstacle after another.

A few days later, the police investigation into the explosion and the digital store was basically concluded. Cheng Wei’s punishment was decided: he was suspended for six months. If he didn’t make mistakes during that time, he could continue working at the city bureau.

Haishu breathed a sigh of relief, and soon was called by Qiao Heng for a meeting.

Attending were members of the Economic Investigation Team, mainly reporting on the investigation of Liu Buquan. Haishu’s gaze shifted, meeting Xie Jingyu’s eyes. Xie Jingyu waved enthusiastically.

Haishu: “…”

Next to Xie Jingyu were three unfamiliar faces. Not entirely new—they had brushed past them in the corridor before. It seemed after this case, the Special Duty team no longer kept secrets.

Before the meeting, Qiao Heng introduced the four members of the Special Duty Team. Only then did Haishu learn the name of the team leader Xie Jingyu often mentioned: He Beicheng.

Captain He was imposing and strong, giving a great sense of security. Next to him, Xie Jingyu seemed delicate. But the name… Haishu thought, was somehow amusing.

The Economic Investigation Team began reporting their findings, and the atmosphere in the room immediately became serious.

Liu Buquan’s initial funding source for the Flower Festival was unclear. The villagers involved only knew he secured sponsorship, but only he and his family knew from whom.

He lost his wife in middle age, and starting five years ago, gradually sent his children and grandchildren to Country G. They had completed immigration; the police couldn’t contact them, so no clues could be obtained from them.

Liu Buquan stayed alone in Guibai Village. Three years ago, he opened a digital store in the new city. The store’s distributor license was genuine and valid, but 90% of the goods were smuggled. The store’s purpose wasn’t to profit from selling digital products, but to channel unclear funds.

Some black money entered the digital store, then was diverted to other accounts. The digital store was a money-laundering link, and Liu Buquan received partial remuneration. He had overseas accounts; most of the money went abroad for his family’s use.

Now that Liu Buquan is dead, tracing his source is difficult. Currently, the Economic Investigation Team only knows he worked for a certain force but doesn’t know who. “Mr. Wang” is likely just a pseudonym.

Li Yunting was probably used by these people, becoming the tool to eliminate Liu Buquan. Judging from her actions before and after arriving in Guibai Village, she likely didn’t know the car had a bomb. She was stimulated by something and decided on the spot to crash into Liu Buquan. At the instant she hit, the bomb detonated.

“The timing was so precise… that person was on site?” Haishu had to suspect someone at the station. After separating from Li Yunting, she only interacted with the station staff. Either she saw something online, or the station told her something, causing her sudden emotional change.

Qiao Heng said, “We’ve thoroughly investigated the station—they’re fine. But not just the station; some public surveillance in Guibai Village was hacked. Someone could remotely monitor Li Yunting’s every move. Remote detonation of the bomb was possible. Unfortunately, we haven’t found this person from Li Yunting’s routine activities.”

The following investigation would be long-term. The Criminal Investigation Team would continue digging into Li Yunting, and the Economic Investigation Team would track the digital store’s funds.

At the meeting, Haishu mentioned a clue found while investigating Xie Yang—a group collecting corpses for student dissection. The threshold to join was high; the bodies in Yue Sheng Villa’s Pit B were related. But it was a tricky problem—Xie Yang’s junior, Zheng Li, couldn’t be reached; it seemed as if he never existed.

Qiao Heng asked the Criminal Investigation Team to continue checking this clue. After the meeting, he kept Haishu behind. “Your burden is heavy. Ever since you were transferred here, you haven’t had much rest.”

Haishu checked the files. “Captain Qiao, didn’t you say I was transferred here to investigate cases? Look, the undercurrents in Huiyong City are surfacing.”

Qiao Heng nodded. “As long as you can handle it. If not, tell me in time.”

Haishu nodded. “Understood.”

Qiao Heng noticed a figure swaying outside the door. “Xie, what are you doing standing there?”

Xie Jingyu stuck his head in. “Captain Qiao, Haishu, not finished yet?”

Qiao Heng, confused: “Looking for me?”

Haishu stood. “Captain Qiao, I’ll leave first.”

Xie Jingyu: “Captain Qiao, I’ll leave too.”

Haishu: “…”

Qiao Heng: “…Not looking for me?”

In the corridor, Xie Jingyu ran up to Haishu. “Why are you walking so fast? Wait for me.”

Haishu stopped. “Is the Special Duty team free again now?”

Xie Jingyu said, “How could they be free? They just arranged accommodation for us, and I haven’t even moved my things yet.”

Haishu frowned. “Accommodation? Where?”

Xie Jingyu said, “By Swan Lake. I heard it’s pretty close to the city bureau. Do you know where that is?”

Haishu: “……”

Half an hour later, Haishu parked the car in the Swan Lake garage. “Get out.”

Xie Jingyu, surprised: “So you live here too?”

Haishu forced a smile. “This is probably the city bureau’s guesthouse.”

Xie Jingyu said again: “Then that’s strange.”

“What’s strange?”

“He Beicheng doesn’t live here.”

Haishu finally laughed, breaking her composure. “Your captain’s name is so…” She paused, thinking of a subtler word, “…dramatic?”

Xie Jingyu said, “He actually wasn’t called that before. Later, his mom got obsessed with novels and changed it?”

Haishu: “Pfft—”

Xie Jingyu laughed. “Which unit do you live in?”

Haishu pointed to the building in front of her.

Xie Jingyu: “What a coincidence!”

Haishu: “……”

Even more coincidental, Xie Jingyu lived right above her.

Did the city bureau buy this building? Are new colleagues who can’t afford housing temporarily placed here?

Haishu went home and tidied up a bit. There wasn’t much to clean—she had just moved in, had few things, and besides sleeping, she hadn’t done anything else. Sometimes she didn’t even have time to sleep at home, squeezing it in between the city bureau and Guibai Village police station.

The only food at home was a bag of oranges, given by Sui Xing. She looked at them; several were already spoiled. The remaining five would soon go bad if not eaten.

She couldn’t eat all five at once, so she had an idea: she blended them with drinking water into orange juice. Just as she finished pouring it into a large water bottle, she heard a loud knock at the door.

Through the peephole was a huge, distorted eye.

Haishu pushed the door open, and a scream came from outside.

Xie Jingyu covered his forehead, whining: “Guests at the door, and you hit them?”

Haishu leaned against the shoe cabinet. “I looked through the peephole and thought you were a thief.”

Xie Jingyu put his hands together. “What about ‘military and police are one family’?”

Haishu saw he had already changed clothes, still wearing slippers. “Do you need something from me?”

Xie Jingyu peeked inside. “I just moved here. I wanted to ask if you had any food?”

Haishu laughed. “You asked the right person.”

Xie Jingyu rubbed his hands happily. “So there is some? How about showing some neighborly concern?”

Haishu held up the white-furred oranges. “No, and help me throw this in the trash while you’re at it.”

Xie Jingyu looked disappointed. “No? Then you have no food?”

Haishu was about to say, “I’ll order takeout,” when Xie Jingyu’s expression brightened again. “Then perfect, let me show some neighborly concern.”

Haishu: “…You, have food at home?”

Xie Jingyu puffed out his chest. “Isn’t this a fine quality every modern man should have?”

If it had been anyone else inviting her, Haishu definitely wouldn’t have gone. By nature, she wasn’t someone who liked getting close to others; the little warmth she had was all reserved for work. When she didn’t have work, she’d rather curl up in a corner and quietly grow mushrooms.

But at the door, smiling and inviting her, was Xie Jingyu.

Xie Jingyu was so different. Even though he refused to admit he was Xiao Yu, how could he not be? If he weren’t Xiao Yu, would he be inexplicably so kind to her?

And… she remembered the noodles Xie Jingyu had made for her in Guibai Village. They were so delicious.

Eating them again wouldn’t hurt.

“What are you holding?” Xie Jingyu saw Haishu come out of the kitchen with a plastic bottle.

Haishu shook the bottle. “Freshly squeezed orange juice. This big bottle would sell for at least eighty yuan outside. Tit for tat.”

The layouts of the upstairs and downstairs apartments were identical, but Xie Jingyu still had boxes in the living room, clearly not yet unpacked. Haishu peeked into the kitchen—wow, the dishes were already cooked.

She’d never seen someone move in and not unpack, but instead cook a full meal first.

Xie Jingyu brought out the bowls and plates one by one. “Two dishes and a soup. Make do.”

Though the dishes were few, the aroma made Haishu hungry: a plate of braised fish, a plate of stir-fried kidney, and a soup of greens and tofu, with two servings of chili oil dipping sauce.

Xie Jingyu hadn’t started eating yet and was looking for something. Haishu hesitated to start without him, then couldn’t help asking, “What are you looking for?”

“A cup,” Xie Jingyu said. “Doesn’t seem to be one.”

Haishu simply grabbed two empty bowls and poured the orange juice in. “What cup do you need?”

Xie Jingyu paused, then smiled and clinked his bowl against hers.

Haishu hadn’t thought about her childhood, but Xie Jingyu’s brief pause reminded her.

The first few times she went to Xiao Yu’s house, there were no cups for her to drink water. One belonged to Uncle Xiao Long, one to Xiao Yu. Thirsty, she asked Xiao Yu everywhere for a cup but couldn’t find one. She couldn’t wait and took Xiao Yu’s cup. Xiao Yu rushed over to snatch it, sternly warning her, “Boys’ cups are not for girls!”

“What am I supposed to do? I’m so thirsty.” She looked around, stood on tiptoe, grabbed a bowl, and said, “I’ll drink from this!”

The next day, she had completely forgotten about the cup and went to play with Xiao Yu again. Xiao Yu closed the door silently and walked toward Village Eight. She chased after him. “Xiao Yu, where are you going?”

“To the store!”

The factory area wasn’t like the city; there were convenience stores everywhere. The big store was in Village Eight, where workers could buy everything they needed.

She got excited. “What are you buying? Clothes? I have a good eye—I’ll pick them for you!”

But Xiao Yu bought a drinking cup—a pink, round one with a girl wearing a dress on it. It was the prettiest and most expensive cup in the store’s cup section. Its only flaw: fragile.

Xiao Yu counted the money, slapped it on the counter, then stuffed the cup into her arms. “Drink from this.”

“Ah!” She was so surprised she couldn’t speak. Even in the city center, this was a beautiful cup, practically a work of art. She looked at Xiao Yu and noticed a small tear in his vest.

Xiao Yu covered the hole. “What are you staring at?”

She felt embarrassed. “I thought you were buying clothes.”

Xiao Yu huffed. “Not buying clothes anymore!”

Half a month later, she learned the money in Xiao Yu’s hand that day was indeed meant for clothes. Uncle Xiao Long had told him to buy a T-shirt so he wouldn’t wear the torn vest anymore. He had already picked out a T-shirt but, in a fit of impulse, bought her the most expensive cup instead.

Later… Haishu thought seriously and felt a pang of loss. The cup’s handle broke after she used it for about ten days. It was still usable but no longer perfect. When leaving Bowdu Street, she didn’t take it, thinking she could use it again later. When the police took her back, she didn’t see the cup; everything was chaotic then, and she didn’t ask anyone—“Did you see my cup? Pink, chubby, handle broken, but still cute!”

The food gradually decreased until only empty fish bones and the flavoring of ginger, scallion, and chili remained. Haishu suddenly whispered, “Where’s my cup?”

For the first time in twenty years, she finally asked the question that had been in her heart.

Out of the corner of his eye, Xie Jingyu’s hand paused slightly. Then he said, “What cup?”

Haishu looked up. “The cup you bought for me. You used the money meant for clothes. Pink, with a princess in a dress, the handle I broke and you wrapped it with tape. Is it still there?”

Xie Jingyu’s gaze became calm, like a serene winter night sky.

“Xiao Yu, you came looking for me, so why still pretend we don’t know each other?” Haishu suddenly felt impulsive, wanting to clear everything today. “Either stop treating me differently, or honestly admit you’re the child I met on Bowdu Street.”

After a long moment, Xie Jingyu’s lips curved. “We can get to know each other again.”

“Why do we need to get to know each other again?” Haishu didn’t understand. “I didn’t lose my memory, and you didn’t lose yours either.”

“But that wasn’t a happy memory.” Xie Jingyu frowned, a hint of pain flashing in his eyes. “For anyone who lived through that summer, it was a nightmare.”

Thinking of Uncle Xiao Long, the cattle farm, the house cordoned off with police tape, Haishu suddenly felt a tightness in her chest.

But she shook her head. “No.”

Xie Jingyu lifted his eyes. “Hm?”

“It wasn’t only a nightmare.” Haishu took a deep breath, the water in her eyes gently shimmering. “That summer was actually a beautiful dream in my later life. Whenever I felt like I couldn’t go on, I would think of it: my friend would wear a torn vest himself just to buy me the prettiest cup, my friend took me running through every corner of Bowdu Street, to the river, the warm river water chasing us, and I told him I wanted to become an international superstar.”

At this, Haishu couldn’t help but smile, the corners of her eyes burning, as if lit by the sunset by the river in her childhood.

She hurriedly wiped her eyes. “Except for what happened with Uncle Xiao Long, it was all a beautiful dream.”

Xie Jingyu remained silent. A few minutes later, he said something completely unrelated: “You didn’t become an international superstar after all.”

Haishu said, “And you didn’t become the Monkey King either, right? That’s fine.”

Xie Jingyu: “Fine?”

“I later realized I wasn’t really suited to be an international superstar. I like my current job, sincerely.” Her gaze was calm. “Do you know why I became a detective?”

Xie Jingyu didn’t answer, but Haishu could tell from his eyes that he had already guessed.

“Because of Uncle Xiao Long’s death, because of your disappearance,” Haishu said. “I couldn’t let it go. I needed to find the truth, and I needed to find you. Being a police officer was the path closest to my goal. I never felt forced; this career filled the emptiness my life had become after leaving Bowdu Street.”

Xie Jingyu and Haishu looked at each other. After an unknown length of time, he softly said, “Sorry.”

Haishu asked, “Is it because the braised fish was a bit too salty?”

Finally, Xie Jingyu smiled.

The two of them cleaned up the kitchen together. Haishu said, “You still haven’t answered my question.”

Xie Jingyu was putting away bowls. “Which one?”

Haishu wiped her hands. “My cup… did you ever see it again?”