Chapter 956: Rain and Dew Are Equally Shared

Who’s this?

Huang Gan glanced at Wei Wei in surprise, then turned to Li Xuewu and asked: “Really not your girlfriend?”

Do you have something to do?

Li Xuewu shot him a withering look and gestured toward the door: “If you’ve got nothing to do, go back. I’m busy here.”

Ooo~ ooo~ ooo~

Huang Gan sneered: “Anyone who knows this is the Discipline Inspection Building would think it’s your own house if they didn’t!”

Li Xuewu knew this bastard was best ignored—total dead weight, a clingy nuisance.

He said no more and turned toward the duty room, worried they might miss dinner; the canteen had already prepared many aluminum lunch boxes.

While they were talking, several officers who had just finished an interrogation came out to drink tea and eat.

Nobody’s sleeping tonight—we’re running nonstop. This pace will likely last three or four days.

No wonder Discipline Inspection officers are under so much pressure and their health is crumbling.

Dealing with corrupt officers is nothing like handling low-IQ criminals.

They have no right to use torture or coercion—otherwise the fallout would be endless.

It’s a battle of will, not brute force.

Li Xuewu could never work in Discipline Inspection his whole life; even during his stint at the steel mill, he only served as a deterrent.

If he had to sit and grind it out with these people, testing their resolve and his own, he feared he’d pull out his beloved little hammer and start hitting.

The hall was intermittently crowded and noisy. Just as Li Xuewu took an aluminum lunch box and scooped soup into his enamel mug, planning to find a quiet spot to eat, he noticed Huang Gan—same as him: one hand holding a lunch box, the other an enamel mug.

Isn’t this guy shameless?

Hey! The kid showed zero fear or embarrassment—he kept scanning around, urging Li Xuewu to hurry up and find a spot, saying he was starving.

Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?!

Li Xuewu sized him up, thinking he had zero shame, and sneered: “Did you even work? Why are you eating?”

I’m hungry~

Huang Gan replied matter-of-factly: “Hurry up—I’m still growing!”

How did I ever get stuck with someone like you?!

Li Xuewu glanced at the duty room door—couldn’t blame the cooks for being blind; today three departments were jointly handling cases, who knew who was staff?

But think about it—who’d dare eat free food from Discipline Inspection? No one would imagine some no-account had slipped into the line, bold enough to pull this off.

The hall was out of the question—they were too late for meals. They’d have to look for offices or interrogation rooms.

Since he’d just come out of interrogating Du Xiaoyan’s room, he knew no one was there, so he led Huang Gan toward it.

Huang Gan trailed behind him, neck craned, scanning everywhere, utterly unafraid of being caught eating free food.

That doesn’t make sense~

He muttered to himself: “We arrested so many people—why don’t I recognize a single one?”

What? You wanna personally deliver a few more?

Li Xuewu shoved the door open with his body, gesturing for him to hurry in, and snapped: “Be a decent person. Make some good friends, or at least learn from me.”

Learn from you?

Huang Gan sneered as he stepped into the interrogation room, glanced around, and decided the interrogation chair was the most comfortable place to eat.

“Learn from you? You’re already my life’s cautionary tale.”

After saying that, he set his lunch box and mug on the small table, then plopped down into the interrogation chair.

Li Xuewu stared at him, speechless, then nodded: “Fine. Get used to the environment now—so when you end up here someday, it won’t feel strange.”

Ooo~

Huang Gan rolled his eyes and shot back: “So you came here to help just to get used to the environment? Impressive, really!”

The room was empty—just the two of them—and neither could shut up while eating.

Sitting face to face, Li Xuewu said one thing, Huang Gan replied immediately—like a stand-up comedy routine, neither would let the other get the last word.

This food’s pretty average~

Huang Gan poked at the braised potatoes in his lunch box with his chopsticks and sneered: “Can’t even match the mess hall at our First Detention Center.”

Of course not—that’s exactly why I’m letting you get used to the environment!

Li Xuewu ate while speaking: “With your corrupt habits, sooner or later you’ll end up like this—me interrogating you.”

Hmm, that’d be good.

Huang Gan dug into the rice, scraping off the few pieces of braised pork hidden under a mountain of potatoes, shoveling it down and muttering: “When that day comes, I’ll be the first to rat you out.”

Fuck! I’m upright and incorruptible—I’m not afraid of you?!

Li Xuewu took a sip of soup—it was painfully salty. Was the Discipline Inspection cook related to a salt merchant?

You? Upright and incorruptible?!

Huang Gan sneered: “I don’t even want to talk about you—just look at your face. You don’t even look like a good person.”

Oh, by the way!

He widened his eyes, serious now: “I’m not meddling or prying, but be careful at the club—don’t touch those girls.”

Get lost, I’ve got nothing to say~

Li Xuewu glared at him: “When did I ever touch any girls? Aren’t they all the ones you brought in?”

I brought them in for me, not for you!

Huang Gan smirked: “I don’t know about others, but Ou Xin’s eyes are practically glued to you—and that Zhou Xiaobai? She’s got it bad for you.”

None of my business!

Li Xuewu lowered his head and ate a bite of rice: “Just because she’s pretty, you think she can’t like me? What’s wrong with that?”

You’re even more shameless than me!

Huang Gan bared his teeth, lifted his mug, and took a gulp, then raised an eyebrow at Li Xuewu: “Hey, what about the farm? Any potential there?”

What farm?

Li Xuewu looked up at him: “You mean the one in Northeast China or the Northwest?”

Pfft, too far—I’m not going there.

Huang Gan set down his enamel mug, kept digging into his rice, and explained: “You know Cha Dian Farm? They want to promote and learn from our unit’s advanced experience.”

Not exactly close.

Li Xuewu thought for a moment—he knew exactly which one he meant.

The Beijing Labor Education Administration had many labor reform farms: Shuanghe in Longjiang, Xining, and others along the frontier.

Cha Dian was the closest to Beijing, the first established, the longest-running, and the one holding the most prisoners.

So your dad wants you transferred there?

Li Xuewu thought, then nodded: “The situation’s not great right now—you could go. But as farm director or political commissar?”

Pfft, I can’t even get deputy.

Huang Gan grumbled: “That’s why I won’t go—I’d rather be the head of a chicken coop than the tail of a phoenix.”

But their deputy director already approached me—some damn fool must’ve blabbed, and now they’re gifting me a crate of sorghum liquor.”

He glanced at Li Xuewu: “Says it’s homegrown grain, brewed themselves—tastes good, doesn’t give you a hangover.”

Hmm, I think you’re already drunk.

Li Xuewu finished his rice in a few bites, drained his mug, and said: “Eating their food makes you soft, doesn’t it?”

Not really~

Huang Gan looked embarrassed, then asked Li Xuewu: “Do you still have any good projects for your joint trade? Can you get me one?”

Get a fucking one~

Li Xuewu eyed him: “It’s not just about the crate of liquor, is it? You’re too invested—did they slip you something?”

You say that like I’m that kind of guy~

Huang Gan chuckled, then explained: “My dad’s old war buddy—he’s a real straight-shooter—told me about Cha Dian. I’m just doing this out of kindness.”

I believe you, sure I do~

Li Xuewu packed up his lunch box and said: “Why not move the clothing factory or handicraft workshop there? They’d have more room to operate.”

No~ no~ no~

Huang Gan waved his chopsticks: “I’m not joking—the conditions there are terrible. There’s a railway, but it’s completely deserted, and the stations are tiny.”

Clothing and handicrafts need to be made in the city—they’re visible, attractive.

He explained: “Cha Dian’s mainly for crops—corn and sorghum suit it best. It used to be saline-alkali land.”

Don’t compare them to our First Detention Center—they’re huge, with no prospects, and they built all their own infrastructure.”

“Their deputy director’s goal is clear: agro-products—brewing liquor, food processing, oil pressing—they can do all of it.”

You’re sure?

Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow: “If they really do this, won’t they have no trouble selling? Everyone needs these things.”

They won’t have trouble selling, but the products won’t look good.

Huang Gan explained: “No technology, no foundation—their output can only go through state distribution, no standout results.”

You’re asking about our factory’s food processing plant, right?

Li Xuewu shook his head slightly: “Don’t even think about it—the plant’s already under construction. Imported materials won’t be produced there.”

I meant machinery—something like that would suit them well.

Huang Gan said seriously: “A paper mill doesn’t belong in the city—I’ve already coordinated with them to move it there. I was just about to tell you.”

"Making paper is fine."

Li Xuewu nodded, lit a cigarette, and said: "Same with printing—these things can all be moved over. Even part of the furniture project for the West City Three Supervision Offices can be transferred too."

"Mm, that’s exactly what I thought."

Huang Gan nodded and said: "Think about a scale of twenty to thirty thousand people."

"Mm, fine."

Li Xuewu took a drag from his cigarette and said: "Go talk to them later—ask if they’re interested in livestock farming. Our factory can supply resources."

"Also fine."

Huang Gan didn’t even finish his meal, nodding as he said: "It’s just that labor is surplus and must be used up. Their farm is a triangular plot—huge in area."

"Then do livestock."

Li Xuewu flicked ash and said: "Pigs, cattle, sheep, horses, donkeys—we can arrange to supply the breeding stock and handle procurement and processing. They just need to raise them."

"Keep an eye on the furniture side—Jicheng Forestry can supply timber resources, which also complements papermaking."

"But you’d better get it right."

Li Xuewu pointed at him and warned: "The world is harsh, people are untrustworthy. Good people are rare these days—if you mess up, don’t come crying to me."

"I’ll handle it properly."

Huang Gan nodded seriously: "I won’t just do whatever my father says. If he doesn’t show sincerity, giving him a paper mill is already a huge favor."

"Oh! How come there’s still one left?!"

Yu Daru walked in from outside, glanced at Huang Gan eating while seated on the interrogation chair, and joked: "Still got time to eat?"

Even the locks weren’t on, and he’s eating from a lunchbox—clearly one of us."

Suspects have no appetite right now; each looks like they’ve lost a relative. The more people enter, the heavier their hearts become."

Sometimes, more people aren’t better—more people sharing blame means the case grows bigger."

Li Xuewu picked up a cigarette from the desk, tossed it over, then tossed the lighter, pointing at Huang Gan eating: "Warden of Supervision Office One, Comrade Huang Gan."

"Yu Daru, First Section, Third Branch, Security Department, Jingcheng."

After introducing them, since they were all from the same circle, no formal pleasantries were exchanged.

Yu Daru waited until Li Xuewu finished his introduction, shook hands with Huang Gan, then lit his cigarette.

"You’ve planned ahead way too aggressively!"

He took a deep drag and smiled: "We’ve just started assigning personnel—you’re already preparing to hand over?"

"Serving the people."

Huang Gan didn’t need to ask—he could tell from Yu Daru’s familiarity with Li Xuewu what kind of person he was.

He didn’t learn anything good from Li Xuewu—not an insult, really; they shared the same vibe, spoke the same way, and were best at bullshit.

"Society is advancing, the people are progressing—we must keep up with the times."

He finished his last bite, drank some soup, stood up, and while packing up said: "If you’ve got smart ones, go easy on them—I still need a few people who can solder radios."

"Heh~ So you’re here to pick people, huh!"

Yu Daru chuckled and teased: "Wasn’t the Liren-brand radio developed by your supervision office? One of our colleagues bought one—the quality’s terrible."

"That’s not my fault."

Huang Gan showed no sign of accepting criticism. He walked up to Li Xuewu, lit his own cigarette, and picked up his lunchbox: "If you’ve got quality complaints, go find him—he’s the brother of our chief technical engineer."

"Are you even human?!"

Li Xuewu glanced at Huang Gan and said: "I’ll tell my brother to find another job—that place isn’t fit to stay in!"

He then pointed at Huang Gan and told Yu Daru: "We only handle sales and service. For after-sales issues, just go straight to Supervision Office One."

"Mm, neither of you are good people!"

Yu Daru flicked ash and smiled: "Look at your setup—who the hell would dare show up at Supervision Office One for after-sales service?!"

"Then it’s not our fault~"

Huang Gan grinned, carrying his lunchbox and enamel cup, nodded at both men, and said: "Alright, you two get back to work. Don’t let me interrupt your investigation. Eat well, drink up, and head home to sleep!"

"Hey! He’s really hated!"

Yu Daru pointed at Huang Gan leaving and asked Li Xuewu: "How did you end up with people like him?"

"Aren’t you the same kind?!"

Li Xuewu glanced at him, exhaled smoke, and asked: "You’re supposed to handle field operations—why are you back?"

"Almost done. Most are here now."

Yu Daru took a deep drag, slowly exhaled, and said: "You think I went alone to make arrests? When it came time to pick the fruit, everyone rushed over."

"You’re overthinking."

Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes at him and said: "Supervision Office One doesn’t have the capacity to help you make arrests."

"I didn’t mean him."

Yu Daru blew ash off his pants, gestured toward the door, and said: "The key figure is coming right behind—any moment now."

"The guy who handled the bodies and mailed the letters!"

The room’s lights were harsh—he sat on the desk directly under the bulb, his face half-hidden in shadow, flickering between light and dark.

"My main focus right now is Lai Shanchuan—this old bastard is extremely dangerous. Director Zheng won’t allow any rash moves."

Yu Daru was clearly anxious, which was why he’d returned from the scene—he needed to coordinate with Zheng Fuhua.

"There are too many people now. Director Zheng fears civilian casualties and worries the suspect might panic."

"Oh, by the way."

He tapped Li Xuewu’s desk again: "His son is the main suspect—we’re still looking for him."

Li Xuewu said nothing, just listened, eyes half-closed, thinking.

Yu Daru fell silent too, sitting on the desk, lost in thought.

The most agonizing time is when you know the outcome but can’t yet lift the final veil.

December 26, Friday, 7:00 p.m.

Li Xuewu hadn’t rested all day—only briefly dozed off when Yu Daru arrived, leaning on the desk.

He didn’t even notice when Yu Daru left; it was the Discipline and Supervision investigators who came to prepare for interrogation that woke him.

"When you’re hungry, you can hold out—but after eating, you get sleepy and foggy."

Li Xuewu stood up, stretched, and asked the entering Xiang Yunnian: "You done?"

"Dream on—it’s just starting."

Xiang Yunnian stood with hands on hips, staring toward the door: "Chai Yongshu has arrived."

"Stop staring—move inside."

A thin, bony man was shoved in through the door, his hands still cuffed.

Li Xuewu recognized him—he’d seen him only rarely, but the image stuck: a once-in-three-thousand-years face.

After entering, Chai Yongshu was disoriented by the bright overhead bulbs and the surrounding darkness.

Once he adjusted, he saw Li Xuewu behind the interrogation table and exclaimed in surprise: "Deputy Director Li?"

"Mm, it really is you."

Li Xuewu nodded, sized him up, and asked: "Where’ve you been hiding?"

"Nowhere. Just eating hot pot."

Chai Yongshu was straightforward—he knew what he’d done, but showed no fear.

The Criminal Investigation officer removed one cuff, pushed him into the interrogation chair, then re-cuffed him.

"Since we’re familiar, no need to drag this out."

Li Xuewu picked up the cigarette pack, lit one, sat down in the chair, and said: "Confess early, I leave early."

"Heh~"

Chai Yongshu leaned sideways, sizing up Li Xuewu and the standing Xiang Yunnian: "If we’re really familiar, can you just let me go?"

"Behave."

The Criminal Investigation officer had none of Discipline and Supervision’s restraint. Though not as brutal as Security, seeing Chai’s resistance, he swung a punch from behind.

Chai’s bony frame couldn’t withstand it—he gasped sharply and curled up in the chair.

"Stop acting! You’re here, not at your own hearth—don’t lie and bluster!"

The officer was ruthless but knew his limits—he was eager for the case, but wouldn’t kill the suspect.

Li Xuewu watched Chai’s performance calmly, patiently waiting for him to speak.

Seeing this, Chai knew he wouldn’t get a soft landing with Li Xuewu—the man was infamous in Dongcheng for being ruthless and cruel. He dared not test the law, so he dropped the act.

He’d never eaten the detention meals of the Rolling Mill’s Security Department, but he knew Li Xuewu’s reputation.

Ordinary folks outside didn’t pay attention—even if they read newspapers and knew there was a brutal man in Dongcheng, they’d forget within days.

Only those in the underworld or within the system remembered him—but even then, not every day.

But anyone from the Rolling Mill—even family members of its workers—knew Li Xuewu.

Whether the Rolling Mill was chaotic or not? Li Xuewu decided.

Since the day Li Xuewu started working there, they’d all kept count of how many people he sent to the western suburbs to be shot.

They dared not forget—because this demon occasionally updated their mental records.

Lately, the factory’s been busy—he’s been handling economic and trade duties too. Everyone joked: Is the Tiger of Security eating grass now?

Look at that—how little it takes to summon him.

Of course, Chai Yongshu knew his bottom line—even if the Lai family father and son were in trouble, he wouldn’t be sentenced to death.

Don’t let his bald head fool you—he knows the law, understands what’s mastermind, what’s accomplice, what’s leniency for confession.

He didn’t even need the shove from the criminal officer; from the moment the cops walked in while he was singing over hotpot and called his name, he’d already decided to give himself up.

Even thugs have survival smarts—he won’t take the fall for the Lai family.

“Deputy Li, no need for force. If you’re after the top credit, I’m here to deliver it to you.”

Chai Yongshu put on a righteous, noble expression and said, “Though you share the Li surname, you’re no ordinary director—you’re a good man!”

He gave Li Xuewu a thumbs-up and said, “You’re nothing like Li Huaide—he’s a monster in human form. Not only did he steal my wife, but he also keeps…”

Thump~ Thump~

Li Xuewu tapped his pencil on the table, turned his head slightly, squinted, and warned, “Off-topic. Stick to what you know. Don’t make things up.”

Understanding Li Xuewu’s look, Chai Yongshu nodded resignedly and said, “You’re a good man. I appreciate you. I’ll speak.”

“Lai Yide? He’s the son of Director Lai.”

Chai Yongshu shifted his body, found a comfortable position, and asked Li Xuewu, “Has Du Xiaoyan already told you all this?”

“Tell your own story.”

Li Xuewu ignored his question, smoked, squinted, and signaled him to continue.

“Alright, I’ll tell mine.”

Chai Yongshu nodded and said, “I met Lai Yide in June through a friend. We all called him ‘Young Lai.’”

“Young Lai isn’t old, but he spends freely. He looks down on us, yet he’s generous with his money.”

“I was just a lackey, handling small, dirty jobs—earning my sweat money.”

“Be specific. What kind of ‘small, dirty jobs’?”

Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and said, “I heard Lai Yide had his own business?”

"Ha~pfft~ No-capital business~"

Chai Yongshu sneered dismissively: “He just took confiscated goods from his old man, passed them through us to the black market—anything you can imagine.”

“Some were valuable, some worthless—he was just a fool with his father’s keys, dragging us around to haul stuff from the warehouse.”

“Whenever they ran out of cash, it was always the same routine. We’d tag along for a little grease, but it was pure grunt work.”

He scratched his head and said, “Real money came in August—it was the peak season. Young Lai had guts—he was the first to start the hustle, so he got the best stuff.”

“Other kids just followed blindly, but Young Lai had brains—he knew what was valuable and what wasn’t.”

“Of course, that’s relative—don’t overestimate him. He doesn’t come close to you.”

Chai Yongshu flattered Li Xuewu in roundabout ways. Seeing no reaction, he continued: “At first, he didn’t have many people—just folks from the same courtyard.”

“Later, things changed. He had money, ate and drank like a pig, and gained more drinking buddies.”

“Mainly, it was the big study campaign that got going—Young Lai’s ambitions grew, and so did his operations.”

“They collected antiques and some gold jewelry, jade, gems, and emeralds—some of it passed through my hands.”

Chai Yongshu nodded in admission: “Only then did we finally see real money. Before that, we were just mooching meals.”

“Do you know what Lai Yide was doing before the 29th, needing a huge sum of cash?”

Li Xuewu frowned and warned: “He wasn’t doing it for personal luxury. Think carefully.”

“No need to think—I don’t know.”

Chai Yongshu spoke with startling honesty: “I’m just a lowly lackey. I do the work, but who’d ever ask someone like me for ideas?”

He gestured beside his ear: “Those kids are sharp—they’ve got their own plans. If we dared speak out, the chains would’ve been swinging by now.”

Seeing Li Xuewu frown, Chai Yongshu realized he had to show his value—he knew one of Li Xuewu’s contacts, and he needed that connection to speak.

“I overheard a bit once, but not the whole thing—they kept away from us.”

Chai Yongshu confessed: “They talked about some grand ideal, something like achieving… I really didn’t understand.”

Seeing his long face, Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Keep going. Talk about the murder."

It wasn’t that Li Xuewu didn’t care about their “grand ideal”—he now had a rough idea, but his spine chilled.

The city was a powder keg—any small spark could ignite something it shouldn’t touch.

Xiang Yun, standing beside the desk, was genuinely startled. He glanced at Li Xuewu, thinking inwardly: These kids are that ruthless?

He didn’t dare waste more time here, nor wait to hear how the bodies were disposed of. He nodded to Li Xuewu and hurried out.

Li Xuewu handled interrogations, Yu Daru handled fieldwork, Zheng Fuhua coordinated, and Xiang Yun handled discipline and oversight.

Now a new situation had emerged—he had to report to the higher-ups promptly, understand the full picture, and not cross the red line.

Seeing Xiang Yun leave, with only Li Xuewu and the clerks left, Chai Yongshu relaxed a little.

With pressure eased, he spoke more fluently, chattering away to Li Xuewu.

“I didn’t kill anyone. Really.”

He gestured at his own body: “Look at my bony frame—you can tell I can’t even kill a chicken, let alone a person.”

Thump~ Thump~

Li Xuewu tapped the table and warned: “Talk about the case. No nonsense. Tell me clearly what happened on the 29th.”

“Yes, yes, alright.”

Chai Yongshu nodded and said, “On the 29th… around this time.”

He glanced around, trying to check the time, but found only the light above his head was bright and blinding.

“Seven? Eight? Nine?”

Li Xuewu reminded him: “Be precise. This is critical.”

“Eight… it must’ve been past nine.”

Chai Yongshu thought and said, “I left the restaurant after six, took a bath, and was just about to play cards when he called me.”

“Yeah, past nine.”

He confirmed: “We usually gathered in Dongcheng. Riding to his place took at least half an hour.”

“Where?”

Li Xuewu asked: “By the Goldfish Pond? Or his hideout?”

“No—it was a private house, behind the Goldfish Pond.”

Chai Yongshu shook his head: “Seems Zhao Ziliang secretly bought it. Not a place for good deeds—too remote.”

He gave Li Xuewu the address. He’d only been there once, so his description was vague—but it was enough—once you arrived, you’d know.

The criminal officer stepped out to dispatch people for immediate investigation; the interrogation continued.

“It was cold by then. I cycled from Dongcheng to Nancheng, sweating like hell—then walked in and froze instantly.”

Chai Yongshu said: “Inside, I saw two bodies on the floor. Lai Yide was sitting on the kang, smoking.”

“Zhang Shuqin, Zhao Ziliang—right?”

Li Xuewu looked at Chai Yongshu: “Can you recall the scene?”

“I remember. I’ll never forget it.”

Chai Yongshu grimaced: “The woman was horrific—her skull was cracked open. I only learned her name was Zhang Shuqin later.”

“I knew Zhao Ziliang—he’d been around before. Got along well with Young Lai, always sucking up.”

Recalling the scene, he shuddered and shrugged: “That was the day I realized how terrifying these kids could be when they went wild.”

“When I walked in, I saw blood on the floor—cold air rushed up from the neck like someone was breathing down my back.”

“Young Lai was calm—maybe the fear had passed. He told me not to be scared, that it was a quiet place.”

He rubbed his face: “He pointed to the woman and told me she died with her eyes open because her lover smashed her with an ashtray.”

“He pointed to Zhao Ziliang and said this guy had no heart, wasn’t human, would bring trouble sooner or later—he couldn’t be left alive…”

“How did Zhao Ziliang die?”

Li Xuewu interrupted: “Did Lai Yide mention splitting the money?”

“No, not at all.”

Chai Yongshu shook his head: “I never saw any money. He only ordered me to dispose of the woman’s body.”

“I don’t know how Zhao Ziliang died—he didn’t say. I was too terrified to ask.”

“But I saw a red mark under Zhao Ziliang’s neck.”

Chai Yongshu explained: “Knowing these kids, I’d guess he was strangled with the chain from their bike lock.”

“I couldn’t kill anyone, and Lai Yide wasn’t physically bigger than Zhao Ziliang—this is the only explanation.”

“Was he alone at the scene?”

Li Xuewu frowned: “Could there have been others helping?”

“I don’t know. I’m just a lowly lackey.”

Chai Yongshu never forgot his place, his face twisted in fear: “I didn’t dare say a word there—I was afraid I’d vomit up my dinner. My legs went weak.”

“Tell me about disposing the bodies.”

Li Xuewu asked: “How did you transport Zhang Shuqin’s body to the Goldfish Pond? And where did you take Zhao Ziliang’s?”

“I packed the woman’s body in a sack and carried it on my bike. I don’t know what happened to Zhao Ziliang.”

Chai Yongshu said seriously: “Lai Yide only ordered me to handle the woman’s body—he said if it wasn’t hidden, we’d both be done for.”

“Did you leave first? Or did he?”

Li Xuewu turned his head: “Are you certain Zhao Ziliang was dead?”

“Of course I’m certain.”

Chai Yongshu grimaced: “He was lying there with his tongue out. Even if he could tough it out, he’d still be breathing.”

“After cleaning up, it must’ve been ten or eleven. By the time I reached the Goldfish Pond, it was midnight.”

Chai Yongshu explained: “I’ve never dealt with something like this before—I just remembered what the old folks used to say: tie the body in a sack with stones and dump it in the river.”

“That day I was in a panic. After waiting for Lai Yide to haul Zhao Ziliang’s body away on his bicycle, I rushed over to the Goldfish Pond.”

“He told me to get back there quickly after handling it, and to help him clean up the scene.”

Chai Yongshu shook his head slightly. “When I got to the edge of the Goldfish Pond, the water was already frozen. That night was bitterly cold.”

“I frantically found some stones, stuffed them into the sack, smashed a hole in the ice with my bike lock, and shoved the sack in.”

Well, the scene matched Li Xuewu’s initial assessment—they were right, this wasn’t the original crime scene.

For one, Zhang Shuqin could never have gone to the Goldfish Pond; for another, that place was utterly unsuitable for murder.

This place had nothing to do with Zhao Ziliang—there was no way to connect them. It turned out Chai Yongshu had picked the spot himself.

Chai Yongshu was a thug from Jingcheng. He couldn’t make money to save his life, but if it came to pulling off some new stunt, he’d defy anyone.

The Goldfish Pond produced goldfish—he’d fished plenty to show off or give away, all little novelties of the Four-Nine City.

“So you’re not certain of Zhao Ziliang’s exact cause of death? Didn’t Lai Yide tell you how he disposed of the body after returning?”

“Return? What return?”

Chai Yongshu grimaced. “I’m not stupid—he was in a killing frenzy. He’d kill Zhao Ziliang and then kill me too to cover his tracks!”

“So after I dumped the body, I didn’t even look back—I ran straight back into the city and hid in a den. I didn’t dare show my face for days!”

“Heh, you’re clever.”

Li Xuewu smiled. “Once he calmed down, he wouldn’t kill you anymore.”

“Exactly—that’s the principle of fearing to strike the pot and shatter the vessel.”

Chai Yongshu shrugged. “If he doesn’t come after me, I won’t go after him. We’ll pretend this never happened.”

“That doesn’t sound right.”

Li Xuewu looked at Chai Yongshu. “He didn’t give you anything at all? Are you really that loyal?”

“What loyalty?”

Chai Yongshu was shrewd—he’d have forgotten to mention it if Li Xuewu hadn’t asked.

Now that Li Xuewu had called him out, he grinned awkwardly. “That night, in that house, he gave me a thousand yuan, saying there’d be more later.”

“I took that thousand yuan—I never dared go back for the rest.”

Chai Yongshu said, trembling with fear: “That thousand yuan nearly killed me!”

“Because of it, I lay on the kang for days, haunted by nightmares every night. It wasn’t until Zhao the Widow had a Buddha statue brought over late one night and prayed for me that I finally slept peacefully.”

“You? A Buddha would protect you?”

Li Xuewu crushed his cigarette in the ashtray, sneering. “I don’t know if you feel guilty about that thousand yuan, but Zhang Shuqin had a watch and rings—where are they?”

“Don’t tell me Lai Yide, who dares call himself ‘Lai the Few,’ would let go of such loot? That’s just low-class.”

“It’s… it’s me who took them.”

Chai Yongshu gave an embarrassed smile. “I thought it was a waste to throw them in the water, so I just kept them for you.”

“Mm, kept them for us. Where’d you keep them?”

Li Xuewu tapped him with his pencil. “Your nightmares? They’re probably Zhang Shuqin demanding her watch and jewelry back.”

“Don’t scare me!”

Chai Yongshu said: “I gave the watch away right away—to Liu Lan. It’s not with me anymore.”

“Damn it! Why’d you give it to her?”

Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow. “Was she involved in your case?”

“N-no-no-no, not at all!”

Chai Yongshu blushed. “The watch was still new—I thought maybe I could win her back. We still have a child together.”

“...”

Li Xuewu stared at him, speechless. “You gave her the watch and rings you ripped off Zhang Shuqin’s corpse... to beg for reconciliation?”

“You’re a genius! How the hell did you even think of that?!”

“She doesn’t know!”

Chai Yongshu stuck his neck out. “She adored it. Even asked me for the watch box—I gave her some random one, and she treated it like a treasure.”

“What about the rings?”

Li Xuewu signaled the criminal unit officer to step out and arrange to summon Liu Lan.

Before the officer reached the door, Chai Yongshu mumbled awkwardly: “The rings? I gave them to Zhao the Widow. She’s been good to me...”

“...”

The officer turned back, staring dumbfounded at the scumbag. Not just Li Xuewu—everyone in the room was speechless.

This bastard was a menace—he was still juggling two women, spreading his favors evenly.

“What about the bicycle?”

Li Xuewu didn’t know how to speak to this piece of trash anymore—he could only think Liu Lan and Zhao the Widow had drawn the short straw.

“Zhang Shuqin vanished riding her bike—where’s her bicycle and her luggage bag?”

“I didn’t see the bike. I didn’t even know what hers looked like. Probably Lai Yide rode it away?”

“Who knows? Maybe he did.”

Chai Yongshu thought for a moment, then shook his head. “I don’t know about the bag. Later, Lai Yide gave me her work ID and told me to go out of town. I figured he’d disposed of everything.”