Chapter 28: A Web of Doubts

  As a newly appointed detective, after reading the case file again, my strong curiosity drove me to ask her: "Su'er, do you know how your sister died? If you can provide some clues for me, maybe I can help you avenge and find the murderer who killed your sister!"

  Qin Suer raised a stunningly pale face and asked: "Really?"

  "Uh-huh!", I nodded.

  Qin Su'er seemed to be afraid of touching the dusty past in her heart, and her whole face turned even paler.

  It turned out that Qin Suer and Qin Yuer were twin sisters, with Suer being the older sister and Yuer the younger one. Both sisters were as beautiful as flowers, with a lovely and charming appearance.

  Two people graduated from the art school's dance major at the same time. Su'er joined the Charm of the World Art Troupe, while Yu'er thought the troupe's salary was too low and became a popular dancer in a bar.

  In the world of wine and song, Qin Yuer gradually lost her innocence, indulging in pleasure and often consorting with some shady men. Qin Su'er repeatedly advised her to stop frequenting bars, but Qin Yuer refused to listen, eventually inviting disaster upon herself.

  Qin Su'er said to this point, a dreamy expression appeared on her face: "It's too scary, she fell into the Le Fan Tian bar with blood all over her body, dead and unblinking..."

  Qin Suer choked out so much, but didn't provide a single effective clue. I pulled out a cigarette from my pocket, lit it and took a drag, asking: "Suer, do you know who your sister interacted with the most when she was alive?"

  Qin Suer shook her head and replied, "I don't know. Many men have been in contact with her, but none of them were sincere to her. They all coveted her beauty. She was also unpredictable and didn't mention anything to me."

  I slowly exhaled a ring of smoke: "So this case is difficult to crack?"

  I thought for a moment and asked again: "Did your sister leave any belongings behind before she passed away?"

  Qin Su'er replied: "No."

  For a moment, my mind was also confused and I couldn't think of a good solution. All I could do was comfort her by saying: "Su'er, people can't come back to life after they're dead, let alone it's been so long already. Don't be too sad. The heavens have a vast net that may seem loose but never lets anything slip through. I think this case will eventually be solved..."

  Qin Su'er nodded and said: "I hope so..."

  I helped Qin Su'er stand up, and in the night wind, her body was cool as water. I said: "It's getting late, shall I send you back? Having known you for so long, I still don't know where your home is?"

  Qin Suer blushed and smiled: "Yu Ge, I'm not ready to take you to meet my parents yet, can you wait a bit longer?"

  Since she said so, I didn't want to force her either. But still asked: "Then you have to tell me where your home is, right?"

  "Alright! 18 Meihua Santiao Street Hutong. Got it?"

  "Of course I remember!" As I said that, I gently kissed her icy forehead with my lips.

  "Yu Ge, you must remember, never easily go to Mei Hua San Nong Street Hutong 18 to find me. Most of my time is spent in the troupe busy with rehearsals and performances. I don't want our things to be known by Father and Mother too early..."

  Hehe, this little devil! Her mind is really meticulous, I agreed with her.

  I walked out of the park shoulder to shoulder with Qin Su'er. As usual, she insisted on taking a taxi and I had no choice but to agree.

  At that time on the main road, Qin Su'er whispered to me: "Yu Ge, I beg you not to go up Mei Mountain again! Because... because..."

  "This is also what I wanted to ask, and I blurted out: 'Why?'"

  "Because Yu'er's remains are buried on Mei Mountain, I don't want you to disturb her!"

  It turned out to be this reason, but Gu Tingting and the others were so curious, insisting on going up Mei Mountain to figure out the secret. Could I stop her? Before I could respond, Qin Suer had already hailed a passing taxi and gotten in.

  The car started, she stuck her head out of the window and shouted: "Yu Ge, remember what I told you......" The night wind blew up her hair, and her whole face suddenly looked so vivid that I was stunned.

  I drove back to the Shen family's old mansion. It had been two days since I last returned to the old mansion, and I didn't know if Shen Lan was still at home or not.

  When I stopped the car in front of the old mansion, the lights of the whole house suddenly lit up, and I was startled! Then I saw Shen Lan emerging from the hall like a ghost, with a pale face.

  "I couldn't help but scold him: 'Shen Lan, can you please appear in front of me like a normal person for once? You always pop up out of nowhere, do you want to scare me to death?!'"

  Shen Lan didn't mind my bad attitude, or maybe he was already used to it. Instead, he welcomed me with infinite joy, his thin face full of smiles, and said: "Yu Ge, you haven't been home for two days, I've been worried to death..."

  Seeing his worried expression, I felt warm in my heart and stopped scolding him. "What do you have to worry about? I'm a big man, am I still afraid of being eaten by ghosts?"

  I didn't notice a hint of hesitation flashing across Shen Lan's face, and he turned around and walked into the hall. Shen Lan hurried to follow up.

  I walked into the room and turned on the light, Shen Lan also followed in. I was surprised, usually I wouldn't let him come in, he wouldn't enter on his own, what's going on tonight?

  I put the official document package on the desk, poured a glass of brandy and sat down, asking: "Shen Lan, do you have something to say?"

  Shen Lan seemed worried that I saw through his usual self, slightly flustered, and replied: "Yu Ge, you're really amazing, even knowing what's on my mind!"

  A thousand holes, ten thousand holes, but a horse's ass can't be pierced. I smiled complacently and said: "Your brother is a professional in criminal police work, and has studied psychology. Can this little thing still stump me? So, you little brat, don't ever try to show off your cleverness in front of me again, or if I find out, I won't forgive you?"

  "Understood, Brother Yu!" Shen Lan replied respectfully.

  "I'm getting tired, say it quickly!", I urged.

  Shen Lan hesitated for a moment before answering: "Yu Ge, where have you been these past two days? Why haven't I seen you bring Qin Niang back home?"

  I didn't tell Shen Lan the truth, this kid is mysterious and might go behind my back to tell that annoying old man Shen Rukuan, I don't want to stir up unnecessary trouble.

  I smiled and said: "There's been something going on in the team for the past two days, so I haven't come back."

  I suddenly remembered how he was asking about Qin Su'er. Laughing and scolding, "How did you little brat suddenly remember Miss Qin? Are you harboring evil intentions? Speak!"

  Shen Lan rubbed his hands together and replied, "Yu Ge, you're joking! Your woman is my sister, how dare I not be kind? I was just thinking that if one day you can invite Qin Niang to come home as a guest, I'll make preparations in advance..."

  This kid is really suspicious tonight, that night at the foot of Mei Mountain in front of the rental house asked me to stay away from Qin Su'er, now he took the initiative to invite her back as a guest, I don't know what's on his mind.

  I stared at Shen Lan for a while, and he was looked at by me with a chill running down his spine, and said in a low voice: "Yu Ge, I really didn't mean anything else, just wanted to make a good impression in front of Qin Niang...".

  Looking at his awkward appearance, I didn't want to make things difficult for him anymore, so I said: "Alright, alright... it's rare that you have a kind intention, one day when I invite Qin Niang back, I'll notify you in advance, is that okay?"

  "Alright..." Shen Lan replied with his head lowered, "Yu Ge, it's getting late, you should get some rest too!" He said as he stepped out of the door and closed it heavily behind him.

  I took a sip of wine from the cup, lit a cigarette and took a puff, and in front of me, the memory of that half-century-old notebook floated up again. Damn it, as soon as I returned to the old house, these deadly memories appeared in my mind immediately.

  Who can tell me who Yu Wuhe and Shen Ye are? Are they my closest relatives? Logically, the old man should know, but I've grown up so big, he's never mentioned anything about this to me. Is the old man intentionally hiding something from me?

  I know the old man's character, he won't say things he doesn't want to say even if you put a knife to his throat. In this regard, I may have inherited his genes, I am also a person who will ask until the bottom of the pot is broken, if there is something I don't understand the truth about, I will be unable to eat or sleep.

  Or perhaps Shen Rukuan, who is mysterious and doesn't know his place, also knows the truth about this matter. But looking at him like that makes me angry. He's just a servant of my Shen family, what right does he have to have such an attitude towards me?

  And then there's Shen Lan, who seems to have some inexplicable secrets of his own. He says I couldn't hear the singing and laughter at midnight, and indeed I really didn't hear it. All this is just too strange...

  My mind is in a mess, no matter how I try to sort it out. Forget it, I'm going to sleep! I extinguished the cigarette and put it in the ashtray, then went to bed.

  Early in the morning, I was woken up by the ringing of the phone while I was still fast asleep. When I picked it up and looked at it, it turned out to be Lin Jie!

  His sister's so early call, don't let people live in peace?

  I pressed the answer button and softly said "hello", on the other end of the phone came Lin Jie's ambiguous voice: "Hello, Shen Shangyu, not up yet?"

  I irritably replied: "Hmph... you're up so early, what's going on?"

  Lin Jie didn't mind my attitude and continued to say: "Did you go find Qin Su'er last night? Are you still hugging the beauty, holding up the sky with one pillar?"

  Damn it, Lin Jie is really shameless, actually asking such a question?

  "Damn it! I'm really a pillar holding up the sky! Otherwise, you'd better wash your anus clean and come over quickly to let me vent my anger!"

  Lin Jie cursed from the other end: "Damn it, I'm not trying to hook up with you!"

  "I'm getting impatient," I said, "If you have something to say, say it. If not, I'll hang up the phone."

  Lin Jie hastily said: "I just wanted to ask you if you asked Qin Su'er last night who Qin Yu'er is?"

  "I replied: 'I've asked! I'll tell you when we get back to the team later!'"

  After I finished speaking, I hung up the phone. This Lin Jie is really quite concerned about Qin Su'er.