Chapter Eighteen: Family Members

  The door was opened by Song Jian's mother, and the ten years had not diminished her sorrow. Although her face was still calm, those gloomy eyes revealed a mother's endless longing for her son.

  A local police officer accompanied Yan Feng, he took out his documents and explained the purpose of his visit, Song Mu immediately burst into tears, leading them to walk into a room. As soon as the door opened, they were met with a large photo of Song Jian, which was as big as a real person, and anyone who wasn't paying attention would be startled, thinking that there was someone staring at them from across the way.

  "He's been gone for ten years, don't come to disturb his mother again." Song's father was somewhat reluctant, "So many years have passed, he must be... but whenever you come, she'll think there's good news, don't torture us anymore."

  "Mr. Song, it's like this," said the local police officer. "This case is also a mystery, we haven't found Song Jian's body, so..."

  "Is he still alive? Is he still alive?" Song's mother grabbed the local police officer's hand and said eagerly, "Please tell me, isn't he dead? Isn't he?" The local police officer was inexperienced and immediately made Song's mother emotional, looking at Yanfeng in a daze.

  "Mother, please calm down. Although we haven't found Song Jian's body, the possibility of him being alive is very small." Yan Feng forced himself to say coldly. He glanced at Song Jian's large photo and suddenly thought of the recent beheading cases, "However, your cooperation will help us find the murderer who created this suspicious case."

  "The possibility of survival is small? That means, it can't be completely confirmed that my son Song Jian is dead, right?" Song's mother didn't hear the rational analysis, only grasping at the uncertainty in Yanfeng's words to comfort herself. "I knew my son Song Jian wasn't dead. I often feel like he's by my side. Sometimes when I go out to buy vegetables, I think he's following me." Song's mother muttered: "And once I was knocked down by someone who refused to apologize. He beat that little rascal severely and stood up for me."

  "Really? When?" The Swallow's spirit lifted.

  "It's been over two years, right?" Song Mu was lost in thought. A hint of a smile floated onto her face, but immediately turned pale again. "They all say he's dead, but I can feel that he's still alive. I don't know why he won't come back, if there's something bothering him, just tell me! His father and I will definitely help him. No matter what wrongs he's done, I won't blame him. Why? Why won't you come? No matter what wrongs he's done, no matter how he's changed, I won't blame him, my Song Jian!" She said, bursting into tears, her emotions extremely unstable.

  "Don't be like this, Song Jian is already dead. You can feel that he's gone because you miss him too much." Song Father walked over and put his arm around his wife's shoulder, helping the seated Song Mother up from the bed, "The person two years ago was not Song Jian."

  "It's him. Although he doesn't look like it, you don't understand. You're not his mother. Can't feel the smell on him..."

  "I've already said that's someone else!" Song Fu said, both annoyed and helpless. He glared at Yan Feng with obvious disgust, as if he couldn't bear his presence and wished him to leave quickly. "I've told you before, don't mention this again, or I'll run away from home and never come back."

  "No!" Madam Song almost shouted, her nerves on edge, her two hands fiercely pinching Mr. Song's hand, "You can't go."

  "Then don't mention it again," said Mr. Song gently.

  Song's mother hesitated for a moment, and ultimately didn't dare to provoke her husband into leaving. She nodded insincerely, and was gently pushed out the door by Song's father. Yanfeng gave a signal with his eyes, telling the accompanying police officer to keep an eye on Song's mother and comfort her a bit.

  "Look, this is what happens when you come here. If I had opened the door earlier, I would never have let you in." Song's father said angrily.

  It was clear to Yan Feng that Song's mother appeared normal on the surface, but seemed to have become mentally unstable due to excessive grief. However, he still believed in Song's mother's claim that she felt her son was by her side, because he knew that many mothers who were mentally ill or intellectually disabled could still deeply love their children, which was an unbreakable human nature.

  "How many years has it been like this for Aunt?" He tried to ease Song Fu's anger.

  "Alas, it's been like this since the day we knew Song Jian was missing. Fortunately, it's not serious, or else this family would be finished." Song's father sighed, "She just doesn't want to believe that Song Jian is already dead. The person she mentioned two years ago was clearly not Song Jian. That young man had a round face and wore glasses. But his build really resembles our Song Jian, no wonder his mother mistook him."

  "Does the body look like him?" Yan Feng's mind moved, and he suddenly thought of the many deaths recently. Although Song Jian's head was not among them, perhaps his body was. If Song Jian's father went for a DNA test, it could be confirmed. If it was really confirmed that one of the bodies was Song Jian's, it would prove that Song Jian was also among those who had their heads switched back then, and also confirm his death.

  But Yan Feng couldn't say clearly whether he hoped for this outcome or not, because he didn't want to make the mother sad.

  "Frankly, I'll just say it outright, I think you have the capacity to bear it." Yanfeng said straightforwardly to Song Fu: "Recently, some cases have appeared in our place, and according to speculation, they are related to the disappearance case of students from Yuanshui City Traditional Chinese Medicine College back then. Therefore, we need your cooperation to investigate and prove whether Song Jian is already dead or not."

  "What's the use of investigating now that all the kids are dead?"

  "If Song Jian was murdered, don't you want to bring the perpetrator to justice?" Yan Feng said: "I can't give you back a son, but I can give Song Jian justice!"

  Looking into Yan Feng's sincere eyes, Song Fu hesitated for a moment before agreeing. Afterwards, Yan Feng instructed: "The person your wife sensed might be real, I mean, that person is not Song Jian, but has some connection, so please you and Auntie don't reveal what happened when we came here, or it may alert the snake in the grass."

  "Is he the murderer?" Song's father was a bit excited when he heard it. Looking at his appearance, he didn't forget his son's death, nor was he indifferent to the investigation. He was just a man, so while bearing the pain of losing his son, he also had to comfort his wife and protect this family. "It can't be confirmed before the case is settled, but he is a key figure."

  "Alright, I'll keep an eye out for him. If he shows up again, I'll catch him." Song's father said: "But he used to appear often before, yet in the past two or three months, I don't know why he hasn't come. Maybe he heard some rumors?"

  Two or three months? Wasn't that the time when the first misplaced corpse appeared? Is it a coincidence or intentional? Did something happen and brought up this old case again? What is the reason that caused the whole thing to surface?

  However, this proves that the direction of their investigation is correct. The people who were replaced back then are all wandering around because they can't let go of their families. They're not ghosts, but it seems like they're even more unsightly than ghosts. Even if they've been replaced, it's not like they can't be seen by people, right? Even if there's a huge difference between before and after, what is there to hide from parents? Why did everyone hide?

  "There's more," Mr. Song hesitated for a moment: "I actually saw the face of my son, Song Jian, but his build wasn't quite right, he was much shorter and one leg was crippled. At the time, I thought I had gone crazy like Song Jian's mother!" Mr. Song let out a bitter laugh.

  It's indeed the case that both mind and soul will draw closer to the people they want to see due to their own concerns. Yan Feng thought, so there should also be two people appearing beside another pair of parents? If there was a person wearing glasses with his head pressed against Song Jian's body, that person would likely be Lv Chi, because he is the only one among the four missing persons who wears glasses.

  Yanfeng took out Lü Chi's photo and asked Song Fu to identify it. Song Fu recognized him on the spot.