Chapter 3: Shrouded in Doubt

  Obviously, Secretary Otoshima was quite shocked. Two days ago, public security personnel also asked her some questions, but the language was not communicated and there was no result.

  "Comrade Oshima, have you recently found out who Comrade Yamada has been in contact with?" For Yu Xin Yuan, if it's not an enemy, then it's a comrade, so this kind of ambiguous title is also understandable.

  Lü Sī Xiá's heart secretly laughed, but when translating, he changed "Dà Dǎo Tóng Zhì" to "Měi Zhì Zǐ Xiǎo Jiě", and "Shān Tián Tóng Zhì" to "Shān Tián Xiān Shēng".

  ōshima Michiko was shocked after listening to Ruth's translation, her eyes wide with surprise and her mouth agape.

  Seeing Oshima Michiko's exaggerated expression, Yu Xin was bewildered.

  Ohsan, your Japanese is amazing! A standard Tokyo accent, I never thought I'd hear such beautiful and authentic hometown dialect in your country!

  Ruth nodded slightly: "Thank you. I learned from NHK broadcasting in your country, and it's not spoken well, please give me more guidance!"

  Oshima Michiko shook off her previous gloom and reserve, reverting to her usual cheerful self. It was no wonder that after so many days of the chairman's sudden death, public security personnel were coming in and out, sometimes asking her questions with a serious tone; she couldn't go out freely and could only stay in her room reading the few Japanese and English books she had brought, feeling very depressed and annoyed. Suddenly meeting such a refined, gentle, and polite man who could also speak standard Japanese was a great comfort to Oshima Michiko.

  Ruth realized she was assisting Xin Yuan in investigating the case as a translator, so she told him about the changes in Oshima Yoshiko's expression and reminded him: When meeting young foreign women, they should be addressed as "Miss", and men as "Mr".

  Yu Xin was so amused that he couldn't help but burst out laughing and said to Lu Suxia: "Suxia, you are always my teacher!"

  "Alright, the case is urgent, let's hurry up and ask questions!"

  "Miss Oshima, has Mr. Yamada been acting strangely lately?" Although the words "miss" and "mister" felt somewhat distant and awkward on his tongue, they were still more suitable than something like "comrade".

  ōshima Michiko shook her head.

  "Has he seen any outsiders? Or has he gone out alone?" Yu Xin asked carefully.

  "No, just a few contacts with local government personnel, all of whom were accompanied by me." said Oshima Michiko firmly.

  "Did you have dinner with Mr. Yamada that night?" Yuxin continued to ask.

  "I had a meal with the chairman! The chairman said that it's rare to have a private dinner, and he wanted me to try some of the best local dishes. He said he was tired of banquet food." Akira Ota continued: "The dishes were very rich, and both the chairman and I ate a lot!"

  "Do you still remember what you ate?" Yu Xin Yuan didn't want to let go of any thread of clue.

  "Let me think for a moment: 'Braised Stinky Tofu, Shrimp and Egg Foo Young, Lotus Leaf Wrapped Steamed Pork, Braised Abalone and Tofu Balls'."

  Indeed, it was exactly the same as what the chef and waiter had said! Yu Xin couldn't help but feel suspicious: "How did Miss Oshima remember so clearly?" "The chairman said that he ordered all classic home-style dishes from Anhui cuisine, which are better than any 'Bawang Bieji', 'Hongshaoguozi', or 'Yanxian Guixi' at a banquet. And he told us the origin and cooking method of each dish with great interest, so I remembered them all!" Oshima Yoshiko replied.

  Yu Xin secretly thought to herself: How did Yamada Jiro know these authentic local dishes? These dishes are usually not served at banquets. Could it be that Yamada Jiro and Lei Jiang have some connection?

  "Did you have any discomfort that night? Did you finish all the dishes?" Yu Xin's relentless pursuit.

  "I ate every dish and didn't feel unwell at all, I just thought the food was too delicious and there was plenty of it, so I ended up eating a bit too much!" Oshima Michiko looked clearly delighted.

  Since Oshima ate every dish and was fine, it can basically be ruled out that someone poisoned the food.

  "Has he gone out alone at night these days?" Yu Xin Yuan asked. During the day, Yamada was accompanied to visit and inspect, and it was only possible to privately contact someone at night.

  "On the 14th at night I didn't know. I had never gone out alone before!" answered Oshima Michiko.

  "Are you sure?" Yu Xin asked, pursuing the question from afar.

  "Yes, he is with me every night!" said Oshima Michiko affirmatively.

  Suddenly, Oshima Michiko felt embarrassed, two red clouds flew up to her cheeks, and she couldn't help but glance at Lu Siya.

  "How is Mr. Yamada's body? Won't he have had an illness before and suddenly fall ill?" Yu Xin asked with concern.

  Oshima Michiko shook her head like a rattle drum: "The chairman is very healthy, a member of the Japan Karate Association, and a seventh-dan black belt!"

  "Black Way Seven Stances!" Just as Ruth had finished translating, a loud shout suddenly came from behind her.

  Guangyuan turned his head to look, it was his assistant Jianjun. Jianjun was originally a scout in the army, and he fought bravely in the battle of South Xinjiang, with high martial arts skills. After demobilization, he directly entered the Public Security Bureau's criminal investigation team.

  "What's so special about a black belt seventh dan?" Yu Xin Yuan asked.

  "Captain, karate is Japan's national technique, equivalent to China's free combat. It has extremely strong practicality and is a compulsory course for foreign scouts. Our army also has this kind of training. Karate calculates the level according to age and years of practice, one level at a time, black belt seventh dan must have at least 28 years of martial arts experience, defeat three-quarters of opponents, in order to obtain this honor. Our combat coach is only fourth dan!"

  "That dead person should be a martial arts master!" This detail made Yu Guangyuan feel very puzzled: if so, how could the murderer have such great ability, and actually make a martial arts master powerless to resist?

  "Did Miss Oshima drink with Mr. Yamada last night?"

  "No! I'm his secretary, and it's possible for me to pour him a drink, but not sit down with him and have a drink together!"

  "Sit up straight! Something moved in my heart. This phrase is very interesting, it may have an unexpected effect on the case analysis." To prevent any misinterpretation by Rutisha, he asked Rutisha: "Can you ask Oshima-san to repeat that sentence again?"

  ōshima Michiko repeated what she had just said.

  Ruth carefully listened and then seriously translated it again. The four words "Ping Qi Ping Zuò" still appeared!

  Yu Xin asked Lu Si Xiao: "Si Xiao, can you confirm that the accurate meaning of what Miss said is 'peaceful rise and peaceful sitting'?"

  Ruth said: "What Ms. Oshima just stated is 'Taira Okoshi Hirasuwa!' Written in Japanese, it's '対等の立場で' which are basically Chinese characters and the meaning is very clear, I can confirm that!"

  This is a relief. But then another question came up: what kind of person would "sit on an equal footing" with the deceased? He continued to ask, "Miss Oshima, did you see the wine glass on Mr. Yamada's desk?"

  ōshima Michiko nodded.

  "Then who do you think can drink with Mr. Yamada in his room?"

  ōshima Michiko thought for a moment and said, "It should be a very noble private friend."

  "What makes you think that, Oshima-san?"

  ōshima Michiko smiled: "If it were official business, the president would have called me in, entertained the other party at a public venue and asked me to keep a record of the work; drinking with him in his private quarters while wearing pajamas means that the other party is the master's personal acquaintance."

  A lingering doubt in my mind: Yamada Jiro is in Raijiang, could there still be any friends or acquaintances?