Chapter 4: A Glimmer of Light

  It can be seen that Oshima Michiko was still quite shocked, and when asked some sensitive questions, she was still shaken.

  "Can't we move her to a different place? After all, this is the crime scene." Yu Xin Yuan suggested.

  Ruth shook her head: "This is the only foreign-related hotel in the county, with all aspects of conditions being the best; other hotels and inns have more complicated personnel, a beautiful young foreign woman, it's still safer to stay here!"

  "When will the Yamada family come to settle the aftermath?" Yuxin asked from afar.

  "It will take some time to process visa and other procedures during the Spring Festival, it should be faster!" Lu Sihao replied.

  "Tell Miss Oshima, please rest assured, we will arrange for a public security officer to be stationed in the room opposite hers every day to ensure her safety; also, if she remembers anything, please let us know at any time." Yu Xin Yuan said.

  Miss Oshima listened to Ruth's translation, nodded her head in gratitude, stood up and bowed at a 90-degree angle again, speaking in awkward Chinese: "Thank you!"

  As they walked out of the county committee's guest house, Lu Suxia smiled apologetically: "Originally I should have invited you to dinner, but now it's the final sprint for the graduating class's college entrance exams, and I still need to go back to teach classes, so I won't accompany you!"

  Yu Xin smiled and said: "In your own territory, won't you have a chance to invite me to dinner again?"

  The warm sunshine of early spring felt comfortable on the skin. Under the sun, Lu Sihao's face was pale and his spirit was low, still coughing non-stop. Yu Xin couldn't help but worry about her old friend's health: "Sihao, since you've become the deputy county head, don't be a teacher anymore, or you'll exhaust yourself!"

  "For kids from small counties, taking the college entrance exam is almost their only way to stand out. Thousands of people are rushing to cross a single-log bridge. Looking at the eager eyes of the children and their parents, I can only do my best to help them!"

  A warmth in her heart, she thought, "If only my child could have a teacher like this!" "Then take care of yourself! I'll try not to bother you too much!"

  After breaking up with Ruth, Yu Xin suddenly felt a wave of fatigue. He realized that he and the task force members had not rested for three days and nights. He apologized to everyone: "Sorry, I didn't even let you guys rest during Chinese New Year. Today, everyone go home and get some good rest. We'll meet again tomorrow afternoon at Leijiang Public Security Bureau!"

  Leijiang County is not very far from Yicheng City, and it only takes a Jeep an hour and a half to get there. It was almost noon when Yu Xinfar returned home, exhausted, after all, he was also approaching fifty years old, and the high-intensity work made him feel that his strength was no longer sufficient.

  As school hasn't started yet, the teacher's wife is still at home. Seeing him return home, Shufang blamed him with a glance: "It's been several days, not a word from you! I thought you'd gone to the 'cowshed' again!"

  "There's a case!" Yu Xin said simply. His wife didn't ask any more questions, as the family member of a criminal police officer, this had been her habit for decades, "You haven't eaten yet, have you? I'll go heat up some food for you."

  It's still during the Spring Festival, and the dishes are still very rich: thick five-spice eggs, crispy braised pork, fresh steamed fish. Suddenly, I feel hungry and my stomach is growling. Ah yes, I haven't even had a chance to eat the dumplings from New Year's Eve yet! For four days, I've been busy running between the crime scene and the forensic lab, with the smell of blood and formaldehyde filling my nostrils. Even meals have been simple noodles and buns, really sorry to my stomach.

  At the far end of the light, he was about to devour his rice bowl. His wife snatched the chopsticks from him and scolded: "Hurry up and wash yourself! Change your clothes!"

  This has been a habit for many years. His wife knew that after so many days, Yufar would definitely be in contact with corpses and bloodstains at the scene, and when he returned home, he would always wash up properly before entering the house, this was his promise to his wife. But this time, Yufar was too tired and forgot about this rule.

  Yu Guangyuan immediately went to brush his teeth, wash his face and hands, changed his clothes, and returned to the table. To his surprise, a bottle of "Yijiang Special Liquor" was placed on the table! His wife had broken her usual rule against drinking, so Yu Guangyuan happily filled a cup to the brim and said, "Wife, you've been working hard these past few days, I toast to you!" He then downed the liquor in one gulp.

  "The kids have gone visiting relatives. After dinner, you should rest early, I'm going to my sister's house to chat!" Shufen said and left.

  The house is not very big, his wife did this to let him have a good rest. She knew that her husband had been working day and night these days, and she felt sorry for him.

  The wine is full and the rice is full. Yu Guangyuan lay on the bed, still with a heavy heart. In more than 30 years of working in criminal investigation, this was the case that had the greatest impact and was also the most complicated. After supplementing with high-quality protein and glucose, his brain, which had been stiffened by the scene for several days, gradually became active again. The details of the crime scene flashed back in his mind like a movie: the open window - the short wall outside the window - different footprints on the short wall - the wine glass at the scene - the vomit in the bathroom - the strange fatal wound of the deceased - the bloody and blurred lower body - the beautiful female secretary who didn't understand Chinese.

  Suddenly, a light flashed in his mind: A Japanese rich businessman, as soon as he entered the Chinese port, was eager to invest and inspect an unknown county town in China's inland. How did he know this county town? With a secretary who didn't understand Chinese, how could he conduct business negotiations? Could it be that he came here with another purpose? He had only been here for three days, how could he have triggered the killer's intent? How did the killer know his residence? What kind of hatred led the killer to insult and trample his body?

  Yu Guangyuan made up his mind: start investigating from Yamada Jiro's family background!

  Mei Mei had a good sleep, woke up early in the morning, and his wife had already prepared breakfast. The two children also returned, one was reviewing for the college entrance examination, and the other was still in high school. After a brief reunion, they heard the sound of a car horn at the door, and Yu Xin knew it was to take him to Leijiang. Before getting on the car, he apologetically said to his wife: "I may be away from home for a long time again, you need to take care of things at home!"

  "Which time isn't it? You can rest assured at home! Take care of your body!" Shufen reminded.

  The car had gone a long way, and Yu Xin Yuan saw his wife still standing at the door looking back from the rearview mirror. He suddenly felt a sourness in his eyes, and tears almost flowed out.