Chapter 146: The Chain of Evidence

2022-05-20

I really didn’t want to make a choice like this, and honestly, most of the time I just go with how I feel. But seeing how horribly Luo Sumei died with her body right in front of me, I figured I owed it to her to seek justice. She didn’t deserve to die like this—not by a long shot.

I shared what was on my mind with the other five.

When I finished, none of them showed the slightest bit of emotion. Hiding your feelings is the greatest pretense in this world. Sometimes I envy people who wear their hearts on their sleeves.

Kids laugh when they’re happy and cry when they’re sad. But as we grow up, we forget that instinct. Our smiles don’t always mean we’re happy, and just because we cry doesn’t mean we’re sad. Life ends up being a guessing game, always trying to figure out what the other person is thinking. It’s exhausting.

Wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t have to guess?

They stayed silent—not agreeing, not arguing, not losing control.

That’s how I knew I was right.

So I went on, laying bare the truth.

Actually, from the moment Captain Zhou saw that foot, he knew it was Luo Sumei’s. He’d seen her just after she came out of a nail salon. But what really baffled him was that even though he’d killed her at the west gate, the body turned up at the east gate.

A mix of deep fear and burning curiosity flooded Captain Zhou’s mind. He knew he couldn’t escape this case, and that he would have to find the person involved, no matter what.

But to Captain Zhou’s shock, it wasn’t a whole body—just a leg. That scared him, because only someone truly twisted could do something like that. That’s when he realized he had not only a duty but an obligation to uncover the real story.

Even if it meant the world would learn he was the one who killed Luo Sumei.

That’s why Captain Zhou threw himself into the case with so much passion—he needed the truth.

But the case was impossibly tangled, and Zhou knew he couldn’t crack it alone. So, he pinned his hopes on me.

That night, Captain Zhou talked to us about Luo Sumei. When he got emotional, it felt like he was ready to spill that he was the killer. Back then, Gu Chen and I just thought he was lovesick and didn’t think much of it. It was then that Captain Zhou decided to figure out who had dismembered the body first.

I looked at everyone and spoke slowly, “There’s a vital question: what secret did Luo Sumei know about Captain Zhou? Why did he have to kill her?”

Erxiao couldn’t hold back anymore. “This is all just your guesswork. Tell us, why would Captain Zhou kill his girlfriend?”

I replied calmly, “The truth is, you don’t know. Luo Sumei never told you. That’s why you still don’t understand why Captain Zhou killed her, right?”

“What?” Erxiao pressed.

I glanced up the stairs and said, “Captain Zhou once told us that he has two siblings who need expensive tuition. He grew up poor—so poor the fear never really left him. Nothing ever made him feel secure, and Luo Sumei wanted to take away the only thing that did.”

“Captain Zhou mentioned before,” I went on, “he loves his job—can’t live without it. It’s the identity that keeps him afloat. But Luo Sumei wanted to take that away, unless he handed her a fortune instead.”

I shook my head. “There’s no way Zhou could give her that money, and losing his job was out of the question. But you can’t have your cake and eat it too, so what did he do? He picked the absolute extreme. He wanted it all—and so he killed the one who made that impossible.”

Erxiao grew irritated. “Stop going in circles. Just say it.”

I nodded and looked around at everyone. “The truth is, Captain Zhou is colorblind. He’s been hiding it all along.”

My words were clear and certain. “That’s why Captain Zhou always came here and helped everyone—he feels like he’s one of you.”

As I admitted all this, a bitter taste crept into my heart.

“Captain Zhou is colorblind?” The others could barely believe it and asked in unison.

I nodded seriously. “Yes, Captain Zhou is colorblind. Remember when we were at Old Lady Wang’s place and he cooked for us? He wanted to show off his skills, and said, ‘The aroma and flavor are top-notch.'”

I shook my head again. “That caught my attention, since people usually say, ‘Color, aroma, and flavor.’ But to Captain Zhou, color doesn’t belong in his world, so he only mentioned aroma and flavor. It sounded perfectly normal coming from him, and we passed it right by.”

“But something else really made it sink in for me,” I told the five. “Since you didn’t know about Zhou being colorblind, you wrote taunting words on the wall in blood. By then the blood had dried and turned dark, almost blending with the bluish bricks.”

I shrugged. “We could spot the words instantly, but not Captain Zhou. That morning he just cleaned the snow off the place, acting like he’d seen nothing. That’s when I started to piece it all together.”

“After living with Captain Zhou for so long, Luo Sumei may have realized his secret by accident.” I spoke softly. “Before finding out, she probably thought about spending her life with him. But after learning the truth, she changed.”

I let out a sigh and gave a wry smile. “People are like that—when love is balanced, both are happy. But once the scales tip, everything changes. Once Luo Sumei discovered Zhou’s secret, she knew he could never lay a hand on her.”

“That’s when things spiraled out of control.”

I spread my hands, revealing the whole truth.

Maybe that’s why even at forty, Captain Zhou still didn’t dare get married—he was afraid something like this would happen. But he really did fall for Luo Sumei. Otherwise, after a lifetime of pretending, how could a few months trip him up? What he didn’t understand was that the world never stays the same—people always change.

It’s like this—you’re scared of losing someone. Then, once you feel certain you won’t, you stop caring so much.

Just like you always talk back to your parents, sure they’ll forgive you no matter what. Or you throw fits with your boyfriend, knowing he’d never leave you.

In the end, those who love the most always end up hurt the worst. Some things never change.

But the harshest people are those same ones. When your parents finally break and cut ties, or your boyfriend really walks away, that’s when you see how wrong you were. When Luo Sumei kept pushing, Captain Zhou snapped.

All along, Captain Zhou wanted to see how sharp our team really was. But fate had it that the test would come with his own case.

“But you have no evidence.” Erxiao replied coolly.

I waved my hand. “I don’t right now. But it’ll show up soon. Zhou’s been giving all his money to Luo Sumei—he must have stopped sending any to his siblings.”

“But most importantly,” my voice softened even more, “Captain Zhou will turn himself in. Just like you wouldn’t kill me. Zhou really is a good person—enthusiastic, always helping others. So are you all—grateful and kind. But some things in this world can’t just be explained by good or bad.”

“Let it go,” I said. “Zhou just wants to solve a case on his own before turning himself in.”

They stared at me in silence. I could feel the grief in their eyes.

Are they good or bad people? Was Luo Sumei good or bad? Is Captain Zhou good or bad?

Is the line between right and wrong really that clear?

“Why? Why does it have to end this way?” Erxiao burst into tears. “We tried everything, thought of every way. Why does it always turn out like this?”

I don’t know. I can’t figure it out either.

Maybe that’s just the way this world is—some questions never have answers.

Tougouzi Village is a good place. The people here are genuine, ready to help each other, never cold or distant. But at the same time, this village isn’t such a good place. It shows only its kindness, burying every bit of its darkness deep inside. It all just feels too fake.

Is this really some paradise, untouched by the world?

I climbed the ladder slowly. Not one person stopped me.

Just after I woke Gu Chen and Captain Zhou, a chorus of sirens blared outside.

Someone pushed open the door and walked in. It was Guan Zengbin.