Chapter 297: Madness or Pretending?

2022-05-20

Both Hu Pei and his daughter are dead, and Jiang Xiaochun has completely lost her mind from fright. That’s not exactly normal, considering Jiang Xiaochun was one of the twenty interns at the job site all those years ago. Every one of the others became targets for the killer—one by one, all murdered. But somehow Jiang Xiaochun survived this whole time. What could be the reason? Meanwhile, little Hu Xiaoxue, who didn’t seem to understand anything, was killed. Is there a connection between these things?

All these questions swirl in my head, puzzle pieces refusing to settle. At this point, going straight to Jiang Xiaochun might be my best move. She should still be at her old home, and with both Hu Pei and his daughter gone, only Hu Pei’s mother is left to care for her.

We’ve been to Hu Pei’s old place before, and for Zhao Mingkun, who knows this neighborhood like the back of his hand, it’s an easy walk. As we enter the complex, I’m surprised to see that some people actually recognize us. But thinking about it, it’s only been a week or so since Hu Xiaoxue’s death, so of course they remember us.

We hadn’t even reached the stairs when an older woman approached, looking secretive as she asked, “Weren’t you two here before?”

“Yeah,” I replied. “It’s been a week. I just came back to check on how Jiang Xiaochun is doing.”

Dusting off her clothes, the older woman climbed the stairs beside us. “She’s much the same as before—a bit out of it, but honestly, better than at first. She doesn’t really shout anymore, but she locks herself in her room all day, doesn’t talk to anyone, and only comes out to eat or use the bathroom.”

The older woman leaned in and lowered her voice. “She’s picked up a weird new habit.”

“What habit?” I asked.

“Now Jiang Xiaochun will only eat other people’s leftovers, and she insists on drinking straight from the tap—raw water, you know? I once brought her a bowl of freshly cooked dumplings, but she refused to eat them unless I tried some first, and even then, she’d only eat them after they’d gotten cold,” the woman explained.

She shook her head, sighing. “Such a good girl reduced to this. Even Hu Pei’s mother has no idea how to break the news to her in-laws. She wants to wait until Jiang’s condition improves before saying anything.”

I frowned, trying to figure out what was going on. Only eating leftovers, insisting on drinking flowing water—these might not be the random actions of someone insane. Maybe there’s a deeper reason behind all this. Something here feels off, but I keep my composure. The priority now is to see Jiang Xiaochun for myself.

The older woman kept us company as we made our way upstairs. Looked like she wanted to tag along and see Jiang Xiaochun too.

She greeted us warmly and knocked on the door for us.

Hu Pei’s mother looked absolutely drained, her face gray and spiritless. Even her hair, which had been mostly black last time we saw her, had turned completely white. She gazed at us with dead eyes, dark rings beneath them. It seemed like she hadn’t slept well in days. Her voice was flat, robotic. “What is it?”

The older woman just shook her head softly, but greeted us brightly. “They just came to check on Jiang Xiaochun.”

Something seemed to click in Hu Pei’s mother’s mind. She suddenly grabbed my hand. “Have you caught the person who killed my son and granddaughter? Have you caught him yet? Huh?”

Her voice was raspy, like she hadn’t spoken out loud in ages, but her eyes blazed with urgency and hope.

I held her hand. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her whether we’d caught the killer. Instead, I offered what comfort I could. “We’ve pretty much figured out who did it, but there are still some details we need to ask your daughter-in-law, Jiang Xiaochun. If she can give us any clues, it will really help us confirm the murderer’s identity.”

“So if you question my daughter-in-law, you’ll catch the killer?” Hu Pei’s mother asked simply.

I nodded. “Yes, we’d like to ask her about what happened before.”

“But…” Hu Pei’s mother gave me a bitter smile. “She won’t talk to anyone, not even me. In the past week, I’ve only managed to say two things to her—’time to eat’ and ‘time to sleep.’ It’s like she’s lost her mind. I’m at my wits’ end.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. “Why is my life so bitter?”

“Let me try,” I said quietly, watching her.

She nodded softly. “Go ahead.”

We stopped in front of a door. She knocked gently, then opened it, calling out, “Xiaochun, they’ll be asking you some questions. Don’t be afraid, I’m coming in.”

She gave us a subtle signal, and the three of us followed her into the room. As I walked in, I started to take note of the place. It was clear this room wasn’t meant for Jiang Xiaochun. Judging from the decor and wallpaper, this had been Hu Xiaoxue’s room.

Jiang Xiaochun curled up on the bed, wrapped in a blanket. The bed faced directly toward the doorway, and right away I saw the woman sitting limp on the mattress, hair messy and eyes empty. She showed no reaction to our entrance, as if we were all invisible.

Once inside, I gave the whole room a quick look. There was a small bookshelf, filled with children’s books—proof Hu Xiaoxue had stayed here when visiting her grandmother.

Looking at the bookshelf, I saw all the books lined up neatly except one, which was placed sideways and awkwardly out of place. The room wasn’t close to the balcony, and there was no ledge outside the window, but right now the window was open and offered a clear view outside.

A strange feeling crept over me, and I turned my gaze back to Jiang Xiaochun. Despite everything, her complexion looked pretty good—cheeks rosy, nothing to suggest someone who’d lost all appetite or will to live.

By then, Hu Pei’s mother had already taken a seat in front of her, holding Jiang Xiaochun’s hand. “Xiaochun, answer their questions, okay? Did you hear me?”

As she reached out, I noticed the ring on Jiang Xiaochun’s left ring finger—platinum from the look of it, but streaked with dust and grimy spots.

I stood beside Jiang Xiaochun. “Do you mind if we talk to her alone?” I asked.

She looked at her daughter-in-law, hesitated, but after a little prodding from the older woman, she gave in and left, closing the door behind her.

There weren’t any chairs, so Zhao Mingkun and I had to stand in front of Jiang Xiaochun.

I walked over to the bookshelf and pulled out that lone sideways book. Without speaking to Jiang Xiaochun, I began flipping through its pages. She didn’t look at me or respond; she just stared blankly at her hands.

Zhao Mingkun couldn’t figure out what I was up to, so he stayed quiet too.

For half an hour, the room stayed completely silent. I kept up the act of reading while really watching Jiang Xiaochun the whole time. Finally, after thirty minutes, she glanced at me. That single look gave me the answer I’d been searching for.

I spoke to her. “Your husband Hu Pei died from terror, and your daughter Hu Xiaoxue was murdered in a cruel, bizarre way. Seven years ago, what really happened? Back then, you weren’t dating Hu Pei—he was with someone else. But after Lü Zhiqiu died, you and Hu Pei married and had a child almost immediately. Why?”

At last, Jiang Xiaochun looked at me, but her expression didn’t flicker. Her eyes stayed lively and bright, not dull and vacant like most psychiatric patients. There was a clear difference.

I’d spent time in a psychiatric hospital. From what I could see, Jiang Xiaochun didn’t fit the pattern.

Zhao Mingkun stood silently by my side.

I pressed on. “There has to be a reason for all this. Why are you so afraid of Lü Zhiqiu? Why did you say it was a vengeful ghost after Hu Xiaoxue died, when we never said anything about that? How did you jump to ghosts being responsible right away? That’s even more suspicious.”

Jiang Xiaochun remained silent, staring at me.

I stroked my chin, speaking slowly. “What are you so afraid of? I really can’t figure out why you’re putting on this act. Do you really think if you pretend to be mad the killer won’t come for you? The way you interact with the world, you don’t act like someone genuinely insane.”

“Isn’t that right?” I asked.

Both Zhao Mingkun and I could hear the challenge in my voice. We fell silent, and it seemed Jiang Xiaochun had decided not to say a word, no matter what I asked.

I shrugged and said, “Can I take a look at your ring?”

For a moment, confusion flickered across Jiang Xiaochun’s face, then vanished right away. That slip was all I needed to see—if she were truly insane, there would’ve been no response at all. But she’d obviously heard and understood me.

Zhao Mingkun stepped forward, gently took her hand, and slipped off the ring.

Examining the ring, I noticed the inscription inside was worn smooth. The outside, just as I’d glimpsed earlier, was dirty and stained. A theory began to take shape in my mind—one that might explain the rushed marriage all those years ago.

“Still not going to talk?” I pressed.

Jiang Xiaochun just sat there, giving no sign at all.

But there are always people who think that staying silent will somehow hide their secrets.

I left the room, Zhao Mingkun right at my heels.

“Any news?” Hu Pei’s mother rushed over.

I already had my answer, but I couldn’t share it with her.

There really is a difference between madness and pretending.