Chapter 96: A Silent Father

2022-05-20

Xiao Liu stayed behind to keep watch at the Liu Residence, and arrangements were made to search the mountain. Even if the chances of finding any clues were slim, we couldn’t just give up. In this line of work, it’s all about spotting the evidence others miss, seeing the traces others overlook, and coming up with solutions no one else imagines.

We finally arrived at our destination.

Naturally, this was an underground shop—one without a tobacco license, of course. We managed to find it with Sister Mao’s connections. Judging by how timid the boss looked in front of Gu Chen, I could tell Gu Chen had already had one of his ‘cordial and friendly’ chats with him. Otherwise, there’s no way the boss would act this cooperative.

“Go on,” Gu Chen said, cracking his knuckles.

The boss forced a nervous smile. “Okay, okay, I’ll talk. About a month ago, a stranger came by. In our business, you know, we don’t usually sell to people unless they’re referred by someone we know…”

“Keep talking.” Gu Chen didn’t even bother looking at him, his tone calm.

The boss nodded eagerly and continued, “We don’t get many customers here, and this guy stood out for one big reason.”

He paused again, clearly trying to be dramatic.

I pressed, “What was so special about him?”

The boss actually snickered, then explained, “This guy had a full, bushy beard, but he was seriously balding on top—looked like all his hair moved south. You couldn’t help but laugh just seeing him. He was about 1.75 meters tall, square-faced, looked forty to fifty, a bit chubby but still pretty muscular.”

“Anyway, he was nothing like your average middle-aged guy,” the boss sneaked a glance at Gu Chen. “I remembered him instantly. Just now, this fella brought me a photo, and yeah—it’s that guy, no doubt. He didn’t have a beard in the photo, but there’s no way I’d mistake that face.”

That settles it. The buyer was probably Lin Dafa. I followed up, “Did he buy Davidoff hand-rolled tobacco?”

“Exactly!” the boss jabbed his finger in the air. “That’s the stuff. It’s got a real kick—just the way this old-timer likes it. He definitely knew his tobacco.”

Once he got going, the boss turned into a chatterbox. “That balding brother told me, even though this tobacco’s already been mixed once, it still wasn’t quite right for his taste. He liked to add cheap but fragrant wine from Zhangye and a pinch of white sugar. After baking it, that’s when you get the flavor just right.”

“I could tell right away I’d met a true connoisseur!” the boss slapped his hands together. “He was the perfect match for someone who appreciates fine tobacco, like me. So I thought, why not get his name and number so we could swap tips later?”

“But that guy!” the boss shook his head, sighing. “He wouldn’t even share his phone number, let alone his name. What, does he think he’s above me? I’ve got a temper, you know! If he weren’t such a tobacco expert, I’d have kicked him out right then and there. My ways, he—”

Gu Chen waved his hand, cutting him off. “Just stick to the main points.”

“Right, right,” the boss said hurriedly. “So, that day, I decided to jack up the price on him, just to test him out. He agreed without even blinking—must have money to burn. Then, yesterday, he came back again, still acting cocky. Well, I just refused to sell to him. I’ve got guts, you see, and he didn’t even bother asking why.”

Gu Chen frowned. “Didn’t I tell you to get to the point?”

“Yes, yes!” the boss said, eager to please. “So, I told him I was out of stock—wanted to see if he’d suck up to me a bit. But that bastard just nodded and said he’d come another day. Can you believe it? Some people really are as tough and stubborn as a rock in a latrine.”

My eyes brightened with sudden excitement.

This sneaky, shifty-looking man in his forties might look like someone you’d love to punch, but his personality actually helped us. I kept my thoughts to myself, not letting anything show on my face.

“Do you know what my friend here does for a living?” I pointed at Gu Chen.

The boss nodded immediately, his head bobbing like a chicken pecking rice. “I know, I know! He’s with Sister Mao’s crew. I know Sister Mao—she sometimes comes here to buy tobacco, too.”

I smiled. Gu Chen was smart to hide his real identity. Otherwise, the boss would have packed up and run the next day.

I scoffed. “This really has nothing to do with you. That man is Lin Dafa—he’s Sister Mao’s enemy. He’s got nowhere left to go and ended up here in Dongxing City. Now he’s actually daring enough to show his face again. My buddy here is staying with you until we catch Lin Dafa. Got it?”

“Understood!” the boss drew out the word, nodding. “Hey, brother, I’m an old hand at this. I know how the game is played. This man here, you can tell right away—he’s no ordinary guy. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything for him. That Lin Dafa, I knew right away he was trouble—the kind of rat that hides in the sewer, the weevil in a pot of rice, a blight on honest people…”

I quickly waved my hand, stopping him. “Alright, that’s enough. I’ll go let Sister Mao know. You get it?”

He probably thought I’d put in a good word for him with Sister Mao, meaning more business. There was a greedy gleam in his eyes—both irritating and amusing.

Long after we left, Guan Zengbin finally remarked, “That boss is something else. All bark, no bite.”

I laughed too. “Yeah, guys like him love throwing their weight around when they can, always looking for an angle, but they’re not truly wicked.”

In the office.

I told Team Leader Shao everything. He nodded, finally showing a hint of satisfaction. “If we can catch even one alive, there’s hope of finding the rest.”

Mary chimed in, “I’ve pulled together all the information on Lin Dafa. He’s forty-two and has a nineteen-year-old daughter. He killed someone about three or four years ago. Before his execution could be carried out, he tried to kill himself by slitting his wrists. The suicide didn’t work, so he was sent to the hospital.” Mary went on, “While hospitalized, Lin Dafa made a rope out of bedsheets, climbed down from the seventh floor, and vanished without a trace.”

“So why did he do it?” Guan Zengbin asked.

Mary told us a story about what it means to be a father.

It happened four years ago, back when Lin Dafa was thirty-eight and his daughter Lin Rong was fifteen.

Lin Dafa’s wife had passed away early, leaving just him and his daughter. He worked construction to support them and didn’t make it home until late every night. Most times when he got back, Lin Rong was either already asleep or said she was staying at a friend’s.

Fifteen is a restless, rebellious age. Lin Dafa was quiet and awkward—he couldn’t understand his daughter, and she couldn’t understand him. She disliked her father. Other girls’ dads wore suits, but hers was just a construction worker. Lin Rong felt embarrassed by him and avoided seeing him whenever she could.

Once, Lin Dafa had an out-of-town job that lasted a while. There was no one to watch Lin Rong at home.

At fifteen, Lin Rong roamed the streets till late every night.

That month, she met a rich kid in his twenties.

That month, he suggested they drive to another city to hang out.

That month, Lin Rong disappeared.

A teacher went to her house—locked up, no one home. The teachers couldn’t reach Lin Dafa because he didn’t even have a phone. He spent more than a month living and working at the construction site, while his daughter was gone for just as long.

The rich kid, Lin Rong, his friend, and one of Lin Rong’s friends—two men in their twenties and two girls about fifteen or sixteen.

The rich kid handed Lin Rong over three thousand yuan. She’d never seen so much money before. She took it with a big smile—he was generous with her.

She went home, and Lin Dafa never even knew about any of it.

Then one day, there was the school’s first health screening.

That day, Lin Rong was diagnosed with an illness.

Later, the rich kid was caught. Turned out he’d been infected with a disease by a woman at twenty. Desperate, he wanted others to suffer like him.

During interrogation, the rich kid laughed, “Those women, I just wanted those money-hungry girls to know what it feels like.”

The transcript said: That was the happiest, yet the most vicious smile I’ve ever seen.

After that, there was no going back for Lin Rong. She stayed home all the time like a different person—just as quiet as her father.

Most days, Lin Dafa and Lin Rong just sat together, never saying a word.

From morning till night.

Sometimes silence explodes. Other times, it kills you slowly.

That day, Lin Dafa picked up a knife and left the house.