Chapter 428: A Strange Case of Truth and Lies

Chapter 428: When Things Are Out of the Ordinary, There Must Be Something Strange (Update 1)

The man on the other end gave Xiao Yu the impression of being in his early thirties, with a thin, haggard face.

He always wore a baffling smile, one that exuded an inexplicable warmth.

Yet his eyes remained icy and detached.

A warm smile paired with indifferent eyes—a perplexing combination.

This complex, contradictory expression only deepened Xiao Yu’s suspicions.

“Hello.”

Glancing at the three police officers before him, Ge Xuyang smiled as he spoke, “You called me here. What seems to be the matter?”

“Do you know Liu Changcheng?”

Xiao Yu fixed his gaze on his counterpart’s eyes.

“Hmm?”

Slightly surprised, Ge Xuyang nodded and replied, “Yeah, he’s my junior brother.”

His tone and demeanor were perfectly normal, showing neither deception nor concealment.

Xiao Yu, being well-versed in micro-expression psychology, was adept at picking up such cues.

“You own a property in the XX District, right?” Xiao Yu continued.

“That’s right.”

Without hesitation, Ge Xuyang answered, “I did purchase a house, though that was many years ago. In fact, I handed it over directly to my junior brother, Liu Changcheng. Is there a problem?”

“Just moments ago, that property was burned down.”

Xiao Yu said coldly, “We suspect that Liu Changcheng deliberately set the house on fire. Moreover, he is now implicated in a case, and our police are currently searching for him.”

“Is that so?”

Ge Xuyang feigned genuine surprise and smiled briefly. “That’s really unfortunate. I haven’t heard from my junior brother in years, so I have no idea where he is.”

That subtle lip compression was one of the classic ambiguous expressions in micro-expression psychology… Xiao Yu narrowed his eyes.

How interesting.

With that look, it was impossible to tell if he was lying or telling the truth.

From the moment they met until now,

Xiao Yu noticed that Ge Xuyang seemed to be in full control of his expressions.

He could modulate them with ease.

Something ordinary people simply couldn’t do.

Anyone who possesses such an ability

is either a seasoned operator or a veteran in the bureaucracy.

Or… someone well-versed in micro-expression psychology!

“Mr. Ge, you graduated from Medical University, didn’t you?”

Xiao Yu suddenly asked.

The unexpected question left Ge Xuyang momentarily dumbfounded.

It was as if the conversation had shifted from complimenting today’s meal to praising a pristine public restroom’s renovation.

One moment you’re talking about delicious food, the next about how well a restroom is maintained.

Most people would be taken aback by such an abrupt change.

Ge Xuyang only hesitated for a second before smiling and saying, “Yes, I spent five years at university, though it’s a pity I never became a doctor.”

Five years of university?

Medical school isn’t like a regular four-year college.

Take Clinical Medicine, for example—it typically spans five years.

There are even seven-year and eight-year programs, often referred to as extended programs…

“Thank you, Mr. Ge, for your cooperation in our investigation.”

Xiao Yu smiled, “If you come across Liu Changcheng, please notify the police immediately.”

“Will do.”

Ge Xuyang nodded with a smile.

Xiao Yu then turned and walked toward the 4S dealership, with Guo Qiang and Wang Cheng trailing behind him.

They watched Xiao Yu and his comrades disappear into the distance.

A broader smile slowly spread across Ge Xuyang’s face.

Yet his eyes shone with a chilling gleam…

…

“When things go awry, there’s always something amiss.”

After leaving the 4S dealership, Xiao Yu muttered to himself.

“Something amiss?”

Wang Cheng exclaimed in surprise, “Master, how can it be something amiss?”

Guo Qiang looked puzzled as he glanced at Xiao Yu.

“His reaction was too perfect—no sign of a flaw at all.”

A complex look flashed in Xiao Yu’s eyes before quickly returning to normal. “In psychology, when someone is prepping a lie, they remain unnervingly calm, staring unblinkingly to deceive their target or gauge if their lie is believed… Of course, calmness or unyielding eye contact doesn’t necessarily mean one is lying, but odds are they are.”

“Uh.”

Wang Cheng was baffled, “So you mean, Mr. Ge just lied?”

“No.”

Xiao Yu shook his head. “Quite the opposite—everything he said was true.”

Wang Cheng was at a loss for words…

Even Guo Qiang couldn’t quite figure it out.

What did he mean?

He said everything was true—shouldn’t that be a good thing?

“Suppose you were ordinary people,”

Xiao Yu looked at Guo Qiang and Wang Cheng. “If the police unexpectedly questioned you about a case you knew something about, how would you answer?”

“Normally, one would always tell the truth, right?”

Guo Qiang couldn’t quite grasp the significance of Xiao Yu’s hypothetical.

“Of course you’d speak honestly.”

Wang Cheng nodded, “Lying to the police is just asking for trouble.”

“Exactly. Lying or misspeaking to the police can lead to dire consequences.”

Xiao Yu nodded. “So, have you ever considered that when answering police questions, normal people naturally pause to think, causing them to speak more slowly?”

It’s just like doing business.

A seller won’t simply state a price and have the buyer immediately agree.

They usually take a moment to ponder whether the item is worth the asking price.

That brief period of contemplation determines if they’ll haggle, buy, or pass.

And that thought process takes time.

For instance,

if you listen carefully to how a seasoned bureaucrat speaks,

they talk slowly, deliberately, rarely rushing their words.

Do you really think they were born speaking slowly?

No, despite their slow speech,

their minds are racing at high speed.

Every word, even every syllable,

is carefully measured, weighed, and analyzed.

They consider what can be said, what shouldn’t be said, and how best to phrase it.

Even one wrong word or misstep can lead to unimaginable consequences…

After Xiao Yu’s explanation, Guo Qiang and Wang Cheng finally understood.

Back in their days as police, they hadn’t noticed anything amiss.

But upon reflection, it was true.

Ordinary people don’t blurt out answers when talking to the police.

They always mull over their responses.

Yet Ge Xuyang had answered so candidly, without a pause.

No time for contemplation—he just spoke.

Doesn’t that seem off?

Even if he wasn’t lying, something was definitely amiss.

Just as Xiao Yu had observed.

When things go out of the ordinary, there’s always something strange at work.

Xiao Yu finished with a cold smile, “Investigate this thoroughly.”

This Ge Xuyang is definitely hiding something!