"Okay." Captain Li said to Xiao Zhang, "Write this down first, we'll need it during the investigation later."

Xiao Wang and another police officer escorted Lin Qingyan back to the county police station and locked her in the detention room. They also called a professional forensic doctor to come to the Mopantun brigade to examine Tong Jiaojiao's body.

The forensic doctor's preliminary judgment was consistent with Lin Qingyan's statement: Tong Jiaojiao was indeed pregnant and had a miscarriage, and died of asphyxiation. As for the gestational age of the fetus, based on the miscarriage tissue found in Tong Jiaojiao's clothes, the forensic doctor determined that Tong Jiaojiao was between one and two months pregnant.

It was almost noon, and as Lu's mother walked with Lin's grandmother, she kept giving her instructions.

"When you see Zheng Ting later, don't mention that Xiao Lin was taken away. Xiao Lin just told you that, don't you remember?"

Grandma Lin nodded: "I remember, I remember, I won't tell."

"Remember what Xiaolin said: if Zhengting asks you why Xiaolin didn't come to treat his leg, just say that Xiaolin was sick and couldn't come."

"Okay, I understand."

As Lin Guanghui left the brigade headquarters, he felt less relaxed than before. These police officers had been asking him all sorts of questions in great detail, and he wondered if they would eventually trace it back to him.

He closed his eyes.

Stay calm, you must stay calm and not reveal any weakness.

The captain's house

Li's mother and eldest daughter-in-law were cooking in the kitchen when Lu Zhengting stopped at the kitchen door in his wheelchair and asked, "Auntie, how much longer until we can eat?"

This was the first time Li's mother had heard him ask such a childish question; she was like a starving child waiting for a meal.

She smiled and said, "Zhengting, are you hungry? Don't worry, dinner will be served in half an hour."

"oh."

For most of the day, Lu Zhengting was filled with anxiety. He finally made it to noon, and after lunch, Lin Qingyan would come to treat his leg, and then he would be able to see her.

Only when I see her in person can I feel at ease.

Because he was anxious, he kept rocking his wheelchair back and forth at the kitchen door.

Li's mother shook her head: "This child is starving too much."

He took a hot steamed bun made from two kinds of dough and a few pickled Erjingtiao peppers from last autumn from the pot and handed them to Lu Zhengting.

"Zhengting, if you're too hungry and can't wait for dinner, eat this first."

Lu Zhengting quickly accepted it: "Thank you, Auntie."

Then they started eating it in big mouthfuls.

Li's mother was speechless again. She could never believe that Lu Zhengting, who was usually so composed, could wolf down his food like that.

After Lu Zhengting finished his steamed bun and chili peppers, Li's mother asked him again, "Zhengting, have some soup later."

"I'm not drinking anymore." Lu Zhengting waved his hand. "I'm full. I'm going back inside."

He wheeled himself back into the house and looked at the large kang (heated brick bed) in front of him. It was as if he saw Lin Qingyan's shadow on the kang. He himself was also on the kang, lying down, while she sat in front of him, giving him acupuncture on his knee.

After being lost in thought for a while, he climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed), lay down by the window, and quietly stared at the ceiling, waiting for her to arrive.

Lu's mother and Li Qinqin were leading Grandma Lin home, but halfway there, Grandma Lin suddenly stopped walking.

"I want to go home, I want to go back to my own home, I don't want to go to your house."

Lu's mother persuaded her: "Auntie, there is no one left in your family, no one to cook for you. Come with me, we have food to eat."

Grandma Lin shook her head again: "I have food at home, and I need to feed my little rabbits. I want to go home, go home."

As she spoke, she turned and walked towards home.

Lu's mother and Li Qinqin both went to pull her away.

Lu's mother continued to persuade her: "Auntie, have you forgotten that before Xiao Lin left, she entrusted you to us and asked us to take good care of you? You also promised Xiao Lin that you would listen to me. Now come home with me and be a good girl, Auntie."

"But, but, we still have rabbits at home that I need to feed, otherwise they will starve to death."

Hearing this, Aunt Lu felt sorry for the rabbits: "Auntie, you have a key to your front door, I'll go back with you to feed the rabbits."

"Yes, yes, I have a key." Grandma Lin took out a red string from her clothes, with a key tied to it.

Lin Qingyan specially put that on her so that when she got tired from playing outside and wanted to go home, she could use this key to open the door if no one was home.

“Alright then, I’ll go home with you to feed the rabbits,” Mrs. Lu agreed, then told Li Qinqin, “Qinqin, you go home first. It’s almost lunchtime. Tell the others to eat first and not to wait for me. Aunt Lin and I will go back after we finish feeding the rabbits.”

"Auntie, how long will it take? Why don't I go with you?"

"Alright then, let's go pull some grass for the rabbits. If there are more of us, we can pull enough grass for them to eat faster."

Li Qinqin and Lu's mother followed Grandma Lin home. They took bamboo baskets from home, went to the field, and quickly picked a basketful of grass before going back to feed the rabbits.

After Li's mother finished preparing the meal, Li Qinqin and Lu's mother still hadn't returned. Since there were only a few people at home, they had to wait for everyone to arrive before they could start eating.

"Where did Auntie and Qinqin go? They haven't come back yet. My stomach has been growling for a long time."

Li Fang complained because he couldn't get enough to eat.

He was resentful and deliberately raised his voice, making so loud that Lu Zhengting inside the room could hear him.

Lu Zhengting couldn't help but wonder, where had his mother and Li Qinqin gone this time? They were usually already home before dinner time, so what was going on today?

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