East alley, under the old locust tree.

Jiang Linchuan stood quietly by the tree, observing the people coming and going.

He arrived late last night and didn't sleep a wink, all in an effort to find clues.

So far, he has not found anything.

An elderly woman with a cane walked by. She lived in the front, and her cloudy eyes looked ahead as if they had lost their focus.

Jiang Linchuan continued to stare at her until she disappeared from sight.

As the night wore on, the town became increasingly lively.

More people passed by the alley.

Sudden.

Jiang Linchuan's expression changed slightly as he stared intently at a middle-aged man who had just passed by Chen Jingming's house.

Although he had tried to cover it up, some flaws still showed.

He kept glancing at Chen Jingming's house, but each time he only lingered for about a second or two before quickly looking away.

Once, twice, three times.

He watched it three times.

This was no longer a casual glance, nor merely curiosity, but a purposeful investigation.

Jiang Linchuan subtly shifted his body to avoid being exposed.

The thick trunk of the locust tree provided excellent cover for his movements.

The man walked past quickly, and Jiang Linchuan immediately followed.

The two walked through the alley and entered the bustling main street.

Jiang Linchuan created some distance, using the passing pedestrians as cover.

Finally, the man stopped in front of a bookstore.

The bookstore was small, with a wooden sign that read "The sea of ​​learning has no bounds."

Jiang Linchuan did not go in, but continued to guard outside.

Not many customers entered the bookstore. In a whole day, there were only a dozen or so people, most of whom were students who just went in to look around but did not buy any books.

The man finally came out after it got dark.

He wrapped himself in a cotton-padded coat, locked the shop door, and walked back the way he came.

As he passed by Chen Jingming's house, he glanced at the doorway repeatedly.

Once, twice, three times.

Three times.

It's like observing, or more like confirming something.

The man kept walking and finally got home.

Jiang Linchuan didn't leave until the lights inside the room were turned off. He then summoned his adjutant, Wang, and said, "Investigate this person's information thoroughly, down to the smallest detail, especially whether he has any connection with Chen Jingming."

"yes!"

All night long.

The room was completely silent.

Jiang Linchuan specifically asked his adjutant Wang to rent the house next door and rest in a chair with his eyes closed.

At the slightest sound from that side, he immediately opened his eyes and stared intently at the wall.

He would close his eyes to rest again once the sound from the other end had stopped.

The next morning.

The man walked that road as usual, and looked at it three times.

Jiang Linchuan followed behind, remaining calm and composed.

“Commander Jiang,” Lieutenant Wang’s voice suddenly rang out, “These are the investigation results. This man’s name is Li Fugui, he is forty-three years old, and he owns a bookstore. He used to live in Haicheng, but moved here later. The reason he came to Haicheng was that his wife passed away, and seeing things there reminded him of her, so he came to this unfamiliar place in Heilongjiang Province to start over.”

"Not long after that, he met his current wife here and married her. By the way, his second wife also has a son and a daughter, and they live together now. On the surface, he seems to have no problems."

“No, there’s something wrong with him.” Jiang Linchuan tapped the documents, his voice icy. “The reason he left was definitely not because he was reminded of someone, but because someone offered him benefits to come here as a spy. There must be something about him. Go investigate and follow Li Fugui’s wife and his two children. If you find anything wrong, tell me immediately.”

"yes!"

Over the next three days.

Xu Xinghe continued to cooperate with the investigation, but she didn't suffer at all; at most, she couldn't leave her house. Three meals a day were delivered to her door by a dedicated person, and each time there were several dishes, including some for women.

Lian Xiao tried several times to go in and talk to Xu Xinghe, but Zhao Feng stopped him each time.

"Miss Xu's identity is currently uncertain, so no outsiders are allowed to contact her. This is the rule, even if you are General Lian's grandson."

"You already know I'm General Lian's grandson, and you still dare to say I colluded with her?"

"I did not mean that."

"You are! Are you going to move or not?"

"Sorry, I can't."

Zhao Feng leaned against the doorpost, tilted his head slightly, his expression serious yet revealing a hint of arrogance.

He doesn't even respect Jiang Linchuan, so how could he possibly value Lian Xiao?

To put it bluntly, he's just a young man who acts arrogantly because of his family background.

He's someone who climbed up the ladder through sheer hard work, and that's the kind of person he hates most.

"I said no, and that's final. I hope Captain Lian won't cause me any trouble."

Lian Xiao could see the undisguised contempt in his eyes, and he was so angry that he really wanted to punch him!

That bastard, all he knows is how to use rules to intimidate people!

They even look down on him!

What right does he have to look down on himself?

Based on his position as an adjutant?

Lian Xiao took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on Zhao Feng. Given his strength, the chances of him forcing his way in seemed slim…

Even if Zhao Feng is no match for him, there are still so many others.

Although he had a high opinion of himself, he also understood that one man's fists could not fight four feet.

"I didn't expect so many people today." Li Xingzhou, carrying his medicine box, walked up to the two men with a gentle smile on his face.

Lian Xiao took a step back, quickly moving away, his disgust undisguised. "What are you doing here?"

“I’m here to give Xinghe a follow-up examination. She was seriously injured during the harvest, and I need to check to make sure there are any remaining issues with her bones. This is a formal follow-up examination. If Lieutenant Zhao doesn’t believe me, I have the necessary paperwork that I’ve obtained from the hospital director. No matter what Xinghe is involved in, her personal safety is always the most important thing.”

After speaking, Li Xingzhou held up a piece of paper with his well-defined knuckles.

Zhao Feng glanced at her briefly before looking away. He stepped aside and said, "Dr. Li, please."

"Wait!" Lian Xiao suddenly became furious. "Why can he go in, but I can't? Aren't you afraid he'll use this opportunity to send out some message? I'm at least a member of the Lian family. Even if the whole world betrays us, the Lian family will never betray us. Who does he think he is!"

Zhao Feng completely ignored him, staring intently at Li Xingzhou, his sharp gaze seeming to bore a hole through him.

“You can go in for a follow-up examination, but I must accompany you the entire time to ensure that your every move is under my surveillance.” He could not give Xu Xinghe the opportunity to be alone with anyone. If she really passed on any information, then all the previous interrogation efforts would be in vain.

In other words, Xu Xinghe has a resilient personality. Any woman under such pressure would soften her attitude, even if she hadn't done anything wrong.

But she remained open and honest from beginning to end, her gaze never wavering.

Li Xingzhou smiled and nodded, "Okay."

Zhao Feng opened the door. "Ms. Xu, the doctor is here to examine you. We'll be in shortly."