19. Abnormal Behavior

For nearly a month afterwards, Zeng Xiasheng had no news from Tang Sizhuo.

They were from two different worlds, and as long as she didn't come to him actively, he wouldn't be able to hear any sound from her.

Zeng Xiasheng regretted yelling at her, saying those words to her. Tang Sizhuo had always been sensitive and attentive, not to mention she was ill at the time. But then he thought better of it. He had to steel himself to make that move. He even hoped she would give up completely, leave Jiang Ming, and return to the life she deserved, leaving the past as just a memory.

After Tang Sizhuo left that day, he himself developed a high fever and remained ill for a long time. He'd had a regular schedule in prison and rarely gotten sick, but this time, the illness came like a devastating blow, leaving him bedridden for three or four days. The person in charge of the logistics center called him several times. At first, he was polite, saying he could come back after he recovered. But then he became increasingly reluctant, saying they needed someone else and had already filled in. He'd paid him 70 percent of the previous ten days' payment and told him to rest easy.

Zeng Xiasheng didn't go to the hospital, didn't even buy medicine. He lay there, unable to get out of bed, refusing to eat or drink. Rain began to fall at night, clattering against the iron plate. Dizzy in the darkness, he thought, if I could die quietly here, it would be a good ending.

Sadly, his body fought back, and he didn't get to close his eyes forever as he'd hoped. A week later, though still coughing and weak, Zeng Xiasheng was back at the shop, working from morning till night, inspecting and repairing the old phones Chen Tianhao had collected. Chen Tianhao was out on business, often away for days at a time, leaving the shop largely under Zeng Xiasheng's control. He offered several times to invest his technology in the shop, so they could save enough for a wife, but Zeng Xiasheng refused. He had no plans for a family, let alone a future. Now that he'd lost contact with Tang Sizhuo and didn't have to pay back the money, three thousand yuan a month was enough for rent and food, so he could live as long as he could.

As New Year’s Day approached, an uninvited guest came to the store.

Zeng Xiasheng was helping a middle school girl replace her phone battery. Perhaps trying to save money but also wary of "black shops," she hesitated at the door before entering. But upon seeing him, she clutched the hem of her school uniform tightly, but mustered the courage to bargain. Zeng Xiasheng looked at her amused, but without further comment, he stood up, lifted the door curtain, and tied it up, letting in the air and transforming the confined space into a public area.

So, when Lin Feng walked into the shop, he didn't immediately notice anything was happening, thinking it was another customer looking for a phone repair. He put the screen back together, taped the edges, and told the girl to just pay by trimming the change, while asking her to wait a moment.

When he handed the phone with a new battery to the girl, he realized that the person in front of him was the man he had met several times but did not know his name.

He had only seen him from a distance the previous two times, but now, standing opposite him, Zeng Xiasheng realized that the man was a little taller than him, with a big build, dark skin, and barely regular features. His sharp eyes were quietly sizing him up.

Lin Feng was dressed in casual clothes, but his silent scrutiny made Zeng Xiasheng's spine straighten unconsciously when their eyes met. He was familiar with them; they were the eyes of a police officer.

"Would you mind talking for a few minutes?"

Is it for Tang Sizhuo?

His heart skipped a beat, and countless thoughts flashed through Zeng Xiasheng's mind. Was she sick again, or had something happened? Or was she here for an old case?

Seeing that he looked stiff and unresponsive, Lin Feng thought that he was wary because he was unfamiliar with the man, so he took out his ID from his pocket and opened it to show him.

"I'm Lin Feng, a criminal police officer from the Jiangming City Public Security Bureau." He paused and continued, "I'm also a friend of Tang Sizhuo. I have something to talk to you about."

Hearing Tang Sizhuo's name, his heartbeat dipped, then began to beat violently again. Zeng Xiasheng lowered his eyes to look at his ID, suddenly disgusted with his own meanness. He had warned himself countless times, yet at this moment, he felt a tragic surprise that the story had not been completely cut off.

He didn't say anything, but stood up, walked to the door and pulled down the shutter.

"I have two things to ask you, one official and one personal."

Lin Feng stared into Zeng Xiasheng's eyes and went straight to the point.

"This is the Sun Changming case. The victim's family strongly desires a reinvestigation. While there's no substantive evidence that could overturn the verdict, we won't initiate it at this time. However, the bureau is already considering investigating. I'm here to tell you that your confession had a significant impact on the case. If there are any discrepancies in it, regardless of the reason, we hope you will proactively inform us now."

Zeng Xiasheng stood across from him, not avoiding his gaze, but his face expressionless. Lin Feng spoke slowly, trying to discern clues from his calmness. However, Zeng Xiasheng was like a dead ember, resigned to his fate at the mention of the Sun Changming case, his eyes numb, revealing no pent-up emotion.

The humming sound of the lamp current mixed with the suppressed breathing of the two people.

After a long period of silence, Lin Feng sighed, found a relatively sturdy cardboard box and sat down. The pressure around him relaxed a lot, and his tone softened a bit.

"Sit down, don't be so nervous, I have something private to tell you."

Zeng Xiasheng finally spoke, his voice hoarse, "About Tang Sizhuo?"

"Right." Lin Feng suddenly chuckled, "Otherwise we wouldn't have much else to socialize with, right?"

The atmosphere in the room eased a lot with his laughter. Zeng Xiasheng sat back at his workbench, with a table half a meter wide between them.

"I know what your relationship is—"

Lin Feng spoke again, and his words were like thunderclaps from the sky. Zeng Xiasheng sat up straight with shock, subconsciously wanting to deny it. However, Lin Feng waved his hand, not letting him interrupt.

"If you want to argue, go argue with Tang Sizhuo. My information comes from her. Don't argue with me."

Lin Feng spoke in a relaxed tone, but his expression was solemn. He thought for a moment about where to start, and finally said, "I know you haven't seen her recently. I saw her a few times when she came to the bureau to take notes and ask about the progress. Her car was repaired a long time ago, but she didn't drive here. She took a taxi every time she went back and forth."

Having been strictly controlled by Xiao Tong since childhood, Tang Sizhuo had very little contact with her peers, let alone adults, so she was quite shy. Even though this had improved with age, she generally avoided strangers unless absolutely necessary. Therefore, upon hearing Lin Feng's words, Zeng Xiasheng gradually frowned—she couldn't drive but still took a taxi. This wasn't her style.

Unless she objectively can't drive.

Lin Feng saw the change in his expression and knew that Zeng Xiasheng understood what he meant.

"In our line of work, we're very sensitive to unusual behavior. One time might be an accident, but two or three times isn't... I suspect she's recently started taking medication again, which is why she's prone to dizziness."

medicine?

Zeng Xiasheng's breath hitched, and he immediately asked, "What medicine?"

He had clearly confirmed that it was just an imported, uncommon painkiller, but what Lin Feng had just said was clearly not it.

Lin Feng didn't answer. He took out his cell phone from his pocket, rummaged through it for a moment, then put the phone on the table and pushed it in front of Zeng Xiasheng.

It's a photo.

The shot seemed hastily taken, resulting in a slightly blurry image of an overturned medicine box and scattered medications. Zeng Xiasheng couldn't decipher the complex and difficult-to-pronounce names of the drugs, so his gaze fell on the box closest to the camera, marked in the upper right corner with "psychotropic drugs."

"There are a few more photos at the back, you can take a look at them yourself." Lin Feng explained softly, "I took these when I took her to the hospital last time, about four years ago, when I was still in Beijing. I didn't know exactly what she ate, so I had to take pictures and give them to the doctor for evaluation."

Zeng Xiasheng felt a buzzing in his ears, as if he couldn't understand what Lin Feng was saying. He suddenly raised his head and asked, "Why are you going to the hospital?"

"Substance abuse and alcoholism. She needs long-term medication, and she's fine following the doctor's dosage. But if there's a sudden stimulus, she can lose control. This time, I remember it was because her mother had a minor illness and was hospitalized, and she insisted that she go and be with her. She refused, so her mother called her boss at the law firm to complain. They thought she was busy with work and embarrassed to ask for leave, so they kindly approved family leave, which immediately broke her down."

Lin Feng took the phone back, put it in his pocket, and looked at Zeng Xiasheng helplessly.

"Today is the first time we meet, and I don't expect you to trust me right away. What I can tell you is that I am indeed one of Tang Sizhuo's friends. As for why I am one, it involves her privacy, so she can't tell you from me. If she wants you to know, she will tell you herself later."

"You're looking for me—"

"I need your help, or rather, Tang Sizhu needs it."

Lin Feng sighed heavily with a complex honesty, and lowered his voice even more.

"Two years before you were released, she improved a lot, her mental state was relatively stable, and she had gradually stopped taking medication. That's why I supported her in investigating the previous case. But right at the beginning, she showed signs of taking medication again. As her friend, I definitely want to help her untie the knot in her heart, but this is not a good sign. As long as she is mentally dependent on drugs, she may fall back into the same mistakes at any time. However, I am not like when I was in Beijing, and I can't check on her situation as frequently. I think she may not want you to know, but I can't find anyone else in Jiangming, and I can't tell her colleagues or assistants about this. So I took the initiative to come to you."

Zeng Xiasheng opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He could even taste the sweet and fishy taste in his throat. His heart ached and his fingertips trembled.

Lin Feng didn't understand why Tang Sizhu started taking medicine again, but he knew the reason.

He is the reason.

A surge of guilt surged out like a giant wave, overcoming his fragile defenses in the blink of an eye, burning his internal organs. Zeng Xiasheng stood there in shock, almost forgetting how to breathe. His vision was hazy and distorted, and he stared at the man across from him in shock.

"She is currently safe and conscious, working normally, and has no issues. I just confirmed this morning."

Lin Feng looked at the time. He had been very busy with Liu Dong's case recently. He had found an opportunity to leave the team in the middle of the investigation under the pretext of having a meal. Now it was time to go back.

"You have more flexible schedules than I do, and you know her better than I do. Even if you don't want to overturn the case and have nothing to do with her anymore, for the sake of your childhood friendship, please pay more attention to her movements in the near future."