"Brother Zhang, hey, he's a mentally ill patient. I heard from the patrolman that he has been burning paper money at the intersection for more than 20 years. He almost caused a fire once. So if we see him again, call the police directly. Come on, Brother Zhang, let's drink beer..."

Xu Zijun felt a little depressed, thinking that someone had encountered something sad, but who knew it was a mentally ill patient.

And he is a repeat offender.

People like this should be sent for treatment and should not wander around the city. Otherwise, if something really happens to them, it will be too late for regret.

"It should be 25 years. Rong Lecheng, help me check if there were any murders or deaths in this area 25 years ago. The woman just now might have some unspeakable secrets. She doesn't look like a mental patient. At least she ran faster than you when she saw the patrolman coming!"

However, Zhang Fan did not quite agree with the answer given by Xu Zijun.

Perhaps some of this woman's actions and words might make her look like a mental patient to others, but Zhang Fan didn't think she was.

Because he had heard her prayers. Although he did not understand them all, it was not something a mentally ill person could say. Besides, the patrolman had said that the person had been burning paper in this area for more than 20 years.

And the woman also mentioned 25 years, so that makes sense.

"A murder case from 25 years ago? Brother Zhang, now that you mentioned it, I remember that there was indeed a sensational case 25 years ago. Although I was still young at that time, I heard people talking about it on the streets. I'll look online to see if there is any news about this case..."

Zhang Fan's words reminded Xu Zijun of a case he often heard people talking about on the streets. It was a case that happened in a rural area of ​​Jiangcheng more than 20 years ago.

That case actually happened in a rural area in the remote urban area of ​​Jiangcheng today. It was about two drowned children, a boy and a girl, who were found in the reservoir in Liujiawanzi.

The older of the two children was seven or eight years old, and the younger was four or five years old. They were originally thought to have drowned, but after being salvaged, they were found to have bruises on their necks from being strangled.

Both of them had scars all over their bodies, which didn't look like ordinary drowning at all.

So it was classified as a criminal case and the matter was under investigation. It was soon discovered that the two deceased had a dispute with Liu Yuyuan, who lived in the same village not far from them.

Because the day before the incident, two children stole dates from Liu Yuyuan's house because they were greedy, and were scolded by Liu Yuyuan for breaking the branches of the date tree. Many people in the village knew about it at that time.

Unexpectedly, the next day, the two children were killed and their bodies were drowned in the reservoir.

All the suspicions pointed to Liu Yuyuan, who said that he was picking corn in a cornfield at the time of the crime. His cornfield was not far from the reservoir, and he was the only one in the cornfield at the time.

There was no evidence of a second person being present, and the police at the time also found a red hemp rope on the two children, which came from Liu Yuyuan's home.

At that time, there were no more instruments for examination, so after the interrogation, Liu Yuyuan was sentenced. It was said that he was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve and then changed to 30 years in prison.

In that era, the death of two innocent children, a boy and a girl, was big news. People were discussing that Liu Yuyuan was the devil on earth.

Such cute little kids, but a little bit naughty. He could kill two kids just for a jujube tree. How cruel is his heart? He is simply a demon in the world.

There was even a time when, when some children were disobedient, someone would use the murderous demon Liu Yuyuan to scare those children, including Xu Zijun. So when he heard Zhang Fan asking about this situation today, he immediately thought of this case.

While drinking beer and eating skewers, he talked leisurely and told Zhang Fan everything he remembered. Rong Lecheng on the side was also listening attentively and couldn't help but speak.

"Master Xu, this is not right. Would Liu Yuyuan really kill someone for a jujube tree? Were the two children killed in the cornfield? Did he strangle them with a rope or with his hands? The two children are not young anymore, are there no sounds in the cornfield?"

Rong Lecheng had studied abroad, and he always felt that there were many doubts about the case Xu Zijun described. Was there a grudge between someone killing someone just because of a date tree?

And killed two children?

Is it so cruel?

"That, I don't know either. Anyway, I heard people say that when I was a child. I don't know where the murder took place, but I have heard that Liu Yuyuan has been protesting his innocence, saying that he did not kill the child. He has been prosecuted three times and sentenced several times. If he can still lose weight, he will probably be released soon..."

"Brother Zhang asked if there was a murder case 25 years ago. I was deeply affected by this, so I told him about it. I don't know if it was the case Brother Zhang mentioned. Anyway, I don't understand it. I just treated it as some off-topic conversation while we were drinking..."

Xu Zijun didn't take it seriously and called Zhang Fan and Rong Lecheng to eat skewers and seafood.

Zhang Fan over there was frowning.

"Rong Lecheng, please go back and look into this case. I feel like something is not right. Maybe it's because some equipment and people's awareness have faded decades ago. If you look into it, you'll know what's going on..."

Zhang Fan took a sip of ice-cold beer. On such a hot night, it was really refreshing to drink such a beer.

Paired with the meat skewers and seafood specially grilled by Xu Zijun, people feel particularly comfortable. If Xu Zijun hadn't mentioned Liu Yuyuan's case just now, Zhang Fan would have felt that life was so comfortable!

There seems to be no worries or unhappiness.

The three young people were enjoying the night breeze, eating barbecue, talking about happy topics, and mentioning some interesting things from their childhood. Bursts of laughter were heard in the night sky.

On another street, the woman who was burning paper was staggering. She finally slowed down and walked slowly towards a place.

Her target was a village in the city. The houses with big "dangerous buildings" signs on them were where she would settle down. However, before going back, she had another important place to go.

The woman touched the bulge on her chest, where there was a letter that she had to hand over tonight.

That was her hope, and for 25 years, she had sent a letter every once in a while.

Sending a letter of hope!

When she came to a high-walled courtyard, she saw something that looked like a scale at the door. It was steady and stable, symbolizing fairness.

"Fairness, is there still fairness in this world?"

The woman tilted her head back, tears rolling down her eyes again.