Chapter 35 Petals
Liu Rong sighed helplessly, but did not compromise; he simply remained silent.
When Liu Niangzi saw that he still didn't come to coax her, she felt both angry and resentful, and the bitter taste of medicine in her mouth went straight to her heart.
She didn't understand how, when she was doing it for the good of the family and to prevent others from laughing at her, it had become her fault.
Her mother-in-law would gather folk remedies from who-knows-where and drink them until her face turned blue and she was almost nauseous, but she never complained.
Why can't he take a concubine for the sake of the child? If there is no child, who will carry on the Liu family line and who will inherit the tofu shop?
Madam Liu turned and went into the inner room. After a while, she came out with a bundle. She frowned, a hint of pain flashing in her eyes, and said coldly, "I'm going back to my parents' home for the next few days. Come find me when you've made up your mind."
Liu Rong was stunned and stared blankly as she walked away with her bundle on her back. When he came to his senses and chased after her, she was already gone.
"I hadn't looked for her either, I never expected this, I never expected this..."
His voice choked with emotion, filled with regret, and then he said, "I just never imagined that when we met again, it would be forever."
"I...I...I really regret it. I shouldn't have argued with my wife. It's all my fault!"
When did she leave?
"At one quarter past 7 p.m. at night."
Gao Shaoguang touched his chin, deep in thought.
It was already curfew time, and the streets were mostly deserted, but the night watchmen were still there.
He got up and strode out, saying, "Summon the night watchman from Wangyang Lake last night."
"Yes, sir!"
Tao Tao and her mother helped the old woman, Liu, who was crying until she was exhausted. They looked at the body covered with a white sheet on the bed board, and then they heard footsteps behind them.
She turned around and saw the government official who had been by Wangyang Lake earlier.
Gao Shaoguang scrutinized them from head to toe with a critical look: "What is your relationship to the deceased?"
“My name is Tao Tao. My family runs a funeral shop. This is my mother. The one who keeps crying is the deceased’s mother-in-law. Madam Liu took good care of us when she was alive, so we came to visit.”
Her voice grew softer as she spoke, and a hint of reluctance and regret appeared on her face.
"May I ask how things are going right now?"
"The coroner examined the body and found no external or internal injuries. The face was purplish-blue and swollen, the eyeballs were protruding, the mouth and nasal cavity were filled with bloody foam, the throat was swollen, and the upper abdomen was distended, which are consistent with the symptoms of drowning and suffocation."
"If no substantial evidence or witness testimony is found, the case can only be closed as an accidental fall into the water."
Upon hearing this, Aunt Liu cried even louder, "It's all my fault! It's all my fault for not stopping her. So what if we don't have children? As long as the three of us are safe, healthy, harmonious, and happy, that's enough..."
Tao Tao sighed, looked at the corpse under the white sheet, and said to him, "May I see the body?"
Upon hearing this, Gao Shaoguang looked at her with shock and suspicion, as if to say that she was joking, and that even he, who had been investigating cases for many years, might not have been able to withstand such a corpse.
Very few people can take a look and remain unfazed.
Seeing this delicate young woman before me, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to sleep.
Seeing this, Tao Tao could roughly tell what he was thinking. "Don't worry, I myself am involved in funerals. How could I not have seen countless dead people?"
"I just want to double-check if this is really the person."
Upon hearing this, Gao Shaoguang raised his eyebrows and said, "Please go ahead."
Since she said she wasn't afraid, why should I try to dissuade her further?
Tao Tao thanked her and stepped forward. The giant statue was still quite impactful. She paused for a moment, then slowly lifted the white cloth.
Liu Niangzi had a mole on the side of her nose. She looked at it and saw that there was a black mole on her large, bluish-green nose.
It's her.
She frowned, taking in her entire body as much as possible.
If she hadn't been so busy these past few days, and had she run into Lady Liu, she might have been able to prevent her death.
It's too late to say all this now. Although morticians and forensic doctors are two different professions, they both serve the deceased and their approach to corpses differs from that of ordinary people.
Perhaps it's certain details that the funeral director can notice, which can also be helpful in the case.
Seeing that she could observe so calmly for so long, Gao Shaoguang couldn't help but come forward, thinking that perhaps she could discover something.
"Have you discovered anything?"
She shook her head: "Not for now."
Suddenly, her gaze was drawn to a splash of watery red. She picked up a sheepskin glove from the side, put it on her right hand, and reached out to lift the deceased's clothes.
A single petal.
Where did the flowers come from?
He looked at the petals on her fingertips with a puzzled expression.
"These are crabapple blossoms."
How did you know?
"It's summer now, and many kinds of flowers bloom at this time, including the crabapple blossom. As for how I know this, it's because I've seen it before, and I believe you have too."
"You just didn't notice."
Gao Shaoguang frowned. Had they met before?
"The flower seller on the street, Wangyang Lake is full of scholars and lovers, selling flowers there is better than in other places, and I happened to pass by that flower seller when I went there."
Hearing her say that, he seemed to remember that he had heard the sound of flower sellers, but it was quickly drowned out by the noise of the crowd.
"So what? A single petal is useless and proves nothing. Besides, she died in Wangyang Lake. It's not surprising that someone dropped a flower into the lake."
"I didn't say what use this was, sir."
Tao Tao looked at him innocently, as if to say that he was overthinking things.
That's what she said, but she held the petals in her hand.
Immediately, Gao Shaoguang gave her a disgruntled look and pursed his lips.
"Sir, now that we've finished examining the corpse, can we take it with us? After all, it would be better to bury it sooner rather than later."
Because of the current situation, the microorganisms in the body will cause the corpse to decompose faster. The facial features can still be clearly seen now, but they will not be visible in two days.
He also knew that given the deceased's condition, it was best to bury him as soon as possible.
"Come and take it away tomorrow afternoon."
Let the coroner check again.
"In that case, we'll be leaving now. We hope that you can find the truth as soon as possible so that your family can have peace of mind."
He nodded, his expression somewhat grave.
Tao Tao walked towards Aunt Liu, who was leaning on her mother's shoulder, and said, "Aunt Liu, let's go."
Aunt Liu wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, "Where...where is my son?"
Tao Tao was momentarily stunned, her gaze towards her carrying a subtle scrutiny.
Those present, however, didn't think it was anything special.
He said, "We need to interrogate him a bit more, and then let him go back tomorrow."
Aunt Liu nodded weakly: "Thank you, sir."
Tao's mother swallowed hard, her throat dry, and said, "Aunt Liu, don't worry, leave Madam Liu's funeral to us. We will ensure she leaves this world in a dignified and complete manner."
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