Just then, a thunderclap rang out, followed by a series of rolling thunderclaps.
"It's going to rain!"
Zhou Huaihai looked out the window at the sky that had suddenly darkened and said.
As darkness suddenly fell outside the window, the group remained silent for a moment.
A floor fan, still hissing amidst the thunder, sent wisps of wind blowing toward Zhou Huaihai.
A few minutes later, a torrential downpour began.
On the transparent glass window, streaks of rain flowed downwards like small snakes.
Gazing at the serpentine rain streaks, Liang Damin recalled the information Shao Jian had given him.
That was Liu Han's direct subordinate, an agent codenamed Cobra, who was only fifteen or sixteen years old before and after the liberation.
Human thought can transcend time and space and involve association.
The torrential rain and lightning outside the window instantly reminded Liang Damin of a scene from that rainstorm half a month ago.
He even considered and reasoned that if the person who seemed to be arguing with Qiu Jingwen in the rain during that downpour was Liu Han, then according to Shao Jian's reasoning, Qiu Jingwen might be Liu Han's subordinate.
In fact, the rain was very heavy that day. At the time, Liang Damin was riding his bicycle and did not pay much attention to the scene of Qiu Jingwen facing off against that side and back view. Now, looking back, he only felt that the back view, in terms of height and build, looked a lot like the deceased Liu Xianghai.
"Could it all really be related to Lao Qiu?"
Liang Damin murmured to himself as he looked out at the torrential rain.
Yi Baoguo felt confused and then asked Liang Damin:
"Old Liang, are you referring to the murderer who killed that barber? Is he related to Qiu Jingwen?"
Liang Damin naturally couldn't tell Yi Baoguo and Zhou Huaihai what he knew. He hadn't even mentioned this suspicion or that scene to Shao Jian.
"Of course I don't doubt Qiu Jingwen, but now someone is writing anonymous letters directly accusing the couple of being the murderers."
He avoided discussing what he knew and the doubts in his heart.
The rain outside the window is still pouring down.
The floor fan was still whirring.
Zhou Huaihai took a drag of his cigarette and then looked at Liang Damin.
"Liang Damin, you should give this anonymous letter to Deputy Director Shao Jian. It would be good to thoroughly investigate Qiu Jingwen so that everyone won't be suspicious in the future. Originally, there was nothing wrong, but now that someone has made an anonymous report, it feels like we are being led astray, and Qiu Jingwen suddenly seems like a stranger."
"This person's sense is really interesting. However, I absolutely do not believe that Qiu Jingwen and his wife have any problems. If Qiu Jingwen and his wife do have problems, it will really overturn my worldview."
Liang Damin put the letter in his jacket pocket and then looked at Yi Baoguo.
"Director Yi, you are a veteran of the Hongqi Factory. I would like to ask, Director Qiu Jingwen, how much do you know about his social and family relationships?"
Yi Baoguo is nearing retirement age; he is indeed a veteran of the Hongqi Factory.
He had been working at the Hongqi Medical Equipment Factory long before it was converted into a military-industrial third-line enterprise. Liang Damin felt that Yi Baoguo should know Qiu Jingwen's family and social relationships better than he did, which was also the task Shao Jian had given him.
But Yi Baoguo shook his head and then told Liang Damin:
“Section Chief Liang, although I have been in this factory for decades, I was not initially in the Political Work Department, so my knowledge of Qiu Jingwen’s family and social relationships comes only from his file, and I do not know more than you do.”
Liang Damin asked again:
"As for Qiu Jingwen's wife, Dr. Jiang Yuping, it seems that she doesn't have many social or family connections."
Yi Baoguo shook his head again:
"When Jiang Yuping first came to the Hongqi Medical Equipment Factory, she was a real beauty. I've seen her file. She was a girl from Shanghai who had also attended a medical college. No wonder she had such an outstanding temperament and appearance, and she was always the center of attention wherever she went. But at the time, no one expected that she would fall in love with Qiu Jingwen, a junior high school student. Many children of cadres also pursued her, but she rejected them all. I haven't asked her why over the years, since Qiu Jingwen and I are not the same age group."
At this point, Yi Baoguo thought for a moment and then said:
“Liang Damin, if you really want to know about Qiu Jingwen and his wife’s situation back then, you can ask Wei Dongmei, who has long since retired. She should be quite familiar with the situation of everyone who entered the factory back then. The personnel and labor relations at that time were handled by the specific person in charge.”
Liang Damin knew Wei Dongmei; she was nearly seventy years old. She started as an archives administrator and later rose to the position of deputy director of the political work department before retiring. Liang Damin only learned about her so clearly during this investigation of the spy case.
Liang Damin then asked:
"Where does Director Wei, Mr. Wei, live now?"
Before Yi Baoguo could respond, Zhou Huaihai took the initiative to speak:
“Liang Damin, I can provide this to you, but I still want to know, Director Shao Jian, do you really suspect that Qiu Jingwen and his wife have something going on? Do you suspect that they are involved in the murder of that barber?”
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