Chapter 77 Red Spider Lily 16
That night, the police sent the body and belongings back to the city police forensic room.
The deceased had been dead for sixteen years and was strangled to death with a rope. After fingerprint comparison, she was indeed Zhou Zitu, Xie Chenyu's sister Xie Luoyan, and the female corpse in the bathtub that the police initially found in the villa was Xie Chenyu.
This case caused a small earthquake in the Donglan Municipal Bureau.
For a time, relevant personnel in the Municipal Bureau were discussing this strange case.
Director Chen made this case a priority for investigation and still put Luo Siwei in charge, telling her not to be anxious and to investigate the case carefully, to find out the truth and get to the bottom of everything.
Even Deputy Chief Pei, who had been urging the case to be closed, changed his attitude towards Luo Siwei 180 degrees. He temporarily assigned some additional police officers to her subordinates to assist in the case and asked her if she needed any help.
This result gave the police officers investigating the case a boost of confidence. All doubts were silenced, and the team members were convinced of Luo Siwei's investigative and reasoning abilities.
Amidst the praises, Luo Siwei was the calmest. The case had not been solved yet, and it could even be said that she had just touched the edge of the truth. She still needed to find the real culprit behind the scenes.
In the next few days, Luo Siwei devoted himself to the case and almost lived and ate in the Municipal Bureau.
Two days later, the notebook found in the cement was cleaned of evidence and could finally be opened.
The first half and the last few pages of the book have been corroded by cement, but fortunately, part of the content in the middle has been preserved intact.
Luo Siwei carefully opened the original notebook.
The handwriting inside was beautiful, recording a lot of trivial matters, as well as some expenses and accounts. It seemed that Xie Chenyu used this notebook as both a notepad and occasionally as a diary.
Judging from the amounts and records, Xie Chenyu didn't have much money and often had to budget carefully. She was very frugal and only bought necessities. She also frequently recorded ways to save money and tips on discounts.
There are also some English words copied in it.
Luo Siwei read a few pages, then paused, her eyes falling on one of the pages. That page was filled with words written on it: "Unwilling, Unwilling, Unwilling..."
By the end, the handwriting became increasingly sloppy, with several big exclamation marks.
Turning the page again, there was a page filled with "Why, why, why..."
A few pages later, some content appeared, like a diary entry, or perhaps a grumble. A dozen years ago, before the advent of Weibo, Xie Chenyu seemed to be using this notebook as a tree hole.
"Is life inherently unfair? We are sisters, so why does she have rich parents while I fight so hard just to survive?"
"It's so cold, I'm staying in the little room, shivering and unable to sleep. If I turn over, the bed will collapse. Where would Xie Luoyan be at this moment? She should be wearing beautiful pajamas, dressed like a little princess, in a warm room, listening to lullabies and falling asleep, right?"
"That old bastard called me again today and asked me to pay for my brother's schooling. I had a huge argument with him and didn't answer his call, so he called my workplace and embarrassed me. I voluntarily quit my job. With that little bastard's terrible grades, what good would it do to pay for his education? I don't want to support him forever."
"Why couldn't they just sell me off like they did to my sister? Why did they have to leave me behind to suffer? That way my life wouldn't be so hard."
"While showering, I felt the old scar on my head again. There's still a small patch of scalp where hair won't grow. I wanted to hit that old bastard on the head and let him have a taste of what it's like to wash dishes in ice water."
"My mom's back to her crying, throwing a tantrum, and threatening to commit suicide. One day I'm going to run away to a place where they can't find me."
“…”
The first half of the book is basically about the misfortunes of her original family and the hardships of life. It can be seen that Xie Chenyu's life is very hard. In her imagination, she thinks Xie Luoyan must be living a happy life, and she envies her sister.
Luo Siwei continued to read.
"When I was serving dishes, I often met female customers of the same age as me. They were wearing bright and beautiful clothes and sitting in the restaurant while I served them."
"Is Xie Luoyan the same? Sometimes I imagine those beautiful women as her, as myself."
"There's nothing fundamentally different about us. It's just that we were born into different families that we have such obvious differences."
"How many sets of clothes does Xie Luoyan have? How many beautiful bags does she have? Her parents should be able to support her to go to college, right? Even if I pass the exam, I can't go to school."
"I don't want to live a life huddled in a shared apartment, staring at my old age. I won't succumb to my fate. I will do everything in my power to climb up. On this path, my dignity, my body, my labor are all sacrificial. I'm even willing to sell my heart."
"They say learning can change your destiny. I've never stopped studying and I exercise every day. But now it's not enough. Work has drained all my energy. To have a more stable life, I need to find a way to make a living."
"Online dating is very popular now. After get off work, I went to the Internet cafe and found several men from the same city on the forum."
"I chose the most honest one."
"I don't like him, but I need his money. Whether a man is willing to spend money on a woman has little to do with whether he has money or not. Some men only have a hundred dollars but are willing to give a woman ninety-nine, while some men have ten thousand dollars but are only willing to give a woman one dollar. As for how much he can give me, I'll know after I give it a try."
"I don't think there's anything wrong with living with other people's money. I've given my body, and it's a matter of mutual benefit."
"Ding Zhaomo actually said he wanted to marry me. I lowered my head and said I should think about it because I was still young. But what I was thinking was: Marry him? How is that possible? He's too stupid, and he's not rich enough. He can't satisfy my ambitions and is simply not suitable for me."
"What am I? A little bastard born of an old bastard. A despicable monster. An unscrupulous scumbag."
Luo Siwei sighed at this point and flipped through the pages. She saw the girl's path getting further and further away. The next entry caught her attention.
"I went to a fortune teller. He said that, in fact, I should have been the one taken away that year. It was my sister who bought my life. I asked the fortune teller to tell me how to change my life. He said that he had a way to make me get back what I had lost, but it would require a price to get everything back on track. As long as I did what he said. I asked him what the price was, and he said that when I had no worries about food and clothing and was rich and powerful, he would come to take my soul."
"I'm skeptical of the Master's words. He didn't even ask for money. But if he's a con man, what could he possibly get from me, a person with nothing? The only valuable thing I have is my soul. How could he possibly take it?"
Luo Siwei calculated that at this time, Zhang Angu should not be a master yet. The master Xie Chenyu mentioned was most likely Zhang Angu's master, the fortune teller. It turned out that Xie Chenyu had known them for a long time.
It seemed that what the fortune teller said was mysterious, so she continued to watch.
"The master actually figured out where my sister lives and what her current name is. He also said she's looking for a roommate and asked me to call her."
"I've been looking for my sister for years with no news, but the master found her for me so easily. I'm starting to believe in fortune-telling."
"I followed the master's instructions and moved into my sister's place. Although it's a bit eerie, it's a thousand times better than where I lived as a child. My sister looked at me and said I looked a lot like her. I touched my rough face and smiled and said, 'Landlord sister, I'm not as pretty as you.' I think she's lived a pampered life for so many years that she's long forgotten what her original home was like, and that she has a twin sister."
"On the first night of living in the new house, apart from doing housework, I have free time."
"Landlady, tenant, just one word difference, they are not on the same level, how ridiculous. I tried my best to take care of her, asking her what she likes to eat and what her daily living habits are like. I recorded all that information one by one."
"Zhou Zitu was very satisfied with me. She said the food I cooked was delicious and she hadn't eaten so much in one meal in a long time."
"I discovered she was ill and had locked herself up in this house, not seeing the sun or interacting with anyone."
"I don't understand her. She has everything. The scar on her face isn't that serious. She can look good with a little makeup. Why doesn't she go out to work? Why doesn't she meet people? She has everything I want, but she doesn't know how to cherish it."
"The master told me to kill her so that her fate would return to me and my life could get back on track. But that's murder, and it's my own sister! How could I do such a thing?"
"But I can't help but wonder, what kind of life would I have if those things were mine?"
"I told Zhou Zitu that she needed to go out and mingle with others, and she got really angry with me and splashed water on my clothes. My kindness was taken for granted. Sooner or later, she'll die in this house and no one will know."
"Ding Zhaomo brought up marriage to me again, but I won't marry him. I want to marry someone several times richer than him, even if he's an old man. I want to be a beautiful bride. On my wedding day, I'll invite a group of actors to dress up as my relatives. They'll surround me and compliment me loudly. That's the sincere blessing I want."
"I served Zhou Zitu the soup I made. It was just a little salty, and she spilled it on the floor, pointed at my nose and cursed. I looked at her with a smile, cleaned up the soup on the floor, and then served her a new meal."
"I've made up my mind, what to do..."
Xie Chenyu's plan began, and Luo Siwei flipped through the pages.
"When I went out to buy groceries this morning, I saw a neighbor's grandmother tidying up the yard. She greeted me and called me Miss Zhou. She mistook me for me. It turns out that as long as we dress a little, outsiders can't tell who is who."
"Today, when I was sweeping the floor at the door, a woman called me the landlord and asked if I wanted to rent the house. I told her I had found a tenant."
“…”
"This morning, I was listening to English and didn't hear Zhou Zitu calling me. She got angry again and pulled my hair, telling me to get out if I didn't do my job properly. But I knew she was just threatening me. Besides me, who else could stand her bad temper?"
"Sure enough, Zhou Zitu apologized to me for what happened yesterday. She even hugged me and cried, asking me not to leave her. She said I was the only person close to her now. I was her friend and family. She said I was the only one she had. Don't worry, this crazy woman. I won't leave. I won't give her the chance to abandon me. But one day, I will abandon her."
"It's not time yet. I need to work hard to make myself more like her. I need to be a little thinner and my hair a little longer. Her voice is thinner than mine, and when she speaks, her eyes tend to turn to the right. I practice in front of the mirror."
"I've been paying attention to sun protection, so that one day I can be as fair as her. And my hands, how can a college student have hands as rough as mine? I deliberately dipped the pads of my right fingertips in hot oil, which burned a few of them and tore off some pieces of skin. My fingerprints are no longer clear."
"When I walked into the house today, Zhou Zitu was looking at the computer. She entered the password behind my back, thinking I hadn't seen it. But I had memorized those keys from looking in the mirror. Not only the computer password, but also her bank card password. I know where her property ownership certificate is and where her ID card is."
"While she was taking a shower, I went to try on her clothes. If I were a little thinner, I could wear her skirt."
"Today, some community members came to investigate, and Zhou Zitu asked me to open the door. The person who came to question me was a male staff member. I told her my name was Zhou Zitu, and I skillfully gave her her ID number and explained her family situation. The man didn't notice anything wrong, and his eyes were fixed on my chest. Ha, men."
There were several pages of calligraphy practice at the back, with the three characters "Zhou Zitu" densely written on them. Luo Siwei knew that Xie Chenyu had begun practicing her signature. Under the master's guidance, her plan to replace her was progressing smoothly.
"I'm already thin enough, white enough, and my hair has grown long. But after careful comparison, I found that even though we are twins, there are still some subtle differences between us. People who are close to us can probably tell us apart at a glance. Her nose bridge seems to be a little higher than mine, and her chin is a little shorter than mine, but these don't matter. I just need a simple disguise to look more like her. Anyway, Zhou Zitu hasn't seen many other people in two years. Those people are not close enough to her, and they will forget what she looks like."
"When I brought the food to Zhou Zitu, I noticed that we were becoming more and more alike. When I looked at her, it was like looking at myself in the mirror."
"It's almost time, but not quite yet. The master said I need to be patient..."
The back of the notebook was contaminated again, with words mixed in with trivial records, like pieces of debris.
Wrapped in resentment and ambition, Xie Chenyu is realizing her plan step by step.
As Luo Siwei read these sentences, he felt nauseous.
She understood why Xie Chenyu put the notebook next to the body. Only in this way could she bury Xie Luoyan's body together with the past Xie Chenyu.
Luo Siwei seemed to be watching Xie Chenyu swallowing Zhou Zitu mouthful by mouthful, and then she put on a painted skin and became her.
Luo Siwei flipped the page again, and suddenly, a page of paper fell out.
She opened the paper and found it was a letter, or rather, a suicide note.
Judging from the notes, they were not left by Xie Chenyu, but were written by Zhou Zitu, also known as Xie Luoyan.
Luo Siwei was shocked when she saw the beginning.
"My dear sister:"
It turned out that Zhou Zitu knew, she had always known that it was her twin sister who entered the house.
The case seemed to be getting more interesting.
Luo Siwei discovered that even things that happened in the past cannot be viewed from only one perspective.
Luo Siwei suppressed her heartbeat and continued reading.
"I will probably be dead by the time you see this letter. I recognized you the moment you entered my house. I always remember that I have another home, and I still remember your existence."
"You've probably noticed that I harbor a deep hatred for you, and for my parents who sold me. I'll deliberately make things difficult for you, scold you loudly, and then hide in the house and cry alone."
"My sister, you are the only one I have in this world. You are so cheerful and lively, never admitting defeat or bowing your head. You grow wildly like thorns."
"You have no idea what I've been through these years. Soon after I came into this family, I began to experience what it means to live under someone else's roof. Ever since I was seven, my stepfather would sneak into my room in the middle of the night. And my stepmother would secretly pry open the door and listen to my screams. She knew what was happening, but despite my pleas for help, she never offered any assistance. I even sensed a deep jealousy in her eyes."
"It turns out that adopting me was just a compromise this woman made in order to avoid divorce."
"They may not need a child. For that man, he needs a young woman."
"They paid for my schooling, but when I came home at night, this little house became my hell. The men would whip me with whips, and the women would alternately wash me with scalding and icy water. I tried to escape, but every time I failed, they would become even more brutal. After bullying me, they would buy me pretty dresses and dress me up like a beautiful doll, introducing me to others as their adorable daughter. But I didn't enjoy this kind of life."
"I've thought countless times how wonderful it would have been if they had taken you away. I'd be willing to stay in that dilapidated home, willing to lose everything, willing to trade my life for it."
"I pretended to be docile, and that's how I got the chance to go to college."
"When I thought about graduating from college and returning to this family, I felt scared. One time, they took me out, and in the car, the man insulted me again. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I grabbed his steering wheel and started fighting with him."
"Such behavior led to the accident."
"When I opened my eyes, I saw a man and a woman lying in a pool of blood. I was also covered in bruises from the car accident. I had the opportunity to call for help, but I didn't. I listened to their pleading, apologies, and curses. I watched them die before my eyes."
"I was ready to die, but in the end I survived."
"I am still alive and well, but the scars on my body and soul can never be erased."
"Sister, my life is not as glamorous as you imagine. I am weak and timid, and I can no longer muster the courage to face strangers."
"When I saw you again, I envied you. If I could choose, I would like to live a life like yours. But an evil thought sprouted in my heart. I want you to experience what I have experienced. I want you to never go back to the past."
"My sister, I love you more than I love myself."
"So, you don't have to feel guilty about killing me. Because I will be liberated by death, and you will be damned to hell for killing."
"Live well for me. Sister, I'll be waiting for you down there."
The letter was signed by Xie Luoyan.
Holding the letter in his hand, Luo Siwei couldn't calm down for a long time.
She didn't know how Xie Chenyu felt when she found the letter.
In short, Xie Chenyu put the letter in a notebook, and finally placed it on Xie Luoyan's chest, covered with thick layers of cement, to accompany her in her eternal sleep.
More than a decade later, the dusty truth was finally revealed.
Luo Siwei turned over the letter and saw a picture on the back.
The painting depicts two twin red spider lilies. These enchanting blossoms, growing wildly and unrestrained, are the color of blood, watered by people's tears, and each stamen is entwined with pain and regret.
Legend has it that this flower blooms on the road to the underworld, existing between life and death, symbolizing both death and rebirth.
It represents separation and longing, a past that cannot be returned to, hopeless love, and a call from hell.
Luo Siwei couldn't tell which of the two sisters was more unfortunate.
Is it Xie Luoyan, who was sold into a deformed family by her biological parents when she was young?
Or is it Xie Chenyu who grew up in a poor family?
She only knew that from the day she killed Xie Luoyan, Xie Chenyu really became Zhou Zitu as she wished, but did she really get the life she wanted?
She used all means to do this, including telling lies, killing people, destroying corpses, getting into her boss's bed, and becoming his mistress.
Her plan was successful, and over the past decade or so, she really became a wealthy woman.
But what does it matter? She was constantly afraid that her secret would be discovered, that the people she had killed would come back to find her.
She killed her sister and the people who loved her. In the end, she and her daughter died in the villa. She seemed to have wealth and glory, but also seemed to have nothing and could not change.
Did she really sacrifice her soul as the master said?
Does she occasionally think of her sister who is buried in the old house?
At the moment of death, will she envy her own early death?
During the lunch break at noon, Luo Siwei lay on the table and took a nap. In her dream, she seemed to be back in the old house decorated with many wooden products.
She stood in the living room, sunlight pouring in through the long windows. It was so bright in there that she could even see the dust flying in the air.
The wood creaked under my feet.
She looked up the spiral staircase and saw a beautiful woman standing there. Her eyes were cold and expressionless. She called out, "Zhou Zitu."
But the next second, she saw a woman about the same height and weight as Zhou Zitu standing higher up the stairs.
She also looked down at her.
Luo Siwei took a step back. She couldn't even tell which one was Xie Luoyan and which one was Xie Chenyu.
Then, a strange scene happened. The woman who came down the stairs above stretched out her arms and hugged another woman.
She laughed strangely and kept repeating: "I'm not willing to accept this, I'm not willing to accept this..."
Their bodies gradually merged like melted candles. Fingers clasped, limbs intertwined, features distorted, and finally the two merged into one, transforming into a monster of unspeakable horror.
The monster struggled, making a gurgling sound, and stumbled down the spiral staircase step by step...
Luo Siwei's dream ended here. She suddenly raised her head and it took her a few seconds to see that she was still in the office.
She looked at the time. It had only been twenty minutes since she lay down on the table. Although she had taken naps before, she had rarely fallen asleep so soundly in her seat.
Luo Siwei struggled to prop up his arms and rubbed his forehead.
Guo Zhengyao came over and said, "Captain Luo, we've compiled all the surveillance videos along the river." He handed Luo Siwei a form, "These are the suspicious vehicles that appeared nearby."
Although they had discovered Zhou Zitu's remains, they still had to continue investigating the case of Xie Chenyu and her daughter Zheng Congcong. The previous surveillance video had finally been analyzed to the point of being completely unraveled.
Since Xu Chile fell into the water in the early morning, there were not many vehicles passing by during that period.
Luo Siwei carefully examined the license plates, pointed at one and said, "Simulate the path this car took."
Guo Zhengyao answered yes, and then he asked Luo Siwei: "Who should our investigation focus on now?"
"Carefully investigate Zheng Wanshan's movements." Having said this, Luo Siwei opened the drawer, took out the test report on the hair, and placed it on the table. "Now, it's time to use this evidence."
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