Chapter 33
Two weeks later.
Sato parked the car on the side of the road and followed Yukiho, who was in the passenger seat, to the fruit shop.
At this time, the fruit shop was restocking, and all the fruit was fresh. Xuehui browsed around and decided to buy some grapes.
However, Sato habitually observed the surrounding environment and people, and when his gaze fell on her, he couldn't help but smile, "I don't recommend buying these, she'll only eat the pre-cut ones."
"Ah," Xuehui stopped what she was doing, somewhat surprised, "Is that so?"
“After spending time with her, she’ll drop her facade,” Sato said, taking out a pink box from his pocket and pouring out two candies. “She’ll become an unreliable and willful brat.”
Yukiho had already developed a sense of kinship with Rina, but she denied it, saying, "She's clearly a very well-behaved and sensible person."
As she spoke, she picked out some grapes and peaches, put them in a basket, and handed them to the clerk at the counter.
After paying the bill, the two went to the hospital together.
"It's rare to see you still lying in the hospital." Sato walked over, pulled back the curtains of the ward, and opened the window to let in some fresh air.
“Of course the patient should stay in the hospital,” Rina said, looking like she had just woken up. She sat up, leaned lazily against the cushion, greeted Yukiho, and said to him, “No matter how much you try to persuade me this time, I’m not going out to eat barbecue with you.”
"Don't try to frame me. We hit it off right away last time," Sato moved his chair, noticed the cigarette ash underneath, and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Someone's smoking in the ward?"
“Maybe it was a cigarette butt in the hallway,” Rina smiled. “Is there any result in the case?”
“Sakurai Yui has confessed to killing Ishikawa Ryoko and Yamamoto Akari,” Sato said, sitting in his chair. “Tell me, how did you know that Ishikawa Ryoko wasn’t Kimura’s lover?”
Rina shrugged helplessly: "Ishikawa Ryoko is a very cautious and intelligent woman. She wouldn't wear a matching couple bracelet with her boss during work hours and cause controversy."
Xuehui raised a question: "Could it be that she didn't notice either?"
Sato suddenly realized, and sighed almost inaudibly, "Someone like Ishikawa Ryoko, who spends all her time at drinking parties and dealing with those shrewd people, is very observant. She couldn't be unaware of this. From this perspective, it's almost certain that she's not Kimura's lover, otherwise the murderer wouldn't have done something so obviously suspicious."
“When Ishikawa Ryoko was found, her face was unrecognizable. This is usually done to hide her true identity. But the murderer didn't remove the ruby bracelet. Such an expensive item could be easily found out who bought it by asking around at a jewelry store. It wasn't greed or hiding her identity, so it could only be mad hatred. That day, Sakurai Yui came to my door and implied that Kimura's affair was with a company employee, so she became a prime suspect.” Rina smiled.
Her performance was really bad.
"And what about Akari Yamamoto?" Sato paused. "She's a waitress at a tea shop. How did you notice that she and Kimura were lovers?"
Rina said, "Two people with common interests and who see each other every day have a great opportunity to develop a budding romance."
Xuehui nodded: "One is a girl who longs for love, and the other is a boss whose love life has been tumultuous. The two of them spark an ambiguous relationship. Movies often portray this, but the ending is always happy."
"Kimura confessed that he lost the couple's bracelet once, and then bought a new one from a jewelry store. He kept the women's bracelet himself until he gave it to Akari Yamamoto, hoping she would resell it for some pocket money, but she kept it. Kimura then asked Ryoko Ishikawa to do this, because she often received expensive gifts and knew where to buy them at a good price," Sato said. "Rumors started about Kimura and Ryoko Ishikawa because of this."
“I guess so, after all, many people are eyeing her position,” Rina continued. “After that, Akari Yamamoto quickly discovered the secret behind the bracelet. The person she liked was a married man, and she felt very guilty. So when Yui Sakurai came to her, she only felt timid and guilty.”
Sakurai Yui strangled her to death in that rented room, took the bracelet, and used that car to transport the body to an abandoned martial arts gym, where she dumped it in a well.
That martial arts school was founded by Yui Sakurai's grandfather, but business declined, and her family moved away.
So a few days later, Yui Sakurai heard some more rumors about Ryoko Ishikawa, and that she had planned another murder to punish Kimura and Ryoko Ishikawa.
She thought of the resignation letter and lease termination letter she had written, imitating Akari Yamamoto's handwriting.
Akari Yamamoto has disappeared from this world.
She can take advantage of this opportunity.
That night, she lured Ishikawa Ryoko to meet under the pretext of asking about the bracelet. After knocking her unconscious, she took her to an abandoned port, killed her, put the bracelet on her wrist, and dumped the body on the boardwalk where Yamamoto Akari often went to relax.
She pinned the blame for Ishikawa Ryoko's murder on Yamamoto Akari, claiming that she killed Ishikawa Ryoko out of love turned to hate and then fled to escape punishment.
Kimura believed it to be true and kept the secret of the bracelet from her, leading the police to mistakenly believe that the bracelet belonged to Ishikawa Ryoko.
Xuehui placed the washed grapes on a fruit plate and put it on the table: "A complete tragedy."
“Sakurai Yui used to work for a high-paying company, but she quit after getting married to become a full-time housewife. She said she couldn't balance family and career, but her husband drifted further and further away. After realizing this, she decided to invest in Murakami Naoki's company and acquire corresponding shares. From then on, cracks appeared in their relationship.” Sato suddenly remembered something and frowned slightly. “You discovered Ishikawa Ryoko's murderer a long time ago, why didn't you say so?”
Rina: "I need Sakurai Yui to admit to killing two people and confess to her crimes without reservation."
Sato looked at her in surprise and touched his cheek. "What did the doctor say?"
That day, when he arrived at the martial arts gym, he heard two gunshots and saw Yui Sakurai and her lying on the ground. His mind went blank for a full minute.
Fortunately, everyone is still alive.
Perhaps we should be grateful that the gun was a defective product, with almost no lethality, which caused him to miss.
“The doctor said I was overly frightened,” Rina rolled her eyes and pointed out indignantly, “saying that a girl being held at gunpoint must be terrified.”
In fact, after the gunshot, she only had a splitting headache and felt like the whole world was collapsing, which is why she fainted.
“But he did shoot you; the bullet grazed your face,” Sato paused. “Was that a warning?”
“Perhaps,” Rina felt a vague, inexplicable feeling welling up inside her. She didn’t want to talk about it and was somewhat absent-minded. “Anyway, his whereabouts are currently unknown.”
Sato asked again, still unsure, "Are you sure he's left?"
He expressed deep skepticism about this.
Rina simply hummed in agreement, "The people around me have already investigated."
"Excuse me, I need to go outside to take this call." Xuehui stood up, took her phone, and walked out of the ward.
After the door closed, Sato asked in a low voice, "Was he sent by the Blue Whale organization to stop your investigation?"
Rina glanced at him and said nonchalantly, "If that's the case, I should be lying in the morgue right now."
Sato: "Those were just personal grudges?"
Rina's eyelashes trembled slightly, her tone still revealing a hint of indifference, "I don't have much of an impression of him."
After a moment, Yukiho entered the ward. Sato seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, leaned back in his chair and said, "Anyway, things can be put to rest for now."
Rina picked up a grape and put it in her mouth.
Sato asked, "What are your plans next?"
Rina said sarcastically, "The doctor you hired is obviously here to soothe my frightened mind."
Xuehui smiled and asked, "Going on vacation?"
Rina nodded. "That's right."
"Have a pleasant trip. There's been a little trouble at the company. I'll come again next time." Xuehui picked up her handbag and handed her the paper bag on the table. "This is sushi I made myself. I hope you like it."
"Of course I'll like it. It's just a minor injury; they're making a mountain out of a molehill." Rina smiled as she watched them leave.
As the footsteps faded into the distance, she threw back the covers, walked to the window, looked at the people downstairs, and smacked her lips.
This is the second floor, how did he get down there?
Shimono Gen stubbed out his cigarette, smiled at her, then pulled his hat down low and left the garden.
Kurosawa Shiran's identity is still uncertain, so he can no longer return to the mafia.
Rina gave a soft hum, took out a letter from under her pillow, and cut it open with a paper cutter.
It was sent to her by Mrs. Barkley, inviting her to a birthday party. It was indeed an interesting invitation, as the two were complete strangers, and their only contact was under the identity of Xiangyin.
Rina folded the letter into a paper airplane and landed it precisely in the trash can.
Then there was a wedding invitation.
She left the box of sushi on the table when she left.
Back at the house, Mrs. Kasuga had already prepared the seasonings needed for the barbecue and placed them on a small table in the courtyard.
The charcoal fire was burning brightly, and the air, filled with the aroma of meat, permeated the entire courtyard.
Shimono Gen used tongs to flip the lamb skewers, then placed a thick-cut steak on the edge of the grill. After the butter melted on the hot plate, he used a knife to cut open the surface and grilled it until a caramelized crust appeared. Then he flipped it over and grilled it for a few more moments.
Damian wrapped the roasted meat in lettuce leaves and had already eaten countless pieces.
Rina exclaimed in shock, "Mrs. Kasuga, are you going to celebrate by yourselves while I'm not back?"
Mrs. Kasuga brought out several glasses of juice from the house and explained, "They said they just wanted to taste it. Don't worry, I prepared a lot of meat. I saved that piece of Angus beef in the refrigerator for you."
Rina's gaze fell on the grill. "I think it's cooked through."
Mrs. Kasuga opened her eyes wide and looked in the same direction as her. "What?"
Damian said, "I've tasted it for you, and it's really delicious."
Mrs. Kasuga said incredulously, "You ate five pounds of beef."
“That would have made me stuffed,” Damian said. “I only ate two pieces. Also, I went to the Dune Institute for you. The guy who was in charge of viruses researching biology has already left.”
“The rest of the meat is yours,” Mrs. Kasuga patted her shoulder and comforted her. “I heard you broke up with Hoshino. It’s a pity, but people always look forward. There are plenty of men out there.”
“I wouldn’t entrust myself to any man,” Rina noticed the strange look in her eyes, “not even a woman.”
“Good boy, you should enjoy the great joy and avoid the entanglements of troubles,” Mrs. Kasuga said, placing a plate of beef on her plate. “Eat more; when I was young, I had a very hot figure.”
"I'll eat more." Rina smiled and began to focus on her meal.
Mrs. Kasuga returned to the house to get the baked cookies. "Kazumi, is the chocolate ready?"
Arisu Kazumi said something in the kitchen, and a burst of clear laughter rang out.
Rina didn't pay any attention.
Shimono Gen glanced at her, a hint of a smile appearing in his usually cold and aloof eyes.
Then, I placed a glass of juice next to her and whispered, "Happy birthday."
Rina's lips curled slightly upward as she raised her glass of juice and clinked it against his: "Thank you."
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