Chapter 34: Family? Friends? Lover?
The lights in the conference room were pale, shining on Yu Hao's tired face. On the screen were photos of Wang Shun and Guo Zhong at the scene. The eyes of the two deceased were half open, as if silently telling something. After nearly an hour of discussion, the meeting came to its final moment. Yu Hao stood up and walked to the projection screen, tapping his fingers on the table, a slow and heavy rhythm. "At present," his voice was low and hoarse, "Liu Feng's suspicion can be basically ruled out. The fingerprints on the dagger are forged, and this has been confirmed by the technical department." Lu Chao quickly wrote down in his notebook. Liu Kai sat in the corner, staring at the tip of his shoes. "Next, we will split into two lines." Yu Hao knocked on the table, signaling everyone to pay attention, "The first line, Lu Chao and Liu Kai are in charge." When Liu Kai heard the captain calling his name, he immediately sat up straight, like a hound that smelled the scent of prey. "Keep a close eye on Gou Rong and Wang Kun," Yu Hao's gaze swept over the two of them, "especially the financial transactions between them. Also," he paused, "try to pry some information out of Ma Tao about the prostitution ring from ten years ago; perhaps he knows something." Lu Chao remembered the poor man who had been beaten and bruised that day. "Do you think Wang Kun might be behind all this?" "Yes, Wang Kun is said to have a powerful hand in the Qindao underground scene. Let's investigate. Wang Shun and Guo Zhong's connection could very well lie there." Yu Hao didn't elaborate further, turning to Zhang Min. "Zhang Min and I will handle the second clue." Zhang Min closed her notebook and looked intently at Yu Hao. "Focus on the village." Yu Hao's finger paused on the map of Nan'an Village on the projection screen. "The murderer could be right under our noses, just not yet revealed." Sun Wei sat in the corner, her hands folded on her knees, a slender wrist peeked from the cuff of her forensic white coat. Her gaze lingered on Yu Hao's face for a moment, then quickly shifted away. "The killer is very familiar with the village," Yu Hao continued. "He knows where there are no surveillance cameras, how to avoid crowds, and even..." He tapped an alley on the map. Lu Chao frowned. "Captain Yu, do you suspect someone from the village?" "Yes," Yu Hao put away the laser pointer. "The killer's two crimes were clean and efficient, leaving no valuable clues. This wouldn't be possible without extreme familiarity with the environment and the target." Seeing the team members' tired eyes, Yu Hao patted his chest, encouraging them. "Thank you for your hard work, everyone. Go back to your own work. Once the case is solved, I'll invite everyone to gather...
The lights in the conference room were pale, shining on Yu Hao's tired face. On the screen were photos of Wang Shun and Guo Zhong at the scene. The eyes of the two deceased were half open, as if they were silently telling something.
After nearly an hour of discussion, the meeting reached its final moments. Yu Hao stood up, walked to the projection screen, and tapped the table with his fingers, a slow and heavy rhythm.
"At this point," he said in a low, hoarse voice, "Liu Feng's suspicion can basically be ruled out. The fingerprints on the dagger are forged, and the technical department has confirmed this."
Lu Chao was writing down his thoughts quickly in his notebook. Liu Kai sat in the corner, staring at the tips of his shoes.
"Next, we'll split into two groups." Yu Hao knocked on the table, signaling everyone to pay attention. "Lu Chao and Liu Kai will be in charge of the first group."
When Liu Kai heard the captain calling his name, he immediately sat up straight, like a hound smelling its prey.
"Keep a close eye on Gou Rong and Wang Kun," Yu Hao's gaze swept over the two of them, "especially the financial transactions between them. Also," he paused, "try to pry some information out of Ma Tao about the prostitution ring from ten years ago. Perhaps he should know something."
Lu Chao thought of the poor man who had been beaten and bruised that day. "Do you think Wang Kun might be behind all this?"
"Yes, Wang Kun is said to be a powerful figure in Qindao's underground community. Let's investigate. Wang Shun and Guo Zhong's connection is likely there." Yu Hao didn't explain further and turned to Zhang Min. "Zhang Min and I will be responsible for the second line."
Zhang Min closed her notebook and looked at Yu Hao intently.
"Let's focus on the village." Yu Hao's finger paused on the map of Nan'an Village on the projection screen. "The murderer is probably right under our noses, but he hasn't surfaced yet."
Sun Wei sat in a corner, her hands folded on her knees, a slender wrist peeking from the cuffs of her forensic white coat. Her gaze lingered on Yu Hao's face for a moment, then quickly shifted away. "The murderer is very familiar with the village," Yu Hao continued. "He knows where there are no surveillance cameras, how to avoid crowds, and even..." He pointed a finger at an alley on the map.
Lu Chao frowned: "Captain Yu, do you suspect that someone from the village committed the crime?"
"Yes." Yu Hao put away the laser pointer. "The murderer committed both crimes cleanly and efficiently, leaving no valuable clues. It would be difficult to do this if he wasn't extremely familiar with the environment and the target."
Seeing the tired look on the team members' faces, Yu Hao clapped his hands vigorously to encourage everyone.
"Everyone has worked hard. Go back to your own business. I'll treat everyone to a dinner after we solve the case."
After the meeting, the police officers left the meeting room in twos and threes.
Yu Hao stood in front of the window, looking at the bare branches outside, a little distracted.
"You haven't slept enough lately." Sun Wei's voice came from behind. She casually handed over a cup of coffee.
Yu Hao took the coffee and took a sip. The bitter taste spread on the tip of his tongue. It was the taste he liked. "The case doesn't wait."
Sun Wei leaned against the table, the hem of her white coat swaying slightly. She looked at Yu Hao and smiled, "Would you like to go out for a walk together?"
"Where are you going?"
"Whatever." Sun Wei stood up straight, walked to the window, and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. "Change your mindset, relax a little, and maybe everything will get better."
Yu Hao stared out the window. Downstairs, a police car drove out of the compound. Its red and blue lights were particularly eye-catching in the white winter.
The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, "Okay, let's go out for a walk." After that, he drank the coffee in the cup.
*
Qinshan Mountain is located on the east side of Qin Island, facing the Yellow Sea. Atop the mountain stands a Taoist temple, where Taoists often discuss the path to immortality. This is why the locals call Qinshan the "Immortal Mountain."
The stone steps wound upward, the snow on either side gleaming with golden light in the sunlight. Yu Hao's boots trudged over the thin ice on the steps, followed closely by Sun Wei.
"The last time we climbed Qin Mountain was the day you were promoted to vice-captain," Sun Wei suddenly spoke in a clear voice. "That was two years ago."
Yu Hao paused. He remembered that Sun Wei had worn a light grey windbreaker that day and had secretly added mineral water to his wine glass at the celebration banquet.
"That day, Lu Chao drank too much and cried while hugging a telephone pole, saying that he finally didn't have to work overtime with a workaholic like you anymore. Haha, but in the end, he still couldn't get rid of you."
Sun Wei smiled, lifted her short hair that was blown by the wind, revealing a small silver earring behind her ear. It was a gift from Yu Hao on her birthday.
The icy expression on Yu Hao's face slowly melted. "It was so good back then. Solving a case would make me happy for days."
He looked at the eaves of the Taoist temple looming at the end of the stone steps and said, "Even solving the case now feels like owing a debt."
Sun Wei walked past him, tapping the steps with her trekking pole. "It's mainly because people's mindsets have changed." She pointed to a flat boulder at the corner. "Sit down for a while."
Yu Hao sat down with his knees propped up, while Sun Wei sat cross-legged beside him. When Sun Wei came out of the police station, she changed into a pair of casual jeans and a white down jacket. Although it was winter clothing, it showed off her slender figure.
The two looked into the distance. The place where the sea and the sky met was shining with steel-blue light, and the fishing boats were like scattered sesame seeds.
Sun Wei poured a cup of hot water from the thermos and handed it to Yu Hao. "How is it? Did time fly by quickly? Did it change a lot of things?"
Yu Hao sighed, "Yeah, so many years have passed in the blink of an eye. Who would have thought that after graduation, we would have experienced so many things."
Sun Wei looked at her with a slight smile. Yu Hao also noticed her gaze and couldn't help but smile, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just saw that you looked worried these days, so I wanted to take you out for a walk." Sun Wei put away the thermos and put it back into her quilt bag.
The mountain breeze suddenly shifted, bringing the sound of the Taoist temple bells. A corner of Sun Wei's scarf blew open, revealing a pale pink scar below her collarbone.
"The scars are still there?" Yu Hao's eyes showed reminiscence and a bit of emotion.
That was left by Sun Wei three years ago to block the scissors of a mentally ill patient for him.
Yu Hao clearly remembered that at the door of the operating room, the pocket of the blood-stained shirt handed to him by the nurse still contained two undelivered concert tickets.
Sun Wei wrapped her scarf tightly around her neck and said nonchalantly, "It's nothing."
The two of them were silent for a moment. The wind on the mountain was a bit fierce, but blowing on my face made me feel particularly sober.
"Yu Hao." Sun Wei suddenly called him by his full name. "You've been in a bad mood these past few days." She looked out at the sea, her voice softening. "It's not just because of the case, is it?"
Yu Hao didn't avoid it and nodded.
He understood Sun Wei's feelings. In fact, he had always understood them. How could he not understand the care she gave him that transcended life and death? The only one he didn't understand was himself.
He sighed, "Because of Luo Xin."
A trace of emotion flashed across Sun Wei's cold face. She resisted the urge to turn her face to Yu Hao, but instead looked quietly ahead at the boundless azure sea.
But she still asked softly, "What kind of feelings do you have towards her? Family? Friend? Lover?"
Yu Hao's heart skipped a beat. This question had been like a thorn in his heart for over a decade.
He looked at Sun Wei's profile. Her face trembled slightly, and her expression was unrecognizable, as if she had asked a very ordinary question.
Yu Hao stood up and took a step forward. He stretched out his arms to relax his body and said slowly, "I've asked myself this question before, but I can't come to a conclusion. What exactly are family, friends, and lovers?"
A red-billed tit landed on a branch, and the accumulated snow fell down onto Yu Hao's shoulder...
Yu Hao thought of the millet porridge cooked by Luo Xin, the tenderness in her eyes, and the fact that every time she saw him, there was always some flour on her apron - those trivial, warm moments, as ubiquitous as air, but impossible to grasp their shape.
Yu Hao shook off the falling snow from his shoulders and said slowly, "I've known her for ten years. We're both orphans. Perhaps it's precisely because of this shared experience that we have such a deep connection and a deep reliance on each other. I'm used to this kind of relationship. If I had to define it, I think we're more like family."
Sun Wei looked at his back without interrupting him. It seemed as if he was talking to her, but also as if he was talking to himself. However, Sun Wei wanted him to figure it out himself.
If a person cannot see his own heart clearly, he will definitely be bound by his heart and become his own slave. This is not only irresponsible to himself, but also to others. If it affects the team, it is also irresponsible as a team leader.
Sun Wei could not tolerate such a thing happening to Yu Hao. She had seen clearly over the years that although Yu Hao was vigorous, decisive and brave at work, he was very passive and even a little weak in relationships. She wanted to help him take this step.
"What you saw that day might not be what you thought." Sun Wei took the initiative to mention the scene they witnessed in the police car that night. "Instead of imagining things, why not take the initiative to ask Luo Xin about this matter and find out the reason for the rift between you two."
Yu Hao didn't say anything, but his shoulders shook slightly.
"When it comes to love, you should take the initiative." Sun Wei said lightly. She lowered her head, her eyes unconsciously fixed on the white sneakers.
There was another silence, with only the sound of the whistling cold wind.
After a long time, Yu Hao's voice was heard, "Okay, I'll find a chance and have a good talk with her."
After a moment of silence, Sun Li stood up and said with a smile, "Let's go to the top of the mountain and take a look."
Looking out from the top of the mountain, you can see the endless sea, with a few seagulls circling occasionally, which is particularly elegant.
The two stood outside the Taoist temple. The mountain wind seemed to suddenly calm down, the sound of pine trees stopped, and only the sound of copper bells on the eaves echoed in the valley.
When Yu Hao turned around, he met Sun Wei's gaze - there was something in it that he couldn't understand, like the light in the deep sea, faint, but persistent.
Over the years, the two of them have experienced too many life and death situations together, and this woman has always been behind him.
"Let's go down the mountain." Sun Wei turned around. "I asked Lu Chao to reserve a table at the noodle shop at the foot of the mountain."
Yu Hao smiled, and the sound was like the ringing of a copper bell.
The frost on the stone steps melted a little, and the snow around them also began to melt, making the road surface slippery.
Yu Hao walked in front, Sun Wei following closely behind. Occasionally, he would turn around and reach out to pull Sun Wei. Her fingertips were warm, like sparks in the snow.
When they were almost at the foot of the mountain, Yu Hao suddenly stopped. "Sun Wei," he looked into her eyes, "thank you."
Sun Wei looked up and met his gaze, the wind blowing her short hair. "Thank me for what?"
"Thank you for always being there for me all these years."
Sun Wei stared at Yu Hao's face for a moment, then smiled. Her smile was as clear as the water in a mountain stream. She turned around and continued walking down the mountain.
The mountain breeze started to blow again, bringing with it the scent of the sea.
Yu Hao quickly followed.
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