Chapter 45: Don’t make decisions that you will regret
The lights in the Hunan restaurant were dim and warm, the aroma of chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns mingling in the air. Yu Hao used his chopsticks to stir the chopped pepper fish head in his bowl. The bright red chili oil shimmered alluringly in the light, but he had no appetite. "The stir-fried yellow beef here is good," Sun Wei said calmly, picking up a piece of beef and placing it in Yu Hao's bowl. Yu Hao looked up and met Sun Wei's clear eyes. Her short hair was neatly tucked behind her ear, and the calm demeanor characteristic of a forensic examiner made her look like a calm, unruffled lake. "Thank you." He mechanically put the beef into his mouth. The spicy flavor exploded on his tongue, but it didn't spark any appetite. Sun Wei put down her chopsticks and folded her hands on the table. "I've talked to Luo Xin about this." Yu Hao's chopsticks paused in mid-air, and the beef slipped from the tip of the chopsticks, splashing a few drops of broth into the bowl. He looked up, and the spicy taste in his mouth turned to bitterness. "I guessed it. When?" His voice was a little tense. "The night before yesterday." Sun Wei looked straight at him. "In the hospital." "In the hospital?" He was a little surprised by the place of conversation. Sun Wei nodded. "Remember that someone was following Luo Xin a few days ago?" Yu Hao frowned slightly. "Is it related to this?" "The person who followed her was her ex-boyfriend from college, Luo Xue's biological father." Sun Wei said slowly, trying to make it sound natural. Yu Hao's hands were still shaking slightly. He knew nothing about such a thing. He couldn't help but ask tremblingly, "Then what?" Sun Wei patted his hand gently, and Yu Hao slowly calmed down. "His ex-boyfriend was Xiao Yan. He had a car accident the day before yesterday and is currently lying in the hospital." "Car accident?" "Yes." Sun Wei replied. Yu Hao was thoughtful. He wanted to ask a question, but he didn't ask it out loud. Sun Wei saw what he was thinking and said, "Luo Xin went for her daughter, Luo Xue. She probably still hoped this man would survive. After all, he was her biological father, and they were connected by blood." Yu Hao nodded. He could understand this sentiment. After all, he was an orphan himself. If there was someone in this world who was connected to him by blood, even if he couldn't meet them, even if that person was a criminal, at least there was someone like that, and he wouldn't be alone. He didn't dwell on this issue too much, but returned to the main topic and asked, "What did you talk about?" He tried to sound calm. Sun Wei picked up the teacup and took a sip. "We talked about her past." "Her past?" Yu Hao's...
The lights in the Hunan restaurant are dim and warm, and the aroma of chili and peppercorns is intertwined in the air.
Yu Hao used chopsticks to stir the chopped pepper fish head in the bowl. The bright red chili oil shone attractively under the light, but he had no appetite.
"The stir-fried yellow beef here is good." Sun Wei picked up a piece of beef with chopsticks and put it into Yu Hao's bowl in a calm voice.
Yu Hao looked up and met Sun Wei's clear eyes. Her short hair was neatly tucked behind her ears, and the calm demeanor unique to forensic pathologists made her look like a calm lake.
"Thank you." He mechanically put the beef into his mouth. The spicy taste exploded on the tip of his tongue, but it did not arouse any appetite.
Sun Wei put down her chopsticks and crossed her hands on the table: "I have talked to Luo Xin."
Yu Hao's chopsticks stopped in mid-air, and the beef slipped from the tip of the chopsticks and fell into the bowl, splashing a few drops of soup.
He raised his head, and the spicy taste in his mouth turned into bitterness. "I guessed it, when?" His voice was a little tight.
"The night before last." Sun Wei looked directly at him. "In the hospital."
"In the hospital?" He was a little surprised by the place of conversation.
Sun Wei nodded, "Remember when someone followed Luo Xin a few days ago?"
Yu Hao frowned slightly, "Is it related to this?"
"The person who followed her was her ex-boyfriend from college, who is also Luo Xue's biological father." Sun Wei said slowly, trying to make it sound natural.
Yu Hao's hands still trembled slightly. He was completely clueless about such a thing. He couldn't help but ask tremblingly, "Then what?"
Sun Wei patted his hand gently, and Yu Hao slowly calmed down. "His ex-boyfriend is Xiao Yan. He was in a car accident the day before yesterday and is currently in the hospital."
"Car accident?"
"Yes." Sun Wei replied.
Yu Hao was lost in thought. He wanted to ask a question but didn't.
Sun Wei saw what he was thinking and said, "Luo Xin went there for her daughter Luo Xue. She probably still hopes that this man can survive. After all, he is her daughter's biological father and they are connected by blood."
Yu Hao nodded. He could understand this thought. After all, he was also an orphan. If there was someone in this world who was related to him by blood, even if he could not meet him, even if that person was a criminal, at least with such a person in existence, he would not be alone.
He didn't dwell on the issue too much, but returned to the main topic and asked, "What did you talk about?" He tried to make his tone sound calm.
Sun Wei picked up the teacup and took a sip: "We talked about her past."
"Her past?" Yu Hao's voice was low. It wasn't that he didn't want to know about Luo Xin's past, but every time he mentioned it, Luo Xin brushed it off with various excuses.
Sun Wei's voice was very soft, as if she was afraid of disturbing anything. "Yes, she told me a lot about the past."
Sun Wei briefly recounted the content of the conversation. Yu Hao was stunned after hearing it and did not move for a long time.
"Are you okay?" Sun Wei asked in a low voice.
Yu Hao sighed and said, "I've also found out something recently." His voice was hoarse, as if his throat had been choked by chili peppers. "Xingyue Hotel, Hu Mei, and... the days she spent there."
Sun Wei looked at him quietly: "She doesn't want you to know."
"Yeah, she's always like this." Yu Hao's voice was bitter, "She keeps everything inside and carries it all on her own."
He suddenly laughed, his laughter tinged with self-mockery, "I thought I understood her. For twelve years, I watched her take every step forward, watched Luo Xue grow from a baby in swaddling clothes into a little girl. I thought we were the closest people."
His knuckles were white from clenching. "What's the result? I know nothing about her most painful past. I don't know if she's deliberately hiding it from me or if she's afraid I'll overthink it. I just feel like I've never really gotten close to her."
"She didn't mean to hide it from you." Sun Wei's voice cut through the noise and fell clearly into his ears, "She was afraid that you would look down on her, afraid that you..." She didn't finish her words.
Yu Hao's heart felt like it was being gripped by something, the pain making him breathless. He remembered Luo Xin's evasive eyes every time she saw him, and how she always said, "We're fine like this." It turned out that all that distance was a shield she erected to protect herself and him.
The waiter brought a plate of steaming dry pot pork intestines. The rich aroma spread between the two of them, but it could not dispel the heavy atmosphere.
"She asked me to tell you," Sun Wei said softly, "I hope you can let it go."
Yu Hao raised his head suddenly, a trace of pain flashing in his eyes: "Let it go? How can I let it go?"
Sun Wei didn't answer immediately, but took out a small box from her bag and pushed it in front of him: "She said, this is back to you."
Yu Hao stared at the familiar blue velvet box, his fingers trembling slightly.
He knew what was inside without opening it - the silver necklace he had given to Luo Xin, with a small snowflake pendant hanging on it.
"She is going to..." Yu Hao's voice choked.
"It's not what you think." Sun Wei interrupted him, "She just feels that she is not worthy of this affection."
Yu Hao suddenly laughed, his laughter full of self-mockery: "Not worthy? How could she..." He couldn't continue, his throat seemed to be blocked, and he could only clench his fists tightly.
Sun Wei's eyes were filled with indescribable complexity. She held Yu Hao's hand, "Yu Hao..." She paused and added, "Luo Xin is doing this for your own good. I hope you can understand my painstaking efforts."
"Of course I understand, but..." Yu Hao lowered his head and murmured, "I even wonder..." Yu Hao's voice was so light that it sounded like a sigh, "Will she be related to these two cases?"
Sun Wei's brows furrowed. "You suspect her?"
"I don't know." Yu Hao shook his head and leaned back in his chair tiredly. "Almost all the clues we've found so far are related to her. She's the only one who can connect the two cases. If the previous direction is correct, she must know something. Besides her, there's Xiao Fang and Yang Lian. I'm afraid..."
"Where's the evidence?" Sun Wei interrupted him. "Where's the physical evidence?"
"That's exactly the problem." Yu Hao rubbed his temples. "There's no direct evidence, but all the indirect evidence..."
"Don't think too much. Find a chance to talk to her. I think she is also a victim." Sun Wei's voice was very soft.
Yu Hao took a deep breath: "I know."
The two of them fell silent. The guests at the next table were talking and laughing loudly, the cheerful atmosphere in stark contrast to theirs.
"How about... I go talk to her again?" Sun Wei said tentatively, "As a friend, maybe she can say something."
"No." Yu Hao shook his head firmly, "This time, I must face it myself."
Sun Wei stared at him with a complicated look: "Are you sure you can stay rational?"
"I'm a police officer." Yu Hao's voice was soft, yet it carried undeniable strength. "It's my duty."
Sun Wei didn't say anything else, just sighed softly. She knew that once Yu Hao spoke in this tone, it meant that he had made up his mind.
"The food is getting cold." She finally said, picking up a piece of bacon and putting it into Yu Hao's bowl.
Yu Hao forced himself to eat a few bites, but the food was tasteless. His thoughts had already drifted to Nan'an Village and to Luo Xin.
After more than ten years of getting along with each other, he thought he knew her well enough, but now he discovered that the woman who always smiled gently had many secrets hidden in her heart that he didn't know about.
"Is she okay?" he asked suddenly. "I mean...her mental state."
Sun Wei put down her chopsticks and thought for a moment: "Stronger than you think."
This answer made Yu Hao feel slightly relieved. At least, Luo Xin didn't collapse - this was much better than he expected.
"That's good."
"Yu Hao." Sun Wei suddenly called his name, her voice unusually serious. "No matter what the outcome, promise me one thing."
"What?"
“Don’t make decisions you’ll regret.”
Yu Hao looked at her, and Sun Wei's eyes looked particularly clear under the light.
He suddenly realized that this woman who had been standing silently behind him understood his struggle better than anyone else.
"I will," he promised softly.
What must be faced cannot be avoided. Whether it is Luo Xin's past or the truth of the case, he must uncover it personally, even if the result will leave him torn to pieces.
"Pay the bill." Yu Hao took out his wallet from his pocket and his fingertips touched the family portrait drawn by Luo Xue inside. The three people in the picture were holding hands, their smiles as bright as the sun.
Sun Wei followed him out of the restaurant. Seeing his thin figure in the snow, she suddenly said, "Yu Hao."
Yu Hao stopped and looked back at her.
"No matter what the result is," Sun Wei's voice was firm, "I support you."
Yu Hao's eyes suddenly warmed up and he nodded.
He didn't know what awaited him, but he knew that some things had to be faced personally. As Luo Xin said, "What's coming will come." Instead of running away, it's better to accept it calmly. Perhaps she really is much stronger than he thought.
A biting cold wind immediately hit him. Yu Hao turned up his collar and looked at Sun Wei: "I'll take you home."
Sun Wei shook her head. "No, I'll take a taxi myself." She paused. "Are you... going to look for her now?"
Yu Hao looked towards the direction of Nan'an Village and said, "Well, it's time."
Sun Wei hesitated to speak, and finally just patted his arm gently: "Drive carefully."
Watching Sun Wei get into the taxi, Yu Hao took a deep breath and walked towards his car.
He took out his cell phone, hesitated for a moment, and dialed Luo Xin's number.
"Hello?" Luo Xin's voice came from the receiver, still gentle, but with a hint of fatigue that he had never noticed before.
"It's me." Yu Hao's voice was a little hoarse. "Can we meet?"
There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds: "...Now?"
"Um."
There was another silence. The other party seemed to understand something.
Yu Hao could hear Luo Xue's laughter on the other end of the phone and the sound of cartoons playing on TV - such an ordinary and warm family scene.
"Okay." Luo Xin finally replied, "Where is it?"
"Let's go to the milk tea shop at the entrance of the village."
…
"good."
After hanging up the phone, Yu Hao sat in the car and didn't start the engine for a long time.
Just like the truths between him and Luo Xin that had been deliberately ignored, they would finally be completely revealed on this night.
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