Chapter 138 His eyes looked strange
Upon hearing that "one per person is limited to one purchase," many people were somewhat disappointed, but they quickly calmed down, after all, something is better than nothing.
The chaotic scene was gradually brought under control, and although the line was long, order began to be restored.
Seeing this, Su Xiaonuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, her forehead already beaded with sweat.
An Ran, who was helping with the packing, watched the bustling scene and couldn't help but lean over and tease in a low voice, "Xiao Nuan, you're something else! This 'buy one get one free' gimmick is a killer! I saw those people's eyes widen."
Su Xiaonuan gently wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. Upon hearing this, the corners of her lips curved up under her mask, revealing a slightly sly smile, and she replied softly, "There's no other way, it's business."
Although the vicious criminal had already come into view and had been successfully attracted by her "buy one get one free" offer, blending into the queue, Su Xiaonuan dared not make the slightest move.
She knew that without solid evidence, relying solely on system prompts and gossip from her neighbors would not be enough to arrest him; in fact, it would only alert him.
She needs a more secure plan.
Taking advantage of a break in her busy schedule, Su Xiaonuan subtly gave An Ran a wink and quickly whispered to herself, "An Ran, to the left front, take clear pictures of the man in the dark jacket and baseball cap, his face, profile, and back."
Although An Ran had doubts, she had absolute trust in Su Xiaonuan's judgment.
While helping pack and give change, she cleverly adjusted the angle of her phone and, using the crowd as cover, quickly tapped the screen with her finger, accurately capturing clear images of the man from multiple angles.
While deftly frying stinky tofu and preparing the sauce, Su Xiaonuan's mind raced, recalling snippets of conversation she had overheard from several local Xiangshan women chatting together while she was setting up her stall earlier:
"The one who lives in that old residential area behind the mountain, the one surnamed Liu, he used to seem like a pretty honest guy..."
"Sigh, don't even mention it! He ruined our perfectly good family! His wife was such a virtuous woman, yet he still drove her and the kids away!"
"That's right! He's always idle, either drinking cat pee or gambling, he's drowning in debt, and I heard he's hanging out with some shady characters..."
"There's always a reason why someone is pitiful! I found his eyes gloomy and creepy..."
These fragmented pieces of information, when linked to the crimes labeled "rape, murder, and destruction of evidence" by the system, sent chills down Su Xiaonuan's spine.
This is far more than just a simple domestic abuser or gambler; the danger he poses far exceeds what most people imagine.
Around 9 p.m., all fifty servings of stinky tofu were finally sold out.
Su Xiaonuan hung up the "Sold Out" sign and, amidst a chorus of regrets, began to neatly pack up her stall.
[Current Merit Points: 9690]
Once in the driver's seat, she immediately sent the photos An Ran had taken to Lu Zheng, along with a voice message. Her voice was deliberately calm, yet carried an undeniable seriousness:
"Officer Lu, I find this guy in the photo taken at the foot of Fragrant Hills very suspicious. When I was setting up my stall earlier, I overheard some local women talking about him. They said he drove his wife and children away, is an alcoholic and gambler, has a lot of debt, and behaves strangely. I just feel... there's something off about his eyes. If it's convenient for you, could you keep an eye on him?"
She didn't mention the system or state the horrific crime; she simply relayed the "reasonable" suspicions she had heard.
She believed that with Lu Zheng's professional sensitivity and sense of responsibility, he would definitely take it seriously.
Shortly after the message was sent, my phone vibrated.
Lu Zheng's reply was concise, yet it reassured her somewhat:
[Lu Zheng: Received. The photo is clear, and the information has been recorded. I will arrange for someone to follow up and verify. Please be careful.]
Su Xiaonuan let out a long sigh of relief, as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
She has done all the groundwork she could; the rest is up to the professionals.
Composing herself, she started her stall cart, carrying Anran, and disappeared into the night traffic, heading home.
However, not long after the car left the Xiangshan area, An Ran, who had been sitting quietly in the passenger seat, suddenly had her phone vibrate continuously.
She took it out and glanced at it. Her expression changed slightly, her fingers tightened, and her knuckles turned a little white.
“Xiao Nuan,” An Ran’s voice trembled slightly, breaking the silence in the car, “Let’s not go home first, let’s go to the Municipal Hospital.”
Su Xiaonuan glanced at her and saw the undisguised worry on her friend's face. She understood and, without asking any further questions, immediately replied, "Okay."
He then skillfully turned on his turn signal, turned the car around at the next intersection, and drove towards the Municipal Hospital.
The only thing that could make An Ran's expression change so drastically was her family. She vaguely guessed what it was about—An Ran's grandfather, Old Master An.
Grandpa An is nearly ninety years old. His health was poor in his early years, and it has been deteriorating in recent years.
Su Xiaonuan received a lot of love from Grandpa An when she was a child. That kind elder, who also had the demeanor of an old-fashioned scholar, left her and An Ran with many warm memories of their childhood.
Thinking that the old man might not have much time left, Su Xiaonuan couldn't help but feel a faint sadness.
The car came to a stop in the hospital parking lot. Just as I reached the entrance to the inpatient department, I saw Anran's father waiting there.
An's father, usually a calm and refined middle-aged man, had a furrowed brow and an undisguised look of worry and exhaustion on his face. Upon seeing them, he quickly came to greet them.
“Dad.” An Ran’s voice was choked with sobs.
"Uncle An," Su Xiaonuan greeted him politely.
Father An forced a smile and nodded at Su Xiaonuan as a greeting, then his gaze returned to his daughter, and his voice was low: "You're here... Go upstairs, Grandpa just woke up a little while ago."
Although it wasn't explicitly stated, the atmosphere spoke volumes.
The group silently entered the elevator, a heavy atmosphere filling the small space.
An Ran, who had been holding back her emotions, seemed to be unable to suppress them any longer as she felt the weightlessness of the elevator rising. Her eyes quickly reddened, and she looked like a frightened little rabbit trying to remain calm.
Su Xiaonuan reached out and gently put her arm around An Ran's shoulder, silently conveying comfort.
She didn't dare to make those empty promises of "things will definitely get better," and could only whisper, "Don't worry, Anran, modern medicine is so advanced, maybe... things will take a turn for the better?"
Even she herself felt that these words were weak and powerless.
An Ran gripped Su Xiaonuan's arm tightly with her other hand, her fingertips icy cold. She lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly, letting out suppressed, soft sobs.
An's father, walking ahead, heard his daughter's sobs, and his back looked even heavier as he let out a barely audible sigh.
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