Chapter 166 Four Months Ago
The inkstone moved with elegant and cautious cat-like steps, its nose almost touching the ground, pacing back and forth in the narrow first-floor corridor.
Its golden pupils narrowed to thin lines in the dim light, as if it were intently deciphering an invisible code lingering in the air.
It sniffed the dust that had accumulated in the corner, the cold smell of paint on the metal security door, and even lingered for a moment beside the withered green plant with only dry, hard soil left, its small nose twitching incessantly.
Su Xiaonuan watched intently, while Lu Zheng stood quietly half a step behind her. His presence was like a steady mountain, silently providing support.
His gaze was mostly fixed on the inkstone, carrying the scrutiny unique to criminal investigators and a hint of indescribable curiosity, but his peripheral vision was always on Su Xiaonuan, paying attention to every subtle change in her expression.
Finally, the inkstone stopped at the top of the stairs. It raised its little head, turned to Su Xiaonuan, and let out a soft "meow" with a hint of frustration. The tip of its tail drooped listlessly and swept the ground.
Su Xiaonuan immediately understood.
She crouched down, gently scratched the inkstone's chin with her slender white fingers, and said in a soft, soothing voice, "Alright, you've worked hard, inkstone. The flavor was too weak, you couldn't find your way, could you?"
She picked up the little guy and stood up, feeling its warm little body and soft purring, her brows furrowing slightly.
Seeing this, Lu Zheng spoke in a low voice, which was particularly clear in the quiet corridor: "The clues have gone cold?"
“Hmm,” Su Xiaonuan nodded, her baby face thoughtful. “Too much time has passed, and the scent molecules have mostly dissipated. Yantai isn’t a police dog, after all; it’s already quite impressive that it could do this much.”
As she spoke, she subconsciously rubbed her cheek against the inkstone's fluffy head, a tender gesture that revealed her heartfelt affection for this "little hero" gifted by the system.
Holding the inkstone, she turned and walked back, her gaze sweeping over the only two households on this floor.
One of the households was the one they had just investigated, the Liu family's house, where the entrance exuded a cold and deathly silence.
The other household was completely different. Although the red of the Spring Festival couplets on the door had faded slightly after several months, they were still neat and clean, exuding a homely and everyday charm.
She paused, raised her chin, and gestured for Lu Zheng to look at that house: "There are only two houses on this floor. That one looks like it's always occupied. Shall we try again?"
Lu Zheng followed her gaze, his sharp eyes sweeping over the door. He nodded and said succinctly, "Okay."
Su Xiaonuan stepped forward and knocked on the door.
Her knuckles tapped on the door, producing a crisp "knock-knock" sound that echoed in the empty hallway.
After a while, faint footsteps and the sound of the latch turning came from inside the door.
The door was opened a crack, and a woman who looked to be around forty years old, wearing an apron and with some flour still on her hands, peeked out.
She saw two strangers standing outside the door, especially since Su Xiaonuan was holding a conspicuous black cat in her arms. Her face showed obvious doubt and a hint of wariness: "Who are you looking for?"
Lu Zheng stepped forward, smoothly pulled out his police ID from his pocket, and clearly showed it to the woman. His tone was calm but carried an unquestionable authority: "I'm from the Municipal Public Security Bureau. I'd like to ask you about some things."
The woman's face tensed instantly upon seeing the police officer's badge, her wariness turning into obvious nervousness. She instinctively wiped her hands on her apron, quickly stepped aside, and her voice became slightly timid: "Ah, officer... please, please come in and talk?"
Lu Zheng remained standing still, only nodding slightly, his tone softening somewhat, carrying a reassuring meaning: "No need to trouble yourself, we're just asking routine questions, a few words will suffice."
He also took out his notebook and pen, ready to take notes, and this professional demeanor further reinforced his identity.
Su Xiaonuan stood slightly behind Lu Zheng, wearing a harmless yet apologetic smile, trying to minimize her presence and let Lu Zheng take the lead in asking questions.
The inkstone in her arms was also unusually well-behaved, its golden eyes open, quietly observing the woman inside the door.
"Excuse me, about four months ago, did anything unusual happen to the family across the hall? Like... an argument or something?" Lu Zheng asked directly, his gaze calm yet penetrating as he looked at the woman.
The woman was visibly taken aback when asked about something from so long ago.
She frowned, trying to search her memory, her fingers unconsciously twisting the apron straps.
After a long pause, she spoke hesitantly, her words slow and tinged with the unease of recollection: "Four months ago... those two people across the hall... it seems, it seems they did have a fight, a pretty fierce one."
She seemed to recall more details, and her speech quickened: "That night, around eight or nine o'clock, I heard the sound of things being smashed across the street, and a woman yelling and cursing, and a man growling. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but it was quite loud. Then there was a loud 'bang,' and the door was slammed shut. Someone must have gone out..."
She paused, then added, "It seems that after that day, we only saw the man across the hall coming and going. We thought at the time that his wife must have run back to her parents' house in anger after their argument, right? His wife is from the next city... yes, Nanxun in H City, which isn't far from here."
Lu Zheng's pen flew across the paper, making a soft rustling sound as it scribbled across the paper.
Without looking up, he continued to press, his voice steady: "And then? Did you stop paying attention to their family affairs after that? For example, did you see his wife, or anyone else come back?"
The woman quickly shook her head, a slightly embarrassed look on her face. She lowered her voice, her tone carrying a common sense of distance between neighbors and a hint of barely perceptible superiority: "No, I really haven't been paying much attention. That woman across the street... sigh, I'm not saying this, but she's notoriously bad-tempered, and she doesn't get along well with several households on this floor or in this building. As for what's wrong with her, nobody really... likes to ask."
She pursed her lips. "On the contrary, she has a best friend, a very good-tempered person, who stayed at their house about four months ago. Later... it seems she left with that woman surnamed Xu, right? Anyway, that's what the man across the street said. As for the specifics, how would we outsiders know the inside story?"
Lu Zheng paused slightly as he was recording, then looked up, his deep gaze meeting Su Xiaonuan's instantly drawn eyes.
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