Chapter 42 Visit
Late at night or early morning.
The hustle and bustle of the night market gradually faded away.
The neon lights on both sides of the street looked somewhat lonely in the night. The air still held the lingering aroma of food. The charcoal fires at the barbecue stalls had dimmed, with only occasional sparks dancing in the night breeze.
People who are still eating skewers and drinking at this time are generally at two extremes: one is people who have no home and just want to have fun, and the other is people who have a home but don't want to go back.
Bai Xiao leaned against the car window, a cigarette between his fingers, his gaze fixed on the outside world where vendors were already packing up their stalls and cleaning up.
“Master, we’ve been waiting here for two hours. Why don’t we just go and ask?” Xu Zhi asked from the driver’s seat.
The person they were looking for was named Yang Yumei, 40 years old, with a junior high school education. She was Zhao Qiangdong's legal wife, lived in Xicheng District, and rarely went out. Every evening, she would come to this remote place to set up a stall.
Bai Xiao's cigarette had long since burned out. He forcefully stubbed it out: "They're in business, and we're police. If we go over there in such a high-profile manner, it's bound to leave some gossip. Wouldn't that ruin their reputation?"
“Master is right.” Xu Zhi nodded in agreement, then looked puzzled: “But her husband is in trouble, how can she still be in the mood to do business here? That’s too strange.”
"That's why I'm here." Bai Xiao looked at the elongated shadow under the streetlight and squinted as he said, "Twelve hours have passed since Zhao Qiangdong's accident, and during that time, apart from the forensic doctor, not a single relative has come to claim the body. What does that mean?"
"This shows that Zhao Qiangdong was not worth their attention at all, or that Zhao Qiangdong's death was already within their expectations," Xu Zhi said, stroking his chin.
Bai Xiao's gaze lingered on the stall, where Yang Yumei was bending over tidying up the tables and chairs, her movements swift yet slightly slow.
“Look at her.” Bai Xiao pointed and said, “Her hands were shaking the whole time she was packing.”
Xu Zhi followed his gaze and indeed saw Yang Yumei's fingers trembling involuntarily.
"Is she afraid?" Xu Zhi asked in a low voice, "Could Zhao Qiangdong's death really be related to her?"
Bai Xiao shook his head: "A woman who killed her husband, no matter how scared she is, shouldn't not answer the police's calls or claim the body, and continue doing business so calmly."
“That makes sense,” Xu Zhi agreed.
Bai Xiao glanced down at his watch: "Let's go, it's time to meet her."
In the distance, Yang Yumei finally finished collecting the last stool, picked up a bucket of water, and slowly poured it onto the ground.
Water streaks meandered down the cement floor, and two pairs of leather shoes made dull thuds as they stepped on the wet water.
Yang Yumei raised her head and looked at the two unfamiliar men in front of her.
He then gave a simple smile and asked, "What would you two like to eat?"
"Didn't we already close up shop?" Xu Zhi asked.
Yang Yumei's smile remained unchanged as she quickly brought out a table: "We were preparing to close up shop, but when business comes in, there's no reason not to do it."
Bai Xiao immediately stopped her: "No need for that. Just stir-fry two rice noodles and take them to go."
"Okay!"
Yang Yumei put the table away again, wiped her hands with a cloth, and turned around to get busy with the pot and pan.
Taking advantage of a break in Yang Yumei's busy schedule, Bai Xiao casually asked, "Big sister, your business looks pretty good. Why are you closing up shop so early?"
Yang Yumei smiled slightly: "It's all thanks to the patronage of our regular customers from the neighborhood. Business is doing alright. I just want to finish up as soon as possible so I can go home and help my child with their homework."
Bai Xiao reached for a cigarette, lit it, and asked, "How old is your child? Is it a boy or a girl?"
"It's a girl, just started junior high. She's incredibly mischievous at school, always causing trouble, but thankfully her grades are decent." Yang Yumei focused intently on stir-frying the rice noodles in the wok, the clanging of the spatula particularly clear in the quiet night.
Her hands were still trembling slightly, but the firelight illuminated her face, making her already somewhat haggard appearance radiant, her brows filled with happiness and pride.
"Okay, here's your takeaway rice noodles." Yang Yumei smiled as she put the rice noodle box into a plastic bag and handed it over.
Bai Xiao took the bag but didn't leave immediately. He stared at Yang Yumei and took a deep drag on his cigarette: "I heard your husband had an accident?"
Upon hearing this...
Yang Yumei's smile froze.
Those hands, which trembled all year round, suddenly stopped, hovering in mid-air, their eyes staring directly at Bai Xiao.
Who are you?
Bai Xiao took out his ID: "We are from the Criminal Investigation Detachment. My name is Bai Xiao, and this is my colleague. We are here to see you today because we need your cooperation in the investigation of your husband's case."
Yang Yumei glanced at the documents, her face instantly turning pale, as if a huge weight had finally been lifted from her heart, and she became relieved: "What do you want to ask?"
“It’s not very convenient to talk here. If you don’t mind, could I come to your place?” Bai Xiao said.
Yang Yumei didn't say anything, she just silently packed up the stall.
...
Led by Yang Yumei, the two walked through several narrow alleys and finally arrived at the dilapidated old town.
The area is mostly comprised of low-rise bungalows, and the ground is damp. The dim streetlights cast dappled shadows, making the place seem exceptionally quiet.
"This place is really out of the way," Xu Zhi said, looking around. His voice echoed in the empty alley.
Yang Yumei explained, “These are all old houses. People who can afford it have moved away, and not many people are willing to rent here. Most of the people living here are elderly.”
“I remember this area was planned for the renovation of the old town?” Bai Xiao suddenly asked.
“Someone came to ask last time, saying that they would demolish and rebuild the original building, turning a six-story building into an eleven-story building with an elevator, and that each household would have to pay 300,000 yuan. More than half of the people did not agree to it,” Yang Yumei said.
"So expensive?" Xu Zhi's eyes widened.
“This is considered good. If it were in H City, the actual cost of demolishing and rebuilding would be even higher. Actually, the cost is a minor issue. The real difficulty lies in reaching a consensus, especially in high-density tenement buildings. Even replacing an elevator can take two years,” Bai Xiao said.
The successful demolition and reconstruction projects are mostly located in well-located old neighborhoods, and it's difficult to reach a consensus. Some people think they can rent out the house and use the rent to pay the mortgage, while others believe that 300,000 yuan is better spent building a new house in the countryside.
The three walked in silence, their footsteps making a soft sound on the damp stone pavement. The alley was unusually quiet, broken only by the occasional bark of a dog.
Just as the group was about to cross the intersection.
A figure suddenly darted out from the alley entrance, nearly bumping into Bai Xiao. Fortunately, Bai Xiao took a step back in time to avoid being hit.
"I'm...I'm sorry..."
A stuttering voice came from behind.
Bai Xiao looked closely and saw that the other person was a student wearing a school uniform, thick glasses, thin and handsome, looking like he was still in shock.
"It's nothing," Bai Xiao said calmly.
However, Xu Zhi stared at the student's back, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. He turned to Bai Xiao and asked, "Do students get out of school this late these days?"
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