Chapter 129 Uchida Eiko is dead!
"I'm afraid we won't get the confession Director Du wants. My brother is lying here and can't answer your questions." He opened his lighter, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, then placed the cigarette on Lu Chang's bedside table and turned to look at Du Xinmin.
"Investigate whatever you want now, in front of me. If you do, don't blame me for not cooperating after today. I'm in a bad mood and don't want anyone to disturb my peace and fabricate all sorts of charges against me."
Lu Lin showed no trace of sadness on his face, his tone was sarcastic, and he acted as if he were doing business.
"If it's just someone making accusations without solid evidence, I, Lu Lin, am not someone who likes to be kind to others, Director Du, you know that, right?"
Du Xinmin clenched his fists, his face ashen. Today, the two of them had truly broken off relations.
However, Lu Lin's knowledge of so much and his speed in arriving here surprised him, especially considering that he had just returned from the Northwest.
He understood that the problem must lie with the people around him, but it wasn't surprising. The Garrison Command was built up by Lu Lin, and although he was temporarily in charge, he needed to rely on the team Lu Lin had assembled to quickly establish a foothold in Shanghai. It was normal for some of the people in the team to be his trusted confidants.
He was careless today; he didn't expect two unexpected things to happen: Lu Chang's death and Lu Lin's early return.
Originally, he was just cooperating with the Japanese to test Lu Lin with false information. It would be even better if they could injure him. Anyway, Lu Lin wasn't in Shanghai, so no one could stop him from taking him back. He could just ask them what he wanted to find out.
But he never expected that Lu Chang would die from his injuries. He knew that he had now made an enemy of the Lu family.
He quickly adjusted his plan, intending to take advantage of Mrs. Lu's unstable state of mind to scare her. He thought she was just a spoiled rich woman who had been pampered by Lu Lin, and setting a trap would be a simple matter. But Lu Lin arrived too quickly.
Lu Lin's cooperative attitude now made him even more uneasy.
"Commander Lu, please don't take offense. I was just following the rules." He smiled ingratiatingly, carefully observing Lu Lin.
Lu Lin casually stuffed the gloves into his coat pocket, lit a cigarette, and didn't answer his question: "Let's begin."
He glanced at Du Xinmin and the men he brought in: "Before I touch you, so you don't have to search me again later." His words were sarcastic.
Suddenly he frowned, feigning sudden realization: "Could it be that Director Du is deliberately trying to search me, and suspects I'm a Communist? Well, I have had frequent contact with them in the Northwest."
He exhaled a puff of smoke and gave a mocking laugh: "If that's the case, Director Du, don't bother. Just report directly to Jincheng. I have close contact with many of them."
Du Xinmin was not stupid. He knew that Lu Lin was using this as an excuse to make trouble. He went to the Northwest at the request of Madam Wen, and his contact with people there was also an order. If he submitted this report, he would only be scolded.
Lu Lin is now a meritorious official. With Dou Wenliang imprisoned, he is highly valued by Jin Cheng, and the Dou family army still needs him to appease them.
Du Xinmin gritted his teeth and forced a smile: "Commander Lu, what are you saying? We're all family. Madam often mentions you and trusts you a lot." His words were a veiled reminder to Lu Lin that he was also a close relative of the Wen family.
Lu Lin looked at him with a half-smile, threw down his cigarette butt, and stomped it out: "My patience is limited."
Du Xinmin glanced at the person next to him and gestured for him to begin.
This man is his confidant, having followed him for over ten years. He is also the most reliable person in handling affairs, and he will definitely be able to find some evidence from Lu Chang.
The man bowed and scraped, stepping forward to make his move. Lu Lin reached out and pulled him aside, causing the man to look at Du Xinmin.
Du Xinmin: "Commander Lu, what is this...?"
Lu Lin beckoned with his finger: "Documents."
"If you want to take my brother, Lu Lin, you can't possibly do it without an arrest warrant, can you?"
"If it weren't for this piece of paper, then I'd be sorry," Lu Lin said, a hint of mockery in his eyes.
Du Xinmin nodded: "Of course..." He took out a piece of paper from his pocket, "This is Jin Cheng's reply."
Given Lu Chang's special status, taking him down naturally required consulting Jin Cheng.
Lu Lin saw a line of text in the reply: "Proceed with caution, make a secret arrest."
He sneered, took out a lighter, and set the paper on fire. Du Xinmin had no time to stop him.
Lu Lin: "I'm afraid he won't cooperate with you, so I'll burn it and show it to him."
Du Xinmin felt the room grow even colder and turned to tell his confidant to hurry up.
He thought Lu Lin would have many questions, such as why Lu Chang died at the hands of the Japanese, and why he came to arrest people at this time. It was too coincidental, and it was hard not to suspect that he had been set up.
But Lu Lin didn't ask a single question, seemingly unconcerned at all. This was too unusual. Was he overwhelmed with grief? Or was his relationship with his half-brother not actually that deep?
Du Xinmin felt a vague unease and hoped that the matter would be resolved as soon as possible.
Time passed slowly, and half an hour later, the confidant thoroughly examined Lu Chang, turning him over and searching his clothes, but found nothing.
Aside from a notebook for daily note-taking, he only had a wallet.
The notebook contained news articles and reminders. For example, on the last page, it said that his elder brother would return in three days. He circled this line, showing how important it was to him.
The man gently shook his head. Du Xinmin's face was ashen, as if his mother had died. He didn't want to give up and reached for the notebook, about to say he would take it back to study, but Lu Lin snatched it away.
"Have you finished the investigation? Have you found any evidence?"
Du Xinmin withdrew his hand, which had been hovering in mid-air: "We haven't found anything yet, but that doesn't mean he's not a suspect. We'll continue our investigation from other places, including this notebook..."
Lu Lin was flipping through the pages, a smirk playing on his lips. "I've heard that Director Du is incredibly knowledgeable and has a photographic memory. He must have memorized everything here. Since no evidence was found, please leave. These are his belongings, and I'm taking them back."
He raised his eyes and gave them a cold glance: "Get lost!"
The confidant stood behind his superior, trembling slightly. Du Xinmin's face was ashen: "We are all colleagues, and everything we do is for the Party and the country. I am also very sorry that this happened, but there are more underground party members in Shanghai than we imagined. Please forgive me, but I will continue to investigate this case."
Lu Lin looked up at him: "Do I have to say it again?"
Du Xinmin, understanding the situation, bowed and nodded: "Commander Du, please accept my condolences. The arrest was also Jincheng's order..."
Lu Lin didn't want to hear his explanation, so he turned around, took off his coat, and covered Lu Chang with it. He gently touched Lu Chang's face; it was cool, but not stiff yet.
His voice was calm and cold, but Du Xinmin could sense the storm brewing within it.
"Director Du, there's no need to bring out Jin Cheng's people. If it weren't for this piece of paper, do you think you'd still be standing here peacefully? I've already cooperated with you, and now I don't want to see you anymore. My brother doesn't want to see you either; you're an eyesore!"
He softened his voice, just like when he used to coax his younger brother to sleep when he was a child: "Chunshan, your older brother is taking you home. I came back late and didn't protect you well. Don't be afraid, I will definitely stand up for you."
He picked up Lu Chang and walked out.
Shen Rong immediately came to greet him when she saw him come out.
Lu Lin glanced at the people behind him and said to Shen Rong, "Let Director Du search your bags, so he won't feel uneasy."
Shen Rong paused for a moment, then angrily threw her bag at him. She took off her coat and kicked off her shoes, revealing a close-fitting cheongsam underneath. She made a move to unbutton it: "Do you want me to search you?"
Du Xinmin's temples throbbed as he looked at Lu Lin, who remained calm.
Helpless, he could only step forward, pick up Shen Rong's coat, and drape it over her shoulders, then instruct his men to pick up her bag.
The contents were scattered all over the floor, and several people squatted down to pick them up, taking the opportunity to check if anything was amiss.
Shen Rong handed Sheng Ruyue's bag over as well: "Search it, it's all here."
Du Xinmin's eyes flickered, and someone took the document and began to examine it.
Sheng Ruyue was completely dazed, her eyes fixed on the person Lu Lin was hugging, oblivious to their examination.
"Can we leave now?" Lu Lin looked down at them.
His men found nothing and shook their heads at Du Xinmin. His face was extremely ugly, but he still had to put on a smile: "Commander Lu, please. It was all a misunderstanding. Let me lend a hand."
She offered to help Lu Lin carry the person, but Lu Lin turned away in disgust.
"You're all done, right? Then it's my turn!" His face turned cold, and Lu Lin's men immediately stepped forward and surrounded them.
Seeing the indifferent expressions on these people's faces, Du Xinmin's heart started to race, and he asked urgently, "Commander Lu, what do you mean by this?"
Lu Lin glanced at him and said casually, "They scared my wife. I asked them to go back and have a talk."
As soon as he finished speaking, the men Du Xinmin brought had their hands clasped behind their backs, and they cried out in panic for Director Du.
"Commander Lu, this puts me in a very difficult position. I will report everything to Jincheng truthfully." Du Xinmin's face was gloomy.
Lu Lin scoffed: "Whatever."
He strode away, as if to say, "What can you do about it?"
His trusted aide stood close to Du Xinmin, filled with anxiety. Fortunately, Lu Lin's men did not seize him. He asked worriedly, "Director Du, what should we do next?"
It should be noted that Shanghai is still Lu Lin's territory. If he were to break off relations, Du Xinmin would likely not fare well.
Du Xinmin clenched his fists, his fingertips digging deep into his flesh. Only this slight pain could calm him down: "What's the panic? Lu Chang is a Communist. Do you think Lu Lin can turn black into white? Send people to keep an eye on the Lu family. I don't believe they won't slip up."
He was certain that someone had covered it up for Lu Chang.
"Should we keep an eye on Commander Lu too?"
Du Xinmin glared at him: "What do you think? You idiot!"
The confidants bowed their heads, but they were short-handed, and they didn't know when those who had been taken away today would be released.
***
Zhang Ma and the others began to prepare for the funeral amidst shock and grief. Lu Lin personally bathed his younger brother and dressed him in new clothes, not wanting anyone to disturb him.
The funeral was held in a low-key manner, with only close relatives of the Lu family coming to pay their respects, as well as some of his colleagues from the newspaper.
The news of Lu Chang's death could not be kept secret. Lu's parents were heartbroken when they received the news, and Aunt Fei's hair turned white overnight.
The Lu couple lived nearby and took the earliest train to Jincheng with their child. When Lu Xuan found out, she insisted on coming to see her third brother off on his final journey, despite having a young child.
Fortunately, there are direct flights from Guangzhou to Shanghai, and Chen Enzhi bought a ticket for the earliest flight to accompany Lu Xuan.
Lu Lin chose a scenic spot in the Western Hills, knowing that he liked lively places, where he could see the entire city of Shanghai.
On the day of the burial, Miss Xiangqin also came. Sheng Ruyue stepped forward and slapped her: "You dare to come? You killed him!"
Xiangqin's hat was knocked off, revealing her haggard face. Her eyes were red and swollen, clearly from crying. She kept saying sorry and bowing, feeling very guilty.
She didn't mean it; she had tried to persuade Lu Lin, but she never expected him to actually die.
Shen Rong stepped forward to stop Sheng Ruyue, but she didn't give Xiangqin a friendly look either.
“Miss Xiangqin is close to the Japanese. You know that Lu Chang died at the hands of the Japanese. I hope you can understand our feelings.”
Xiangqin picked up her hat, too ashamed to lift her head: "I'm sorry, I'll leave now."
Lu Lin glanced at Lu Chang's tombstone and called out to her, "I'm sorry, my family members were a bit out of sorts, please don't take it to heart. I know Lu Chang always considered you a good friend, and he definitely wanted you to see him off on his final journey."
Xiangqin's tears flowed even more fiercely.
She kept repeating "I'm sorry." Lu Lin offered her three incense sticks, but Xiangqin, feeling ashamed, ultimately refused to accept them and ran away.
Lu Xuan hugged the tombstone and cried bitterly. Chen Enzhi patted her back and comforted her softly.
After the funeral, Lu Lin planned for them all to go back. Lu Xuan originally wanted to stay for a while, but Lu Lin told her to leave as soon as possible because Chen Enzhi was busy with official duties and the child was young.
When Shen Rong asked about her relationship with Chen Enzhi, Lu Xuan blushed and said, "He's been very good to me, let's leave it at that for now."
She was bound to get married sooner or later. Aside from a rough start, Chen Enzhi treated her very well after marriage, and her life was much the same as when she lived at her parents' home.
Besides, the two have a lovely son. She only realized after becoming a mother that she couldn't live without her child.
Shen Rong patted his hand: "Alright then, but don't wrong yourself. If anything goes wrong, be sure to tell your family. Write back often, and send a telegram if there's an emergency."
Lu Xuan nestled in her arms, tears streaming down her face: "Sister-in-law, I miss Third Brother so much. Will I never see my Third Brother again? He hasn't even seen his little nephew yet."
Lu Xuan and Chen Enzhi's son is almost three years old this year, but the Lu family has never had the chance to meet him.
After this incident, Lu Zhan seemed to have suddenly grown up, and he walked in holding his sister, who was almost two years younger than him.
"Auntie, are you crying?" Zhao Jie'er kindly wiped away her aunt's tears.
Lu Zhan lowered his head and remained silent. Shen Rong picked him up with heartache. The boy and Lu Chang were the closest. He was all grown up now and understood what death was.
Worried that the children would be saddened again by thinking of Lu Chang, Shen Rong changed the subject: "Your aunt misses your cousin."
Lu Zhan sensibly comforted her, saying, "You'll see your aunt tomorrow."
Lu Lin has already bought their plane tickets; they'll be leaving tomorrow at noon.
This was the first time Zhao'er had met her aunt. She was still young when Lu Xuan got married, and she liked this beautiful and gentle aunt.
She nestled in Lu Xuan's arms and sweetly coaxed, "Auntie, don't cry."
These past few days, all she's said is that she's stopped crying. Her brother told her that their uncle died and they'll never see him again. That's why everyone was crying, but she doesn't really understand what death means. She hadn't even seen her uncle that many times before.
But her brother told her to remember her uncle, and she listened to him and remembered it well.
"Our Zhao'er is so good." After pinching her cheek, Lu Xuan pinched Lu Zhan's cheek: "Xiao Ming has grown up too."
Lu Zhan kept a straight face. Considering his aunt's sadness, he would let it go this time, but next time he wouldn't allow her to call him by his nickname.
"Where is your father?" Shen Rong asked her son.
Lu Zhan had no idea and shook his head.
Lu Lin had been leaving early and returning late these past few days, and she didn't know what he was busy with. But she found out what he was doing the next day.
Uchida Taeko is dead!
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