The Mystery of the Inner Demon

Chapter 265 Gestalt
This was the first time Qi Fei had seen his father so weak, with countless wounds of all sizes on his body. It was hard to imagine that his own son had done this.

The moment Qi Fei appeared, Qi Dongjun's eyes lit up.

Neither of them spoke; strangers might at least say something like thank you.

But between father and son, anything they say seems out of place.

"Cough cough." Qi Dongjun coughed twice.

Qi Fei silently poured him a glass of water.

Qi Dongjun drank all the water in one gulp, as if this water tasted better than any fine wine he had ever drunk.

However, this warmth did not last long. Qi Fei sat down beside Qi Dongjun's hospital bed, and his first words were still about the investigation: "Who is employee number 0002?"

Qi Dongjun didn't answer, but reached for the gold-rimmed glasses on the bedside table and put them on. The moment he put on the glasses, he became that cold businessman again. He asked in a deep voice, "What did Xi He say to you?"

“He didn’t say anything. We asked Xu Tong and those people from the clothing market back then, and found someone who had disappeared for many years.”

"You mean that man?"

"No, it's a woman."

"Hmm?" Qi Dongjun's face showed a hint of confusion. "Lu Man told me that you have already found the skeleton in the yard, and it should be a man's."

Qi Fei was slightly surprised by Qi Dongjun's reaction. Either his disguise was too good, or what he knew and what he investigated were not the same.

"You always knew that Feng Yongshou was buried in the courtyard?" Qi Fei asked.

"This person's name was originally Feng Yongshou. So, you already know about your mother..." Qi Dongjun sighed, as if he had a great regret.

"You don't know the deceased's identity? You think Feng Yongshou was killed by my mother?" Qi Fei asked in surprise. "What exactly did you know back then?"

"This is the biggest nightmare I've had in decades. I remember it was pouring rain that day. I was holding the first payment I'd been waiting for, and I rushed home excitedly to share my joy with your mother. But from afar, I saw your mother wearing a raincoat dragging something around in the yard."

I wanted to go over and help, but when I took a few steps closer, I realized that what was being dragged on the ground was a person. I still remember his hands, which were white from being soaked in the rain.

My mind went blank. Luckily, the heavy rain prevented her from looking up and seeing me. I hid behind the wall and watched helplessly as she dragged the person into the unfinished flower bed.

What distressed me even more was that I saw Xihe, who was only three years old, standing under the eaves, watching the horrifying scene in the yard without crying or making a fuss.

I didn't know that he saw me at that time.

If it were anyone else, I would have called the police. But Qi Fei, that person is your mother, the person I love most. I can't do it.

I was completely disoriented and could no longer bear this inhuman scene, so I fled the scene.

I ran all the way to my partner, expressing the joy that should have been shared with your mother, deceiving myself that what I was seeing was all an illusion.

However, it is easier said than done to deceive oneself.

I waited until the rain stopped before going home. When I saw your mother, she seemed completely unaffected and didn't even ask me where I'd been for so long. A few days later, she suddenly said she wanted to plant a tree in the flowerbed, the spot where she buried her body.

I couldn't understand why she would kill someone, until Xihe's mental problems gradually came to light.

I've heard your mother mention her father, who is the father-in-law I've never met.

I knew her father had violent tendencies, and Xi He also had serious mental health issues, which made me start to have doubts…”

Qi Fei clenched his fists upon hearing this. He knew that Qi Dongjun meant to blame Xi He's problem on his mother, but reason told him that anyone who encountered such a situation would inevitably have such thoughts. So, suppressing his anger, he asked, "Did you see your mother's face on the day the body was buried?"

Qi Dongjun shook his head: "That's right, I wouldn't mistake her raincoat, plus young Xi He was right there."

"Have you ever considered that that person might not be your mother?"

Qi Dongjun was stunned and looked at Qi Fei: "How is this possible? I clearly saw..."

At that moment, there was a light knock on the open door of the ward.

The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw Zhong Kui standing at the door. The bruises on her hand, which had been used to knock on the door, were clearly visible when she saved Qi Fei.

“I’m sorry to disturb your father-son reunion. As the only person who has heard Xi He and Feng Yongfu recount this murder, it is necessary for us to clarify the ins and outs of the matter.” She walked to the other side of the bed and leaned down to Qi Dongjun, saying, “Mr. Qi, let me help you recall what you saw back then.”

As she spoke, she stretched out her hand, the silver bracelet in her hand letting the pendant fall and sway back and forth. Guided by Zhong Kui, Qi Dongjun was lost in deep memories:

It was an unusually heavy rain; thick rain clouds turned the entire city of Nancheng into night. The young Qi Dongjun held his briefcase full of cash to his chest, letting the rain soak him to the bone.

Passing through the fence, the corpse, like a slaughtered animal, was dragged by the person in the raincoat towards the small flower bed in the southwest corner of the yard.

Fear seeped into Qi Dongjun's body along with the cold rain. The light purple raincoat he had bought for his wife had now become the battle armor of a murderer.

His child was there too, Xi He, his genius-like child, standing not far away, their eyes meeting.

Compared to him, the child appeared much calmer.

He thought that the child didn't yet understand the meaning of death.

The pale purple figure pushed the corpse into the dug pit without hesitation.

"No, this isn't real!" Qi Dongjun shouted, waking from his memories. As his vision gradually cleared, Zhong Kui's calm face appeared.

Qi Dongjun, panting heavily, turned to Qi Fei and said excitedly, "I remember now! I didn't see Ziyun's face at all, not from beginning to end. But why do I keep remembering seeing her..."

"It's just Gestalt psychology at work. Human cognition isn't simply about passively accepting fragmented information; it's about using a set of logic and rules to process these fragmented pieces of information into a meaningful whole. The home, the wife's raincoat, the children who were watching—all of these things make you firmly believe that the murderer is Xi Ziyun," Zhong Kui said from the side.

Qi Dongjun let out a long sigh, as if the heavy burden he had carried for decades had suddenly been lifted from his heart.

Then, puzzled, he asked, "You mean this person isn't Ziyun? Then who is it? And why would Ziyun plant trees there? I thought it was a cover-up..."