Siheyuan: Hang Jia Dongxu, smash Banggeng to death!

In the courtyard house.

Qin Ming and his team have begun preliminary investigations.

After listening to Director Li's report, Qin Ming frowned, but his eyes remained unwavering.

"Captain Qin," Director Li said cautiously, "these cases...are indeed very strange."

"In all my years as a police officer, I've never seen so many people die in a single day, and the ways they died were all..."

"What?!" Qin Ming interrupted him, his tone calm. "It all sounds like ghosts or monsters are at work?"

Director Li nodded and lowered his voice: "Captain Qin, it's not that I'm superstitious, you didn't see it... Bang Geng really did 'fly' out and hit the wall... Everyone in the yard searched everywhere, but they couldn't find him, and then suddenly..."

Qin Ming waved his hand, interrupting him: "Old Li, I know what you're trying to say, but I'm a materialist. Unless I see it with my own eyes, I don't believe in these superstitious things."

He paused, then looked around: "These cases must have been deliberately designed by the murderer."

Their aim was to make us believe it was the work of ghosts, to confuse the public and interfere with the investigation. This murderer... is very cunning.

Director Li opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately swallowed it back.

He was once a staunch materialist.

If I hadn't seen with my own eyes how Bang Geng died...

That kind of eeriness, that kind of inexplicable feeling... but Qin Ming didn't believe it, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Captain Qin," Director Li sighed, "I advise you... to be careful, this yard... is really dangerous."

"Danger?" Qin Ming laughed, a hint of disdain in his smile. "The danger isn't ghosts or monsters, it's the human heart."

I see no ghosts or monsters in this courtyard, but there's certainly a lot of evil and wicked behavior going on."

He turned to look in the direction of the Lin family: "Those two children, their parents are dead, and the people in the courtyard not only don't take care of them, but also bully them and exploit them. It's true that there are many turtles in shallow waters."

Director Li smiled wryly, knowing that further persuasion would be useless.

Some things you won't believe unless you see them with your own eyes.

Lin Tian and his sister are indeed pitiful.

"Alright then," Qin Ming said, "I'll stay in Lin Tian and his sister's room tonight with Xiao Han. I want to see what kind of 'thing' is causing this trouble."

"Where are you going to stay?" Director Li asked in surprise.

"Yes." Qin Ming nodded. "Get us some food. The two children's parents just died, so I guess no one's feeding them, right?"

Director Li hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, I'll tell the canteen staff to bring you food in a bit."

He was actually relieved; as long as he wasn't forced to live in the courtyard, he was fine with anything.

Let go of the urge to help others and respect their fate.

Some things you have to see with your own eyes to believe.

"Then thank you very much, Director Li." After saying that, Qin Ming turned and walked towards the Lin family's house.

Director Li watched his resolute back, shook his head, and turned to arrange dinner.

……

Qin Ming knocked on the door.

Lin Tian opened the door and stood at the entrance, his face pale, looking weak and pitiful.

"Hello, little friend."

Qin Ming tried to keep his tone gentle. "My name is Qin Ming. I'm from the Municipal Public Security Bureau. This is Sister Han."

We'd like to stay here for the night and also to ensure your safety, is that alright?

Lin Tian's eyes lit up, and he quickly nodded, "Sure, sure! Please come in!"

He sneered inwardly; everyone in the courtyard said he was a ghost, a great calamity.

If the task force stays with him for one night and someone still dies in the yard, wouldn't that clear his name?

After all, he was right under the nose of his superiors, how could he possibly have had the opportunity to commit a crime?

Qin Ming and Xiao Han went into the house.

Xiao Han is a female criminal police officer in her twenties. She has short hair, clear eyes, and looks capable yet approachable.

As soon as she entered the room, her gaze fell on Tangtang on the kang (a heated brick bed).

"This must be your little sister, Tangtang, right?" Xiao Han crouched down, her voice gentle. "She's so cute."

Qin Ming took a White Rabbit milk candy out of his pocket and handed it to Tangtang: "Tangtang, have some candy."

Tangtang looked at her brother.

Lin Tian nodded: "Tangtang, thank you, Uncle."

Tangtang happily accepted the milk candy and whispered, "Thank you, Uncle."

What child doesn't like sweets?

Lin Tian felt a pang of sadness seeing his sister so happy.

He also wanted to give his sister candy, meat buns, and all sorts of good food... but now, due to circumstances, that wasn't possible.

He even told Tangtang that if anyone asked them what they were eating, they should say they were eating cornbread.

If I tell you about the big meat buns, I'll never get to eat them again.

Tangtang is very sensible; she listens to her father.

Qin Ming looked around the room.

The room was very simple: a kang (a heated brick bed), a broken cabinet, a table, and two stools.

The newspapers pasted on the wall had turned yellow and had holes in some places.

"Lin Tian," Qin Ming sat down on the bench and looked at Lin Tian, ​​"how old are you this year?"

Eight years old.

"Is this your sister?"

"Yes, her name is Tangtang, and she's three and a half years old."

Qin Ming nodded, speaking as gently as possible: "Lin Tian, ​​can you tell your uncle what's happened to your family lately?"

Lin Tian's eyes reddened, and tears streamed down his face.

This is the opportunity he's been waiting for.

"Uncle Qin..." Lin Tian's voice choked with emotion, "My parents... are both dead..."

He began to recount what had happened during this period: his father died tragically when the boiler overturned at the steel rolling mill, and his mother died of anger.

Three old men in the courtyard took money from the family, claiming it was for a funeral, but they ate lavishly, leaving nothing for the siblings...

"They also said I'm a jinx, that I'll bring death to my parents..."

Lin Tian sobbed, his shoulders shaking. "Jia Zhangshi won't feed Tangtang...and they even beat me...saying I stole chickens..."

Tangtang chimed in from the side, saying in her childish voice, "Grandma Jia said Tangtang is a money-losing burden, and she won't give me any food... They even hit Guoguo... saying Guoguo is dead... They're all bad people..."

As Xiao Han listened, her eyes also reddened.

She knelt down, hugged Tangtang, and gently comforted her, "Don't be afraid, Tangtang, your sister is here. No one will dare to bully you."

Lin Tian continued, "Yesterday, Xu Damao falsely accused me of stealing two of his chickens... I was beaten up by Jia Dongxu, Liu Guangtian, and Yan Jiecheng... They thought I was dead."

They took me to the crematorium... Luckily, I was only knocked unconscious and woke up in time... Otherwise... Otherwise, they would have burned me alive..."

He burst into tears, crying, "I'm going to die... What will happen to my little sister... She's only three and a half years old... Mom and Dad, sob sob..."

Tangtang also cried, "I miss Daddy... I miss Mommy..."

For a moment, the room was filled with the sound of crying.

Xiao Han is a sentimental person, and she felt heartbroken seeing the two children so pitiful.

She looked up at Qin Ming, her voice filled with anger: "Captain, these people in the yard... they're beasts! They even said the two children were evil spirits... I think they're the ones with guilty consciences."

Qin Ming nodded, his expression solemn.

Based on his understanding, the people in the institute had indeed gone too far.

This is no longer a simple neighborhood dispute; they prey on the widowed and bully orphans.

The problem is... there's not enough evidence, so even if they're arrested, they won't get many years in prison.

They said that the money was for the funeral expenses of Lin's parents.

Although the banquet was lavish, it was still a formality.

Although the rent for that house was ridiculously low, a written contract was signed.

The people in the hospital insist that Lin Tian signed it voluntarily, and there's nothing you can do about it.

Now, the most important thing is to investigate the murderer who killed four people in one day.

He suspected that this person was responsible for Lin Tian's parents' deaths.

Those people died...they deserved to die.

But he's a criminal investigator; he can't let his emotions get the better of him.

"Lin Tian, ​​Tangtang," Qin Ming said softly, "Don't be afraid, your uncle and sister will protect you."

Once this is all over, your uncle will apply to the higher authorities for some subsidies so you can live a good life.

Lin Tian looked up at Qin Ming, his eyes blurry with tears, and asked, "Uncle, really?"

"Really." Qin Ming nodded solemnly.

Just then, the food delivery person arrived.

Several aluminum lunch boxes contained steaming hot cornbread, stir-fried cabbage, and a few slices of meat.

Good companies still offer some perks.

"Come on, let's eat." Xiao Han opened the lunchbox and handed it to Lin Tian and Tangtang.

Tangtang's eyes lit up when she saw the meat in the lunchbox, but she still looked at the pot first.

Lin Tian nodded: "Eat."

Tangtang then began to eat in small bites, savoring the food with great relish.

Qin Ming and Xiao Han also picked up their lunchboxes and chatted with the two children while eating.

The atmosphere gradually became more harmonious.

But Qin Ming always had a lingering sense of unease.

He wanted to see what would happen tonight.

Outside the window, night was deepening.

In the courtyard house, the lights in each household gradually came on.

Yi Zhonghai stood in front of his window, looking in the direction of the Lin family's house, his eyes filled with malice.

Qin Ming moved in...

Very good!

With him keeping an eye on Lin Tian for the time being, it will be easier to get Lin's father's bloodstained clothes.

……