Siheyuan: Hang Jia Dongxu, smash Banggeng to death!

Chief Li warned, "Or are you two connected to this murder case?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao and Shazhu broke out in a cold sweat. They dared not accept this, otherwise they would be dragged to the market for target practice the next day.

"Director Li, it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. We were just joking. We'll leave right now."

Sha Zhu then realized his mistake and fearfully echoed, "Chief Li, Da Mao is right, it's all a misunderstanding. We won't disturb your investigation any longer, we'll leave here."

The two of them scurried into the courtyard like mice seeing a cat.

Upon hearing the commotion, Yi Zhonghai tried to smooth things over, saying, "Director Li, these two have been like this since they were little. I will criticize them; they are too immature."

"OK."

Director Li gave Yi Zhonghai face and continued, "As the people in charge, you should offer some comfort to the family."

"Yes, we will be comforted."

Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui should respond.

Director Li shouted, "Everyone, disperse and wait for our investigation."

After leaving two people to guard the scene.

Director Li left with his men; he wanted to see the autopsy report to find out the specific cause of death for the three men.

Hanging is impossible; the victim must have been killed and then hung up by someone.

Who's the group of three hanging themselves?

There is no such thing as hanging if there is a killer.

Who is the murderer?

Jia Zhangshi said it was Lin Jianguo?

This is a clue; we can investigate it. We should investigate as much as possible, leaving no stone unturned. We must investigate everyone in the No. 95 courtyard.

After all, three lives were lost; this case is very serious.

The Municipal Public Security Bureau will definitely send people from the Criminal Investigation Division tomorrow.

Everyone gradually dispersed and went home to discuss the matter.

...

The Yan family.

Yan Bugui still feels lingering fear when he thinks about the three people in the tree; it was too terrifying.

Yan Jiecheng asked, "Dad, how exactly did those three people die? It really wasn't by hanging?"

Yan Bugui said in a deep voice, "Hanging? Who hangs themselves in groups of three? Have you ever seen a dead person so indiscriminately placed?"

"It was definitely a murder. They killed someone and then hung it up."

Yan Jiecheng sat down next to him and lowered his voice, as if afraid of being overheard: "Who could the murderer be?"

"With so many people in the courtyard, who has the ability to kill three people in one night without making a sound?"

"Mrs. Jia insists it was Lin Jianguo, but Uncle Lin... doesn't seem like the type to kill."

Yan Bugui did not respond.

He recalled how Lin Jianguo stood in front of the cordon and answered Director Li's questions, his back straight, his eyes level, and his voice neither flustered nor guilty.

I recalled Jia Zhangshi's face contorted with tears and the gritted teeth she used when she poked Lin Jianguo with her finger.

Whoever takes the first bite, that's all.

"Don't you know Jia Zhangshi's mouth? She said it was Lin Jianguo, but that's a thorn that's been planted in her heart for a long time."

Lin Jianguo almost reported Jia Dongxu for stealing scrap metal, and she had long held a grudge against him.

Now that her son is dead, her first thought is to smear Lin Jianguo.

"Dad, in your opinion, who did it?"

Yan Jiecheng asked again.

Yan Bugui said with lingering fear, "No matter who did it, this person is no ordinary person. In one night, three people were killed silently, and their bodies were all hung on that old locust tree. This is not something an ordinary person could do."

"Think about it, Jia Dongxu went out to steal scrap metal in the middle of the night. Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu didn't have a particularly close relationship with Jia Dongxu. So why did these three of them end up dying together?"

Yan Jiecheng thought for a moment after hearing his father's words: "You mean, the Liu brothers might have been stealing scrap metal with Jia Dongxu to sell, and the killer was targeting these three people? Or was it chosen randomly?"

"I have no idea."

Yan Bugui shook his head. "But all I know is that the water in this pond in the yard is probably murky. We just need to wait."

...

The Liu family.

The couple slept on a kang (a heated brick bed).

Liu Haizhong lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), turned to the side facing the wall, while Li Zhaodi sat on the edge of the kang, sobbing.

"Guangtian and Guangfu, they wouldn't even dare kill a chicken normally, who would harm them? They haven't made any enemies... Who on earth could be the bastard..."

Liu Haizhong didn't turn around. "I'm thinking right now, whether they've offended anyone recently."

But even after thinking about it for most of the night, I still can't figure it out.

The two brothers were timid and never caused trouble. Aside from their slightly poor grades at school, which sometimes resulted in teachers scolding them, they didn't have any enemies.

"Could it be... that he was implicated by someone else?"

Li Zhaodi's voice suddenly lowered, "Many people in the compound know about Jia Dongxu stealing scrap metal."

"If someone wanted to silence him, wouldn't he take the opportunity to..."

Liu Haizhong sat up abruptly, his voice hoarse but filled with barely suppressed anger: "What do you mean by 'on the spur of the moment'? Killing two people is considered 'on the spur of the moment'? Don't make wild guesses, wait for the police to investigate."

He narrowed his eyes, then slowly lowered them again. "Wait for the police to investigate."

He dared not even consider the possibility that his two sons had followed Jia Dongxu in stealing scrap metal to sell.

Otherwise, what will outsiders think of him?

Liu's position is that of a level seven forging worker in a steel rolling mill.

...

Inside the Jia family's house.

Jia Zhangshi sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), her throat hoarse from crying.

She only had one son, and before she could enjoy her retirement, he passed away.

Alas!

Qin Huairu sat on a low stool in the corner of the room, holding the still-sleepy Xiao Dang in her arms, with Bang Geng huddled at her feet.

Her lips moved, but she didn't know what to say.

Jia Dongxu is dead; the pillar supporting the family has collapsed.

My mother-in-law is unreliable; my son is still very young, and my daughter has only just learned to walk.

How will we live from now on?

She hasn't decided yet.

Suddenly, Madam Jia raised her head: "It must have been Lin Jianguo who killed him. No one else would harm Dongxu but him."

"I just told the police that he killed him, and the police will definitely investigate him."

Qin Huairu kept her head down and didn't reply, but gently rubbed Xiao Dang's hair with her chin.

As soon as Jia Zhangshi saw her, she stood up abruptly, her voice sharp and shrill: "Where did you go just now? I heard Xu Damao shouting that Shazhu was cheating on someone."

"Have you gone off to fool around with that idiot Zhu? My son's body is barely cold, and you're already going to steal someone else?"

Qin Huairu's face turned pale instantly, and her lips trembled: "Mom, I didn't."

"No?"

Madam Jia sneered, "My son is dead, and you've been hiding on the sidelines. Were you hoping he'd die so you could seduce someone else?"

With red eyes, Qin Huairu explained, "Mom, I didn't, I was just scared."

"Fear?"

"I see you've become disloyal after my son's death. Qin Huai, let me tell you, once you're a daughter-in-law of the Jia family, you always will be."

Madam Jia stared at her with eyes wide open, as if trying to see right through her.

Qin Huai felt guilty and lowered his head even further when he thought of Sha Zhu's divine move earlier.

Sha Zhu returned to the room, closed the door, and sat on the edge of the bed for a while before recovering. He muttered under his breath, "That bastard Xu Damao, I'll teach him a lesson sooner or later."

……