Siheyuan: Hang Jia Dongxu, smash Banggeng to death!

When Xu Fugui arrived, the public toilet was already surrounded by a crowd.

Police officers in uniforms went in and out, and police tape was set up at both ends of the alley. Several residents living nearby stood far away outside the police tape, peeking out and whispering among themselves.

"What happened?"

Xu Fugui tiptoed and peeked into the crowd, just in time to see Xiao Wang walking out of the public restroom.

Xu Fugui quickly went to greet him and called out to Xiao Wang across the police line, "Officer, what happened here?"

Xiao Wang looked up at him, then walked over and said, "The deaf old lady fell into the cesspool and drowned."

"What? How is this possible?"

Xu Fugui was stunned and asked again, "A deaf old lady? She fell into the cesspool? Drowned?"

"Yes. They were just pulled up."

Xu Fugui stood there, stunned. He had come to find the deaf old lady.

After seeing the ligature mark on his son's neck in the police station morgue this morning, only one thought remained in his mind.

Go ask the deaf old lady for clarification.

Did the son exhibit any unusual behavior before his death? Did he leave any messages? What exactly happened in the yard?

Only the deaf old lady might know these things.

Now that she's dead, who can I ask?

"Comrade, my son's name was Xu Damao, and he is dead. I've come to inquire about the details of my son's death from the people in the compound."

I just went into the courtyard house and found it completely empty. What's going on?

"They've all left."

Xiao Wang took a crumpled handkerchief out of his pocket, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and stuffed the handkerchief back into his pocket.

"As far as I know, the Liu family and the Yan family are staying at the Hongxing Guesthouse not far ahead, while the others have gone to visit their relatives."

"The compound wasn't safe, but the task force didn't stop them."

"You left?"

Xu Fugui frowned.

Eight people died overnight, and instead of staying to cooperate with the police investigation, everyone in the compound ran away.

There's probably some unspeakable secret involved.

Perhaps someone saw who the murderer was and fled for fear of being silenced.

Perhaps the murderer is among this group of people.

Xu Fugui stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Comrade, have you found out who the murderer is?"

Xiao Wang's expression changed slightly.

He shook his head after a few seconds of silence, his voice unconsciously lowered, as if he were saying something he shouldn't:

"No, all I know is that he was a heartless and inhuman butcher."

He would never say that they suspect it was done by evil spirits, otherwise where would the credibility of the judiciary be?

If the police are leading the way in promoting feudal superstition, do they even want to keep their clothes on?

Xiao Wang said sternly, "You shouldn't be loitering around here. Go home early."

"Okay, okay, thank you for the reminder, comrade."

Xu Fugui nodded repeatedly.

Just then, a commotion came from the entrance of the public toilet, and two policemen carried out a stretcher.

The stretcher was covered with a white sheet, which was soaked with the bodily fluids inside. The stench could be smelled from a great distance.

As the stretcher passed by, a swollen hand, its skin pale and wrinkled from being soaked in water, slipped out from the edge of the white sheet.

As Xu Fugui watched the stretcher being lifted into the trunk of a jeep parked not far away, a wave of bitterness welled up in his throat, which he swallowed back forcefully.

Is that the body of the deaf old woman?

Never mind, never mind.

Let's go ask Lao Liu and Lao Yan first.

They are at the guesthouse, not far from here.

Xu Fugui turned and walked quickly toward the alley entrance, as if he were fleeing something.

To be honest, he always felt like there was a pair of eyes watching him from the shadows.

at the same time.

Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong returned to the guesthouse.

The three women, Yang Ruihua (the third aunt), Yan Jiedi (the youngest daughter), and Li Zhaodi (the second aunt), came up together to look behind the two and asked:

"Where is the master? Why are only the two of you back?"

Yan Bugui sighed, walked into the room, sat down on the edge of the bed, rested his hands on his knees, and said with his head down, "Alas, the master isn't coming."

"Is he not coming?"

Yang Ruihua asked, puzzled, "Why didn't you come?"

Liu Haizhong plopped down on another bed, the bed creaking under his weight, and said resentfully:

"As soon as he heard about the courtyard house at number 95, he kicked us out. That old lady is really something, saying that mentioning her name has any effect."

He spat on the ground, "What good is it? Third Master chased us out with a bucket of dung and splashed it all over my pants."

Li Zhaodi's eyes widened: "What? You're going to throw a bucket of manure at you?"

"you do not say!"

Liu Haizhong became increasingly angry as he spoke, and stood up and paced back and forth in the room. "We spoke to him politely, saying that the deaf old lady had sent us to find him."

When he heard the words "number 95", he went crazy, cursing us for trying to harm him and saying that it was none of our business. Then he grabbed a bucket of excrement and started splashing it on us.

Old Yan and I stood outside the door, banging on it and begging him. Guess what he said?

He said... "If you're dead, you're dead. Just have two more." Is that something a human being would say?

Li Zhaodi's face turned pale instantly. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief, her eyes brimming with tears.

Yan Jiedi asked in her small voice, "Dad, is that Third Master scared?"

Yan Bugui nodded silently.

"He's definitely scared."

Yan Jiedi lowered her head, clutching the hem of her cotton-padded coat. "I'm a little scared too, Dad. When can we go home?"

Yang Ruihua hugged her daughter tightly, tears streaming down her face.

"We can't go back...we can't go back..."

Liu Haizhong stood by the window, then suddenly turned around and asked Yan Bugui, "Old Yan, say something, what do we do now?"

We can't stay in the guesthouse forever; it's not a long-term solution.

I always felt this house wasn't safe; the windows faced the alley, and who knew what might climb in at night.

Yan Bugui said wearily, "Let's wait. Let the police solve the case. We'll wait three days. The higher-ups have ordered the task force to find the murderer within three days."

If we can't catch the murderer, we'll leave Beijing or go back to our hometown in the countryside.

"Are there still people in your hometown?"

Liu Haizhong asked.

"There's no one left, but there are old houses."

Yan Bugui said, "It's better than waiting to die here."

Liu Haizhong remained silent.

He glanced again at his wife, who looked equally tired, and their eyes met in the dim light.

...

Outside the Red Star Guesthouse.

After asking the front desk, Xu Fugui went straight to the second floor, found his room number, and knocked on the door.

Who?

Everyone in the room immediately became alert, and no one spoke.

Yan Bugui made a shushing gesture, walked towards the door, and whispered, "Who is it?"

"I promise wealth and honor."

Yan Bugui's heart leaped from his throat and he flung the door open.

"Old Xu?"

"Why are you here?"

"I've come to ask you something."

Xu Fugui glanced into the room, panting. The room wasn't big; it had two single beds, a bedside table, a thermos, and five people.

Yang Ruihua held Yan Jiedi's small hand the whole time. When she saw Xu Fugui come in, she forced a smile.

……