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The next day, Lin Mingchang and Ruan Xiaoshuang came to Shen Tong's courtyard together. Shen Tong had prepared tea and fruit early, and was waiting for them while teasing Wu Xue under the tree. Shen Tong took the information handed over by Lin Mingchang, which contained complete information about the deceased in Sanming: —————— The first deceased, Zhou Yunlei, 22 years old, the only daughter of Zhou Hongda, the vice president of the Chamber of Commerce, was found dead in the pavilion in her garden ten days ago. The second deceased, Huang Juxiang, 20 years old, the second daughter of Huang Family Silk Shop, was found dead in her boudoir a week ago. The third deceased, Qian Zhiruo, 25 years old, the eldest daughter of Qian Family Pharmacy, was killed the night before. All three deceased were anesthetized before their deaths, and the cause of death was suffocation. —————— Ruan Xiaoshuang took out a few photos from her small bag: "Sister Tongtong, I went to see the bodies of Qian Zhiruo and Huang Juxiang yesterday, and took special photos of their ankles. I stayed up all night last night and washed them out." She handed the photos to Shen Tong and Lin Mingchang, "Look, on the inside of the ankles of these two dead people, there are very fine embroidery marks, which look like a strange pattern, like some kind of pattern." Shen Tong took the photos and examined them carefully. The Yuan Qi on the dead people was not their own, but obviously came from the murderer. This Yuan Qi was concentrated on the dead people's lips, eyelids and ankles that were stitched together, as if someone had sewn resentment into their bodies stitch by stitch. Lin Mingchang pointed at the photo and said: "The murderer's technique in stitching the victim was extremely delicate. According to Liu, it was almost comparable to that of a professional doctor or tailor. And..." He paused and took out a close-up photo from the file bag, "Look, there is an identical mark on all three pairs of embroidered shoes." The photo clearly showed that a small magnolia flower was embroidered on the inside of each pair of shoes, with the four small words "Yulan Embroidery Studio" next to it. Ruan Xiaoshuang searched his brain but couldn't find any relevant information, "Yulan Embroidery Studio? Which shop is this? How come I have never heard of it?" Lin Mingchang picked up the teapot and filled tea for everyone while saying, "It's no wonder you don't know. I haven't heard of it either. I did some research last night. This embroidery studio went bankrupt thirty years ago, and the owner and his family are currently missing." Shen Tong was still looking at the close-up photos of the embroidered shoes taken by Xiaoshuang, "Embroidered shoes are part of the dowry of women in Spring City, and they emphasize 'one stitch and one thread for a lifetime'. The embroidery of this Yulan Embroidery Studio is very fine, and it must have been a famous studio in the city back then." Lin Mingchang took out a Spring City Map, which was an old map from thirty years ago that he had collected with great difficulty. "The old site of Yulan Embroidery Studio is in the old street in the south of the city. Now the area has been rebuilt. Look, it's right here." He pointed his finger on the map. "I visited several families of the deceased yesterday. Thirty years ago, the elderly in their families also knew about this Yulan Embroidery Studio. They did have some dealings with it, but the details are not very clear." "That is to say..." Shen Tong's eyes wandered over the photos of the deceased: "It is no accident that the murderer chose the daughters of these three families. We need to find out what grudges Yulan Embroidery Studio had with these three families back then."
"The owner of the embroidery shop has gone missing..." Ruan Xiaoshuang pondered, "Could it be that they moved away? Or perhaps... they were wiped out?"
Shen Tong stood up, tidying the photos and documents spread across the stone table. "After thirty years of grudges, no matter how deeply buried, there will always be traces left behind."
She turned to Lin Mingchang and Ruan Xiaoshuang. "Let's go check out the old street in the south of the city."
The three of them followed an old map, walking slowly along the southern old street.
"This is it." Lin Mingchang pointed to a low grocery store ahead, its sign faded and various daily necessities hanging in front.
Ruan Xiaoshuang raised her camera, casually documenting their investigation. "It's hard to imagine this used to be an embroidery shop; now it looks like there's no trace left."
Lin Mingchang walked ahead and entered the wooden door of the grocery store. An elderly man dressed in a gray long coat, with graying hair, was dozing behind the counter. Hearing the noise, he immediately opened his eyes.
"What can I help you with?" The old man clasped his hands together, his voice hoarse.
"Sir, we would like to inquire if this place used to be called 'Yulan Embroidery Studio'?" Ruan Xiaoshuang asked eagerly, her eyes scanning the interior of the shop.
Upon hearing this, the old man's expression changed instantly, and he unconsciously tugged at the hem of his coat.
"Oh dear, why are you asking about that? That’s ancient history from thirty years ago."
Shen Tong stood nearby, sensing a faint aura in the room, like incense that had lingered for years, swirling in the corners.
Lin Mingchang took out his identification and showed it to the old man. "Sir, we are investigating a case related to Yulan Embroidery Studio. Please try to recall as much as you can about events from thirty years ago."
Seeing that they were police officers investigating a case, the old man sighed and gestured for them to sit in the back room.
The back room was where the old man lived, furnished with a low wooden table and a few bamboo chairs near the door. He poured each of them a cup of tea; it had already cooled down, suggesting it had been brewed in the morning.
"Yulan Embroidery Studio..." The old man's gaze wandered as he fell into memories. "It’s been over thirty years; back then it really was an embroidery shop. I remember the owner’s wife was named Chen; she was a well-known embroiderer in town, especially famous for her embroidered shoes—she made the best in the entire city."
"And then?" Ruan Xiaoshuang pressed for more details.
"Then... something big happened. I can't say exactly what; all I know is that both the owner’s wife and her daughter had an accident, and afterward, the shop closed down. I took over this place fifteen years ago; by then it had changed hands several times."
Lin Mingchang narrowed his eyes slightly. "Do you know the full name of this owner’s wife named Chen? Or her daughter's name?"
"I can't remember that," the old man shook his head, avoiding Lin Mingchang's gaze.
Shen Tong had been tracking the flow of Yuan Qi she sensed upon entering, her gaze following it until it led her to the back courtyard of the shop, where a well stood.
The well's opening seemed to be sealed by something, and the area around it was enveloped in a thick haze of Yuan Qi, far denser than that inside the shop, forming a swirling mass of dark mist.
"The well in the back courtyard..." Shen Tong murmured, "has been here for thirty years, hasn't it?"
The owner was taken aback, dropping his teacup onto the table. "How... how do you know there's a well in the back?"
Lin Mingchang immediately stood up, speaking in an authoritative tone, "Owner, lead the way. We need to see that well."
The old man awkwardly rose to his feet, his hands nervously rubbing together. "That... that well has been nailed shut by me. After I bought this place, I thought about filling it in to build another room, but three workers fell and got injured near the well. After that... I didn't dare to touch it anymore; I just... nailed it shut with wooden boards."
"Why did you want to fill in that well? Why not use it?" Ruan Xiaoshuang pressed on.
"They say that well is inauspicious... I heard that after the previous owner of the Embroidered Room died, the water from that well turned blood-red for three days..."
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