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Hu Pei's father and daughter were both dead, and Jiang Xiaochun had gone completely insane. This was somewhat unusual because among the twenty people who interned at the construction site back then, Jiang Xiaochun was one of them. The others had all been targeted by the Murderer and killed one by one. Yet Jiang Xiaochun had somehow survived all this time. What could be the reason? Meanwhile, the girl Hu Xiaoxue, who clearly understood nothing, had been murdered. Was there a connection between these events?
These matters swirled in my mind like a series of puzzles, and at this moment, seeking out Jiang Xiaochun seemed to be the best choice. She should still be at her old home, and the only person who could care for her now was Hu Pei's mother.
We had visited Hu Pei's old home before, so it was familiar territory for Zhao Mingkun, our living map. Upon returning to this area, we were surprised to find that someone recognized us. But thinking back, it made sense; it had only been a week since Hu Xiaoxue's death, so it was reasonable that people would remember us.
Before we could head upstairs, a middle-aged woman approached us with an air of mystery and asked, "Aren't you two police officers?"
"Yes," I replied. "It's been a week now, so I'm here to check on Jiang Xiaochun's situation."
The woman dusted herself off and followed us upstairs while saying, "Jiang Xiaochun is still the same as before—she looks a bit crazy. However, she's improved a lot compared to when it first happened. Now she doesn't scream as much but locks herself in a room and hardly speaks to anyone. Aside from eating and using the bathroom, she rarely leaves her room."
"And there's another issue with Jiang Xiaochun," the woman added mysteriously.
"What issue?" I asked.
The woman continued, "Jiang Xiaochun only eats leftovers now and insists on drinking tap water. I don't know what's wrong with her. Once when I visited her and brought a bowl of freshly cooked dumplings, she refused to eat unless I had some first. And she insisted on eating them cold."
"Sigh," the woman shook her head. "Such a good girl has turned out like this. Hu Pei's mother doesn't know what to say to her in-laws; she can only wait until Jiang Xiaochun gets better before discussing anything."
I frowned at this revelation—only eating food that others had touched and drinking running water might not just be the result of her madness; there seemed to be a deeper reason behind it. I felt something was off but chose not to express it at that moment. The priority now was to see Jiang Xiaochun.
The woman accompanied us upstairs, seemingly intent on joining us to check on Jiang Xiaochun.
She enthusiastically knocked on Hu's Mother's door for us.
Hu's Mother looked haggard and lifeless; her hair had turned completely gray since the last time we saw her when it was mostly black. When she saw us, there was no expression on her face; her eyelids drooped heavily with dark circles under her eyes, suggesting she hadn't slept well over the past week. Her tone was flat and robotic as she asked, "What is it?"
The woman gently shook her head but cheerfully said, "These two police officers came to see how Jiang Xiaochun is doing."
At that moment, Hu's Mother seemed to remember something important; she grasped my hand tightly and asked urgently, "Have you caught the Murderer who killed my son and granddaughter? Have you caught him?!"
Hu's Mother seemed to have not spoken for a long time; her voice was hoarse. However, her eyes were filled with urgency and longing.
I took Hu's Mother's hand, feeling helpless about not being able to catch the Murderer, and tried to comfort her, saying, "We have basically confirmed who the Murderer is, but there are still some details we would like to ask your daughter-in-law, Jiang Xiaochun. If we can get some clues here, it will greatly help us in confirming the identity of the Murderer."
"Just asking my daughter-in-law will lead us to the Murderer?" Hu's Mother asked simply.
I nodded and replied, "That's right. We want to ask your daughter-in-law about her past."
"But," Hu's Mother said with a bitter smile, "my daughter-in-law hasn't spoken to anyone at all. Even I haven't talked to her for almost a week. The only words I exchange with her are about meals and bedtime. She seems so dazed; it's unbearable for me."
"Why is my life so miserable!" With that, tears streamed down Hu's Mother's face.
"Let me go see her," I suggested gently after looking at Hu's Mother.
Hu's Mother nodded lightly and said, "Go ahead."
We arrived at a door where Hu's Mother gently knocked a few times before opening it and saying, "Daughter-in-law, I've brought the officer who was here before to see you. They will ask you some questions; don't be afraid. I'm coming in now."
With that, Hu's Mother gave us a signal, and we followed her into the room. As I stepped inside, I observed the layout of the room. It was clear that this was not a room prepared for Jiang Xiaochun. Judging by the decor and wallpaper, it appeared to belong to Hu Xiaoxue.
At that moment, Jiang Xiaochun was curled up on a bed, wrapped in a blanket. The bed faced the door, and I immediately saw a disheveled woman sitting limply on it. She showed no change in expression upon seeing us enter, as if we were invisible.
As soon as I walked in, aside from noticing Jiang Xiaochun herself, I scanned the room. There was a bookshelf filled with children's books; it was evident that Hu Xiaoxue must have stayed in this room when she was at her grandmother's house.
I looked closer at the bookshelf; all the books were neatly arranged except for one that lay horizontally and appeared out of place. This room did not have easy access to a balcony, and there was no ground outside the window that could be stepped on. At that moment, the window was open, allowing a view of the scenery outside.
A different feeling arose within me as I glanced back at Jiang Xiaochun. Her complexion was actually quite good; her face was flushed and did not seem like someone who had lost their appetite or interest in life.
At this point, Hu's Mother had already sat down in front of Jiang Xiaochun. She held Jiang Xiaochun's hand and said, "Xiaochun, this officer has some questions for you; you must answer them, do you understand?"
I noticed the ring on Jiang Xiaochun's left ring finger. Judging by its shine, it appeared to be made of platinum, but the outside was covered in a layer of dust and grime.
I stood beside Jiang Xiaochun and said, "Can we talk to her alone?"
Hu's Mother glanced at Jiang Xiaochun, looking somewhat worried. However, after some persuasion from the aunt nearby, Hu's Mother reluctantly nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her.
With no place to sit, the two of us stood in front of Jiang Xiaochun.
I casually opened the bookshelf and took out a book from inside. I didn't speak to Jiang Xiaochun but flipped through the pages myself. Jiang Xiaochun didn't look at me or say anything; she just stared blankly at her hands.
Zhao Mingkun stood beside me, unsure of what I was up to and remained silent.
For half an hour, we sat in silence, with no one speaking. While I pretended to read, I was actually observing Jiang Xiaochun. Finally, after half an hour, she glanced at me. That single glance provided me with an answer.
I addressed Jiang Xiaochun, "Your husband Hu Pei was scared to death, and your daughter Hu Xiaoxue was killed by the Murderer in a strange and cruel manner. What happened seven years ago? At that time, Hu Pei's girlfriend wasn't you. However, after Lu Zhiqiu died, you quickly married Hu Pei and had children. What was the reason behind that?"
Jiang Xiaochun finally looked at me, but her expression remained unchanged. There was no sign of emotion in her eyes; however, her pupils were lively and not vacant, which set her apart from some mentally ill individuals.
Having spent time in a psychiatric hospital myself, I could tell that Jiang Xiaochun did not seem like one of them.
Zhao Mingkun stood silently beside me.
I continued, "I believe there must be some reason behind all this. Why are you so afraid of Lu Zhiqiu? Why do you think you're being haunted for revenge? Before this incident, we had never had any issues. How is it that after Hu Xiaoxue's death, you suddenly believe there are ghosts? That seems even more suspicious."
Jiang Xiaochun still said nothing and continued to stare blankly at me.
I stroked my chin thoughtfully and said slowly, "What are you afraid of? I really don't understand why you're pretending like this. Do you think the Murderer won't come for you if you act crazy? I can see that your attitude towards life doesn't reflect someone who is truly losing their mind."
"Isn't it?" I asked.
At that moment, both of them understood what I meant, and we fell into silence. Jiang Xiaochun seemed to have adopted a strategy of not speaking, no matter what I said.
I shrugged and asked Jiang Xiaochun, "Can I see your ring?"
I noticed that Jiang Xiaochun looked momentarily confused, but that confusion quickly vanished from her face. It was clear that there was something suspicious about Jiang Xiaochun's behavior. If she were truly insane, she wouldn't react to what others said; yet, it was evident that she had heard and understood my words.
Zhao Mingkun slowly approached, took hold of Jiang Xiaochun's hand, and slid the ring off her finger.
I took the ring and saw that the engraving on the inner surface had been worn down. However, I noticed some stains on the outer surface of the ring. A hypothesis formed in my mind—perhaps this could shed light on the couple's hasty marriage seven years ago.
"Still not going to say anything?" I continued to press Jiang Xiaochun.
She remained unresponsive.
Some people believe that by staying silent, they can hide their secrets.
I had already stepped out of the room, with Zhao Mingkun following closely beside me.
"What happened?" Hu's Mother hurried over.
I had an answer in my mind but couldn't reveal it to Hu's Mother.
There is a clear distinction between being mad and pretending to be mad.
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