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Zhao Mingkun spoke up, "The murderer never expected that Xu Man, the woman who left the group of four friends early in their youth, knew one of the most important secrets. And this secret was never shared with anyone, but there is no wall that doesn't let the wind through."
I shrugged and said, "That's right. Sometimes, having a high IQ and good habits isn't necessarily a good thing. For most people, keeping a diary can enhance one's writing and logical skills, but if a criminal enjoys writing a diary, it could become a confession of their crimes."
At that moment, Jiang Xiaochun hugged herself tightly and buried her head down. However, the three of us understood that there were almost no secrets left among us regarding Jiang Xiaochun. It seemed that she had become much more natural now. People are like that; when they try to hide something deliberately, they appear very unnatural. But when they decide not to hide it anymore, they seem even better than before. It's truly a paradox.
I continued speaking to the two of them, "The murderer could never have imagined that seven years ago, a friend named Xu Man secretly saw the murderer’s diary. Seven years ago, being gay seemed to be an unspoken taboo. Xu Man was stunned when she saw it."
As I recounted the facts, I speculated about what had happened back then: "Xu Man read the murderer’s confessions about Lu Zhiqiu and learned that the murderer wanted to be Lu Zhiqiu's guardian, forever by her goddess's side. Or perhaps Xu Man also stumbled upon some matters related to sexuality."
I went on, "At that time, Xu Man was merely curious but didn't expect to uncover one of the murderer's biggest secrets. This became an eternal secret in her heart; perhaps it wasn't that she didn't want to share it, but rather that she never had the chance to do so."
I glanced at Zhao Mingkun and then at Jiang Xiaochun. "Xu Man successfully took Lu Zhiqiu's boyfriend Hu Pei away, but she forgot one thing: even if Lu Zhiqiu knew she was digging in her backyard, she wouldn't be angry with her. Conversely, if Hu Pei refused to break up with Lu Zhiqiu, Lu Zhiqiu would certainly forgive Hu Pei. Hu Pei is a scumbag; I really don't understand why so many people like him."
I shrugged again and continued, "After Hu Pei had his fun, he abandoned Xu Man. She became pregnant with his child but was too afraid to tell him. Eventually, with no other options left, Xu Man had to reveal this to Hu Pei. However, his reaction was to ignore her and leave her to handle it on her own."
Sighing deeply, I said, "In desperation, Xu Man had no choice but to rent a place for herself. Her prolonged absence from school led to her expulsion. It was during this time that she lost contact with everyone except Hu Pei. Hu Pei's ruthlessness left Xu Man with no way out; ultimately, she became a sister."
I fixed my gaze on Jiang Xiaochun and said seriously, "So you never knew that the child you raised is Xu Man's child—the child of your enemy. Perhaps your heart is conflicted; maybe you hoped Hu Pei would truly be with Xu Man so that you could be with Lu Zhiqiu."
"But!" I shook my head again. "You also don't want Lu Zhiqiu to be hurt. That sweet girl has endured so much suffering in her life yet has never shown an ounce of resentment; she always brings warmth to those around her. Unlike those self-righteous people online who only talk about how others should behave, she is willing to sacrifice her own interests to help others."
"Alas." I sighed heavily. "Perhaps that's why seven years later Xu Man wasn't brutally killed by you. After all, what's the difference between killing one more person or one less for you? But because of this very reason, we were able to grasp this secret and point all fingers at you."
I stated clearly word by word, "Isn't that right, Jiang Xiaochun? The real murderer."
Jiang Xiaochun buried her head low and did not respond.
I continued, "But who exactly killed Lu Zhiqiu? No one knows. Those who wanted Lu Zhiqiu dead all had motives; they once wished for her demise. Perhaps those who killed Lu Zhiqiu were selfish—hypocritical and self-serving individuals who used various excuses to convince themselves that Lu Zhiqiu was at fault when in reality they were just trying to cover up their deep-seated jealousy and their ever-growing selfishness."
"No matter if it's Hu Pei, Luo Ding, Wang Yikai, Yang Licheng, or Zhao Pingjuan and Wang Qianduo, they are all the same. Each one of them is a murderer. Killing in heart and mind does not mean that only those who have physically harmed others are murderers. Even though Lu Zhiqiu herself doesn't care, those words still pierced her heart like a thorn."
I looked at Jiang Xiaochun and slowly said, "This is how you think, so you want to kill everyone, right? You can't stand it; you're speaking up for that naive Lu Zhiqiu, aren't you?"
Silence lingered for a long time.
When Jiang Xiaochun lifted her head again, her face was already streaked with tears.
"Yes! I feel it's unfair for Lu Zhiqiu. She treated each of them so well, but what about these people? They are all ungrateful wolves. They don't hesitate to call on Lu Zhiqiu when they need her, but once things are over, they kick her aside."
Jiang Xiaochun's face was wet with tears, her body trembling as if all these years had failed to suppress the indignation in her heart: "These people make Lu Zhiqiu pay the price but never invite her to gatherings. They rush to team up with Lu Zhiqiu just to offload all the work onto her. They treat Lu Zhiqiu like a servant who can be summoned and dismissed at will, never truly considering her a friend."
Jiang Xiaochun gritted her teeth, her voice bursting forth: "Everyone surrounding Lu Zhiqiu has their own agenda; not one of them truly knows what Lu Zhiqiu wants in her heart. Kori Chiu's repeated tolerance and smiling greetings have only brought her what?"
"This world!" Jiang Xiaochun's eyes widened as she tossed the blanket aside. "This world has never given kind people a way out; good horses are ridden hard, and good people are bullied. The kinder you are, the more tolerant you are, the more those people will push their limits. What nonsense about Dongxing University students being the backbone of the nation—it's all bullshit. The faces of these people are uglier than each other, and their hearts darker than one another."
I didn't know what to say and could only sigh repeatedly.
Jiang Xiaochun showed no signs of stopping: "But the most hopeful and kind-hearted Lu Zhiqiu is dead. Meanwhile, those scum are living well, each one starting families and securing good jobs and incomes. I can't accept this; it's an insult to Lu Zhiqiu's death, a blatant mockery. Good people die young while evildoers thrive for a thousand years. How can I watch these people step by step become pillars in their fields and wealthy individuals? I can't stand it; they all deserve to die and accompany her in death."
"So you've finally made up your mind to kill these people, leaving none alive," I said.
"Exactly!" Jiang Xiaochun replied. "Every time I delve deeper into the investigation, I find one black mark after another on them, deepening my hatred for them even more. Since that's the case, let them all accompany me in death."
I slowly sat down on a chair and said, "Actually, I guessed long ago that you wouldn't run away. I also know that once you've done all this, it will be time for everything to end. The reason you're still pretending is just to ensure those people are completely wiped out. Perhaps there's still a knot in your heart that hasn't been untied; even as you say it, you still want to know who the murderer of Lu Zhiqiu really is, don't you?"
"For this reason, you've waited seven years," I continued. "Why not wait a little longer?"
"Wait?" Jiang Xiaochun seemed to lose all strength as she sat blankly on the bed. "What else is there to wait for? Seven years have already passed; how many more sevens can life offer?"
Like Xu Man, Jiang Xiaochun was also one of those people whose lives were devoid of hope, leaving only memories behind.
"Your life is ruined," I said. "You didn't have to do this. You could have found a woman you liked, moved to another city, and left this place forever, forgetting all your sorrows and starting anew. Why do you choose to be shackled here, sealing yourself in?"
Jiang Xiaochun suddenly looked up and met my gaze. She spoke slowly, her tone devoid of any emotion, cold as if she were a robot. "Have you ever felt an overwhelming urge to accomplish something? Have you ever had to uncover the truth? Have you ever been willing to do anything just to be with someone?"
"I have," I replied, memories flooding my mind in an instant.
"Then you should understand how I feel," Jiang Xiaochun stood up and said. "You should know my feelings."
Zhao Mingkun and I exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of relief in each other's eyes. This case had finally unraveled; the murderer stood before us—a thirty-year-old woman. Sometimes, hatred can transcend everything, and love can do the same. We didn't know why Lu Zhiqiu had such a hold over Jiang Xiaochun that she loved him so deeply, but we understood that once love was involved, there were no reasons needed.
I shook my head helplessly, still puzzled by one thing. Even if Jiang Xiaochun could drug Hu's Mother into a deep sleep, her time to move around freely without raising suspicion was limited. How could she be sure that the person she intended to kill would be home? If she didn’t stake out the place beforehand, it would be quite embarrassing if she missed her target.
But that wasn't the main point; the main point was that we had caught the murderer.
Just as I was about to say something, Jiang Xiaochun suddenly knelt before me with a thud.
"Give me one chance. I want to do one last thing. Of course, I'm not going to kill anyone. I just want... I want to see Lu Zhiqiu one last time." Jiang Xiaochun knelt on the ground, her voice slightly hoarse.
She knocked her head against the floor heavily; after a few times, her forehead was covered in blood. "I swear I won't run away. Besides, my life has been ruined since seven years ago. Where else can I go?"
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