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墨書 Inktalez
When Xu Yiman finished writing the simple autopsy report, she stepped out of the room.
At that moment, Jiang He was facing away from her, gazing into the distance. He didn't even notice when Xu Yiman walked up beside him. Jiang He stood there like a statue, his gaze fixed on the crematorium ahead. It was the final resting place for a person's physical existence; once they left the crematorium, they would vanish completely. In this world, not even a trace of their form would remain.
Xu Yiman was the most familiar with this process. When a person dies, it is determined whether an autopsy is necessary based on the cause of death. Generally, natural deaths do not require an autopsy, but if the hospital cannot ascertain the cause of death, then it must be sent to the mortuary for examination to determine if there are any suspicions of homicide or suicide.
After the autopsy is completed, the body is sewn back together. Under the family's arrangements, makeup is applied to the body and new clothes are put on. Friends and relatives come to pay their respects before cremation. In the end, only a handful of ashes remains—evidence that this person once existed. In some rural areas, after completing these steps, the body is taken back to a chosen burial site and buried, ultimately becoming nourishment for the earth.
At this moment, what was happening at the crematorium in the distance was likely a memorial service for friends and family.
Xu Yiman could hear intermittent cries coming from afar. The sound was intriguing; as soon as friends and family entered the hall, their sobs could be heard—both men and women, young and old—each voice filled with profound sorrow. Yet once they exited the hall, it was as if nothing had happened; the crying abruptly ceased.
If these people were to become actors, their performances would far surpass those of today's young stars.
Xu Yiman shook her head helplessly.
Jiang He did not turn around but asked, "I really don't understand such behavior. Observe these people's expressions closely. Not a single tear has fallen from their eyes, yet they cry louder than anyone else. Analyzing how they enter and exit, I have an eighty percent probability of believing that their crying is feigned. The deceased's family must be foolish not to see through this."
Xu Yiman glanced at Jiang He; just as he couldn't comprehend these people, she too found it hard to understand him.
But she explained nonetheless: "They are not unaware; everyone knows it's just for show."
Jiang He looked at Xu Yiman. "So I still don't understand why they do this. If they have no genuine intention to mourn, why even come?"
"Death is significant," Xu Yiman suddenly realized that Jiang He seemed like a child who didn't grasp any social nuances in this world. "When someone dies, as friends or former colleagues or acquaintances, you must come to pay your respects and shed some tears. It's part of social etiquette; otherwise, you risk being ostracized by society."
Jiang He continued shaking his head. "I still don't get it. What does real mourning look like?"
Xu Yiman studied Jiang He; his expression was one of confusion. She could tell he wasn't joking—he genuinely did not understand.
"What is true crying?" Xu Yiman looked at Jiang He, pondering for a moment. Unable to explain, she finally said, "What is true crying? When the time comes, as a Forensic Doctor or a detective, you may not see everything, but you will always witness what it means to cry heart-wrenchingly and what it means to cry with a heart turned to ashes. You will understand sooner or later."
Jiang He nodded.
Xu Yiman took Jiang He along with the Autopsy Report to the Substation, where Captain Wang had nearly completed his investigation into Li Weiyi. Wang Chao's conclusion could not provide an alibi for Li Weiyi.
Li Weiyi was a salesman at a rubber factory, primarily responsible for running business and attracting clients, such as tire manufacturers. His job was both simple and complex; he spent his time traveling between different factories. When he wasn't at a factory, he was usually on his way there.
Most of these factories were located in the suburbs rather than the city center, where surveillance equipment was lacking. According to Li Weiyi's account, around eleven in the morning, he was on the road. However, he had no evidence to support this claim, meaning it was possible for him to have returned home by noon.
Faced with such a conclusion, Li Weiyi's suspicion grew significantly.
Xu Yiman spoke up, "Although I'm not a detective, I know that to determine if someone is a Criminal, we must at least find their motive for murder. It can't just be a crime of passion, can it?"
"A crime of passion?" Hearing Xu Yiman's words, Wang Chao nodded seriously and replied, "It's indeed possible that it could be a crime of passion."
"What have you found out?" Jiang He asked.
Wang Chao nodded and shared the information they had gathered:
Li Weiyi had been married to He Hui Juan for five years. He Hui Juan was from the city; after failing her college entrance exams, she worked as a sales clerk in a clothing store. Her salary was just enough to cover her living expenses and rent. After two years as a sales clerk, at twenty years old, her family began pressuring her to marry.
With her family's arrangement, a matchmaker introduced her to Li Weiyi, who was five years older than her. Li Weiyi came from a rural background; he worked hard all his life and studied diligently until he finally got into a second-tier university in Dragon City. After working for several years, his family sold their possessions and scraped together over one hundred thousand yuan to help him pay the down payment on an eighty-square-meter apartment in the city. Although it wasn't particularly large, it had two bedrooms and a living room—small but complete.
Though He Hui Juan wasn't exceptionally beautiful, she was quite attractive. Why would she settle for someone as rustic and unattractive as Li Weiyi?
But he was willing to put her name on the property he purchased and assured her that he would handle the mortgage payments without requiring any financial contribution from her. Relatives and friends advised He Hui Juan that looks didn't matter; being honest was what counted. Once married, she could look forward to enjoying life.
Li Weiyi and He Hui Juan got married.
After the wedding, things turned out just as others had predicted. He Hui Juan was treated like a queen at home, with Li Weiyi catering to her every need. Within six months of their marriage, He Hui Juan quit her job and stopped working altogether.
From that point on, He Hui Juan never returned to work. Her daily routine consisted of going out shopping with friends or staying home playing on the computer, occasionally cooking for herself. This situation changed three years ago when Li Weiyi's mother, Wu Guifeng, moved in.
With Wu Guifeng taking over the cooking duties, He Hui Juan no longer had to worry about meals.
During these three years, Wu Guifeng maintained a strict routine. She would wake up at six in the morning, prepare breakfast for the family, and then go out for her morning exercise.
Wu Guifeng had a distinct characteristic typical of her generation: she loved to collect discarded items and bring them home.
This habit led to frequent arguments between He Hui Juan and Wu Guifeng, but Wu Guifeng never retaliated; she simply tidied up as best as she could. Even though the items she collected could only be sold for a few dollars, Wu Guifeng continued this practice with enthusiasm for three years.
Unlike other fashionable elderly women who danced in public squares, she would occasionally pause during her scavenging to watch others and shyly comment to herself, “Oh dear, at this age, still shaking their hips like young girls.”
After gathering her finds and buying groceries, she would return home to prepare lunch for He Hui Juan. Once lunch was done, she would set off again on her daily adventures. Day after day, year after year, she moved like an unyielding pendulum.
Honesty was the most common description from neighbors regarding Wu Guifeng and her son Li Weiyi.
The neighbors across the hall, parents of a middle school student, often heard He Hui Juan shouting at Li Weiyi and even at Wu Guifeng late at night, sometimes using foul language. The gist of her complaints was that Li Weiyi earned too little money and that Wu Guifeng consumed too much without contributing anything—except for the money used to buy their home.
During these moments, the two honest individuals simply listened in silence without saying a word.
Jiang He remarked, “Both Wu Guifeng and Li Weiyi are very down-to-earth; they save wherever they can. However, He Hui Juan is completely different. One of her computer mice costs more than all the clothes on both of them combined. What does this indicate? It shows that these two treat He Hui Juan very well.”
“From your description, we can draw a conclusion,” Jiang He continued. “He Hui Juan is unemployed; that means she has no money. Therefore, all expenses are covered by Li Weiyi’s earnings. Do you know how much Li Weiyi makes?”
Wang Chao nodded, "The base salary is two thousand. With commission, it should be around three to four thousand a month."
"He Hui Juan's lingerie is expensive, so her outerwear can't be cheap either," Jiang He stated firmly. "That computer likely costs over ten thousand, and the various cosmetics add up to six thousand. For a family that still has a mortgage, their income and expenses don't seem to match. There must be something wrong here."
At this point, Wang Chao raised a finger. "I have a sixty percent chance of believing that He Hui Juan must have some other source of income."
"She is an only child," Wang Chao continued. "It could be money from her family."
"That's not right," Jiang He interjected. "There's another issue. Although I don't know much about it, from my observations, it's unusual for a couple married for five years to not have children. There are three possible conclusions: either one or both partners have reproductive issues; they agreed not to have children after marriage; or one partner is unwilling to have children."
Wang Chao nodded again. "So which possibility is the most likely?"
Jiang He shook his head. "How could I possibly know? That's a matter between the couple."
"Can't you figure it out?" Wang Chao sighed. "I thought you could see everything."
Jiang He looked innocent. "I'm not a deity; I can only infer probabilities based on information. Without information on this aspect, I can't make any deductions. So we need to clarify this point now."
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