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墨書 Inktalez
Downstairs, the sound of gongs, drums, and firecrackers echoed loudly. It was unclear what sect the Taoist priest they had invited belonged to. It seemed they intended to scare away the so-called ghosts with noise, while we followed the property manager toward Sun Bikun's apartment. Sun Bikun lived on the twentieth floor, just two floors above the Eighteenth Floor.
This time, we did not take the elevator but went up the stairs directly.
"Who lives on the twentieth floor?" I asked.
The property manager looked at me with a strange expression and replied, "Officer, the twentieth floor is indeed fully occupied. Besides Sun Bikun's family, one household is on vacation with their son for the summer and hasn't returned yet. Another household consists of an elderly couple who are indifferent to outside matters; they have no idea about the murder that has occurred."
"I think it's best not to disturb the elderly couple," the property manager suggested. "They're both over seventy; discussing such matters would only upset them."
What the property manager said made sense. Although we were investigating a case, we should avoid causing unnecessary distress to others. With that in mind, I said, "Let's first investigate Sun Bikun's apartment. After that, just the two of us will check on the elderly couple; you all don’t need to come in."
Everyone nodded in agreement. The property manager took out a spare key and unlocked Sun Bikun's door. The apartment was very clean, clearly indicating it was a woman's living space—much tidier than the home of the male occupant on the Eighteenth Floor. We proceeded as protocol dictated, putting on shoe covers and gloves before entering.
Sun Bikun had evidently prepared to leave; where could she be going at eight o'clock in the evening?
The living room was spotless. We noticed two pairs of slippers by the shoe cabinet: one red with a cute cat design and one blue with a dog design. The cartoon patterns were quite adorable—these were clearly couple's slippers. I continued exploring and discovered many interesting details.
The kitchen had matching cups for couples. The pillows in the bedroom were also matching for couples. Even in the bathroom, the toothbrush holder and toothbrushes were a set for couples. This indicated that two people lived here, which raised some questions. Detective Captain turned to me and said, "It looks like a young couple lived here; it seems very cozy, yet such a tragedy occurred..."
"That's not right," the property manager interjected. "I've seen Sun Bikun many times over this long period, but I've never seen her partner even once. If I hadn't entered here, I would have thought she was single."
"She has a boyfriend," Detective Captain asserted firmly. "Before you all arrived, we had already thoroughly investigated the victim's information. She has a boyfriend who does not live with her. However, it seems they were living together here; perhaps out of shyness since they aren't married yet, she kept it hidden."
I shook my finger and said, "A twenty-seven-year-old woman who just graduated from graduate school bought this apartment all by herself—right?" I looked at the property manager, who nodded in agreement.
"Things may not be as simple as we imagined; this coziness is not ordinary," I remarked. "From various clues, it’s clear that this isn’t just a couple living together but rather two people in a relationship cohabiting. Captain, your investigation is correct; she and her boyfriend indeed live separately."
As I walked around, I addressed the crowd, "First, let's take a look at the shoes."
While speaking, I picked up two left slippers and turned them over. "You can see the condition of these two pairs. The Women's Shoes are clearly more worn than the Men's Shoes, and from their appearance, the Women's Shoes have slight peeling at both ends."
I set the shoes down and walked toward the restroom while saying, "When we buy couple sets, we definitely buy them together; we wouldn't just buy men's or women's alone. So why are the women's shoes so much more worn than the men's if they were bought at the same time?" I casually grabbed two toothbrushes as well.
"Look!" I held up the toothbrushes for everyone to see. "These two toothbrushes—the bristles on this red one are bent and deformed. Meanwhile, this blue one looks quite intact. Just from this point alone, we can tell that although it's a shared home, one person is likely not there for an extended period."
The Detective Captain suddenly understood and said, "That's right. If it was her boyfriend living there, they would be together every day; there would be no need to buy everything but live separately. This means that the person living with her must have a family and can't come every day!"
I nodded seriously. At that moment, Juan Juan said, "We didn't detect anything in the room; the crime scene is in the elevator."
I sighed and said, "The remaining work is up to you to investigate thoroughly. What we need to clarify first is who he was going to meet around eight o'clock that night. Was it her so-called boyfriend? This Secret Lover? Or someone else?"
The Detective Captain replied, "We overlooked this point earlier; I'll check this lead right now."
"Very good." I nodded and then said to the property manager, "Now you and I will go visit the elderly couple's home." The property manager nodded, and we left Sun Bikun's place to head toward the apartment on the east side of the corridor. The property manager knocked on the door, and we waited a long time before hearing an elderly woman's voice from inside asking, "Who is it?"
"Grandma Wang, it's me!" the property manager shouted. "It's Xiao Xu! Do you remember me?"
After a moment of thought, Grandma Wang replied, "Oh, Xiao Xu! Yes, I remember you; you're that person I know."
With that, the door opened slowly to reveal a kind-faced elderly woman looking at us. "Come in, come in," she said.
We smiled as we entered. Grandma Wang's home appeared very simple. An elderly man sat in a wheelchair, looking to be in his seventies. Upon seeing us, he didn't speak but kept smiling at us. Grandma Wang said, "A few years ago, my old partner had some issues with his mind; the doctor said it was dementia—like an old child now, you know? Can you believe it?"
We sat down, and Grandma Wang took a seat next to her husband. The old man looked at us like a child and exclaimed, "Eat fruit, it's delicious!"
We all laughed.
Xiao Xu said, "Grandma Wang, the reason we came this time is just to ask how you both have been lately and how the surroundings are. There’s nothing unusual, right? There have been quite a few thieves around recently, so make sure to lock your doors at night and use the deadbolt, okay?"
"We know, we know," Grandma Wang replied with a smile. "We watch TV every night; that legal program is particularly interesting. Eat fruit, it’s delicious."
I casually picked up an apple and asked while eating, "Grandma Wang, have you and Grandpa heard anything unusual outside lately? How are the other two households? We plan to visit them later. Nothing strange has happened, right?"
Grandma Wang pointed to her ear and said, "I'm old now and hard of hearing. I can only hear you if you speak loudly. I can't hear any sounds from outside. Xiao Xu knows that the doorbell is too quiet for me; I can only hear knocking."
"Has anything strange happened recently?" Grandma Wang pouted and thought carefully before saying, "Nothing strange at all. As for the other two families, I know them well. They are all quite nice and help us out since it’s not easy for us old folks."
"I live across from Miss Sun; she's quite beautiful," Grandma Wang mentioned.
At this moment, Grandpa happily chimed in, "Beautiful, just like you!"
The old man's compliments were off the charts! I felt a bit embarrassed, while Grandma Wang smiled broadly and said, "I only know that her father often comes to see her. She’s still young and doesn’t have a partner yet. Last time I even tried to introduce someone to her, but she didn’t like him."
The property manager looked a bit puzzled and was about to speak when I gestured for him to stop. Xiao Xu glanced at me and nodded slightly. I then asked, "What does Sun Bikun's father look like? Does he come often?"
Grandma Wang nodded and then shook her head, saying, "Not really often; sometimes he comes once a week or sometimes once a month. Each time he comes, he brings me some fruit; he's quite nice. He has a big belly and looks quite energetic—definitely doesn’t look like someone in his fifties."
"Do you know where Sun Bikun's father is from or where he works?" I continued asking.
Grandma Wang thought for a moment and then said, "I'm not very sure about this, but he did mention something. What was it again? You see, my memory isn't what it used to be."
"Tianyu! Tianyu!" the old man shouted again.
Grandma Wang patted her thigh and said, "That's right, it's Tianyu! I don't know how to write those two characters, but it's pronounced Tianyu. Sometimes he stays for a few days, and other times he leaves after just one. The bond between that father and daughter is really good, unlike my son who just goes to work every day. Even during summer vacation, he doesn't send my grandson over."
"I live next to Liangliang's family. Their son is named Liangliang, and he's about the same age as my grandson. Recently, they all went on a trip," Grandma Wang continued. "Liangliang studies really well; he could get into Tsinghua or Peking University in the future..."
It seemed that Sun Bikun's lover was the father of Sun Bikun mentioned by Grandma Wang. Although I still didn't know how to write "Tianyu," I had grasped an important clue. I said, "Grandma Wang, let's stop here for today. We still need to visit other residents."
Grandma Wang nodded and stood up to see us out. At that moment, the old man shouted, "Buzzing! Buzzing! Haha!"
Grandma Wang said, "That old man is acting like a child now; he's getting more confused as he ages. Do you want me to go with you?"
I quickly waved my hands and replied, "No need, Grandma Wang. We'll be leaving now!"
The young man went hunting in the mountains with his grandfather and unexpectedly encountered Mouse Burning Incense and Wild Cat Worships at the Temple—statues made from human corpses. When he returned home late at night, his biological mother was actually chasing him with a "person," all because his grandfather had done something improper to her!
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