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Who Is the Killer?
墨書 Inktalez
After finishing my night shift, I groggily made my way home, ready to sleep. Just as I lay down, a piercing scream shattered the quiet of the night.
Then came a second scream, followed by a third...
The cries seemed to be coming from the little girl in apartment 407. Without a moment to think, I rushed downstairs, instinctively glancing at the time: 2:37 AM.
The door to 407 was ajar. The little girl sat outside, her face devoid of color, her eyes vacant, and her body covered in blood.
Inside the apartment, bloodstains marked the floor. In the kitchen lay a man face down in a pool of blood, a knife protruding from his abdomen—he was lifeless. Just as I was about to step further into the bedroom for a closer look, I felt a tug on my shirt. Looking down, I saw the little girl with trembling lips and tear-filled eyes.
"Brother, someone killed my daddy."
The night air was chilling, and I held the little girl tightly. "Rui Lin, don’t be afraid. I’m here."
---
Rui Lin was clearly traumatized. At the police station, she clung to me in fear, trembling uncontrollably. No matter what anyone asked her, she remained silent. It was understandable; a ten-year-old child witnessing her father’s murder was an unimaginable ordeal.
To assist with the investigation, I wanted to hand Rui Lin over to Xiyue temporarily. However, Rui Lin refused to let go of my hand. With no other option, Xiyue shrugged and said, "Just stay with her for now. Let her fall asleep first."
As a young officer with no experience in comforting children, I could only sit there awkwardly, gently patting her back and assuring her that we would catch the killer no matter what.
"But brother, I'm scared..."
"Don’t be afraid. I will always be here with you."
Perhaps due to the shock, it wasn't long before a soft sound of deep sleep could be heard.
Fearing that moving might wake her, Xiyue sat down beside me, analyzing the case with the photos from the scene.
I was likely the first to arrive at the scene, so it remained undisturbed.
"It’s obvious this wasn’t motivated by money, as there are no signs of a struggle or any obvious disturbance at the scene. Of course, we’ll have to wait for the autopsy report for final confirmation."
Xiyue shared my thoughts; it wasn't about money. Aside from the bloody footprints, the place was remarkably clean. Judging by the size of the prints, they likely belonged to Rui Lin.
"Rui Lin told me someone killed her father."
"If what Rui Lin said is true, then the killer has strong counter-surveillance skills. The scene was cleaned up very well. Once she wakes up, we should ask her if she saw what the killer looked like. I suspect it was someone she knew."
I agreed that it could be someone familiar.
I kept looking at the photo of the man lying in a pool of blood and noticed that the color of the blood seemed significantly lighter than normal...
I pointed at the blood in the photo with confusion. "This is strange."
"The color? It’s because some orange juice spilled on the ground, mixing with the blood."
"Alright, I’ll go back to the scene later and see if I can find any other clues."
Another question lingered in my mind: if it was someone familiar, why hadn’t Rui Lin been silenced?
The police station was bustling with people, loud and chaotic, yet Rui Lin surprisingly slept soundly. After settling her in, Xiyue and I returned to the crime scene.
The neighborhood where I lived was quite run-down. I had chosen to stay there mainly for convenience, as it was close to the police station. Most residents were elderly or migrant workers, resulting in a diverse population. This case had stirred quite a commotion in the area.
To better understand Rui Lin's family situation, Xiyue and I visited some of the neighbors. Strangely enough, everyone generally described Rui Lin as a well-behaved child who was not very talkative and had an introverted personality. In contrast, they had vague impressions of the deceased, Rui Lin's father, claiming they were not familiar with him.
This was puzzling!
"You live above them, right? How do you know them?" Xiyue asked.
"I can only say I know them in passing; we’re not really familiar. You know how it is—we practically live at the police station. Every time I ran into them, it was when they were heading to school as I was just getting off work. We would just exchange glances in the elevator. I remember Rui Lin was the one who greeted me first. I had just come off a night shift and didn’t have time to change my clothes. She excitedly grabbed my hand and asked if I was a police officer. I told her that if she ever needed help, she could find me at 507. That’s when I realized they lived at 407—just one floor apart—but that’s about it."
"Oh right, every time I saw her dad, he was always standing alone in a corner, looking rather shabby."
So even though Rui Lin’s father was often nearby when we encountered her, he didn’t leave a strong impression.
What could have led to such a person being murdered?
Upon reaching 407, we found the room cordoned off with police tape. The surrounding residents felt uneasy about the murder and began moving away. Xiyue and I cautiously entered to take a look; aside from the absence of the body, nothing had changed.
While inspecting the kitchen, I noticed a small dent on the tiled floor. It wasn’t unusual for tiles to get damaged from dropped items, but this particular dent looked fresh. In a kitchen where grease accumulates easily over time, old dents would typically be darkened by grime and have black residue around them. However, this dent was surrounded by white areas and fragments of tile—its presence during such a critical time raised suspicions.
Xiyue collected several items for testing while we took a few photos of the interior before hastily leaving. Just then, Team Leader Li called to inform us that Rui Lin had woken up and was crying for me to come back.
"Why haven’t you called her other relatives yet?"
"Didn't Captain Li tell you? Rui Lin is an orphan. Her father was also an orphan, and..."
"He's not her first father, but this one didn't find her a mother."
As Xiyue finished speaking, I recalled that I had indeed never seen her mother. I hadn't expected that such a young girl would have such a sad background. This meant she would have to return to the Children's Aid Center.
The moment she saw me, Rui Lin rushed over.
Xiyue patted my shoulder, giving me a look that said, "Take care of her."
I really couldn't be bothered with that; the priority was to close the case quickly.
I gently patted Rui Lin's head and pulled her into the office, where it was just the two of us.
"Do you feel a bit better?" I squatted down, trying to speak softly and gently, hoping to ease her anxiety.
She nodded.
"Brother will protect you, and he will definitely keep you safe. You don't need to be afraid; this place is very safe. To find the bad person who hurt your father as soon as possible, I need to ask you a few questions. Just answer if you know, okay?"
She nodded again.
"Do you remember telling your brother that someone killed your father? Did you see the person who killed him?"
Rui Lin first shook her head, then suddenly nodded.
"He was dressed all in black, wearing a black hat..."
A good start.
"Can you tell me what happened at that time?"
Rui Lin lowered her head, her body trembling uncontrollably.
I quickly patted her shoulder, offering comfort and pouring her a cup of hot water.
Once she calmed down, she slowly recounted the situation, "I was doing homework late that night. After lying in bed for a while, I suddenly felt very thirsty. Since the room was dark, I got scared and called out to Dad to bring me a glass of water. After calling a few times without a response, I suddenly heard the sound of a glass shattering outside. I was so frightened that I hurriedly got out of bed and pushed the door open, and I saw a shadow running out of the kitchen."
"How long was it from when you got out of bed to when you saw that shadow?"
"Not long, it seemed quick. I can't remember clearly."
"Can you recall anything else? For example, how tall was that shadow?"
"It was too dark inside; I couldn't see how tall it was. When it ran out, I saw Dad lying on the floor. I went over and touched Dad's nose; he wasn't breathing. I was so scared that I didn't know what to do. I... I thought of you, so I started shouting to find you, but my legs went weak and I couldn't move anymore at the door."
"You did great; you were very brave. Remembering to look for your brother was the right thing to do. Did you check if Dad was breathing?"
"Yes, that's how they show it on TV."
Seeing Rui Lin's eyes gradually welling up with tears, I knew I couldn't ask too much more; I had to take it step by step.
"Brother, what should I do next? I don't want to go back; I'm scared."
"Alright, we won't go back. Do you have any other relatives...?"
I remembered Xiyue's words; she was an orphan.
Sigh...
"For now, you can stay at my place. If I'm busy, Sister Xiyue will take care of you."
"Is she your girlfriend?"
Huh? Rui Lin's question caught me off guard. How did this little kid connect the dots so quickly?
I quickly relayed the information I got from Rui Lin to Officer Li and Xiyue.
The police swiftly began investigating suspects who matched the description of wearing black clothing and hats during the time of the incident.
Since our neighborhood is quite old, many areas lack surveillance cameras, so we could only rely on manual visits for inquiries, which proved to be quite challenging.
That evening, I took Rui Lin home after work. As we passed the fourth floor, I felt a wave of worry. I glanced down at Rui Lin's hand in mine; the little girl was stronger than I had imagined, which eased my mind.
It felt a bit awkward bringing a girl home for the first time, even if she was just a child.
I let Rui Lin sleep on the bed while I took the floor.
I closed my eyes, trying to string together the clues I had, but suddenly I felt something and opened my eyes. To my shock, Rui Lin was lying on the bed, staring at me with a blank expression.
I was about to ask her what was wrong when she spoke softly, "Brother, do you like me?"
"Y-yes, I like you, Rui Lin. You're so cute," I stammered.
"Can you come up and sleep with me?" she asked.
Sigh, this must have left a significant impact on the little girl’s mind.
I sat up, helped Rui Lin lie down comfortably, tucked her in, and gently stroked her head. "Brother knows you're scared inside, right? I like you. Every time I see you, I think of you as my little sister. Although I don’t have a sister, if you agree, I can be your brother. I will protect you. You don’t need to worry. Just lie down here; I’ll be right beside you. Sleep peacefully. After a few days of rest, you can go back to school. Your classmates and teachers miss you."
Rui Lin smiled slightly and took my hand to hold it tightly before closing her eyes.
Gradually, I fell asleep too.
Suddenly, I was jolted awake by a series of panicked cries. It seemed that Rui Lin was having a nightmare.
Her eyes were tightly shut as she struggled and tossed about in bed. I turned on the bedside lamp and saw her drenched in sweat.
"Don’t... don’t..." she murmured in distress.
I gently nudged Rui Lin and patted her, gradually calming her down, though she seemed to hold my hand even tighter.
Early the next morning, before dawn, my phone rang.
"Xiao Ran, if it's convenient, come to the station now. Something feels off."
The ringing also woke Rui Lin.
"Brother, are you going to work?"
"Yes, you should rest. I'll have one of the other police officers come to keep you company."
"No need, I'm up now. Is there new progress on the case?"
"I'm not sure. I’ll go check it out. If there’s any new information, I’ll let you know. Just wait at home for a bit."
"Can I go with you to the police station?"
I thought for a moment; perhaps going to the station together would ease my mind.
When we arrived at the police station, Xiyue frowned upon seeing that I had brought Rui Lin along. She squatted down and said, "Little sister, could you go wait in that office for a while? Your brother and I need to talk."
"Are you my brother's girlfriend?"
What?
Xiyue was also taken aback.
"Of course not! My brother Xiao Ran and I are colleagues, partners, working together!"
"I don't think you deserve to be called brother..."
Her words left us all stunned.
Seizing the moment before Xiyue could explode, I quickly led Rui Lin to the office, giving the other colleagues time to help keep an eye on her.
"Did you hear what that little girl said? She said I don't deserve you! Haha, that's hilarious! Is she ten years old? Really, ten years old? I don't deserve you? She should look in the mirror..."
Xiyue was hands on her hips, venting her frustrations at me, but it was starting to feel a bit personal.
"Ahem, why argue with a child? You were saying something felt off this morning."
I admired Xiyue's professionalism; she immediately shifted gears and began discussing her doubts about the case.
"I remember you mentioned that Rui Lin had sensed the deceased's presence, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"The deceased's body had no fingerprints from Rui Lin. It's understandable if there are no fingerprints from the murderer, but the absence of Rui Lin's fingerprints raises suspicions."
"Also, I recall you asked Rui Lin if she saw the murderer's face or height. Her answer was that it was too dark to see, right?"
"Yes."
"You were the first to arrive at the scene after Rui Lin, Xiao Ran. Can you recall whether the kitchen light was on or off at that time?"
After Xiyue asked this question, my head immediately felt numb. I clearly remembered that after I ran downstairs, I saw Rui Lin sitting at the door. I leaned in to look inside the room, and the kitchen light was on, which is why I saw the victim...
"Xiao Ran, there are also no fingerprints from Rui Lin on the kitchen light switch."
I took a deep breath.
"Are you implying that... Rui Lin is lying?"
"It appears so."
"Then why would she lie?"
"If we find out, it could be the breakthrough in this case. More importantly, the Autopsy Report has come out. The victim lost consciousness due to a blow to the head and died from excessive abdominal bleeding. The time of death was 12:46 AM. When did you arrive at the crime scene?"
After Xiyue finished speaking, she gave my shoulder a firm pat and left me standing there, my mind blank.
What was she hiding?
After spending a few days together, I realized that this girl was indeed quite taciturn. In the office, she only spoke to me and ignored everyone else. I could even sense her aversion to any physical contact with other men besides me.
Once Rui Lin had calmed down for a while, we sent her back to school. The girl seemed quite composed, only asking me as she was leaving, "Brother, will you come to pick me up tonight?"
I gently patted her head and smiled, promising that I would definitely take her home. Her so-called home was now the room 507 where we lived together.
As I watched Rui Lin enter the school, I put away my smile.
According to her, a man dressed in black with a black hat had broken into room 407 to commit the crime. However, despite thorough searches and video reviews in the area, we had yet to find this suspect. Rather than saying we couldn’t find him, it was more accurate to say that this person might not even exist.
I had always mentioned how dilapidated this neighborhood was; there was only one entrance and no surveillance cameras inside the complex. Even the main entrance lacked monitoring. Ironically, a Ford had been parked in front of the convenience store directly across from the complex for quite some time, according to the store staff. Even more coincidentally, the car was equipped with a dashcam, and the blinking red light at night had caught the attention of patrolling officers.
The police quickly contacted the car owner and reviewed the dashcam footage from the past few days. Indeed, there were several individuals whose appearances matched the suspect's description, but all of them had solid alibis, leaving the case at a standstill.
"Why don’t you just ask her directly?" Xiyue kept urging me to confront Rui Lin about why she lied. If I hadn’t stopped her, she would have gone to ask herself.
"It’s not that I don’t want to ask; it’s just that her mental state makes it hard for me to bring it up. She has been having nightmares every night, and whenever I mention anything about the case, she changes the subject. Clearly, she is trying to avoid discussing it."
"Doesn’t it feel like she is indifferent to this case? As if her father’s death doesn’t affect her at all?"
"That’s true."
"Xiao Ran, you’re a police officer. It’s your duty to protect the public. Now that someone has died and there are some doubts right in front of you, you can’t just ignore them. You’re being overly protective of her. I suggest you send her back to the Children’s Aid Center as soon as possible. There’s definitely something wrong with this child; don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment."
I... had indeed been overly protective of her.
Perhaps it was because it was my first time meeting her in the elevator when she suddenly grabbed my hand and asked with bright eyes if I was a police officer; perhaps it was because every time we met, she would happily run over to greet me after school; or maybe it was that night when I saw her alone by the door, trembling and tearful, calling out "Brother... Brother..."
It could even be that every night she had nightmares and tightly held my hand while murmuring repeatedly, "I’m scared... I’m scared... Brother... Brother..."
The higher-ups ordered that the case be solved as quickly as possible.
So the bureau likely divided into three lines of investigation: continuing to track the suspect in black clothing and a black hat; I was tasked with looking into Rui Lin's past; and Xiyue was assigned to investigate the deceased, who was Rui Lin's father.
I went to the Children's Rescue Center where Rui Lin had previously stayed and met with the director. Upon seeing a current photo of Rui Lin, the director sighed, remarking how much the little girl had grown and how beautiful she had become.
"Rui Lin was very pretty back then, with her big eyes. Many people wanted to adopt her, but she refused to go with any of them until the Xu Jing couple appeared. They truly loved children; it was evident."
"The Xu Jing couple?"
"Yes, that's right. The ones who adopted Rui Lin—Xu Jing and He Zhiqiang."
The deceased was named Li Jun. So Xu Jing and He Zhiqiang must have been Rui Lin's first adoptive parents. But what could have happened for them to give up Rui Lin? What was the relationship between Xu Jing, He Zhiqiang, and Li Jun?
"Director, do you have any information on Xu Jing and He Zhiqiang?"
"Yes, just a moment. I'll go to the archives."
The records indicated that Rui Lin was adopted by the Xu Jing couple when she was six years old. Xu Jing was a homemaker, while He Zhiqiang worked as a construction site manager, often referred to as a "foreman." They adopted her because the wife was unable to conceive.
"Officer, what happened to Rui Lin?"
"Oh, nothing serious. Do you conduct follow-ups after children are adopted?"
"Yes, we do. But... to be honest, we only follow up for a short period. If we see that the child is getting along well with their new family, we usually stop following up since our resources are limited."
"Are you saying that after Rui Lin was adopted, you only made a few phone calls and then never contacted her again?"
"Yes, after that, Xu Jing came by a few times to express her gratitude, but then she stopped coming."
"What was Rui Lin like when she was at the shelter?"
"She was very lively and cute, always chatting away with her big sparkling eyes. Everyone liked her a lot."
Her liveliness and chatter contrasted sharply with the current Rui Lin.
Having left the shelter and nearing noon, I went to Rui Lin's school to have lunch with her.
The weather was cool, so we went to KFC and ordered burgers and hot orange juice.
When I handed her the orange juice, she refused it.
"Don't you want orange juice?"
She shook her head. "I'm allergic to it."
"You’re allergic to orange juice?"
"Yeah, I've been like this since I was little. You drink it, Brother." Then she lowered her head and continued eating her burger.
After lunch, I saw Rui Lin off and immediately called the director to ask if Rui Lin was allergic to oranges. After receiving a positive confirmation, I dialed Xiyue's number. "It's about Rui Lin. She's allergic to orange juice."
"Allergic? Then why is there orange juice in the kitchen?"
I went to find Xiyue; she was at the construction site where Li Jun had worked before.
"Li Jun worked here until his death. He was a laborer before becoming the foreman two years ago. What about you? Did you find anything at the shelter?"
"Li Jun was Rui Lin's second adoptive father, but he never went through legal procedures for the adoption. Her first adoptive parents were Xu Jing and He Zhiqiang."
"He Zhiqiang?" Xiyue asked, puzzled.
"Yes."
"Hahaha, didn't I mention that this little girl has issues? Coincidentally, do you know who the foreman was before Li Jun at this site? It was He Zhiqiang."
Li Jun had always worked under He Zhiqiang, who treated him well. They referred to each other as brothers. He Zhiqiang had been here for about five years but suddenly left two years ago without notice, handing over everything to Li Jun.
While Xiyue and I were interviewing workers, they also found it strange that He Zhiqiang left so abruptly. They had asked Li Jun about it, and he said that He Zhiqiang's child had fallen seriously ill, and they went to a bigger city for better medical care. But that didn’t seem like an unmentionable reason.
"Did you ever try to contact him?" I asked the workers.
"We tried, of course. How could we not? But his phone is unreachable; if he doesn’t want to get in touch, there’s nothing we can do."
"He's the boss; you may consider him a brother, but he doesn’t see you that way."
The workers were chattering away, but none of them had any useful information.
Just as we were about to leave, a colleague discreetly pulled us aside and whispered, "I find He Zhiqiang’s departure very strange. You can go to Liu Yan Alley No. 17; that’s He Zhiqiang’s old home. He still has an Old Maid there."
"Why?" Both Xiyue and I became alert.
"At that time, He Zhiqiang’s house had cracks, and there were always cockroaches coming out. He told me his child was always scared and mentioned several times about patching up the walls. I was busy with work and couldn’t make it, but we had agreed to go over the next evening to fix it. The night before, he even called me to remind me to bring the putty. Who would have thought that the next day he was unreachable? Not just him; his wife, Xu Jing, was also unreachable."
Xiyue and I exchanged glances; this case was becoming more intriguing.
The sun was about to set, and it was getting late. We still needed to pick up Rui Lin from school. After jotting down this colleague's phone number, we hurriedly left.
Xiyue headed to Liu Yan Alley No. 17 to find He Zhiqiang’s mother while I went to the school to pick up Rui Lin.
"Xiao Ran, don’t you think it’s time to have a serious talk with her? This little girl must be more than just ten years old."
Indeed. Before we left, we asked that colleague what He Zhiqiang’s child was named and showed him a photo of Rui Lin.
"Yes, officer, his child is He Ruilin. They all said He Zhiqiang took the child out of town for medical treatment, but I saw Li Jun with this child."
"Where did you see that?"
"Urban Spring Community, He Zhiqiang’s home."
That was also my home.
"Why didn't you tell anyone else about this? Why didn't you ask Li Jun why he was with He Zhiqiang's child?"
"Well... to be honest, it's because I love to gamble. I owe He Zhiqiang a lot of money, and now that he's gone, I don't have to pay it back. Not many people know where He Zhiqiang's family is. Those in this line of work have all done something wrong to some extent, and it's for safety—to protect their families."
Just as one issue was unresolved, another arose: Rui Lin was missing.
I went to pick up Rui Lin from school, but even after the school closed, I didn't see her at all. She was the last student to leave.
After confirming that no one was home, I contacted Officer Li and called a few brothers to conduct a thorough search. However, I didn't know Rui Lin well enough to figure out where to look.
I spoke with Rui Lin's teacher, who informed me that since Rui Lin returned to school, she often disappeared for a while during the day.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Officer Xiao, we talked to Rui Lin. She just said she felt too stifled and wanted some fresh air. Generally, she comes back after two classes; it probably takes her about an hour round trip. We encouraged her to communicate with you, but she said you weren't her family and that you were busy solving her father's case. She hoped we wouldn't disturb you."
I sighed deeply, suddenly feeling helpless.
"Officer Xiao, there are some things I want to discuss with you. I had previously communicated with his father about this, but..."
"Please go ahead, teacher."
"Rui Lin has been very quiet since she joined my class these past few years. She's easily startled and always dresses very warmly—even in the scorching summer, she wears long sleeves. From my observations, she doesn't have any friends; she isolates herself. But the girl studies hard and has excellent grades."
"Wears thick clothes?"
"Yes, I have talked to his father about these matters, hoping that the parents could guide him, but it didn't have much effect."
"Now that such a thing has happened to her father..."
"It has a significant impact on the child's psychology..."
I searched everywhere, feeling like a headless fly, completely unaware of where Rui Lin might be.
I decided to go home and wait. I believe she will come back. I don't know what has happened to her, but for some reason, she trusts me.
In the car, I organized my thoughts. Xu Jing and He Zhiqiang adopted Rui Lin when she was six. The couple went missing when she was eight, and Li Jun took care of Rui Lin. The night Li Jun died was around midnight; I heard the scream just after two o'clock. So what was Rui Lin doing during those two hours? Rui Lin is allergic to oranges—why was there orange juice in the kitchen? If a parent knows their child is allergic to something, they would ensure that allergen is not present in the house. Rui Lin mentioned having tried to sense Li Jun's presence, but why were there no fingerprints from Rui Lin on Li Jun? And then there were the switches in the kitchen and the bloodstains in the living room...
When I returned home and opened the door, the room was brightly lit.
"Brother, you're back." Seeing Rui Lin again felt strangely unfamiliar.
I grabbed her shoulders and repeatedly questioned her about why she had suddenly disappeared and where she had gone during that time. Didn't she realize how worried it made people?
"Brother, you're scaring me." Seeing tears in Rui Lin's eyes made me realize my outburst.
"I'm sorry, sister... I'm just really worried about you. I was afraid something might have happened. I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
At that moment, my phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket. I thought it was my friends asking if I had found Rui Lin, but the content of the call left me stunned.
The call said Xu Zhiyou was dead; he had consumed an overdose of sleeping pills.
Today is the day when Xu Zhiyou told me and Xiyue about the coworker who found He Zhiqiang's disappearance suspicious.
I looked up at the little girl in front of me, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity.
"Rui Lin, can I ask you some questions? Please answer me honestly."
...
There was no response.
"Rui Lin, do you know He Zhiqiang and Xu Jing? They are your parents, right?"
Clearly, the smile on Rui Lin's face had vanished.
"Rui Lin, where are they now? Why has Li Jun become your father?"
...
"Rui Lin, on the night Li Jun died, did you really see the murderer?"
...
"Rui Lin..."
"Brother," Rui Lin came over and grabbed my hand. "Are you going to abandon me?"
I didn't know how to answer her question.
I brought Rui Lin to the police station and called in colleagues from the Juvenile Detention Center. At that moment, she was not a victim but a suspect.
I stood on the steps outside the police station, smoking continuously, while Rui Lin was being interrogated in the questioning room.
Yes, a ten-year-old child was being interrogated.
Cigarette butts littered the ground as I anxiously rubbed my foot against the pavement. Time passed slowly, and I was desperate to know the truth behind this case. What intricate connections did a ten-year-old child have with it? Who was truly behind it all?
Then Officer Li came out. "Xiao Ran, Rui Lin asked me to tell you that she feels particularly safe with you. She appreciates your hard work during this time. She wants you to check the second bedroom drawer in Room 407 for a light blue diary. The lock code is 1025. Once you read it, you'll understand."
Officer Li gave my shoulder a heavy pat and sighed, saying nothing more, but for a moment, he seemed to age before my eyes.
Without waiting another moment, I rushed to Room 407 and found the diary Rui Lin mentioned. It was thick and had seen better days. After unlocking it, I opened to the first page, which boldly stated: "The devil is everywhere."
From the time I could remember, I had been at the Children's Rescue Center. I didn't have parents, but I had my beloved Headmistress Mom and a bunch of friends; every day was filled with happiness.
However, as I grew older, my friends were gradually adopted one by one. Although some people wanted to adopt me too, I couldn't bear to leave this place and turned them all down.
Until one day, Headmistress Mom told me that if I refused to be adopted again, I might be moved to another rescue center. I would rather be adopted than change centers because adapting to a new environment was too difficult—especially one filled with other children like me who had lost their parents; it felt suffocating.
So the next day, a loving couple came to choose from us. I performed well and successfully got adopted.
My new mother is named Xu Jing, and she is a quiet woman.
My new father is named He Zhiqiang, a rough man, but his warm hands feel comforting when he touches my cheek.
My presence brings joy to my parents. Every day, my mother prepares delicious meals for me in various ways. My father is busy with work, but whenever he returns home, he brings me new clothes and many toys I have never seen before.
My father works at a construction site and often comes home covered in dust. My mother values cleanliness and is somewhat of a neat freak, so as soon as my father gets home, she takes his clothes to wash.
The time when my mother does the laundry is when my father and I are alone together.
My father tells me that he has always wanted a child, but my mother cannot have one.
He said that the moment he saw me at the rescue center, he knew I would be their child.
He expresses how much he loves me, saying that sometimes he dreams about me.
"Rui Lin," my father asks, "do you like Daddy?"
I like my mother and I like my father, but I don’t like how my father always holds me tightly when we are alone together. His hands keep touching me, and it feels strange.
One day, my mother received a call from our hometown; it seemed that her mother had passed away.
She asked my father to take good care of me and said she would be back in a week at the earliest or half a month at the latest.
I felt quite scared inside; I was afraid of being alone with my father.
But my mother said that it was unlucky for me to go to a place where people died, so I shouldn't be afraid of my father. He behaved like that because he loved me too much. In the first two days, my father and I were very normal together, until one day, an uncle named Li Jun came to our house for dinner. During the meal, they kept drinking. After dinner, they ran to the bedroom mysteriously and closed the door, and told me not to come in. At night, I was woken up by a strange sound, which seemed to be the sound of a man and a woman humming, vaguely. I followed the sound and found that the door of my father's bedroom was open. The man and the child on TV were not wearing clothes. My father and uncle Li Jun found me standing at the door. My father came over and took my hand. I smelled the strong smell of alcohol on him. He said Rui Lin, come and see if the content on TV is good. Then my pajamas were taken off by my father, and his hands kept stroking and sliding down my body... That night I kept crying and asking for help from uncle Li Jun, wanting him to stop what my father was doing, but uncle Li Jun just watched. I called my mother, but she was not there. Every day after that, my father did the same thing to me as he did that night. Then, my mother came back. My mother asked me how I got along with my father during the days I was away. I told my mother that my father did the things on TV to me. My mother was obviously surprised, but she soon calmed down. She squatted down and touched my face and said that my father did these things to you because he loves you. My mother cried, and I cried too. My mother's hands touching my face were very cold.
Daddy has become increasingly reckless, even not hiding it when Mom is around.
I once cried out for Mom to save me. At first, she didn’t say anything and just closed the door. There was even a time when she slapped me while I was shouting; she said, "What are you screaming for? That’s just Daddy showing you love."
I know what love is, and I also know what inhumane things Daddy has done to me.
I can’t sleep at night, terrified that he will suddenly come into my room and crawl into my bed. I’m even afraid to interact with other boys; I feel so dirty.
Ever since Uncle Li Jun came to our house for dinner last time, he often picks me up from school to hang out and makes me promise to keep our meetings a secret.
Uncle Li Jun treats me well and often praises my beauty.
I asked him, "Uncle, do you like me?"
He shyly said he did, but explained it was the kind of affection an elder has for a younger one.
I said, "If you like me, please take me away from Daddy and Mommy. I wish they would just disappear."
Uncle Li Jun thought I was joking.
I told him, "You’ve seen what my father does to me. I live in hell every day. If you make them disappear, I’ll be your daughter."
I don’t know what method Uncle Li Jun used to persuade my parents to send me to a summer camp out of town. When I returned, the house was empty, leaving only me behind.
Uncle Li Jun told me not to be afraid; he had everything arranged.
They disappeared.
I am now the daughter of Uncle Li Jun.
The time that followed was the happiest period of my life. After returning home, I no longer had to worry or be afraid, and I slept soundly at night.
Uncle Li Jun did not live with me; I didn't know when he had bought the apartment above, number 507. He said it was more convenient for taking care of me.
One day, just after I finished showering, feeling parched, I casually picked up the cup of water that Uncle Li Jun had left on the shoe cabinet that morning and took a sip.
Orange juice!
In an instant, panic set in. I am allergic to oranges.
Within minutes, my body quickly swelled and turned red. I could hardly breathe, my throat felt tight, and I couldn't speak. Rashes spread all over me; it was clear that I looked like a boiled crab at that moment.
Desperately, I ran to 507 and pounded on the door.
Uncle Li Jun saw my condition and looked very worried. He hurriedly picked me up and laid me on the bed.
I told him I was allergic to oranges and that fresh air and drinking lots of water would help.
I lay on the bed, feeling uncomfortable and tossing around restlessly, groaning softly.
I didn’t notice that the way this man looked at me was eerily similar to how my father had looked at me that night.
After this incident, to take better care of me, Uncle Li Jun moved in.
Then I realized that a demon dressed in angel wings is more terrifying than the demon itself.
My allergic reactions were like opening Uncle Li Jun's Pandora's Box; it turned out that everyone's dark humor is different. I had forgotten that night when my father did those things to me, Uncle Li Jun was right there beside us. How could he possibly be an angel?
During my summer vacation, my nightmares began anew.
He started secretly putting oranges in my food and water. Then he recorded my flushed and distressed face with his phone. At first, he was just worried that I would feel uncomfortable from the heat of the allergy and would consciously loosen my clothes and touch me. Later, it escalated to him saying that the strap on the back of my skirt was loose and he wanted to help me tie it. Eventually, he said he thought I looked cute when I was all red from the allergy. He asked if I wanted to see a little chick, then pushed me onto the bed and, through my clothes, pressed himself against me...
Room 507 had been sitting empty, unable to be rented out.
One day, the agent said a young man wanted to move in and asked Uncle Li Jun when this young man could take up residence.
I had seen this young man in the elevator before; he reminded me of my brother from the shelter when he was looking at apartments.
The second time I encountered him was when I was heading to school. He rushed into the elevator, dressed in a police uniform.
So he was a policeman.
For some reason, I suddenly felt an uncontrollable urge to grab his hand. He turned around, saw me, and smiled. He said, "I'm Xiao Ran, living in 507. If you need anything, feel free to come find me."
"Brother Xiao Ran, can you protect me?"
"Of course."
When I saw him in his police uniform, it felt like I was witnessing my salvation. However, when Uncle Li Jun returned home, he suddenly erupted in anger, hitting me fiercely. He cursed me as a worthless wretch, accusing me of seducing He Zhiqiang and now moving on to that young policeman.
"I'll tell you, He Ruilin, you better mind your own business. I provide for you—food and clothing. If you dare to go out and flirt with others or reveal our relationship to anyone, be careful! I can make him disappear too! Don't forget, Uncle has those beautiful videos of you!"
I believed that Uncle Li Jun had the power to make people vanish.
I once asked him where he had hidden my parents.
He told me and even took me to see them.
After that, I felt like a puppet on strings, completely at his mercy. I was scared—truly scared—because the devil was everywhere.
---
The diary ends here without further updates.
Xiyue found me and told me she had located He Zhiqiang's mother at No. 17 Liu Yan Alley.
Xiyue said that human nature is inherently evil.
He Zhiqiang is a scoundrel; his mother has long disowned him, which is why she hasn't searched for him or reported his disappearance.
He Zhiqiang was exposed to various pornographic films from a young age and raped Xu Jing when he was sixteen. His mother had urged Xu Jing to report it, but for some reason, Xu Jing not only refrained from reporting but also continued to follow He Zhiqiang.
In that area, He Zhiqiang was a local bully; no one dared to provoke him.
He committed various wrongs, and the victims, fearing retaliation, did not report him, earning him a notorious reputation.
Later, he ventured into construction and thrived, but perhaps due to the many bad deeds he had done, karma caught up with him. As a result, Xu Jing remained infertile and eventually adopted a child from a rescue center.
This marked the beginning of the child's nightmarish life.
Later, I went to see Rui Lin.
She smiled when she saw me and said, "Brother, you finally came to see me."
I could only clench my fists tightly, holding back my tears.
"Brother, you saw my diary," she continued.
I nodded.
"You've worked hard during this time. Uncle Li Jun was killed by me."
"That night, I was doing homework late and found him squeezing orange juice into my drinking cup when I went to the bathroom."
"I had thought about this plan for a long time, and finally it was time to act. I froze an ice cube in the refrigerator with a knife stuck in it and placed it in the kitchen. I also sprinkled some sesame oil on the floor."
"That evening, I called him to pour me some water. He hurriedly poured me a glass of water mixed with orange juice, slipped on the floor, and fell right onto the knife."
"His head hit the ground; he was unconscious for a while before waking up again, cursing me until he died. I watched him die."
Rui Lin explained her method of committing the crime, but I found it to be anything but cruel.
"I'm sorry, Brother, for not being able to help you after living in the same building for so long."
"Not at all, Brother. Your presence is like a ray of light. When I found out you were a police officer, I felt inexplicably reassured."
In the end, she added, "Can you tell me how Xu Zhiyou died?"
"I've always had sleep problems and went to the hospital for it. The doctor prescribed me sleeping pills, and every time I took them, I would save one. I originally intended to poison Li Jun, but unexpectedly, it was used on him instead."
"Why did you kill him?"
"Because... he was also a devil."
As she spoke those final words, Rui Lin revealed a chilling smile.
Due to her age, she was taken to the Juvenile Detention Center.
I had once asked her where Li Jun had hidden Xu Jing and He Zhiqiang, but she never told me.
With the case concluded, I prepared to move.
While packing my things, I discovered a camera in the corner of the room. It suddenly reminded me that this was a new miniature camera developed by a colleague at the research institute. He had given it to me when I first moved in, and I had casually installed it in the corner by the door. However, with my busy work schedule, I had completely forgotten about it.
I removed the camera, took out the memory card, and inserted it into my computer, fast-forwarding through the footage.
Then I discovered something particularly eerie.
During the time that Rui Lin was living in room 507, there were always one or two hours during the day when he should have been at school, yet he would be in 507, doing nothing but sitting on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the wall opposite.
I turned my head to stare at the wall as well.
Then I ran out like a madman and called the police.
---
I took a break for a while due to mental health reasons.
When Xiyue came to see me, he mocked me, saying that as a grown man and a police officer, I shouldn't be so cowardly.
I admitted it; I was scared.
When the wall was broken open, everyone present gasped in shock. Two mummified corpses were neatly arranged inside.
As expected, they were Xu Jing and He Zhiqiang.
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