Day Three.
Director Gao knocked on the office’s door.
Rao Feifei opened the door: “Dir-Director Gao?”
“Mm, is Xiao Lu here?” Director Gao asked.
“Come in, come in.” Rao Feifei stepped back to let him in, “Chief Lu went out.”
“Went out?” Director Gao sat down. Rao Feifei solicitously poured him a glass.
“To the crime scene. He wasn’t in the Bureau this morning.” Rao Feifei said.
“How is the case going?” Director Gao sent a sideways look toward the whiteboard in the center of the office, “Looks like Xiao Lu is stumped.”
“Don’t worry, Director Gao. Chief Lu has found some clues.” Rao Feifei said.
“I’m not worried, Chang Hui is.” Director Gao sipped some tea, saying unhurriedly, “Then, I reckon we’ll have a result for the case within the next few days?”
“Um…” Rao Feifei was a little embarrassed.
“I don’t mean to put you in a difficult position. When Xiao Lu returns, have him come to my office.” Director Gao put down his cup of tea, instructing, “That Qi Zhou. Ai, have Xiao Lu be a little easier on him.”
“Understood, Director Gao. I will inform Chief Lu.” Rao Feifei nodded.
“Then, I’ll head out now.” Director Gao walked out of the office.
Once the door closed, Rao Feifei let out a relieved breath.
⸻The deceased’s home.
Lu Hui had unfolded a chair in the middle of the living room and sat down, propping a chin up on one hand, his other hand draped over his knee. He had not moved a muscle, like he had solidified into a statue.
It looked like he had been maintaining this posture for a while.
Riddles like these made him sleepless out of excitement. He came to the crime scene at the crack of dawn, standing out on the bare balcony as the first rays of sunlight crested the horizon.
Like a tremendous vessel leaving its port, the golden red ball of flames licked at the dusky blue, expansive sky as it emerged from the horizon. The stars hid their brilliance; or, rather, they were covered by an even greater brilliance. The halo of light rose swiftly; one could see it leap up from the distant horizon with the naked eye.
Lu Hui stuck his hands into his pockets, reclining on the balcony’s railing. He hadn’t stopped to admire the sunrise in many years. The searing ball of light, as if possessing its own flourishing life force, shined red across half the sky, struggling forward to create the early morning air.
A little like Ji Fanyang, Lu Hui thought.
Ji Fanyang had the looks of dazzling sunshine.
Once he finished appreciating the sunrise, Lu Hui returned to the shade of the living room. He opened the chair and sat in the living room. From his perspective, he could fully understand the whole picture.
His gaze swept over the furniture one by one and eliminated them one by one. Lu Hui’s gaze was as tranquil as water, but in his mind, he thought out countless schemes and ruled out countless schemes. And so, he passed the morning sitting there without moving an inch.
“Bzz bzz”
Lu Hui answered his phone: “Ji Fanyang?”
“Chief Lu, I brought some lunch. Should I bring it up for you?” Ji Fanyang said
“Where are you?” Lu Hui asked.
“Downstairs.” Ji Fanyang said.
“…Then bring it up.” Lu Hui said, “I was just about to find you for something.”
“Mm.” Ji Fanyang hung up.
Soon, there was a knock on the door, and when Lu Hui opened it, before anything else, he grabbed the food, then turned to let in Ji Fanyang.
“So much?” Lu Hui weighed the bag in his hand.
“I haven’t eaten, either.” Ji Fanyang walked into the living room, “I came just as soon as I finished cooking it.”
“You made it?” Lu Hui’s expression was subtle. He assessed Ji Fanyang, looking him up and down in scrutiny, “You don’t look like someone who goes in the kitchen.”
“Circumstances compel me, I have to cook for myself.” Ji Fanyang loosened his grip, “Come try it and tell me if it’s good.”
“As long as it’s not instant noodles, it’ll be good.” Lu Hui lifted the lid, feeling his taste buds, long numbed by instant noodle flavoring packets, start to awaken. He munched on a mouthful of vegetables, “Not bad.”
Ji Fanyang happily smiled slightly: “”Then, you should have some more, Chief Lu.”
“Of course, of course,” Lu Hui wolfed down his own portion, leaving half for Ji Fanyang to eat slowly.
He patted his hands and stood: “Eat quicker. Once you’re done, I’ll explain the case to you.”
“Mm.” Ji Fanyang sped up, his cheeks full to bursting.
Lu Hui looked at Ji Fanyang’s appearance as he ate. Even when they threw off the burdens of social etiquette to eat well, good-looking people were still good-looking. Especially Ji Fanyang, who was like a little ball of sun, Lu Hui thought. Ji Fanyang was a little bit like the prince characters from the princess movies he watched with his niece a few days ago. The only difference was that Ji Fanyang’s hair was black instead of golden.
“Okay.” Ji Fanyang said. He wrapped up the food boxes and arranged the chopsticks, “What did Chief Lu want to say?”
“Antifreeze is ethylene glycol. The deceased drank antifreeze and ate the sleeping pills at the same time. He died after Wang left.” Lu Hui said, “Let’s simulate what happened.”
“Alright.” Ji Fanyang answered.
“I’m the deceased, you are Wang.” Lu Hui said, “Go outside and knock.”
Ji Fanyang walked outside, then simulated knocking on the door: “Dong, dong, dong.”
“I open the door for you.” Lu Hui said, creasing his brow, “No, Wang walked in and found the deceased sitting on the balcony.”
“Then he didn’t knock. Wang had a key.” Ji Fanyang said, pulling open the door, “I come in, holding lunch, and I call to you a few times to eat.”
“I stand up from where I was reclining on the balcony chair, walk into the living room, sit at the side table.” Lu Hui simultaneously spoke and acted it out, “I open the food box, not wearing the plastic gloves, and pick up the chopsticks to eat.”
“I wear the gloves, and then pick up the chopsticks to eat the same way.” Ji Fanyang said, “I also pour you a glass of water.”
“After I’m done eating, I return to the balcony and pick up the glass of water you poured for me——” Lu Hui paused slightly, like he felt something off, “No, after I see you out, I mix in the antifreeze with the water, then walk out onto the balcony and commit suicide with the sleeping pills.”
“What did Chief Lu discover?” Ji Fanyang asked.
“There’s a few things wrong in that last bit we simulated.” Lu Hui rubbed his temples, his train of thought streaking by like a trailing meteor, but he was unable to catch its tail before it disappeared out of view.
“I pour you a glass of water.” Ji Fanyang said, “I pass you the water glass, wearing the gloves, not leaving any evidence behind on the glass.”
“I’m not wearing gloves, so the glass has my fingerprints on it.” Lu Hui said, “I take the sleeping pills with the antifreeze to kill myself…”
“I take the sleeping pills with the antifreeze to kill myself…”
Lu Hui muttered to himself, what was wrong here?
“Chief Lu, how about we return to the Bureau first? The forensics department said that the report would be finished this afternoon.” Ji Fanyang reminded him.
“…” Lu Hui’s brow creased, pondered for a moment, then nodded, “Let’s go back to the Bureau.”
“How did you get here?” Lu Hui said.
“Took a cab.” Ji Fanyang said, forcing a smile, “My family wants me to be self-reliant.”
“Then let’s go, I’ll drive.” Lu Hui said.
They rushed back to the Bureau, and just as Lu Hui was exiting the car, he was blocked by Rao Feifei.
“Sister Dongshan gave me the report on the cellphone.” Rao Feifei followed behind Lu Hui as she spoke, “In the deleted text messages, we found some suspicious messages. 【I don’t love Wang】, 【I like you】, 【Promise me】.”
“Sounds self-explanatory.” Ji Fanyang said.
“All of the messages came from the same number.” Rao Feifei said, “Should we call them directly?”
“Return to the office, use the Bureau’s phone to call.” Lu Hui said, turning around to scour Rao Feifei with a look, “Anything else?”
“Director Gao said to have you come see him in his office.” Rao Feifei said.
Lu Hui’s steps halted ever so slightly. His throat rumbled an unclear sentence, likely an insult. Then, he turned and walked off in the direction of Director Gao’s office.
Seems like lu hui is slowly starting to appreciate ji fangyang’s sunshine beauty uwu)
But also it seemslike for now that the possible motive from wang was like revenge against the victim for snatching his girlfriend away? A bit odd since I’ve thought the victim wasn’t really in contact with anyone but wang xx