Lu Linjiang didn’t waste words on him. "I’ll be taking up some of your time. Just stay put for a few days." After giving Yang Bo a few instructions, he left. He first made a round at the clinic. Cui Xiaoye hadn't woken up yet, and her parents had reportedly vanished shortly after arriving, leaving only a nurse to tend to her bedside. Since she was unconscious and her family was absent, it wasn't appropriate for Lu Linjiang to stay long. He stepped out, boarded an electric sightseeing cart, and headed for the village chief’s house.
The former village chief’s home followed the local trend, having been converted into a guesthouse. Upon Lu Linjiang’s arrival, a middle-aged man came forward to greet him. "Looking for a room, guest?"
Lu Linjiang handed over his credentials. "I'm looking for the old village chief."
The man froze. "What do you want with my dad?"
"Just a few questions for him." Lu Linjiang offered him a cigarette. "Regarding Cui Bin."
The man’s expression shifted to one of clear disdain. He didn't take the cigarette. "Follow me. My dad just got back."
Lu Linjiang finally met the old village chief. The old man wore a small black padded jacket; his hair was almost entirely white, and his back was slightly hunched. He nodded with a smile when he saw Lu Linjiang, appearing quite kindly.
"Dad, this man is a police officer. He’s here about Cui Bin."
"Oh, have a seat." The old man nodded and spoke politely to Lu Linjiang, "Go brew a cup of tea."
Lu Linjiang sat down and got straight to the point. "Old Village—"
"Ah, I’ve been retired for many years. My surname is Cui, name’s Cui Dongming. You can just call me Old Cui."
"Alright, Elder Cui. I’ve come to ask about Cui Bin."
"Sigh." Cui Dongming let out a heavy breath as his son brought the tea. "Drink some tea. What is it you want to know?"
"I’ve heard several versions of the story regarding Cui Bin’s house back then, and it struck me as odd. I thought it best to ask you for an authoritative account."
Cui Dongming shook his head. "They must have told you that Cui Shihai seized Cui Bin’s house." He sighed again. "That version... it’s right, but it’s also wrong."
"Cui Shihai did take the house back then, but it truly was to pay off debts. As for that bankbook..." Cui Dongming’s sighs were constant as he spoke. "It’s half and half. My family was going through trouble at the time, so I couldn't look into it. If I had been there, Cui Shihai might not have let his greed get the better of him in the end."
"Did you never think of asking Cui Shihai to return the money to Cui Bin?"
Cui Dongming gave a bitter smile. "When Cui Shihai got married, the old man of the Cui family only gave him twenty yuan. Cui Shihai was the eldest, after all; before he married, he did plenty to help take care of his younger siblings. But the old man didn't give him an ounce of respect—just two words: 'no money.' Because of that, Cui Shihai took a lot of grief from his in-laws. If the old man had treated everyone fairly, that would be one thing, but just a few years later when Cui Shifeng got married, the old man covered everything and even gave the house to the younger son."
"Sigh, how should I put it? It’s a muddled mess." Cui Dongming waved a hand. "To put it bluntly, Cui Shihai just couldn't swallow that old grudge. I might have been the village chief, but even an upright official finds it hard to settle family disputes. Some things, you just have to let be."
In the past, Liucheng Island was essentially a settlement for the Cui clan. Clan customs and traditions were far more important than the legal system. The old man favoring his younger son was wrong; Cui Shifeng standing up for his sister was right; the creditors demanding their money were right. Cui Shihai using the debt repayment as a pretext to snatch his nephew’s house and money was morally questionable, but if one factored in the old man’s initial favoritism, his actions weren't seen as entirely beyond the pale.
The clan had its own value system, passed down for centuries, and it wasn't easily broken. One could even say the village only felt pity for Cui Bin now precisely because he had chosen to leave. Had he been "ungrateful" enough to sue Cui Shihai back then, he would have likely become a pariah on Liucheng Island long ago.
Lu Linjiang wasn't going to play moral judge at a time like this, nor was he going to lecture this old man on the law. He changed the subject. "Elder Cui, there’s something else. My visit this time is due to a homicide."
Cui Dongming was visibly startled. "A homicide?"
"Yes. A foreigner died of an illness, and the CDC suspects it was something he ate. We tracked the lead here and found that this person might have eaten wild game at Cui Shihai’s house. We also found a witness this afternoon who confirmed that Cui Shihai is indeed still in that business. Do you have any leads on this?"
Cui Dongming pondered for a moment. "To be honest with you, many people here used to sell it for business. But then the state strictly prohibited it. The Bureau of Industry and Commerce came to inspect several times, and every time they found something, they’d shut the shop down. Everyone did the math—selling wild game makes money, but the loss from a shop closure can't be made up by bushmeat. Over time, no one entertained the idea anymore."
"What about Cui Shihai?" Lu Linjiang pressed.
Cui Dongming took a breath. "Cui Shihai... I know that by your standards, he isn't a good man. But I watched him grow up. In my opinion, while the things he does fall outside the law, they are still within the bounds of reason; he hasn't crossed the line. As for this wild game..." Cui Dongming shook his head. "I can't guarantee he doesn't have any, but if you ask me, I believe he doesn't."
Lu Linjiang smiled at the ambiguous phrasing. "Elder Cui, I heard Cui Bin is staying with you. May I see his room?"
"Of course, of course. I’ll accompany you." Cui Dongming started to stand up.
Lu Linjiang waved him off, reaching out to steady him. "No need, no need. I can go by myself."
Cui Dongming patted his hand. "It’s only a few steps. I can still walk."
Lu Linjiang didn't decline further. He leaned over to support Cui Dongming, passing through a dim, narrow corridor until they reached the small room where Cui Bin stayed.
"This is it." Cui Dongming took a ring of keys from his pocket and opened the door.
Lu Linjiang raised an eyebrow at the sight of the keys.
The room, containing only a single bed and a simple wardrobe, looked extremely cramped. A lightbulb of a style no longer seen these days hung from the center of the ceiling. Once a man of Lu Linjiang’s height stood inside, Cui Dongming could only stand at the doorway.
"His things should all be in here."
Lu Linjiang nodded. The single bed was covered with a floral sheet in a traditional style. For a bachelor, Cui Bin managed to keep his quilt folded and his sheets flat. Lu Linjiang did a brief inspection but found nothing. He opened the wardrobe; inside was just a sweater and a pair of jeans. It seemed Cui Bin truly hadn't planned on staying long. Aside from those, there was a broken cell phone.
Lu Linjiang picked it up. The screen was nearly shattered. He checked it, but it wouldn't turn on.
"Elder Cui, is this phone Cui Bin’s?" Lu Linjiang asked, knowing the answer.
"It’s his," Cui Dongming nodded. "He broke it not long after he arrived. Sigh, young people... they’re just clumsy and don't take care of their things."
"Oh, right." Lu Linjiang acted as if he had just remembered. "Cui Xiaoye—Cui Wenxing’s wife—had a miscarriage today. Did you know?"
Cui Dongming froze for a second. "I heard a rumor, but I haven't had the chance to ask what happened yet."
"Cui Bin and Cui Wenxing got into a fight. Cui Xiaoye went to pull them apart, but unexpectedly, they missed and hit her in the stomach."
"Tsk!" Cui Dongming’s brow furrowed. "Sigh, these two families..." He let out a string of sighs. "Who knows how deep this grudge will go now."
"You went to see Cui Bin this afternoon. He didn't mention it to you?"
Cui Dongming was taken aback, then quickly explained, "I just received word that Cui Bin had caused trouble and was taken to the police station. I thought he might have stolen something again. I figured the victim might be serious this time, so I went to check. As it turns out, he only told me about the fight. He didn't say a single word about who he fought, why they fought, or that Cui Xiaoye miscarried because of them. I’m just an old fool; I didn't ask, either. I thought it was just a scuffle, nothing major, and that he’d be released later, so I came back first."
Seeing his seemingly heartfelt regret, Lu Linjiang consoled him, "True, if Cui Bin didn't tell you, there was no way for you to know." He watched Cui Dongming nod repeatedly, then suddenly asked, "When you went to see Cui Wenxing, did he not mention a thing to you either?"
Cui Dongming’s nodding stopped. A sharp glint flashed through his eyes. Lu Linjiang acted as if he hadn't seen it and continued, "Young people these days... they think they’re so capable and don't like talking to their elders. Tell me, if the two of them had talked to you beforehand, would this have even happened?"
Cui Dongming recovered. "Well, isn't that what they call a generation gap? Young people don't like talking to us old relics."
"They should still listen a bit, especially when something this big happens." Lu Linjiang shook his head. "They ought to talk to their elders."
Cui Dongming said nothing more, merely nodding in agreement.
Lu Linjiang searched Cui Bin’s room once more but found nothing. He politely took his leave of Cui Dongming and hailed a sightseeing cart at the door, intending to head back to the police station.
Only after the cart had traveled some distance did Lu Linjiang look back. The old village chief was still standing in front of his door, lost in thought. Lu Linjiang gave a cold smile. He had originally only intended to investigate what Guzman had eaten, but as he followed the trail, the whole affair was becoming increasingly bizarre.
He had thought he would only have to match wits with an old fox like Cui Shihai, but he hadn't expected to encounter a hidden player like the old village chief halfway through. Lu Linjiang glanced at the sun, which was half-submerged below the horizon, and felt that this trip was becoming truly interesting.
The sightseeing cart slowed to a stop. Lu Linjiang glanced over and saw that the person boarding was actually Jiang Cheng. He waved, and Jiang Cheng, momentarily startled, walked over holding a paper bag.
Lu Linjiang made room for him and asked, "Where have you been?"
"I found some things. I'm afraid you might need them," Jiang Cheng said, handing the paper bag to Lu Linjiang.
Lu Linjiang took it and opened it. Inside were about a dozen photographs.
"Photos?" Lu Linjiang pulled one out at random. Once he saw the content clearly, he slowly tucked it back in. "This..."
Jiang Cheng smiled. "Quite the impact, isn't it? They say the ignorant are fearless. Sometimes, a visual threat is more effective than wearing your voice out with scientific explanations."
The things in the photos truly shocked Lu Linjiang. "Is this what you usually study?"
"Yes. I specifically picked some of the more terrifying ones. If you find someone with weak willpower, show them these and explain a bit. I think it should be enough to intimidate..." Jiang Cheng’s voice grew quieter under Lu Linjiang’s gaze. He thought for a moment and finally realized his blunder. "Should I... not be giving unsolicited advice?" Lu Linjiang was an experienced criminal investigator, after all. For someone like him, who spent all his time in a lab, to teach Lu Linjiang interrogation techniques was truly... like trying to teach a fish how to swim.
***
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Fatal Virus | Chapter 44 | The Old Chief's Secrets | Novela.app | Novela.app
