HH Chapter 19

Cheng Ye scanned the theater, and upon spotting Tian Yunxin, he quickly followed her. Initially, Tian Yunxin looked puzzled when she saw Cheng Ye, but upon seeing Pei Qinghuai, her guarded expression softened.

“We are from the Beilin District Criminal Investigation Team. We are here to talk to you about Tian Mingwei. Do you have time now?” Cheng Ye spoke rapidly, looking directly at Tian Yunxin.

Tian Yunxin, still smiling, seemed puzzled for a moment. However, Pei Qinghuai caught a fleeting change in her expression. She dismissed her friends and said, “There’s a café ahead. Let’s talk there.”

The sun was out, making the July heat scorching. Inside the café, light music played as the three of them chose a seat by the window. Tian Yunxin smiled and had the waiter bring three glasses of water.

“What questions do you have for me?” Tian Yunxin asked with a smile.

Before Cheng Ye could speak, Pei Qinghuai intercepted her gaze. “I want to know about Li Xiaoyan from your perspective.”

“My mother?” Tian Yunxin took a sip of water, her gaze questioning Cheng Ye and Pei Qinghuai. “I haven’t seen my mother in a long time. I don’t have much impression of her.”

Pei Qinghuai continued, “She seemed very worried about you. She told us a lot about you.”

“Worried?” Tian Yunxin finally showed a reaction, a flash of disbelief in her eyes, followed by a muttered, “What does she have to worry about?”

Noticing the change in Tian Yunxin’s expression, Cheng Ye seized the moment. “Li Xiaoyan confessed yesterday.”

“I wasn’t raised by my mom, and my dad was often absent. Her confession should have nothing to do with me, right?” Tian Yunxin’s impatience grew.

Pei Qinghuai noted that Tian Yunxin’s impatience flared up when either Tian Mingwei or Li Xiaoyan was mentioned, especially more so with Li Xiaoyan.

“But she pointed to a knife as the murder weapon,” Pei Qinghuai said calmly. Tian Yunxin unconsciously put down her cup.

“And then?” She sniffed, asking, “Are you implying I killed someone?”

At that moment, something seemed to trigger Tian Yunxin, causing her to explode. She swallowed and spoke, “I really don’t understand how you police officers think. When someone needs your help, you stay silent. Now, a scumbag of society is dead, and you investigate with such diligence?” Her hands under the table trembled slightly.

Cheng Ye’s brow furrowed. “It’s our responsibility.”

“Responsibility?” Tian Yunxin’s tone matched her frown. “What if the person who died was me? I’ve asked for your help more than once, and what happened? Responsibility? Can you even say that without feeling ashamed?”

Tian Yunxin’s sudden outburst left Cheng Ye stunned. He wanted to say something, but Pei Qinghuai stopped him. “We don’t overlook or miss any case that causes us grief. But you’re right; the word responsibility is heavy, and we can’t bear the consequences of failing it.”

Tian Yunxin looked at Pei Qinghuai, while Cheng Ye’s inner frustration and helplessness eased. Pei Qinghuai pushed a napkin towards Tian Yunxin. “But someone has to pursue the truth and bear that responsibility. I apologize for our past shortcomings.”

“If you have anything to say, you can always come to me,” Pei Qinghuai said, leaning back in his chair and looking at Cheng Ye. “Let’s go.”

As they walked away, Pei Qinghuai paused. “By the way, I never said you were the killer.”

Following Pei Qinghuai, Cheng Ye felt like a fool struggling to control his temper. Watching Pei Qinghuai’s back, Cheng Ye’s eyes darkened as if recalling unpleasant memories.

Back at the car, Pei Qinghuai spoke again. “Do you still think Li Xiaoyan is just a loving mother?”

Cheng Ye’s confusion showed on his face. “Explain yourself,” he grumbled.

Pei Qinghuai got in the car, followed by Cheng Ye. “Don’t you think Li Xiaoyan was very anxious that night?” Pei Qinghuai asked, looking at the students outside.

Cheng Ye thought for a moment. “She was, but what’s the problem? Wasn’t it to cover for Tian Yunxin?”

Pei Qinghuai snorted. “You’ve already decided Tian Yunxin is the murderer?”

“Although there’s no direct evidence, it’s almost certain,” Cheng Ye said.

“Is it?” Pei Qinghuai countered. “Don’t you find it strange that Tian Yunxin’s name suddenly popped up during this process?”

Cheng Ye calmed down, reflecting on Pei Qinghuai’s words. Suddenly, his eyes brightened, and his brow furrowed. “Li Xiaoyan did it on purpose?”

“Not too slow,” Pei Qinghuai continued. “When Li Xiaoyan first approached us, she mentioned a feud with a neighbor. Due to the time lapse and the rain, we delayed investigating. Seeing no action from us, she staged a scene to grab our attention.”

“I said before that someone would come to us without us taking the initiative,” Pei Qinghuai said. “Even if we followed her lead and investigated the supposed feud, we’d quickly find it was fabricated, redirecting us back to her supposed cover-up.”

Cheng Ye relaxed. “She hinted she was covering for someone, directing our attention to Tian Yunxin. What’s her motive?”

Just then, Cheng Ye’s phone rang. It was Yan Ya. He put it on speaker and started the car.

“Captain Cheng, Professor Pei’s guess was correct. The skeleton belongs to Chen Caiyun, Tian Mingwei’s mother.” Cheng Ye’s eyes widened, and he acknowledged before hanging up.

“How did you know?” Cheng Ye asked Pei Qinghuai.

“Forensic Yan told us. I guessed,” Pei Qinghuai grinned. He really had guessed, without any concrete evidence.

Cheng Ye’s face showed doubt, but Pei Qinghuai had no way to counter it. A guess is a guess, without proof.

“We need to invite Li Xiaoyan for a talk,” Pei Qinghuai said calmly. “I’ve seen many similar cases, but it’s rare to witness firsthand how someone drives another to hell.”