Lin Qiang and Xiao Tang took turns driving. Since they were unfamiliar with the road and it was nighttime, the winding mountain paths made for a difficult journey. They didn’t reach the Longpan Mountain area until the next morning.
Before they set off, Shen Mo had taken two motion sickness pills, which made him sleep deeply through the entire night. Naturally, Jiang Xiaosi wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity of having such a good pillow right there. At first, she leaned against his shoulder, but soon she made herself comfortable, using his lap as a pillow and sleeping soundly.
The next morning, Jiang Xiaosi woke up before Shen Mo did. She quickly sat up straight and scooted away from him, worried that he might notice.
The road became increasingly difficult to navigate, and when it was no longer possible to continue by car, the four of them got out and hitched a ride on a villager’s ox cart, which was loaded with firewood, making their way into the village.
Jiang Xiaosi was thrilled, treating the whole experience like a fun excursion. Shen Mo, however, was still feeling the effects of the long car ride and looked pale and grumpy, saying nothing. Lin Qiang remained silent as well, smoking his cigarette, while only the voices of Jiang Xiaosi and Xiao Tang could be heard chattering away.
The village they were headed to was called Longtou Village, home to over a hundred households, making it relatively large. Further into the mountains were smaller, scattered villages like Longxu Village and Longzhao Village, some of which had only a dozen or so households.
As they went from place to place asking around, they eventually found the old house that belonged to Long Wanqiu’s grandfather. However, the house was locked from the outside, and Long Wanqiu wasn’t living there. When they asked the neighbors, they were told that she had moved further into the mountains and only came down occasionally, about once every two weeks, to buy supplies.
“Has she been living alone? Was there ever a man with her?” Xiao Tang asked.
The villagers all shook their heads, saying they had never seen anyone else. The group had no choice but to continue their trek deeper into the mountains.
“I’m guessing Yang Yan and his wife are hiding out here somewhere,” Xiao Tang said between gasps for breath as he climbed the steep path. “If he killed Ye Miao to protect his family’s reputation and then fled here to this godforsaken place, what’s the point? He gained nothing and lost everything.”
Jiang Xiaosi couldn’t understand it either. “Why would he go to such lengths to keep his family intact, only to end up hiding in the middle of nowhere?”
Shen Mo chimed in, “Maybe he’s just trying to wait things out until the case blows over. Or maybe… he didn’t kill her at all.”
“But Ye Miao said it herself…” Jiang Xiaosi argued.
“Yang Yan did drug Ye Miao and take her to have the baby aborted, but Ye Miao died of carbon monoxide poisoning while she was unconscious. When she woke up and realized something was wrong, she assumed it was Yang Yan, with whom she had argued earlier, who had turned on the gas before leaving, trying to make it look like an accident.”
Xiao Tang scratched his head. “But locking the door, cutting the phone line—it all points to premeditated murder. If Yang Yan still had some sense, he wouldn’t have done something so stupid. There were plenty of other ways he could’ve killed Ye Miao.”
Lin Qiang, who was leading the way, puffed on his cigarette. “That’s why his wife is a major suspect too.”
“‘Wife discovers husband’s affair, kills the mistress in a fit of rage’—classic TV drama material.” Jiang Xiaosi said with a nod.
“What did we find out about Yang Yan’s wife?” Shen Mo asked.
Xiao Tang responded, “Yang Yan is a regular engineer, and Long Wanqiu used to work as a landscape designer. She quit her job about half a year ago. Neighbors say she was a kind and gentle person, and she got along well with her coworkers.”
“How long have they been married? No children?”
“Fourteen years. Yang Yan is forty now, and they don’t have any children. Apparently, Long Wanqiu can’t have kids.”
“No wonder Yang Yan had an affair.” Shen Mo mused. “A marriage without children is often fragile. Without that bond, there’s less reason for both partners to compromise and tolerate each other, making the relationship more likely to fall apart.”
“Life really isn’t fair.” Jiang Xiaosi sighed, thinking about Li Yueyi. “The people who want children can’t have them, while the ones who don’t want them end up getting pregnant.”
Shen Mo glanced at her, pausing for a moment. He assumed she was reflecting on her own situation, unsure of what to do about the child she was carrying. His frown deepened.
By the time they reached Long Wanqiu’s house on the mountainside, it was already evening.
They had discussed their strategy for preventing Yang Yan from escaping down the mountain, but to their surprise, they found a woman watering flowers at the front of the house. A large patch of night-blooming jasmine was in full bloom, its scent filling the air.
“Long Wanqiu?” Lin Qiang flashed his badge. “We’re from the police department.”
“Yes, that’s me. How can I help you?” The woman standing before them had an ordinary appearance, but she exuded a gentle and serene aura. Her skin was pale, and she wore a simple cotton dress, looking neat and clean.
“We need you and your husband to assist in a murder investigation. Where’s Yang Yan?” Lin Qiang asked.
Long Wanqiu set down her watering can and washed her hands under a stream of mountain spring water. Her brow furrowed slightly, and a hint of sadness appeared in her eyes.
“I don’t know. Did he commit a crime?”
“How long have you been here?” Lin Qiang asked, stamping out his cigarette on the ground.
“Two or three months, I think.”
“You haven’t gone back during that time?”
“No.”
“What are you doing up here all alone?”
“The air is better here. I came to recuperate. This house belonged to my grandfather. He used to come up here to hunt. We still have a house down in the village.”
“Has Yang Yan ever come here with you?”
“We used to come here every year for a short stay during the holidays, but not in the last couple of years. What exactly has he done?”
“A high school girl named Ye Miao died from carbon monoxide poisoning. I believe you know who she is.” Lin Qiang said, fixing her with a sharp gaze.
Long Wanqiu’s hand clenched slightly before she slowly relaxed it. Her expression remained calm.
“Yes, I know who she is. Yang Yan hid it well, but I’m not stupid. She’s… dead?”
“Yes. Your husband is a prime suspect. Has he contacted you or come to see you in the past month?”
“No, we rarely speak anymore. Our relationship suffered because of Ye Miao, which is why I came here alone, to clear my head… It’s getting dark. Would you like to come inside?”
The four of them entered the house, which was simply furnished. Long Wanqiu poured them tea.
After climbing the mountain, Jiang Xiaosi was thirsty and didn’t mind the heat. She downed half a cup in one gulp. “It’s so fragrant!”
Long Wanqiu smiled warmly. “It’s jasmine tea I made from flowers I grew myself. If you like it, feel free to take some home.” Although she didn’t say anything, the way she looked at Jiang Xiaosi was curious. Why were the police bringing a young girl along for an investigation?
“The shopkeeper at Longtou Village said you bought two toothbrushes and other supplies for two people.” Lin Qiang said.
“Yes, I bought them just in case. You never know, one day he might miss me and come to take me back.” Long Wanqiu looked out the window, her eyes filled with melancholy.
Jiang Xiaosi’s heart twinged. So, she left in hopes of being asked to stay? Another woman trapped by love. She didn’t even have the will to fight for her husband against the other woman. Yang Yan was despicable—he didn’t appreciate the good woman he had at home.
“Are you sure Yang Yan isn’t here?” Lin Qiang looked around. There was no sign of anyone else living there.
“You can search the place if you don’t believe me.” Long Wanqiu offered.
Xiao Tang did a quick sweep of the house. It was a simple wooden structure, divided into four small rooms: a kitchen, a bedroom, and two others. There was no place to hide, no secret doors or underground entrances. He came back and shook his head at Lin Qiang.
“We’ll still need you to come with us for questioning.” Lin Qiang said.
Long Wanqiu nodded. “Okay. I’ll go with you tomorrow. It’s too late to go down the mountain now. You can stay here tonight. The young girl can sleep on the sofa, and I’ll make floor beds for the rest of you in the living room.”
The group decided to stay. Long Wanqiu went to her vegetable garden to pick some greens and made dinner for them. The group checked the house thoroughly, making sure there were no hidden surprises.
“Could Yang Yan have known we were coming and escaped?” Xiao Tang asked, feeling frustrated.
“No, he’s definitely still here.” Jiang Xiaosi said confidently. She could sense it—there was someone else nearby, or rather, more than one person. A zombie’s sense of smell was usually sharp, but the overwhelming scent of the flowers made it hard to pinpoint the exact location.
“And how do you know that?” Lin Qiang raised an eyebrow at her.
“Call it woman’s intuition.” Jiang Xiaosi replied. She couldn’t exactly say that her nose had sniffed it out.
Shen Mo drummed his fingers lightly on the table. “Yang Yan is likely still around. That woman was too calm. She didn’t seem surprised at all about Ye Miao’s murder. Although she loves Yang Yan, she doesn’t seem to care about his current whereabouts. So, even if Yang Yan isn’t hiding here, she definitely knows where he is.”
Jiang Xiaosi propped her chin up on her hands. “Love can be blinding. Even if she knows her lover is a murderer, she might turn a blind eye to the law just to protect him. Long Wanqiu is also quite pitiable.”
Shen Mo shook his head. “If Yang Yan really did kill Ye Miao, it’s hard to say whether Long Wanqiu was unaware. Did you notice the scar on her wrist?”
Jiang Xiaosi was startled. “She tried to commit suicide?”
“Whatever the reason for her attempt, this woman isn’t as gentle and forgiving as she appears. If she truly loved Yang Yan, his betrayal would have hit her hard.”
Xiao Tang looked surprised. “Maybe she forced her husband to kill Ye Miao as a way to get him back?”
Shen Mo shook his head. “That scar is faint, meaning it’s old. But it’s possible. If she’s not as indifferent as she seems, her love for Yang Yan could have driven her to resort to desperate measures to get him to come back.”
Lin Qiang frowned and reached for another cigarette, but Shen Mo’s hand stopped him. The others assumed it was out of courtesy for their host, but Shen Mo was actually thinking about the potential harm the smoke could cause to Jiang Xiaosi’s unborn child.
Lin Qiang pulled his hand back reluctantly. “If Yang Yan is really hiding nearby, the only places he could be are in the surrounding caves or maybe an underground cellar. Tomorrow, Xiao Tang and I will search the area before heading down the mountain.”
When Long Wanqiu returned, the group, exhausted from the day’s hike, ate dinner and went to bed early.
In the middle of the night, Jiang Xiaosi suddenly woke up. The once lively forest was now eerily quiet, and amid the soft snores of Lin Qiang and Xiao Tang’s sleep-talking, she faintly heard another breath, distant and intermittent, coming from below. She sat up abruptly. Yang Yan was indeed hiding underground, directly beneath them.
Be my Patron~
✨Be a part of the story – support my translations✨
✨✨Advance chapter at Patreon✨✨
