"No, it wasn't me," Yuan Huayi said. Fairy tales were his livelihood; they made his life flavorful, and he had no reason to kill him.
"Stop!" Hu Jia interrupted Yuan Huayi's monologue. "Let's talk about your past with Tong Hua first."
Hu Jia had no recollection of Yuan Huayi. Yuan Huayi's narrative was filled with old events, and Tong Hua was particularly bewildered when Yuan Huayi mentioned Lian Xianhai.
Helplessly, Hu Jia sent for Lu Qingqing.
This was the first time during an investigation that Hu Jia felt his memory loss was troublesome. He felt a pang of anxiety, especially when he heard that Lu Qingqing had been kidnapped.
"So, the person who planned that kidnapping all those years ago was actually Tong Meng?" Yuan Huayi's words shattered Lu Qingqing's understanding.
Lu Qingqing had a distinct impression of Lian Xianhai.
He was someone whose name she knew but had never met. He had people kidnap children and assassinate Feng Si, causing considerable trouble for Lu Qingqing and her companions in the early stages.
But just as Lu Qingqing and her group were about to investigate him, he vanished.
Of course, hearing Lian Xianhai's name again, coupled with many previous events, clarified everything. For instance, Lian Xianhai had instructed Tong Hua to plant a listening device on Li Yongqiang, and ordered Li Cong to kill Mo Yun to frame Li Yang.
"Where is Lian Xianhai?" Hu Jia's body was chilling. This Lian Xianhai had not only framed himself but also Li Yang. Crucially, he had kidnapped Lu Qingqing, essentially dancing on his head and pointing a finger.
Lu Qingqing shot Hu Jia a look. "Didn't you hear clearly? He disappeared long ago, likely dead, his bones turned to ash." This was Yuan Huayi's speculation, which Lu Qingqing strongly agreed with.
From Yuan Huayi's account, Tong Meng had long been beholden to Lian Xianhai and had committed many wrongdoings under his threat. Lian Xianhai's disappearance, or likely death, was also probably connected to Tong Meng.
"Is this what you used to threaten Tong Hua?" Lu Qingqing's teeth itched with anger. She had always known the Tong siblings were not good people, but she hadn't realized they were so wicked.
"Hmph, it's not a threat. It's collecting a debt," Yuan Huayi said. Back then, he and his brother were close to Chen Xi, and Chen Xi, misled by Tong Meng, came up with the idea of kidnapping Lu Qingqing. What he hadn't expected was that it was a scheme to kill with a borrowed knife.
While Lu Qingqing was being held captive, Hu Jia had killed Chen Xi. The brothers, having a sudden realization of the key point, chose to remain hidden and thus escaped.
Later, after the Yuan brothers disappeared, his younger brother died in a mountaineering accident. This prompted him to return for revenge. "If it weren't for Tong Meng, we wouldn't have fled. If we hadn't fled, my brother wouldn't have died. Don't you think this debt should be settled with him?"
Uh...
Lu Qingqing didn't answer, but instead asked, "Wouldn't it be simple for you to kill Tong Meng with your skills? Why didn't you act in the end?"
"Alas!" Yuan Huayi sighed. "Time was not on my side. The first person I sought upon my return was Tong Meng. Little did I know she was the leader of the 'Blade Wielders.' While she herself wasn't very capable, I had to consider the organization behind her."
"What?" Lu Qingqing was shocked. "Tong Meng is in charge of the Blade Wielders?"
This news caught Lu Qingqing completely off guard. She even doubted Yuan Huayi's words; did that woman have that capability?
"Yes," Yuan Huayi confirmed again. "She only holds the title; it seems she wasn't involved in the actual work. But because of this title, she has some 'Blade Wielders' protecting her, making it impossible for me to act."
Seeing his revenge impossible, Yuan Huayi shifted his focus. If he couldn't kill, he would get money.
Tong Hua was clearly not as fortunate as Tong Meng. Tong Meng had men backing her, while Tong Hua was on the fringes. So, when Yuan Huayi came looking for him, Tong Hua could only swallow his resentment.
"I'm not afraid of his retaliation because he doesn't know my brother is dead. I told him that if anything happened to me, my brother would expose all his secrets," Yuan Huayi said. Moreover, the amounts he demanded each time were not large, well within Tong Hua's acceptable range, so he wasn't worried about Tong Hua making trouble behind his back.
"So, I didn't kill anyone," Yuan Huayi emphasized again at the end.
"Five days ago at 4 PM, where were you?" Despite the other party's eloquent defense, the questions still needed to be asked.
"Five days ago, at 4 PM? I was at the restaurant," Yuan Huayi said, visibly relieved. As a helper at the restaurant, he was busiest before lunch, with no opportunity to leave. This was known to his boss and colleagues, so he had plenty of witnesses to prove he wasn't there.
Although Lu Qingqing hadn't yet verified this with Yuan Huayi's employer, she was already inclined to believe him.
He truly had no reason to kill his benefactor. Moreover, Tong Hua was detained at the Bureau of Supervision for bribery. It wasn't as if this case involved Yuan Huayi, and even if it did, he wouldn't have had the means to get in and commit murder.
"Oh, right. Do you know who the cook is?" Since she had finally found someone connected to Tong Hua, Lu Qingqing naturally wanted to inquire about the "cook's" identity.
"The cook? Isn't that just a chef?" Yuan Huayi didn't understand why Lu Qingqing was asking.
Alright, hearing Yuan Huayi's response, Lu Qingqing realized he didn't know who the cook was.
"Yes, that's all. Please come with us," Lu Qingqing said.
Yuan Huayi became anxious. "Officer, I've told you everything I know. Why do you still want to take me to the police station? Besides, we weren't involved in the kidnapping. You can't retaliate against me."
Lu Qingqing smiled. "You weren't involved in kidnapping me. However, having worked under Qiao Huali for so long, your hands are surely not clean. I wonder if your crimes warrant a death sentence, or perhaps ten to eight years? We can discuss it further at the police station."
Huh?
Death penalty?
Ten to eight years?
Lu Qingqing's casual words terrified Yuan Huayi.
Before, he could act without restraint. But now, having grown accustomed to a comfortable, free, and stress-free life, he truly didn't want to return to his past.
"Officer Lu, please, please don't do this. Look how cooperative I've been. Besides, I really haven't done anything wicked before. At most, I've gotten into fights and scared people."
Hearing Yuan Huayi say this, Lu Qingqing also found herself in a difficult position. "You know we are the police. Seeing people with prior records like yourselves makes us uneasy if we don't apprehend them. But since you say so, I do think you deserve a chance to mend your ways."
"Mhm, mhm!" Yuan Huayi nodded vigorously.
"How about this, do you know what a witness protection program is? We are currently investigating the 'Blade Wielders' and Tong Meng. Regarding the 'Blade Wielders,' tell us whatever comes to mind. As for Tong Meng, once we find her, you will come forward and testify against her."
Uh...
Yuan Huayi finally understood that he had been tricked by Lu Qingqing, falling into the trap she had set.
But what could he do now? "Okay, I agree."
Lu Qingqing smiled. "Don't think about trying to fool me. We will send someone to establish direct contact with you later. Don't even think about running, unless you want to be a fugitive forever."
Yuan Huayi's last shred of hope was extinguished. Just as Lu Qingqing and Hu Jia were getting up to leave, he suddenly remembered something. "Ah, regarding the cook, I think I might know something."