The four fruits mentioned earlier are quite common in Chongqing, but Hu Jia already had a hidden answer in her heart.
"In my hometown, there was a lychee tree in front of our courtyard." After everyone else had left, Hu Jia kept Ouyang Wen and Lü Qingqing behind. "If this thing is a clue left by my father, then I think it's most likely lychee."
"Lychee?" Ouyang Wen and Lü Qingqing exchanged glances. One recalled childhood memories, the other remembered Hu Jia's childhood experiences she had shared.
That's right, lychee!
Could there be a secret under that lychee tree?
The thought of this possibility excited all three of them. They quickly divided their tasks.
Lü Qingqing would approach Xiao Qi's sister, while Ouyang Wen would search for the headquarters of the blade-wielding men along the Jialing River. Hu Jia would sneak back to her hometown to confirm the secret of the lychee tree.
Hu Jia left the city at midnight, quietly and unnoticed.
Ouyang Wen, meanwhile, rented a small boat and spent the day sightseeing along the Jialing River.
Lü Qingqing had a much easier time. Every day, she would pick up the children and make them small pastries and snacks.
Over time, the snacks became a magic weapon to win over Duo Bao's classmates.
"Sister Qingqing, these bear-shaped cookies are delicious, and they look so cute." Le Le was a very cute little girl. She really liked Lü Duo Bao's sister. This sister was not only pretty but also always brought them lots of food.
"Really? I'm glad you like them, Le Le. I'll make more cookies and bring them for you next time," Lü Qingqing said, stroking the little girl's head. "I can also make little cats, little dogs, and little pigs."
"Really? That's great. I wish I had a sister too."
"Don't you have a sister, Le Le?"
"No, I only have a brother. But my brother is very good too. He can cook, wash my clothes, and take me to school every day."
Le Le said happily, "I wish Sister Qingqing and my brother were together. One would cook, and the other would make cookies. I'd be happy every day."
Uh...
Lü Qingqing was speechless.
This matchmaking was quite something.
Just as the two adults and one child were chatting happily, Le Le's eyes lit up, and she quickly ran towards a man. "Brother."
Lü Qingqing glanced at the man and smiled politely. This was Xiao Qi. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
It was evident that Xiao Qi doted on his sister, lifting her up and spinning her around.
"You must be Le Le's father? This child is so adorable," Lü Qingqing stepped forward to greet him.
"Sister, he's not my dad, he's my brother," Le Le quickly clarified.
Lü Qingqing looked embarrassed. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I was just thinking, Le Le's dad looks too young."
Lü Qingqing perfectly portrayed someone meeting for the first time.
Xiao Qi had already heard Le Le talk about the sister who brought pastries. He greeted Lü Qingqing warmly as well.
"Le Le said that Miss Lü is a very good cook. Thank you for taking care of Le Le," If Lü Qingqing hadn't known beforehand that Xiao Qi was one of the blade-wielding men, she would have been completely deceived.
This man was humble and polite, not at all rough, and seemed to lack the worldly aura one might expect.
Lü Qingqing said it was nothing in response to Xiao Qi.
As she left, Lü Qingqing ruffled Le Le's head. An unsuspecting observer might have mistaken them for a family.
Watching Lü Qingqing's retreating back, Xiao Qi's smile never wavered. This woman had made a good first impression on him.
...
Meanwhile, Ouyang Wen, disguised and traveling by boat for two consecutive days, had managed to pinpoint several potential locations for the blade-wielding men's headquarters.
However, he hadn't investigated them in person. His identity was too sensitive, and his appearance had likely been circulated throughout the entire organization.
Therefore, Ouyang Wen needed help. He found several beggars in the city and asked them to investigate those locations. Soon, news came back.
Near the Liujia Wharf in Jiangbei, several people were on guard. They were clearly not ordinary folk. Even though the beggar claimed he had stumbled upon them by accident, he was slapped several times.
Liujia Wharf?
Ouyang Wen noted down the address. That night, he changed into a black outfit, donned a fake beard on his chin, and set out.
The place wasn't hard to find, mainly because many people were coming and going.
Of course, if you mistook this bustling crowd for a sign of activity, you would be gravely mistaken. Ouyang Wen quickly realized there was a strict inspection process for entering and exiting the wharf, with guards posted at key intersections.
Seeing this, Ouyang Wen became even more convinced that this was the headquarters of the blade-wielding men.
Ouyang Wen moved like a phantom in the shadows, evading detection. In a short while, he had infiltrated the compound.
He looked around and decided to head towards the building with the brightest lights.
The guards seemed numerous on the surface, but if one paid close attention, they would notice their lack of vigilance.
Some were chatting, others were smoking. If you moved quickly, you could easily bypass their security.
Finally, Ouyang Wen found a hidden spot and decided to observe, hoping to catch sight of any important figures of the blade-wielding men.
An hour passed. Ouyang Wen's back ached from crouching. Finally, the main door of the building opened.
Tong Hua?
Ouyang Wen blinked in surprise, then saw Tong Meng following behind, and then Tang Yingge.
Tong Hua bowed respectfully to Tang Yingge, appearing very deferential. In contrast, Tong Meng stood tall and proud, completely ignoring Tang Yingge.
Ouyang Wen's eyes flickered. Tong Meng still had some backbone, it seemed.
After watching the Tong siblings leave, Ouyang Wen got up and quietly departed.
For him, the night had been successful, as he had found the headquarters of the blade-wielding men.
However, he didn't realize that shortly after he left, another figure emerged from within.
If Ouyang Wen had stayed a little longer, he would have noticed that Tang Yingge treated this person with extreme respect.
"What do you think of the information Tong Meng just provided?"
"Hu Jia's disappearance without cause is inherently suspicious. I think we should proceed with restarting the shooting case, as Tong Meng suggested, to keep all information within our grasp."
Qiao Huali nodded slightly upon hearing Tang Yingge's words. During this time, he felt that Hu Jia and the others were becoming increasingly distant from his control.
He didn't know what information Hu Jia and the others had uncovered, nor had he any idea of the case's progress.
Hu Jia no longer trusted him. If he wanted to continue investigating clues related to the shooting case, then restarting the case was indeed the only way.
This would move Hu Jia and the others, who were investigating in secret, into the open.
Only then could he ascertain the progress of the shooting case and ultimately benefit.
"Can you afford not to say it? Are they already wary of you? If that's the case, even if the shooting case is restarted, they won't honestly reveal their clues," Tang Yingge asked.
"Alas, this is the hidden trouble caused by my premature exposure." Qiao Huali had always regretted this hidden trouble. "But it's still okay for now. They mistakenly believe I'm being coerced. I don't need them to honestly reveal all their clues. I just need to understand their movements. Just like now, where did Hu Jia go?"
Indeed, if you can understand the other party's movements, you can deduce their actions.
Even if you cannot fully control them, you won't be like a headless fly, completely without direction.