Coming out of the intersection where Ling Li lived, Zhu Jinchuan stopped at the first red light.

He is also a little tired, this case will not have a result in the short term, so he can put it aside for the time being.

Looking at the time, it was almost seven o'clock, and night had fallen.

And the familiar and unfamiliar scenery around him suddenly reminded him of the scene where he lived near here when he was a child.

With a twist of thought, he took out the phone and dialed a number, and a few seconds later the other side was connected, and after a few simple words, the car turned around and drove further east of the city.

After eating a home-cooked meal, Zhu Jinchuan sat on the sofa, listening to the chatter in his mother's mouth, and his heart felt warm.

It seems that the last time I went back to my parents' house was more than 20 days ago.

At that time, I was busy with the case, and I didn't have time to go back here, and I hung up after an occasional phone call.

I only see my son once a month, and Zhu's parents complained for a while, but they were still hard-mouthed and soft-hearted, and what they made for Zhu Jinchuan were all the dishes he loved to eat.

After eating, he accompanied his mother to watch a soap opera, and he was supposed to wash the dishes, but his father refused to let him, saying that barristers could not enter the kitchen, and it was taboo.

I don't know where I heard about it.

The sound of water in the kitchen, and my mother was still chattering. As for the content, it is nothing more than to let him find a girlfriend quickly, he is already so old, and the old couple has long been not extravagant to hold their grandson, they only hope that their son can have a companion, so that they will not die alone, so that they can close their eyes with peace of mind.

Zhu Jinchuan's heart was even warmer, and he suddenly turned around and took the initiative to hold her hand: "Mom, I know." You have to take care, I am not alone when you are here. ”

To say that Tang Aoxue's case did not touch him, it is impossible.

Not to mention Zheng Qijie's revenge for He Qiaolian's hibernation for five years, not to mention that the crazy woman can still remember her son, let's just say that Chen Rong hugged Tang Aoxue's heart-rending cry, and it is impossible to completely forget it in the short term.

At work, he can ensure that he is emotionally calm, but when he comes down from the courtroom, he is an ordinary person after all.

No matter how much life and death he experienced, he was afraid of parting, especially his loved ones.

The son, who has always been cold and restrained, suddenly revealed his true feelings, and the old lady was a little uncomfortable.

She pushed the reading glasses on her nose, withdrew her hand, and muttered, "What's crazy?" ”

Zhu Jinchuan pursed his lips: "I just finished a big case and want to rest for a while." Mom, I'm not going back there today, it's too lonely, and I'm not very comfortable running to the funeral home these days. ”

The old lady was naturally very happy to hear that he wanted to stay, but she still didn't forget to hurt Zhu Jinchuan: "Such an adult, are you still afraid of that?" If you don't do bad things, you're not afraid of ghosts knocking on the door, what are you afraid of? ”

Zhu Jinchuan replied with a smile: "I have taken on a lot of criminal defenses before, but I have done all things to exonerate murderers, and there are many acquittals, is this a bad thing?" Does it count as aiding and abusive? ”

The old lady patted her chest and took it as she could: "Take people's money to eliminate disasters for others, if you want to find a wronged soul, your mother and I will be upright and give you up." ”

Proper double standard.

"It's not enough to be upright," Zhu Jinchuan continued to stiffen his face and dismantle the old lady's platform with a smile, "What if the victim's family comes to the door with a knife?" Mom, shouldn't we change our house to a stronger security door? ”

The old lady couldn't find a reply, and stomped her foot angrily: "I know that I will be angry with your mother!" ”

Having said that, then the old lady asked her to make the bed, cut the fruit, and asked her wife to go out to buy fresh rose cakes for Zhu Jinchuan to eat, and she was as busy as a spinning top that couldn't stop.

Zhu Jinchuan laughed: "Mom, that's what I loved to eat when I was a child, I didn't eat it a long time ago, it's too sweet." ”

He's telling the truth, since he controlled his diet in college, he hasn't touched these sweets again, and I don't know how the remembered this kind of snack he never got tired of eating when he was a kid.

But nine cows can't pull back the first lady of the Zhu family.

Finally, I bought back half a catty of rose cake, and I had to wish Jinchuan a piece.

He didn't have a choice, he still ate this thing that he hadn't eaten for a long time.

The tip of the tongue is filled with a long-lost sweetness, and the soft cake with the unique fragrance of roses lingers between the lips and teeth for a long time.

Suddenly, I remembered that there seemed to be a girl who was as tough as her mother, and she loved to eat this thing when she was a child.

At that time, a small piece of rose cake that he fixed every day seemed to be contributed to the eldest sister for a long time, and he used it to coax the little girl who followed the big girl's ass.

Zhu Jinchuan picked up a piece of cake and was suddenly stunned.

After handling this case, he didn't feel very comfortable, and he needed to go home to see his parents, and use the warmth of his family around him to dispel the haze in his heart.

And what about her? What should she do? Where can she go?

He could still remember that day she trembled helplessly in front of the morgue where Tang Aoxue was. He still remembers the next few days, her legs trembled, and she had to run from funeral home to funeral home, even if she didn't dare to enter the morgue, she had to go to the monitoring room to take a look.

He didn't think much about it at the time, and subconsciously thought that she was afraid. Little girls, no matter how strong they are, they will always be worried when they come into contact with these things.

But now that I think about it, Tang Aoxue was in the funeral home and lay down for two whole years.

Two years, why is it so coincidental?

He suddenly realized a question - why could Ling Li see the clues to this case? Is it really a coincidence?

Zheng Qijie is very cunning, but after all, he left evidence of the crime by mistake. And his misfortune is that he met Ling Li, the second sister of the Ling family who tasted the warmth and coldness of the world at the age of nineteen, touched the cold skin of her family, and watched them being incinerated.

is the one who has experienced the funeral, so he understands what the red lotus karmic fire is.

This case, after all, touched her, the most sensitive point.

Uncle Zhang seems to have mentioned that the reason why her house is gone is because it is used to pay the funeral home's expenses - a full 200,000 yuan, which is the cost of four people occupying the body locker for two years.

Zhu Jinchuan put down the cake, stood up abruptly, and said, "Mom, I suddenly remembered that something happened and left first." ”

Zhu Jinchuan stood in the corridor, looking at 1801 on the left and 1802 on the right, not knowing which side to knock on.

After coming out of his parents' house, he went straight to this community. All the way, he was making calls, but the phone was turned off. Presumably because the mobile phone that was turned off in court is not turned on now.

Unable to get through the phone, he became even more worried.

This girl, isn't she hiding at home and crying secretly?

When I got here, it was easy to get in, and it was easy to remember which building she lived in, and it was on the top floor.

But which one?

He had only been here once, and that night was still because of Xue Yin's matter, he was injured at that time, and he was still thinking about how to tell Ling Li about that past, there were too many things to distract, and he naturally forgot the trivial matters of a few months ago.

So, does she live on the left or right? Completely clueless.

Zhu Jinchuan was a little unsure, and wanted to yell at Second Sister Ling in the corridor to open the door, but he felt that it was inappropriate.

What if she hid and cried secretly? He came to the door so rashly, she must have refused to open the door for fear of ugliness.

While hesitating, the door of 1801 suddenly opened.

It's a pity that it's not Ling Li.

Inside the door was a young man, and after making eye contact with Zhu Jinchuan, he forced his eyes away and walked to the elevator.

Zhu Jinchuan only felt that he was very familiar, and he always felt that he had seen it somewhere. However, since he came out of 1801, Ling Li must be living in another room.

The second sister of the Ling family doesn't have that much ability, living with a man, he still doesn't know as a master.

But to be on the safe side, he decided to ask.

So, he looked in the direction of the elevator and said slowly: "Excuse me, does Ling Li live here?" ”

The man turned his head and pointed at himself, "Are you talking to me?" I seem to be very talkative? ”

His eyes were indifferent, his voice was hoarse, his face was not very good, his hair was long and messy, and his face was scruffy.

Zhu Jinchuan was choked by his question, and the man took advantage of the elevator to come, stepped in, turned to face Zhu Jinchuan, and kept his eyes on him.

Until a second before the elevator door closed, a sentence seemed to float out of the car: "Be nice to her." ”

Zhu Jinchuan was confused by this sentence, reached out and pressed his temples that were a little painful, and said to himself: "Strange person." ”

Instead of getting an answer from the weirdos, he finally rang the doorbell for 1802.

A woman's voice was faintly heard inside the door, and then, there was a sound of footsteps, and the door opened.

Inside the door was a round, puffy face, unfamiliar, he was sure he hadn't seen before.

And the woman inside the door was also stunned when she saw Zhu Jinchuan standing in front of the door.

The two looked at each other for a few seconds and realized that they didn't know each other.

It's just that Zhu Jinchuan noticed that under her wide dress, her abdomen was slightly protruding.

Combined with the fact that he didn't open the door before, he vaguely heard the "Xiao Li" inside the door, and immediately deduced who it was.

Zhu Jinchuan asked, "Are you Lingshuang?" ”

The woman nodded and asked stupidly, "How do you know what my name is?" ”

Zhu Jinchuan avoided answering and asked her directly: "Ling Li didn't come back?" ”

Ling Shuang nodded first, then shook her head again, and said the answer after a few seconds: "She came back for a trip, and said that there was something wrong with the unit and she went overtime." ”

"Overtime?" Zhu Jinchuan frowned, he couldn't remember that he had assigned extra work to Ling Li.

After a few seconds, he suddenly realized and bowed slightly: "I know, thank you." ”

Coming out of the building, Zhu Jinchuan was a little dazed.

The phone doesn't work, the family is not there, where can she go? Where can she hide and cry quietly?

Suddenly remembered her excuse - overtime?

Could it be ......

Twenty minutes later, Zhu Jinchuan parked his car in the underground parking lot of Baiyang Building, took the elevator from B2 to the 11th floor.

It was almost ten o'clock, except for a few windows that were still on, and there was silence in the building. The lights in the corridor are jumping and flickering, and there seems to be some poor contact.

Zhu Jinchuan frowned, thinking that he would have to notify the property management to replace it tomorrow.

These days, he works overtime, almost at the same time as Ling Li, and when the two of them are together, they don't notice that this light brings a ghost-like atmosphere.

If she were to go alone, would she be afraid?

Approaching the law firm, as expected, it was pitch black inside.

He took out the door card, swiped the card lightly and entered the door, as if he was afraid of startling the people inside, slowed down his movements, lightened his steps, and turned on the lights casually along the way.

However, when he entered the inner room, it seemed that there was no one in the room.

Quiet and empty.

Zhu Jinchuan looked around and frowned slightly. Could it be that he really guessed wrong this time?

Somewhat unwilling, he raised his voice: "Ling Li? ”

In the empty room, the only thing that answered him was an echo.

It seems that it is really wrong.

He shook his head and sighed self-deprecatingly, turned off the light, and suddenly heard a small cracking sound coming from a certain direction.

The most intuitive reaction of the body, he ran over in a few steps, and then pushed the door and turned on the light, all in one go.

Zhu Jinchuan laughed at himself for being an old bone, and he could still be like this quickly.

Just seeing Ling Li curled up on the edge of the sofa barefoot, his smiling face was full of tears, and he hurriedly turned off the light again.

It lit up for less than a second.

In the darkness, there was silence, except for the sound of her heavy breathing from crying.

What had just reached his ears was a barely audible sound.

It's also because of the tip of his ears, otherwise, someone would have cried all night in this cold conference room.

Dozens of seconds later, hearing her breath gradually subside, he asked, "Are you okay?" ”

No one responded.

"Ling Li?" He raised his voice.

In the corner, there was still silence.

He stepped forward gently, and by the light of the moon outside the window, he finally saw the huddled man.

was involved in an unbelievable case, which involved the painful past, and wanted to find a corner to release his sadness.

There was a slight pain in his heart, and he blamed him for being too careless today and ignoring the changes in her mood.

He should have thought that such a bizarre case, going in and out of the funeral home, made her irrepressibly remember her family after all. She should have known that she had nowhere to go, she had always been afraid of causing trouble to others, and at this time, she would not find someone to share her sorrow.

But I didn't expect her to squat in the corner stupidly like this, licking her wounds by herself.

Zhu Jinchuan had noticed a strange habit of Ling Li a long time ago. Whenever she cried, she always squatted on the ground, buried her head in her knees, as if she wanted to hide all her tears, stubborn and funny.

Since she was six years old, it has been such a habit.

He stopped more than a meter away from her, squatted down as she did, softened his voice, and left her feel safe at a distance.

"Where did you get the key?" The first sentence he blurted out was not what he thought at all - just to save some face for this stubborn little girl.

It was a long time before a nasal answer came from the corner: "I...... Know that you have to work overtime...... Looking for Sister Lin's ......"

The short passage was intermittent, his breath was unsteady, and he gasped from time to time.

It can be seen how bad I cried just now.

Zhu Jinchuan sighed, not knowing what to say to her.

Call her stubborn, call her stupid, or call her stupid?

Many words turned back in my heart, and when I spoke, they became one: "Frightened by me, right?" ”

Ling Li seemed to be stopped by his question, and it took a while before answering, "Hmm." ”

Zhu Jinchuan smiled: "Have you eaten dinner?" If I didn't eat it, I just wanted to have a late-night snack. ”

She shook her head slightly, raised her eyes, and met Zhu Jinchuan's eyes.

He was stunned.

The moonlight gilded her long silky hair with a faint silver edge, and her large pupils shone with water, and even if the light was weak, he could see that one of her eyes was slightly swollen.

"Master, I don't want to eat, I'll be fine for a while."

She spoke intermittently, and when she heard the voice, the tears that seemed to be easily stopped came down again.

Zhu Jinchuan was silent, he didn't know how to persuade her, so he could only listen to her.

Ling Li lowered her head and wept: "I'm really fine, I just miss them, I miss them very much, I miss them very much...... It's fine after tonight, and I'll get to work tomorrow morning. ”

Zhu Jinchuan sighed, and he didn't know how to say the stubborn girl.

He got up, went closer to her, half-knelt, as tall as her, and then subconsciously raised his hand, which was supposed to take her into his arms, and his arm stagnated in the air, and finally landed gently on her thin back.

He patted gently, like coaxing a child, and whispered: "Don't be afraid, you can cry if you want to, cry and swollen your eyes, Master will give you a holiday." ”