Chapter 16: The Secret Passage
When Han Yu heard these seemingly calm and gentle conversations, he almost wanted to jump up and applaud Murong - he was so touched to be able to meet someone who could fight with Zhou Erya in his lifetime!
Murong finally helped him choke Zhou Erya once, Han Yu's heart was full of excited old tears, he didn't expect Zhou Erya to have today!
"I'm just standing on the facts and evaluating objectively," Zhou Erya not only didn't get angry, but smiled, "Of course, I also accept the objective or subjective evaluation of others, even if I don't agree with your statement, I will swear to defend your right to speak!" β
Han Yu felt that he had seen a ghost today - Zhou Erya laughed many times in front of outsiders today, and it was still the kind of smile that came from the heart, not the perfunctory smile that usually smiles without smiling, and there are a lot more words.
Judging from all kinds of abnormalities, Zhou Erya is obviously very special to this fiancΓ©e, but she always talks about quitting the marriage, which really makes people can't figure out what he really thinks.
However, Han Yu didn't dare to let him and Murong fight again, for fear that Murong would be angry with his mouth, so he hurriedly said, "It seems to be almost there, is it there?" β
The alley was not deep, and they had reached the bottom of their conversation, and they saw a low and cramped doorway.
"Here we are." Murong took a deep breath, she actually had pressure in her heart.
For the fact that there is no way to change, Han Yu will subconsciously avoid it, but she will not.
But the thought of having to face an old woman who had lost her only daughter made Murong sad and unsure if she would be able to successfully complete the task.
"Please." Han Yu walked to the door and didn't dare to knock on the door, obviously thinking of this as well.
Although the top priority was to solve the case first, thinking that they were about to face a grief-stricken mother, Han Yu felt that it was cruel to say such a thing in person.
Zhou Erya saw that Han Yu and Murong were standing at the door for a long time without moving, he raised his hand, and the white gloves he had put on at some point on his hand - probably on the tram.
"Tuk tuk", Zhou Erya knocked on the wooden board.
Han Yu hesitated for a moment, and also reached out and patted on the wooden door.
"Who?" There was a tired and hoarse voice in the room.
"Hello aunt, I'm Bai Fei's classmate, Murong." Murong cleared his throat and said stiffly.
"Murong? Oh, I heard Bai Fei often mention you......" The voice inside was tinged with a hint of surprise and surprise, and then the door was opened, and a haggard and yellowed face appeared in front of them.
When he saw two tall and strange young men standing outside, Bai Fang's expression froze a little, and he asked suspiciously and carefully, "These two are ......?"
"We are detectives from the Eryu Detective Agency." Zhou Erya glanced at Murong and knew that it was difficult for her to say to Bai Fang that her classmate was dead, so she sighed in her heart and helped her say it directly, "Your daughter fell down the stairs last night and unfortunately died. β
"What...... What the? Bai Fang didn't react for a while, but the blood on her face spread quickly, her sallow face became sallow, and her lips were as pale as paper.
"Please, we're here to find out more about the situation and find out the truth for your daughter." Zhou Erya knew that no matter what euphemistic way he used to tell such a cruel truth, it would be unbearable for his relatives, so he did a bad thing for Murong and directly told Bai Fanggu that her daughter was dead.
Sure enough, Bai Fang's eyes rolled and she fainted.
Murong quickly supported her, but his strength was small, and he was very reluctant to support Bai Fang.
Han Yu also hurriedly reached out to help, and couldn't help complaining about Zhou Erya: "How can you say this directly, the old man can't stand it." β
"Then we should ask her to pour us a cup of tea and talk slowly about her daughter's death?" Zhou Erya has always hit the nail on the head, and no one refutes what he said.
Even Murong knew that he was right, no matter how he said this kind of thing, the old man couldn't bear it.
Carrying Bai Fang into the chair in the room, the first aid that Murong had learned came in handy.
Mother Bai woke up soon and saw the three people in front of her, her eyes were confused for a long time, as if she thought she was dreaming, but she felt that it was not, and suddenly closed her eyes and was about to faint.
"Auntie, I know it's hard for you to accept, but ...... Bai Fei is really gone. Murong hurriedly poured her a little hot water and said in a low voice, "We don't want her to leave in vain, so ......"
She ...... How did she get there? Finally, Bai Fanggu seemed to have gathered enough strength and asked in a trembling voice.
"The stairs fell, and by the time we saw it, it was too late." Murong lowered her head sadly, although she had been calm, there were still tears in the corners of her eyes.
The whole room was shrouded in the pain and sadness of the white-haired man sending the black-haired man, even Han Yu felt breathless, looking at Bai Fanggu's grief-stricken expression, his heart was so uncomfortable that he couldn't ask anything, he just wanted to go out and breathe.
"Oh my God...... My Fei Fei ......" Bai Fanggu squeezed out a mournful cry like a wounded animal, and then lost her voice again.
Her throat seemed to be stuck in something, and she could only gasp for air.
Murong held her hand painfully and gently stroked her back, knowing that nothing could comfort her now.
"She's ...... now. Where is it? After a long time, Bai Fang seemed to have finally eased up, and asked in a hoarse voice.
Her voice was full of sadness, and it seemed to be relieved after all her strength had been drained, and for a while Han Yu couldn't judge what kind of feelings were there.
"Because I had to examine and record the injuries at that time, I was taken away by the patrol room...... The school was supposed to come to inform you this morning, but it was delayed because there were still some suspicious points and negotiations with the patrol room. Murong's voice had a gentle but firm power, and she knew why the school didn't notify Bai Fang in the first place.
It's not that there is any suspicious negotiation, but the school doesn't want to make a big deal about it, and wants to get an agreement with the patrol room first, and then go to appease Bai Fei's family.
After all, Bai Fei is the star of the school club, and she still has a degree of topicality, and if it is not solved properly, it will have a negative impact on the school.
In fact, Murong asked a private detective to investigate this matter, so that the school leaders were also divided into several factions, one faction felt that the rumors of haunting in the school had a worse impact on the students, and it was better to find out clearly, it was better than making people panic.
The other faction felt that it was best to suppress it and appease its relatives, and it would be best to pass quietly, if it weren't for Murong's prominent family background, they would all want to give her a punishment and let her not meddle in her affairs.
There is also a faction that thinks that it is impossible to suppress this matter, after all, Bai Fei herself has a heated discussion, and there will definitely be a report in the newspaper, which will have an impact on the school......
Of course, there are a few teachers who simply feel that they should find out the truth.
These internal disagreements also made the school delay in notifying Bai Fei's family.
Now that Murong can stand here, it means that the school will hand over this matter to her, anyway, the paper can't contain the fire, the school will always send someone to tell Bai Fei the news of her death, so let her inform her first, if Bai Fang makes a big fuss, the school will think of a way to appease her.
"I'm going to see her......" Bai Fang's voice choked, her eyes and the tip of her nose were red, and tears couldn't stop falling.
"The patrol room will arrange for someone to come and pick you up, now ......" Murong knew that if he saw the corpse, Bai Fang would definitely be even more unbearable.
"Now...... We would like to ask you a few questions, we understand your feelings, but in order to find out the cause of Bai Fei's death, please also calm down. Zhou Erya said.
He's always cut straight to the point, and he doesn't want to waste too much time here.
Parting from life and death is the road that people must pass, but some partings come too early and too suddenly, which catches people off guard.
"We ...... We are detectives in charge of school affairs, my name is Han Yu, and this is my partner Zhou Erya. There are some questions, I want to ask Mother Bai...... "Han Yu saw Zhou Erya speak so directly, for fear that Bai Fang would not be able to stand it, but he didn't know how to comfort this grieving old woman.
"Who killed her?" Pain flashed on Bai Fang's face after the vicissitudes of life, and he grabbed Murong's hand tightly and asked.
"We weren't sure if she had fallen or had been killed, so we hired detectives to investigate." Murong said in a low voice.
Bai Fang took a few deep breaths, picked up the water cup on the table with trembling hands, and drank all the hot water in it in one go, unaware that the water was a little hot.
Her hair is tied in a neat bun, because she fainted and tossed just now, it is a little scattered, although the moon-white short robe is a little old, but it is very neat, overall, although she is old now, but the charm still exists, the corners of her eyebrows and eyes, you can see the traces of Bai Fei, when she was young, she should also be a beautiful woman.
"What do you want to ask...... Just ask. β
Her voice was hoarse and tired, like a person dying in the desert, desperate.
Han Yu and Zhou Erya glanced at each other, and Murong silently turned around and poured a cup of hot water for Aunt Fang.
Bai Fanggu suddenly thought of something, stood up on the table, as if she was thirty years old, staggered to the door, probed out to take a look, turned around and slammed the wooden door shut.
Obviously, she also knew that the neighbors here loved to chew their tongues, and she didn't want them to know about Bai Fei now.
Han Yu has seen a little bit of the gossip of these neighbors, if he knew about it, it would definitely be regarded as big news, and he didn't know how to gloat.
Han Yu can fully understand Bai Fang's actions, compared to the death of her daughter, which seems a little unreal, the damage caused by the gossip of the neighbors may be more direct and long-lasting.
Bai Fanggu was now like a snail hiding in her shell, pale and helpless, not wanting to be stung by anything outside.
But for witnesses in this state, Han Yuzhen didn't know how to ask.
- He looked at Zhou Erya pleadingly, hoping that he could get up so that he could keep up.
But Zhou Erya didn't know what she was thinking, and her eyes were fixed on Murong who was pouring water.
Han Yu was helpless, so he could only cough and speak: "We deeply regret Bai Fei's matter......
Bai Fanggu Muran did not react.
She didn't want to hear this kind of empty comfort at all, the only thing she wanted to hear was that everything she had said before was wrong, and her daughter was not dead.
- But obviously it's impossible, Bai Fei's classmate Murong has come over, this can't be said to be a prank.
worked hard to raise his daughter so big, but what he came back was a cold corpse.
Bai Fanggu's heart at this moment did not want the truth and revenge.
She didn't want anything - she just wanted her daughter to come back.
Whatever Han Yu said, she was like a layer of mountains, hazy and couldn't hear clearly, she only felt that her consciousness was drifting away, as if she had returned to more than ten years ago, when Bai Fei was a child, she shouted around her every day, "Mom, Mom, let's play hide and seek......
She was always afraid that her daughter would hide in a dangerous place and never be found again.
Now, I just can't find it anymore......
Bai Fang's tears came out again, and he didn't hear Han Yu's words, so he just kept crying.
The psychological state of the person concerned is actually not suitable for asking more, but since he came, it is already like this, so he can only continue to ask, so as not to cause secondary harm.
The atmosphere was heavy and depressing, and Han Yu looked at Zhou Erya a little helplessly.
Zhou Erya walked to the cabinet next to the wall, looked at the various medals on it, and suddenly asked, "Is Bai Fei very good at reading?" β
His tone was very light and calm, as if he was not talking about the victims, but as if he was visiting and gossiping.
Han Yu glared at him - people had just lost their daughter, so wouldn't it be okay to chat casually?
But I didn't expect Bai Fanggu to hear this, a glimmer of light flashed in her painful eyes, and she finally reacted and nodded like a chicken pecking rice: "Yes, Fei Feike can study, she was always praised by her husband when she went to school in the past, and she was the first in the exam every time." Later, she was admitted to a women's university, and the entrance exam was difficult! At that time, everyone in the neighborhood said that my daughter was a talented woman......"
As she spoke, Bai Fang's tears slipped down again, and these warm memories were now full of sadness.
Han Yu had seen the faces of those neighbors, and praised them to their faces, but they didn't know how to scold them behind their backs.
"When my daughter was three years old, she was able to recite poems and recognize all the shops on this street...... As soon as Bai Fanggu's chatterbox was opened, she couldn't hold her mouth away, and she was completely immersed in memories and muttered to herself.
"You can ask her again."
Zhou Erya turned her head to Han Yu and said lightly in Bai Fanggu's self-talk.
"This ......" Han Yu was a little worried, and asked in a low voice, "She's not in this state, isn't it?" Do you really want to keep asking? β
How strange it was for Bai Fanggu to look at it, Han Yu was also very awkward in his heart, and felt that the questioning was a cruel torture for Fang Gu.
"She subconsciously doesn't want to believe that her daughter is dead, so you can chat with her as if Bai Fei is still alive, and it is much easier to get news."
Zhou Erya is a pragmatist, and he feels that how to face pain is something that everyone should solve.
As for the process, he doesn't care, he just wants to get the result.
Han Yu agreed with Zhou Erya's idea, knowing that this might be the most efficient way, but he always felt a little uncomfortable.
"Ahem, Aunt Fang...... Does Bai Fei usually go home a lot? β
Facing Zhou Erya's gaze, Han Yu could only bite the bullet.
"How can she be free!"
Sure enough, Bai Fanggu's emotions were further mobilized, and she seemed to have really forgotten the fact that her daughter had died.
"Our Bai Fei is very capable, in addition to studying in school, she is also the heroine of the troupe, she is very beautiful, I will find you the stills."
Bai Fanggu didn't need to look for it at all, so she took out a photo album from the cabinet under the desk.
- This is obviously one of her most cherished things, holding it in her hand, like a treasure, and she wants to show off, but she is reluctant.
"Let's see, Miss Bai Fei must be very beautiful."
In order to make a routine, Han Yu could only imitate Zhou Erya's method and speak along with Bai Fanggu.
Bai Fanggu was happy, opened the photo album, and showed them Bai Fei's photos one by one.
ββIn Shanghai this year, the price of taking pictures is expensive.
Bai Fei's family is not very wealthy, but there is no shortage of photos from her childhood to adulthood, which can also be seen in the favor she has received.
When she was a child, Bai Fei was a chubby girl who loved to laugh, with a bow on it in a photo, and her eyes narrowed into a line, which was very cute.
When she reached the girlhood, her figure was obviously slender, and she gradually revealed her feminine charm.
- Thirteen or fourteen-year-old Bai Fei has basically grown up, and she is a graceful beauty, not much different from her appearance as an adult.
Han Yu couldn't bear to look at it.
"Does she have any good friends?"
He closed the album and wanted to continue asking if there would be any useful news.
"Friend......" Bai Fanggu hesitated slightly, thought for a while before saying embarrassed, "In the past, this child had a good relationship with Lu Xiaoping on the other side, and they went to and from school together every day, but then they didn't seem to have much contact." After entering the university, it seems that I didn't even say hello, and I didn't see how to play together, but I ...... I often mention Miss Murong and say that you are a very good friend of hers. β
When Bai Fanggu said this, she looked up at Murong with a sad look in her eyes.
Murong could only approach her comfortingly and gently caress her back.
- used to be good friends with Bai Fei, which Lu Xiaoping did not mention.
But now that the relationship has become like this, it doesn't seem to make much sense to mention it. Han Yu was able to understand Lu Xiaoping's thoughts.
"And what about the other students in the university? Besides Miss Murong, is there anything else that has a good relationship? β
Although he didn't have much hope, Han Yu still asked.
Bai Fanggu frowned and sighed, and shook her head: "I often mention it to those girls in the repertory troupe, and I have persuaded this child many times to let her bring her classmates to play at home, but she is always unwilling to ......."
She paused, with a regretful and sad look on her face: "I know her thoughts, but I'm still afraid that my classmates will dislike the poor family, so I didn't force her." β
Knowing the daughter Mo Ruomu, even Lu Xiaoping can know Bai Fei's thoughts, how could Bai Fanggu, who is a person who has come over, not know?
It's just that she can understand the girl's feelings, so although she was worried about her daughter's friendship, she didn't say anything after all.
Han Yu was silent, and sure enough, this was the case.
He didn't know what to say, but Bai Fanggu suddenly spoke again: "It's just ......"
There was a hint of hesitation in her sad expression, some joy and some worry.
ββ¦β¦ It seems that a boy likes her and often sneaks up in the neighborhood. He thought he didn't know when he looked at me, but in fact I wasn't blind, how could I not see it? And even the neighbors found out, and some rumors ......"
Boy?
Han Yu was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly asked, "What kind of boy is it?" β
Bai Fanggu raised her head slightly, tears still hanging on her face, and recalled: "It's a pretty big boy, about twenty years old, tall and thin, wearing a white shirt every day, looking like a college student nearby." β
Is that him?