Be in low spirits

Li Li's hand stopped in mid-air, feeling a little awkward. Kong Zhixi also felt a little awkward, breaking the silence and asking, "...was that case...delayed?"

Li Li took his hand back and said, "Don't worry, we can go tomorrow. The teacher lives in the countryside and we can't make it today."

"Have I slept for a long time?" Kong Zhixi still didn't understand the game, and she didn't understand why she fainted uncontrollably.

"It will be fine soon." Li Li was silent for a long time before answering.

"Hmm?" This answer seemed to be within her expectations, yet also beyond her expectations.

"There seems to be new clues in Li Xiuli's case." Li Li deliberately changed the subject.

"what?"

"One of her clients is from Tuhao, and it is understood that they had contact on the same day."

"Then go quickly." Kong Zhixi was a little anxious and threw off the quilt and was about to run out.

"He came to turn himself in." No one knew what was going on with Li Li. He blurted out these words half-heartedly today.

"Turn himself in?" If this person turned himself in, then why did they investigate him for so long?

"Yes, surrender." Li Li poured a glass of water for Kong Zhixi.

"So why did he put the body there?" Kong Zhixi asked after taking a sip of water.

"Go to the interrogation room and ask." Li Li continued to sit back on the stool and looked through the information.

Kong Zhixi took the recorder and went to the interrogation room. She looked through the glass window at the suspect sitting there. He was older and didn't look like someone who had the strength to move a body, nor did he look like someone who could clean up all the traces. Although his shirt was very textured, the subtle oil spots on his chest, the tie he wore, and the mud spots on his leather shoes all showed that he didn't pay attention to details.

He looked around, raising his hands from time to time to look at the handcuffs. The handcuffs made a hollow sound, which was very harsh in that environment.

Kong Zhixi pushed the door open, opened the recorder, put down the notebook, held the pen in her hand, and asked seriously, "Name?"

"Tian Xicai."

"age?"

"62."

"62? Doesn't that mean he's going to retire soon?"

"Yes." He sighed, not sure whether it was because of regret or because he was turning himself in.

"Tell me, how did you kill Li Xiuli?" Although Kong Zhixi felt that this man said that he had killed someone, she still felt that something was strange.

"We had an agreement that she would come to my house every Wednesday to give me a massage. She came late that day and asked me for money when she arrived. We had an argument and I killed her on impulse." When he talked about this, there was no expression on his face, as if he was reading a line he had memorized over and over again.

"Tell me the details."

"We had a big argument, and I got so excited that I pulled out the modified pistol and killed her. After she died, I panicked and thought about how to deal with her body. I bought that villa with embezzled public funds, and no one usually goes there. I usually just go there for fun, so I thought I'd put it in the refrigerator first and no one would find it. Then I thought... I couldn't help it, and I wanted to take a young girl there, so I thought about throwing her away. So I found a time to dump her body by the river."

"If it was an impulsive murder, why did they make up the victim and dress him up?"

"We had a relationship for a long time. After killing her, I regretted it very much, so... I felt very sorry for her, so I..." He covered his face and sighed, unwilling to say anything more.

This expression seemed more like acting to Kong Zhixi. She walked out of the interrogation room with a recorder in her hand. She felt that if the case was closed so hastily, it would be unfair to the deceased, their investigation, and the murderer.

Li Li knew from her dejected look that she didn't believe the murderer was Tian Xicai, and that the murderer deliberately pushed her out to take the blame.

"This is how a homicide works. What we need to do is to unravel the mystery and find out the real culprit." Li Li encouraged her.

"But we don't have any clues, and we can't even tell whether the two crimes were committed by the same person." She understood the logic, but she didn't expect that someone would rather take such a serious crime for the murderer.

"Let's check this Liu Zheqi first. Maybe we can find some clues tomorrow if we ask someone." Li Li still felt that this person was a big suspect.

"Go back and cook. I haven't eaten your cooking for a long time." Li Li continued.

Kong Zhixi nodded, sighing that after so many days, she could finally have a good meal. At the same time, the wound from the surgery faintly appeared on her chest.

In the kitchen, Li Li was helping and Kong Zhixi was the chef, but she was a little absent-minded and her heart still ached.

"What are you thinking about?" Li Li snatched the spatula from her hand and put a spoonful of salt into the pot.

"Tell me, why would Tian Xicai be willing to admit that he was the murderer?" She leaned on the kitchen counter, watching Li Li cooking skillfully.

"This Tian Xicai has a wife and children. I guess the murderer took advantage of his age and had evidence of him embezzling public funds, so he probably just promised to give him some money and the matter would be settled." Li Li was obviously well aware of this routine.

"But isn't this a bit too obvious?" Kong Zhixi felt that if this was deliberately arranged by the murderer, wouldn't it be too obvious?

"Is it possible that this was deliberately arranged by the murderer? What if we suspected wrong from the beginning? Now there is no evidence to show that Liu Zheqi is related to the case." Li Li said, holding up the spatula and looking at Kong Zhixi.

Kong Zhixi nodded. What he said made sense, but what was certain was that Tian Xicai was not the real murderer.

When Kong Zhixi woke up the next morning, she didn't see Li Li, nor did she see breakfast. She washed her face, and based on her memory, she took a taxi to the bureau, but she didn't see him there either.

"This guy... maybe he's out?" She muttered to herself. However, there was breakfast on the desk that she hadn't eaten yet, so she sat down in his usual seat and ate breakfast.

"This is a good place." She said while eating. She suddenly remembered that she had a phone and seemed to be able to call, but... she didn't seem to have Li Li's number.

"Did you eat too much for breakfast?" Li Li's voice sounded behind her, startling her. She turned her chair and saw Li Li, who was covered in dust.

"Where have you been? Making charcoal?" She put down the bun and handed him a piece of paper.

"I received a call last night that a charred body was found in the night market. I saw you were sleeping soundly, so I didn't call you." He took the paper, wiped his face, and picked up another bun.

"New case?" Kong Zhixi felt that this was too frequent. The old case had not been solved yet, and now a new case had come up.

"We can't be sure yet. The body has been moved to the forensic room. We have to wait and see the results of Lao Sui's autopsy." Li Li looked a little tired.

Kong Zhixi asked: "Then are we going to look for that teacher today?"

"Of course, you drive." Li Li threw the car keys to her.

Kong Zhixi stood up and prepared to leave.

Li Li kept his eyes closed and didn't say a word about the new case. Kong Zhixi didn't dare to ask, she just drove silently.

It was already afternoon when they found the teacher. There were many flowers in the teacher's garden, which were in full bloom. After knocking on the door for a long time, no one answered. Li Li had to look around and found the teacher hunched over in the vegetable garden in the backyard. She was a little hard of hearing, so she had to yell at Li Li a few times before she could hear.

She also said to Li Li: "Don't yell so loudly, I can hear you."

"Grandma, we are from the Municipal Public Security Bureau. We would like to ask if you know Liu Zheqi?" Li Li still yelled.

"What? Speak louder!" Grandma hunched over and walked slowly out of the vegetable garden.

"Do you know Liu Zheqi?" Li Li yelled again.

"Oh...you don't have to shout, I can hear you." The old lady waved her hand, motioning for us to go back inside and sit down. Kong Zhixi hurried forward to support her.

Back in the house, the old lady was busy pouring tea for us. Li Li was already tired, and seeing the old lady's slow pace, he couldn't help but feel anxious.

Kong Zhixi followed behind the old lady, fearing that she would fall accidentally.

"Grandma, do you know Liu Zheqi?" Li Li asked again.

"What? Who is it?" Grandma still didn't hear clearly. Li Li was a little impatient and made a sound of "tsk". Kong Zhixi quickly leaned close to her ear and said, "Liu Zheqi, do you know him?"

"Oh, is that Zhezhe? I know you. Was it Zhezhe who called you here?" Grandma heard it clearly this time.