Sheng Qingrang
Zong Ying narrowed her eyes. She said, “His tone was strange, he didn’t seem quite like a thief. Maybe we got some wires crossed somewhere.”
Xue Xuanqing shook her head, “Regardless, it’s not right. Still, it’s your business, so I’ll leave you to handle it.”
She fished out her lighter to try to light her cigarette, but it never fired. Her anxiety was growing, so she turned and headed straight for the kitchen. She lit her cigarette on the stove and took a deep hit. Finally, she got right to the point.
Xue Xuanqing leaned over the counter and said, “Remember the scene you pushed on me in the middle of the night? Take a guess at who the perpetrator was.”
Zong Ying took off her latex gloves and sat back on the sofa. She picked up the unlit cigarette again. “Why don’t you just tell me?”
“Xing Xueyi.”
There was a slight pause in Zong Ying’s movement before she slowly turned the cigarette.
“Uncle Zong Yu, right?” Xue Xuanqing exhaled a smoke ring and sighed again. “Zong Yu was in the car with him, and it was only when he was admitted to the hospital with serious injuries and needed blood that their family reached out to you for help.” Her lips curled coldly as she stated what she had deduced. “They only thought of you when they needed you, so forgive me for not seeing an ounce of sincerity in their actions.”
Zong Ying put down her cigarette and crossed her arms, “Let’s not talk about that.”
“Then we’ll talk about something else.” Xue Xuanqing flicked the ashes of her cigarette into the sink.
“What do you want to know?”
“The situation at the scene.”
Xue Xuanqing took another puff of her cigarette and frowned back at her, “The vehicle lost control and collided with three other cars on the roadway, eventually hitting a concrete wall and almost destroying the front of the car. Xing Xueyi was killed on the spot, but Zong Yu survived because he was in the backseat.”
“Is that all?”
“Two other adults died and two were slightly injured.” Xue Xuanqing’s voice was devoid of any emotion, but her eyes narrowed in the smoke. “Xing Xueyi’s death fits the characteristics of a vehicular accident, but there’s something more to it.” She suddenly turned around and pulled back the thick curtains. The morning light flooded in, and Zong Ying instinctively tilted her head to avoid it.
“Watch the news for yourself.”
Xue Xuanqing said. She pulled up the headlines and tossed her phone over to her.
Zong Ying looked down and browsed through the news. Keywords jumped out at her.
“Serial car accident involving Xing, head of Xinxi Drug Research Institute and Zong, son of a senior Xinxi Pharmaceuticals executive. Drugs suspected to have been found in the car. News blackout, refusal to be interviewed. A pregnant woman and a man died on the spot.”
Zong Ying scrolled down. She was greeted by a series of accompanying pictures of the accident scene, the first aid scene, photos of family members …… And finally, herself, blocking the side of her face.
Zong Ying swept her thumbs over the picture and raised her head, meeting Xue Xuanqing’s eyes squarely.
“Can you not block yourself right? What’s the point of just blocking your face?” Xue Xuanqing turned on the tap and extinguished her cigarette in the sink. “With that police number, you’ll be exposed soon enough. That’s just how it works.”
Zong Ying clicked on the comment section. There was a barrage of questions and speculation. They were like detectives with their sleeves all rolled up, ready to go to battle.
She asked, “What was the cause of the car going out of control?”
“The probability of mechanical failure is very low. Eight or nine times out of ten, it was human. Another question: “Is it true that ‘drugs were found’?”
“Suspicious substances were found in Xing Xueyi’s bag and have been sent for testing. As for whether he was driving under the influence of drugs, we have to wait for further laboratory reports.” Xue Xuanqing added after a pause, “I heard that Xinxi will be putting a new drug on the market soon. A drug use scandal also broke out at the Drug Research Institute, so I guess there won’t be good days ahead.”
Zong Ying swiped out of the news page, while Xue Xuanqing went straight to the electric kettle because her throat was dry.
She took a cup and filled it with warm water. Zong Ying suddenly looked up, and her tone grew agitated. “Don’t drink that!”
Xue Xuanqing ignored her and tilted her head to drink the water.
Failing to dissuade her, Zong Ying got up and snatched the cup from her hand. She took the kettle and poured the water into the sink.
“Have you gone insane?” Xue Xuanqing yelled at her.
Zong Ying did not bother with an explanation.
She merely pulled open the fridge door and gave her an unopened can of tea. She even popped the tab for her.
Only then did Xue Xuanqing notice her band-aid-covered palm. Blood had begun to seep from the wound that had been reopened from the force used.
Zong Ying withdrew her hand and glanced at the time. “It’s late, you should go back to the station and hand it over. Unfortunately, I will be recusing myself from this case. Thank you.”
Xue Xuanqing had nothing more to say, so she merely fished her wallet out of her pocket and handed it to Zong Ying. “Don’t lose it again.”
Zong Ying responded by handing her back her phone and walking her to the door.
Just as she was about to enter the lift, Xue Xuanqing suddenly turned her head and started, “Zong Ying…” However, she thought better of it and eventually just said, “Get some rest.”
Zong Ying stood at the door and nodded seriously.
After seeing her off, Zong Ying closed the door. She reopened the cupboard and took the envelope from the wooden box. A book and a piece of paper fell out of it.
She unfolded the letter. It read –
[ Miss Zong,
I have taken great liberty to leave you a letter. I am sure you are troubled, so if you have the time and are amenable, please stay in the flat. We will meet again at ten o’clock in the evening to talk.
I hope that you will not be alarmed. May you have good health and joy. I wish you all the best.
Sheng Qingrang, the morning of the twenty-third.]
☘☘☘
The author has something to say:
Mr. No Rush: I apologize for the break-in at the flat.
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Thank you for the reward
I’ve been stoned, please accept my knee