Whereas Lu Hui and Ji Fanyang had been heading to the ironmongery shop opened by the deceased Li Peng’s cousin, Li Feng, a name got here in from Rao Feifei: “Chief Lu.” Her voice was as full of life and melodious as a little bit chook, “Li Weiguo is again.”

“The place is he now?” Lu Hui turned up the quantity. 

“At Luowan police precinct.” Rao Feifei answered. 

“You and Sister Yang can chat with him.” Lu Hui stated. He turned to have a look at Ji Fanyang, who was earnestly holding the pocket book and checking the streets they handed by. Lu Hui paused for a second, then stated, “We gained’t be again for some time.”

“Understood.” Rao Feifei stated. 

Lu Hui hung up the cellphone, turned the steering wheel thirty levels. The automobile turned down a small alley, handed three alleyway intersections, then stopped. Lu Hui acquired out of the automobile and walked right into a small ironmongery shop with a slim entrance. 

The store proprietor was huddled behind the counter, reclining comfortably in his chair as he took a nap. Spare elements had piled up right into a disordered mess on the glass counter. A grimy picket cupboard stretched to the ceiling, with metallic elements of all various sizes stuffed inside. Solely the tiny window close to the ceiling let a little bit bit of sunshine in. 

On this soiled, slim, cramped store, Lu Hui glanced round, then rapped on the counter with a knuckle: “Are you Li Feng?”

The shopkeeper’s languid eyes narrowed into slits, and he waved them away: “Not open, verify the subsequent retailer.” He flopped over and deliberate to return to sleep. 

Lu Hui frowned. He picked up a hammer and went to go over, however Ji Fanyang rushed over and took the hammer away: “Chief Lu, Chief Lu, relax.” The younger man put the hammer down calmly, then raised his voice: “You’re Li Feng, proper? We’re from the Linhua Metropolis Public Security Bureau’s Severe Crimes Squad. We’re right here to analyze the loss of life of your cousin, Li Peng.”

The shopkeeper nonetheless didn’t stir. His indolent voice drifted over: “What does Li Peng’s loss of life should do with me?”

Ji Fanyang shook his head. Beside him, the atmospheric stress round Lu Hui had nearly dropped to unfavorable digits. Ji Fanyang launched Lu Hui’s elbow, letting Lu Hui decide up the hammer and pound it down on the chair. 

“Bang!”

The shopkeeper was startled and sat as much as glare at Lu Hui indignantly: “Is that this the way you public officers serve the folks?!”

Ji Fanyang might cease himself from laughing. Lu Hui stated darkly: “Arise your self, or I’ll make you unable to ever arise once more.”

Lu Hui regarded gloomy, his persona acrimonious and eccentric. When he spoke critically, along with his voice low, even the King of Hell must concede considerably; an insignificant, good-for-nothing shopkeeper wasn’t price mentioning. 

Li Feng ceased his blustering without delay and rigorously walked behind the counter: “What do you each need?”

In accordance with process, Ji Fanyang confirmed him his badge. The nice and cozy, sunny younger officer performed the a part of the nice cop: “Li Household Village loses water pumps usually. Are they offered right here?”

Li Feng’s expression tightened. He repeatedly denied it: “What water pumps? I don’t know.”

Lu Hui was not inclined to speak nonsense with him: “Carry out all your account books. I’ll name folks over to analyze them.”

“What do you imply by all of them, I solely have one.” Li Feng pulled out an account e book from behind his desk and pushed it over. 

Lu Hui raised his eyelids and his gaze swept over the third shelf of the picket cupboard. He drew his lips again into an unfriendly, chilly smile: “If I discover a second account e book, it gained’t be so simple as pounding a hammer into your chair.”

Ji Fanyang acted as the nice cop off to the facet: “I counsel you to hearken to our chief. The native police learn about you accepting stolen items. One cost is sufficient so that you can squat in lockup for a number of days, particularly should you offend a legal police officer…” Ji Fanyang stopped right here, smiling meaningfully. 

The great cop, dangerous cop routine would by no means exit of style. Lu Hui and Ji Fanyang’s contrasting personalities labored exceptionally nicely. Li Feng blinked, then trod over to the picket cupboard reluctantly. He reached out a hand and grabbed an account e book from the third shelf, then handed it to Lu Hui: “Right here.” 

Lu Hui flipped by means of the account e book by date to the date two years in the past when the water pump went lacking. Li Feng and Li Peng’s relationship was, as anticipated, dangerous. Recorded within the e book was 【Li Peng: Multistage centrifugal pump/3000 x 4】. He tore off that web page and gave the remaining again to Li Feng. 

“Are we executed?” Li Feng requested as he took the account e book. 

Lu Hui leaned on the counter and inquired: “Have you ever offered any sturdy flashlights?”

“No.” Li Feng shook his head. His eyes lit up, “I noticed a boy from the village purchase one from the shop subsequent door about two weeks in the past.” Whereas his relationship with Li Peng was dangerous, he wouldn’t go as far as to promote out Li Peng’s household. He was impatient to reveal the data to Lu Hui, “His title is Lu Yun. He should have wished to get revenge for Li Peng framing his father and sleeping along with his mom. He’s undoubtedly the one who killed Li Peng!”

The corners of Lu Hui’s lips tilted upwards, and he walked out of the ironmongery shop with out uttering a single phrase. He pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and known as Supervisor Li: “Supervisor Li, Li Feng retains his second account e book within the picket cupboard to the suitable of the counter, on the third shelf. Carry some folks and are available search the place.” 

Ji Fanyang adopted behind him, smiling fortunately. He had a heat disposition, and he regarded ahead to seeing justice served. He particularly favored this type of mischievous trick by Lu Hui. 

“Mm, let’s see what number of days you’ll squat in lockup.” Lu Hui stated. He glanced at Ji Fanyang’s toothy grin and couldn’t assist however smile with him. He put away his cellphone, then patted Ji Fanyang, “Rein it in, Mr. Policeman[1].”

“Mhm, mhm.” 

They walked previous two shops, then entered one other respectable store that Li Feng had talked about. The shopkeeper, who was sitting behind the glass counter, stood up and greeted them warmly: “Do you need to purchase one thing?”

Ji Fanyang flashed his police badge: “We’re the Severe Crimes Squad from Linhua Metropolis’s Public Security Bureau. He’s the chief, Lu Hui. My title is Ji Fanyang. We’re investigating a murder. Might you please inform us if this boy—” He pulled out his cellphone and confirmed an image of Li Yun, “purchased a robust flashlight right here just lately?”

The shopkeeper took the cellphone and punctiliously examined the picture, then stated: “I don’t keep in mind too clearly. The store has a safety digital camera. I might help you verify it.”

“Then we’ll have to hassle you.” Ji Fanyang smiled. 

“It’s no hassle, it’s no hassle.” The shopkeeper rotated and sat subsequent to the show, “About what time?”

“Every week or two in the past.” Ji Fanyang answered. 

The shopkeeper rewound the footage to over two weeks in the past, then turned and instructed them: “How about you look by means of it yourselves.”

“Okay.” Ji Fanyang walked behind the counter, however Lu Hui remained standing in place. 

Ji Fanyang sat the place the shopkeeper had simply been sitting, then turned to have a look at Lu Hui: “You aren’t going to look?”

For one thing as boring as sorting by means of footage, Lu Hui was completely unwilling. He refused: “It’s boring. I don’t need to.”

“I can’t watch all of it on my own.” Ji Fanyang stated, his voice carrying a hint of supplication, “Two folks can examine it extra rigorously.”

Lu Hui hesitated for a second. Earlier than, Lu Hui would by no means in one million years hesitate, however he had. He had not had a good friend since he was fifteen years previous, so for the thirty-two-year-old Lu Hui, the phrase ‘good friend’ was a little bit unfamiliar to him. He wanted a while to get used to this type of good friend relationship, together with issues like accompanying one another and expressing concern for one another. Because it occurs, he was not good at any of this stuff. 

“Lu Hui…” Ji Fanyang noticed Lu Hui’s hesitation and battle, and he was a little bit comfortable. He tried to not waste the chance, so he known as Lu Hui by his title, not his handle ‘Chief Lu,’ like he was an intimate good friend of a few years. 

Lu Hui’s shoulders drooped, and he compromised: “Alright.” He glared on the show with hostility, “I’m going to purchase some snacks and soda. We’ll be losing the afternoon away right here.”

“We’ll be working the afternoon away.” Ji Fanyang corrected.