freenovelworld Chapter 826 New Discoveries in the Investigation of Widow Li's Interpersonal Relationships
Chapter 826 New Discoveries in the Investigation of Widow Li's Interpersonal Relationships
After learning the crucial clue that Wang Jianjun had close ties with Widow Li, Li Ming decided to investigate Widow Li's network of relationships. The next morning, he led his criminal investigation team back to Hongxing Village. Sunlight streamed onto the winding dirt road, and the roadside weeds swayed gently in the breeze. Beneath the seemingly peaceful village lay many unknown secrets.
Li Ming and his criminal investigation team first went to the village teahouse, a gathering place for villagers to chat and relax, where they were the most well-informed. The teahouse was noisy and filled with the rich aroma of tea. Li Ming entered the teahouse, found a prominent spot to sit down, ordered a pot of tea, and then asked the owner, "Boss, do you know Widow Li from the west end of our village? Who does she usually associate with?" The owner, wiping the table, smiled and said, "Widow Li? It's not easy raising a child alone, so she interacts quite a bit with people in the village. Besides Wang Jianjun, who used to come to see her often, there are also Liu Er and Zhang Mazi; those two also see her quite frequently."
"Liu Er and Zhang Mazi? Can you tell us more about their relationship with Widow Li?" Li Ming pressed. The boss leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "Liu Er is young and strong. He often helps Widow Li with heavy physical labor, like moving things. Zhang Mazi is an idle fellow, but for some reason, he also often goes to Widow Li's house. Some people say their relationship is unusual."
Li Ming and his criminal investigation team meticulously recorded this information and then began interviewing Liu Er and Zhang Mazi separately. They first went to Liu Er's house. His yard was piled high with farm tools, and a large yellow dog lay at the door, barking a few times when it saw people approaching. Hearing the dog bark, Liu Er came out of the house and, upon seeing the police, showed a hint of nervousness on his face.
"Hello, we're from the Municipal Public Security Bureau. We'd like to ask you about something." Li Ming showed his badge and said, "What's your relationship with Widow Li? We heard you often go to her house to help out." Liu Er scratched his head and smiled憨厚ly, saying, "Yes, officer, Widow Li has it tough on her own. I saw she was having difficulties, so I lent a hand. We're all from the same village, so I'll help if I can."
"Besides you, who else is close to her?" Li Ming pressed. Liu Er hesitated for a moment and said, "Zhang Mazi, I guess. That guy does nothing all day and always goes to Widow Li's house. I don't know what he's doing there."
After leaving Liu Er's house, Li Ming and his group went to Zhang Mazi's house. Zhang Mazi's house was somewhat dilapidated, with garbage piled up at the entrance, emitting a foul odor. Zhang Mazi was sitting at the door smoking, and when he saw the police arrive, a hint of panic flashed in his eyes.
"Zhang Mazi, we're investigating Wang Jianjun's case. Your relationship with Widow Li isn't unusual, is it?" Li Ming asked bluntly. Zhang Mazi exhaled a smoke ring and said nonchalantly, "We're just ordinary friends, we chat occasionally, nothing special."
“From what we understand, it’s not that simple. What exactly is going on between you, Liu Er, Wang Jianjun, and Widow Li?” Li Ming stared intently at Zhang Mazi, trying to find a clue in his expression. Zhang Mazi’s eyes darted around, and he stammered, “It’s really nothing, just interactions between friends.”
Under persistent questioning from the police, Zhang Mazi finally relented and revealed an important piece of information: "Once, I went to Widow Li's house and ran into Wang Jianjun there. I don't know why, but the two of them started arguing and even got into a fight. Wang Jianjun overturned Widow Li's table. Seeing that things were getting out of hand, I quickly left."
"What were they arguing about?" Li Ming pressed. Zhang Mazi shook his head and said, "I don't know the specifics. They were arguing fiercely, and I didn't dare to ask too much. But later I heard from Widow Li that Wang Jianjun seemed to be forcing her to do something, which she didn't want to do."
Li Ming realized this was a crucial clue and continued to dig deeper: "What happened after that? Did they meet again?" Zhang Mazi recalled for a moment and said: "Later, I ran into Liu Er outside the village. He was so angry that his face turned red. He was muttering that he wanted to settle accounts with Wang Jianjun, saying that Wang Jianjun had gone too far and even threatened to kill him."
After leaving Zhang Mazi's house, Li Ming immediately reported this important discovery to Qin Chuan. Qin Chuan instructed him to continue to investigate the root cause of the conflict between Liu Er and Wang Jianjun, as well as Liu Er's whereabouts before and after the incident.
Li Ming led his team deep into Hongxing Village again, leaving no corner unexplored as to whether anyone might know anything about Liu Er. They traversed the narrow village roads, visiting and inquiring from house to house, seizing every opportunity to obtain clues.
The next day, Li Ming went to an old man's house. The old man was sitting in the doorway, basking in the sun, fiddling with his pipe. Li Ming greeted him politely, "Hello, sir. I'd like to ask you about someone, Liu Er from the village. Do you know him?" The old man looked up, squinted at Li Ming, tapped his pipe, and said, "Liu Er? I know that kid. What's wrong, officer? What did he do?"
Li Ming smiled and said in a relaxed tone, "It's just a routine investigation. Can you tell me about Liu Er, especially his relationship with the villagers?" The old man took a puff of his cigarette and said slowly, "That Liu Er has a hard life. When he was young, he was dating Wang Jianjun's daughter, Wang Yutong. He was really sincere. The two of them would hang around the village every day, and they looked so sweet together."
Li Ming's heart skipped a beat, and he pressed on, "What happened next? Why didn't they end up together?" The old man sighed, "Wang Jianjun didn't agree. He thought Liu Er's family was poor and incompetent, so he forced them apart. Wang Yutong, that girl, is filial. She listened to her father and married a man from another village."
"What happened to Liu Er after that?" Li Ming continued to ask. The old man frowned and recalled, "Liu Er was really depressed for a while, drowning his sorrows in alcohol every day. But the kid was stubborn, and he gradually cheered himself up, but he never looked for a girlfriend again."
After leaving the old man's house, Li Ming and the criminal investigation team continued their investigation without stopping. They found Liu Er's former friend, who told them that although Wang Yutong had married, her married life was unhappy, and she divorced after only two years. After returning to the village, she and Liu Er began to contact each other again. "They meet secretly, probably rekindling their old flame," Liu Er's friend whispered.
To further verify this situation, Li Ming decided to go find Wang Yutong. Wang Yutong's door was locked. After knocking for a long time, she finally opened the door, looking haggard. A flicker of panic crossed her eyes when she saw the police. "Ms. Wang, we'd like to ask you some questions," Li Ming said. "Have you been in contact with Liu Er recently?"