June, and the weather was already very hot. Hu Jia, after a quarrel with Qiao Huali, stormed off in a huff.
He didn't just leave alone; he took Lu Qingqing and Guan Jinsong with him.
As for why he quarreled with Qiao Huali, it was simple: Qiao Huali had interfered with Tang Yinge's case.
During the meeting, Qiao Huali publicly questioned whether Tang Yinge's confession had been coerced, as the evidence, in his opinion, was not strong enough.
Interrogation about leg wraps?
A neighbor turning traitor?
Testimony from the investigating police officers?
Each piece seemed plausible and well-supported, yet all could be fabricated.
Including the evidence provided by Yao Jieyan, Qiao Huali simply refused to acknowledge it.
"This is the investigation record from when Tang Yinge was questioned. He had distinct scratches on his arms and neck. Furthermore, the blood type found on his clothes matched Wei Xiumei's." KuAiδugg
Hu Jia slammed all the evidence onto the table, but Qiao Huali only said, "This only proves he had physical contact with Wei Xiumei. How can it prove he murdered someone?"
Seeing Qiao Huali defending Tang Yinge so fiercely, Hu Jia couldn't help but laugh in exasperation.
The suspect himself confessed, and you're still barking?
Later, Hu Jia heard that Qiao Huali had specifically gone to see Tang Yinge, presumably to understand why he confessed.
However, Hu Jia had already warned Tang Yinge beforehand not to reveal Xie Xi's name or the fact that the police were already investigating the stabbing. He was forbidden to pass any message or warning to Qiao Huali.
Otherwise, he would ensure that Tang Yinge's entire family was reunited in the police station.
Fortunately, Tang Yinge was obedient. He only said that he had been frightened and confessed everything.
Seeing Qiao Huali storm out, Hu Jia gave Tang Yinge a faint smile.
It sent shivers down Tang Yinge's spine.
However, it was precisely because of this incident that Hu Jia seized the opportunity to propose going out for a trip.
From the perspective of others, he seemed angry, expressing his dissatisfaction through a passive approach to his work.
But in reality, Hu Jia was racking his brains for an excuse to visit Zhong County again. This incident, as if delivered by Qiao Huali, was exactly what he, a sleepy person, had been waiting for.
Leng Hua represented that giant rock.
This time, only Hu Jia, Lu Qingqing, and Guan Jinsong came to Zhong County.
A smaller group meant more convenient action.
"I've looked everywhere and can't see anything different about this rock," Guan Jinsong had already walked circles around the stone, almost ready to get down on his hands and knees with a magnifying glass, but still couldn't find any carvings or symbols on it.
Hu Jia also refused to believe it. He examined the giant rock from all angles and fantasized about various possibilities.
Did the direction the rock pointed to hold any mystery?
Did the rock itself represent some special meaning?
Finally, Lu Qingqing couldn't bear to watch any longer. She jumped down, "Move aside. You men are too careless. You're either looking for something or on your way to look for something. This is a job for us women."
If anyone else had said this, Hu Jia would have rolled his eyes.
But since it was Lu Qingqing speaking, Hu Jia smiled indulgently, "I knew your eyes would shine brightly, and you would surely find some clues we missed."
Guan Jinsong: "..."
Lu Qingqing snorted, "Get out of the way, don't block my path."
Hu Jia immediately complied and stepped aside.
Watching this, Guan Jinsong thought, indeed, even the toughest man can't handle a woman tougher than him.
Lu Qingqing also looked very carefully. However, the stone was small. Besides moss, there was nothing else attached to it.
So, even though she widened her eyes, she still found nothing different.
"See? You women aren't any good either," Guan Jinsong teased from the side.
Lu Qingqing fiddled with her hair. Before she could retort, Hu Jia was displeased, "Our Qingqing isn't incapable; it's just that there are no clues here."
Guan Jinsong blinked, "That's a clear double standard."
"What double standard? It sounds like I have no principles. If you think there are clues, go ahead and find them for me."
Hu Jia's words angered Guan Jinsong. "Fine, fine. A lone wolf can't fight a dragon and its mate. I concede."
"Who says there are no clues? I think the clue is about to appear," Lu Qingqing interrupted their bickering.
She was seen squatting at the junction where the giant rock met the mountainside. She moved her hand a couple of times. The mud wedged in the crevice was dug out.
Behind the mud, there was a hole, or you could call it a crevice, a slightly wider one.
It was about 15 centimeters long and about seven or eight centimeters high, but it was blocked by many small stones.
"What is this? Just an ordinary rock crevice?" Guan Jinsong asked uncertainly.
"It might be more than just a crevice. Who would deliberately block a crevice with stones?" Lu Qingqing finished, casting a look, "I've found the spot. Now, the job of digging out the stones is yours."
With that, Lu Qingqing shook her hands. "Ugh, digging out this mud is tiring. My hands are sore."
Upon hearing this, Hu Jia immediately took Lu Qingqing's hand and pretended to blow on it. "Does it hurt? Let me rub it for you. Look, your fingernails are full of mud. Come, I'll take you to wash them."
After speaking, Hu Jia pulled Lu Qingqing along. Just as they were about to climb the mountainside, he seemed to remember something and turned to Guan Jinsong, "Qingqing has found the spot for you. I'm going to take her to rest, so the job of digging out the stones is yours."
Guan Jinsong looked at the loving couple and secretly groaned.
Who said investigating cold cases in Zhong County was a pleasant task? Step forward, and I won't kill you.
...
Tong Hua said smugly, "Alright, you can leave this matter to me."
"Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this has been bothering me, making me unable to eat or sleep. If I hadn't met you, I might have been ruined," Fang Guobin said.
Tong Hua waved his hand, "We two brothers know each other, it's destiny. You won't suffer any losses this time. Don't worry, they won't bother you again. That's protection money; I know it well."
Fang Guobin expressed his deep gratitude, thanked him profusely, and then saw Tong Hua out.
Watching Tong Hua's drunken figure leave, Fang Guobin's smile vanished.
The hook was set.
Qiao Huali felt increasingly uneasy about the recent turn of events. He had a nagging feeling that something had slipped out of his control.
Just yesterday afternoon, Tong Hua was inexplicably arrested.
And the charge against him was bribery.
Qiao Huali almost had a stroke when he inquired about it.
Such an obvious trap, and he hadn't recognized it. He was truly foolish.
The whole thing was simple.
A thug went to collect protection money but was refused.
The thug wasn't particularly aggressive; he just intended to intimidate with his knife.
But to his surprise, the party from whom the protection money was demanded yelled loudly and even tried to attack.
Could the thug tolerate such defiance? He threatened to deal with the other party.
It was at this moment that the person demanding protection money, by coincidence, met Tong Hua.
Tong Hua stepped in to resolve the matter for him, accepting two silver dollars in the process.
This incident spread like wildfire, from one to ten, then to a hundred. Many shopkeepers along the street came to Tong Hua for help.
Tong Hua reveled in it. He thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of power.
Not only could he look down on the people below with arrogance, but he could also fill his own purse.
However, this happiness didn't last long. The anti-corruption and anti-graft departments appeared just as Tong Hua was once again helping someone resolve a similar issue.