Zhou Zhimo and the village chief walked side by side: "Is Zhao Hongsheng still in the village?"
The village chief thought for a while and stopped: "I really didn't pay attention. I haven't seen him come out in the past two days."
"But he basically doesn't travel far. He goes to his home to look for it."
"It's not far, just go in at the intersection ahead."
In this way, the village chief led a few people to Zhao Hongsheng's house again.
On the way, the village chief didn't ask any questions, but he also suspected that the police probably felt that the cause of Huang Juhua's death was closely related to these three people.
Zhou Zhimo asked him: "Has Zhao Hongsheng been at home all these years?"
The village chief said: "Yes. He is a bit lonely and not very gregarious."
"No matter what he does, he always makes people feel hard and cold. Everyone in the village knows his temperament. Even if he goes to buy a basket or something, no one will care about his cold face."
"If he goes out, others will definitely not get used to him, and he won't be able to get used to it either."
"Many years ago, when I went out to work, everyone went out to work, and he followed."
"A few days later, he came back in disgrace. When anyone asked, he had a dark face and never said a nice word."
"From then on, no one wanted to take him out, and he didn't want to go out either."
The village chief sighed: "In a blink of an eye, so many years have passed."
He pointed to a few rooms in front of the bamboo forest: "That's Zhao Hongsheng's house."
Zhou Zhimo looked at several houses with earthen walls and tiles: "Has he always lived alone?"
The village chief took a breath and told him: "My wife ran away and I am alone now."
As he spoke, he soon arrived at the door. The village chief saw the lock on the door: "Where are we going? Why aren't we here..."
Zhou Zhimo thought to himself: "Could it be that he really went to work that day?"
I missed it and didn't see Zhao Hongsheng.
Someone in the village saw him: "He came to my house last night and bought some eggs and carried a bag."
Zhou Zhimo was even more worried. Zhao Hongsheng wouldn't run away, right? What about old Fangtou?
No, it was Lao Fangtou who let out the news about Huang Juhua going out to work, but he said it was Zhao Hongsheng who told him.
Zhou Zhimo decided to visit Old Fangtou's house again. He persuaded the village chief who was with him: "How about you go back and rest? I've been to Old Fangtou's place once and I know you."
The village chief smiled bitterly: "I am no longer useful when I am old. Whether there are any young people in the village, I will always bear this name."
Zhou Zhimo comforted her with a smile: "That's because everyone trusts you and you always think about everyone."
The village chief followed him to Lao Fangtou's house. When he saw Zhou Zhimo again, Lao Fangtou still looked unhurried and looked at the group of them with a broom in his hand.
Zhou Zhimo greeted him: "Hello, we are here again."
The village chief introduced: "Old Fangtou, this is Officer Zhou, and those are his colleagues."
"They want to ask something, please tell them."
Old Fangtou didn't understand for a moment: "Are you a policeman?"
Zhou Zhimo smiled and nodded: "Yes. Don't mind if I concealed my identity that day."
"We came here this time because there was a murder on the mountain."
Zhou Zhimo observed Old Fangtou's expression: "Now it is highly probable that the person who was killed is Huang Juhua."
"Last time I heard you say that Huang Juhua went out to work. Did you see her when she left?"
Old Fangtou had some surprise on his face. His eyes glazed over for a moment, and he replied slowly: "I haven't seen it before."
"I heard what Zhao Hongsheng said."
"The fight broke out last time and it was not nice. I never went to her house again."
The village chief sat on a long bench under the big tree: "It doesn't make people worry."
Zhou Zhimo also expressed his doubts: "According to trace analysis, the deceased had been dismembered, and professional tools and techniques were used."
"They are all separated from the joints, and the cuts are very precise, with very few scratches."
"And there was a dispute between you and Huang Juhua."
"If you know something, tell it."
Old Fangtou was anxious: "Do you doubt me?"
He was too anxious to say anything: "Me, that has nothing to do with me."
"It really wasn't me, I didn't do anything."
"It's true that I am a pig butcher, but I have never thought about killing people in my life."
"You can't accuse people unjustly."
Lao Fangtou explained anxiously, eager to tell them that he had nothing to do with Huang Juhua's murder.
Zhou Zhimo told him: "We all rely on evidence when handling cases. We will not jump to conclusions casually. We will wrongly accuse a good person and we will not let a bad person go."
"We need to conduct a routine investigation on you. In addition, we need to take away all your tools for inspection."
Old Fangtou's slightly flushed face was now pale. Zhou Zhimo was worried that he couldn't bear the stimulation and explained to him: "Don't worry, this is our job. The investigation is over. If this matter has nothing to do with you, We won’t make things difficult for you.”
Old Fangtou's eyes were wet: "You guys pulled me into a police car and took me away. In the future, everyone will spread the word that I am a murderer."
"Gossip spreads quickly in the village, and I will be drowned in saliva."
Zhou Zhimo assured him: "We are only taking you for questioning. If anyone asks, we will take you to the slaughterhouse to discuss matters."
"If it has nothing to do with you in the end, we will send you back so that we won't cause you any trouble."
When Zhou Zhimo got to this point, Old Fangtou made a sad face, but he couldn't say anything else.
The village chief spoke: "We have already been to Huang Juhua's house, but no one was there."
"Zhao Hongsheng is also missing."
"You guys have done ridiculous things in the past few years and caused this injustice. Please cooperate with the police in handling the case."
"If it really wasn't you, no one would come to trouble you as long as I'm here."
On the way here, the village chief talked to Zhou Zhimo: "Although Old Fangtou is a pig butcher, he was forced to follow his father since he was a child."
"The old man feels that if he has a craftsmanship, he can always make a living and not be too poor to survive."
"Actually, Old Fangtou is kind-hearted and kind."
"For so many years, I haven't spoken loudly."
"Even this time they fought, Old Fangtou was so scared that he stood still."
"It would be unbearable to think about this happening again when I am old and my children are not around."
The village chief's words caused waves in Zhou Zhimo's heart.
Zhou Zhimo also met Old Fangtou last time and had some chats with him, but he never felt any danger at all.
If it weren't for the test results given by Xiaofeng and just looking at Old Fangtou, it would be hard for him to believe that such an old man could be a murderer.
Moreover, the body was dismembered in such cruel ways and dumped in the wild mountains.
But if it weren't for him, would there be anyone in this village who was more professional than him in this area?
