chapter 6
Sheng Bianyan’s elder half-brother was an honest, simple farmer. When he learned that we had come to deliver money, he was so grateful he nearly knelt down.
He hurriedly instructed his wife to prepare some local specialty dishes and begged us to stay for a meal.
Hu Hui used his own toilet paper to carefully wipe the mud off his shoes, then meticulously cleaned the bench.
When he looked up and saw me watching him, he smiled and said:
“Minister Rui, let me wipe it for you too, so you don’t get your pants dirty.”
“No need.”
After bustling about for a while, he began to ask Elder Brother Sheng about Sheng Bianyan’s past.
Elder Brother Sheng looked troubled.
“He only comes back once or twice a year, stays for a couple of days, then leaves. There’s really not much to say.”
Hu Hui’s face was tense, his voice cold and stern.
“The company’s money isn’t given for nothing. If you want to get this money, you’ll have to work hard to provide useful information. Good or bad, just tell us everything.”
Elder Brother Sheng immediately became flustered. “…Let me think it over.”
He began to talk, recounting every detail.
From how many awards Sheng Bianyan had won, how many friends he had, what he liked to eat, what he did every time he came back…
Hu Hui didn’t rush him, listening patiently the whole time.
Even when the food was served, Elder Brother Sheng continued to ramble on, jumping from one topic to another.
I hadn’t eaten breakfast and was already hungry, so I said, “Sorry to trouble you,” picked up my chopsticks, and started eating on my own.
Hu Hui glanced at me, then picked up his chopsticks as well, eating while listening.
An hour later.
The meal was finished, and all the questions had been asked.
We said goodbye to Elder Brother Sheng and prepared to head back.
Elder Brother Sheng’s house was on a slope, so the car couldn’t drive up. Hu Hui and I walked toward where the car was parked.
Halfway there, Hu Hui suddenly turned his head casually and asked:
“Minister Rui, are you from Xietian Village?”
I looked at him without answering.
Hu Hui smiled again. “Don’t be upset, Minister Rui. I was just guessing.”
I smiled as well.
“Why do you think that? Tell me your reasoning first.”
He glanced at me and smiled as he spoke:
“Then I’ll just say what I think.”
“On the way here, you asked an old man for directions. As soon as he mentioned the direction of the Reservoir, before he even pointed, your gaze had already shifted to the far right.”
“Just now at the meal, you scooped up some tofu and, quite naturally, ladled some chili oil from the table onto it. I noticed that Elder Brother Sheng and his wife ate it the same way.”
“So I guessed that you’re very familiar with this place. No, I should say you once lived here-or perhaps, you’re from this village.”
As he analyzed, I listened with my eyes downcast, silent for a long time.
After a while, I raised my hand and pointed across the Reservoir.
“See that village? Although it’s only separated from here by the Reservoir, administratively they belong to two different provinces. This is Xietian Village, and that is Rui Family Village. You did observe carefully and dared to make bold deductions. Before I turned nine, I grew up in Rui Family Village.”
Hu Hui smiled, his gaze slyly fixed on me, as if ready to press his advantage and dig out more secrets from me.
“However,” I continued, “this isn’t a secret. The fact that I was once from Rui Family Village is something President Xing has long known. That’s why he arranged for me to coordinate the project with Professor Sheng, and also why he had me come here with you.”
After I finished speaking, I looked at him expressionlessly.
Hu Hui blinked and theatrically slapped his own forehead.
“Sorry, sorry, Minister Rui, I owe you a big apology. That’s just how I am-always suspicious of everything and eliminating possibilities one by one. This bad habit has gotten me in trouble with quite a few people.”
I gave him a cool glance, started walking toward the car, and said mockingly:
“Suspicious of everything? Even President Xing?”
He hurried after me, looking embarrassed.
“To be honest, yes. For a case that’s so clearly a suicide, and with the police having already reached a conclusion, it’s a bit odd for him to ask me to investigate. If I want to rule him out, I have to suspect him first.”
Both times I’d met Hu Hui, he’d struck me as a sycophantic, petty, and cunning man.
But this time, his words were surprisingly frank.
I snorted. “Isn’t that contradictory? If he really did something, why would he bother to hire you?”
Hu Hui chuckled.
“Not necessarily. Although I don’t have proof yet, I can basically confirm that Sheng Bianyan was murdered.”
I stopped in my tracks, slowly turned around, and looked at him:
“Didn’t the police already determine it was suicide?”
Just then, a bird flapped its wings and flew overhead, leaving behind a mournful cry.
He curled his lips into a smile.
“It was suicide-and it was also murder.”