Chapter 141: Qiu Lei's Escape Thanks to Silence0 for the support and the jade pendant.

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Fat Lu immediately asked what had happened. The police who had rushed in recounted the sequence of events. Qiu Xiao’s older brother, Qiu Lei, had left home early to make his way in the world. Among the local thugs, he was known as Big Lei. Neither Qiu Xiao nor Qiu Lei had married or had children. They were more than ten years apart in age. Above them were their parents, approaching sixty years old.

When Qiu Lei was born, their parents lived in a remote township of Yu City, where they still resided. Both Qiu Lei and Qiu Xiao cramped themselves in their parents’ dilapidated house, without a place of their own. However, after Qiu Xiao fled, he found a secluded three-story brick house. According to Fat Lu’s inquiry, Qiu Xiao said he had bought it cheaply from someone a year ago.

Qiu Xiao claimed that when he was with Hu Yufang, they were inseparable, like glue and paint, and had long pooled their money together. After Hu Yufang’s death, Qiu Xiao took her body, withdrew the money, and bought a three-story house, intending to live peacefully with her corpse.

The police had already investigated. Hu Yufang had received a substantial annual scholarship from Yu City when she arrived years ago, and a year ago, that amount was indeed enough to buy such a rundown brick house. Surprisingly, Qiu Xiao, who usually scavenged for scrap in tattered clothes and with unkempt hair, managed to evade police capture for a whole year.

During the year the police sought Qiu Xiao, they even believed he had long left Yu City. Unexpectedly, he was still local and regularly scavenged for scrap. Only after a year did they receive a lead on him, leading to a late-night raid and arrest. Qiu Lei also had no steady job; years ago, he consorted with other ruffians, cheating and robbing, and was imprisoned for a year.

After his release, Qiu Lei seemed to realize this was unstable, so he began taking odd jobs. However, his temper was fiery; if employers delayed payment, he would severely beat them. Past and present, Qiu Lei mingled with that gang of hooligans and often called on them for help during conflicts.

Though quick-tempered with others, Qiu Lei was very filial to his parents and deeply concerned for his younger brother, albeit sometimes stern. Villagers said Qiu Xiao suffered many beatings from Qiu Lei growing up, but all knew Qiu Lei cared for his brother.

Over the years, though Qiu Lei never held a formal job, he didn’t remain homeless in his parents’ house because all his savings went to supporting his parents and funding Qiu Xiao’s education. Both parents were in poor health and could no longer work the fields, so the burden of earning fell squarely on Qiu Lei’s shoulders.

When Qiu Xiao became wanted by the police a year ago, Qiu Lei made several trips to the police station. Fat Lu recalled that Qiu Lei nearly caused a scene at the precinct and was forcibly removed by officers. During the year the police hunted Qiu Xiao, Qiu Lei was also searching for his brother.

After Qiu Xiao was found again, Qiu Lei brought their parents to the police station to see him just two days ago. In front of the police, Qiu Lei berated Qiu Xiao bitterly, accusing him of ruining a promising future over a corpse. After the harsh words, the three—Qiu Lei and their parents—embraced and wept, with the police eventually helping them leave.

Fat Lu was surprised that only two days later, when the police came to see Qiu Lei again, he suddenly fled. The officers split into a small group to search Qiu Lei’s house, but only found his elderly parents, who were already in tears and bedridden.

The parents told the police that Qiu Lei had gone out for odd jobs and had yet to return, usually coming home at night. The police waited all day, but Qiu Lei did not come back. At first, they worried Qiu Lei might be distracted and in danger while working.

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They went out to search for him but found nothing.

Early this morning, the officers returned to Qiu Lei’s home. Qiu Lei was still absent, but a small-time thug who often worked with him came in. Seeing the police, the thug tried to flee but was quickly caught. Under intense questioning, he revealed that Qiu Lei had asked him to return and tell the parents to take good care of themselves, warning him to be wary if he saw the police.

Qiu Lei told the thug he might never return to Yu City and left a small sum of money for his parents. Hearing this, Fat Lu slammed the table hard and said, “It looks like Qiu Lei is fleeing to avoid punishment.”

I frowned and listened as the officer continued.

He said they had dispatched people to intercept Qiu Lei at train and bus stations, but so much time had passed that they were unsure if they could catch him. Fat Lu cursed again, waved his hand, and sent the officer out. Fat Lu then asked me how I viewed Qiu Lei’s escape.

“Does he have an alibi for the past few days?” I asked.

Fat Lu shook his head and said he would send people to investigate immediately. Then he asked, “Do you suspect Qiu Lei is the criminal?”

An investigation was necessary; without it, Qiu Lei’s suspicion could not be ruled out. However, I thought it unlikely that Qiu Lei was responsible for the recent corpse-related cases. Another incident had occurred, and the condition of the victim’s body aligned more closely with my previous assumptions, strongly suggesting my earlier deductions were largely correct.

According to my theory, the culprit was impoverished, unable even to afford cookware or knives. While Qiu Lei’s family was poor, they were not destitute to that extent. Additionally, I suspected the culprit had long gone hungry, likely skinny and unemployed. Though I had never seen Qiu Lei, Fat Lu told me he did not match the suspect’s description.

After a moment’s thought, I told Fat Lu that Hu Yufang’s death must be reinvestigated promptly.

Qiu Xiao’s reactions nearly confirmed there were hidden truths behind Hu Yufang’s death. At present, no direct evidence linked recent cases of corpse theft and desecration to Qiu Xiao or Hu Yufang. These thefts occurred after news of the corpse incident involving Qiu Xiao and Hu Yufang spread, but the timing of the thefts was before the incident became public.

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The culprit might be trying to challenge judicial authority, possibly creating similar crimes to a high-profile case just uncovered by the police. However, the criminal had begun preparations before the news broke. If coincidence, it was too much of one. My intuition told me these two events must be connected somehow.

Qiu Lei had opposed Qiu Xiao’s relationship with Hu Yufang, giving him ample motive for murder. Given Qiu Lei’s hot temper, if he impulsively feared his brother’s future was ruined by romance, he might well have committed such an act.

Fat Lu considered this for a moment, then shared his plans.

He had notified relevant agencies to heighten vigilance among women across Yu City and instructed the police to watch for suspicious individuals. Yet, without eyewitnesses, Yu City was vast, and if the culprit hid well, the police would struggle to catch them quickly.

However, given the culprit’s desire to defy judicial authority, they might strike again soon, providing the police with an opportunity. Still, Fat Lu was far from relieved; instead, he felt more anxious. If only a few corpses were involved, it was one matter—after all, the victims were dead. But if a living person became a victim, the police’s authority would truly be challenged, and Fat Lu would not speak of glory; it would be a failure of duty.

Fat Lu took several puffs of his cigarette and said he planned to focus all his energy on preventing further crimes. The task of reinvestigating Hu Yufang’s death he would assign to others on his team. He then asked if I wanted to accompany him or join the reinvestigation.

I smiled and without hesitation said I wanted to investigate Hu Yufang’s death.

Fat Lu nodded and we left.

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