Chapter Eleven: Flat Denial

Although they couldn't be entirely certain yet whether the "Lu Min" or "Lu Bing" mentioned by these people was indeed the person they were searching for, the possibility was quite high. After all, how many men in their fifties would undergo breast augmentation or gender reassignment surgery?

"How exactly is this Lu Min notorious? You’re not referring to his surgery, are you? I believe everyone has the right to decide how they want to live," Qin Ruonan began to probe, deliberately expressing understanding and sympathy toward Lu Min's actions.

"Oh, listen to yourself! Sure, everyone has their own way of living, but are you living all by yourself? Is your life just about having fun? A grown man, at his age, with his parents so angry that they died, neglecting his wife and child, obsessed with becoming a woman and dolling himself up. That's not about having the right to live as you please—that's selfish! What man behaves like that? If I just wanted to enjoy myself, I'd be sitting here basking in the sun and eating dust!" Before the original driver could respond, a chubby driver with a dark mole on his face, who had been silently observing, spoke up first. His tone and expression were openly contemptuous, as if he had long harbored resentment toward Lu Min.

As soon as An Changpu heard this, he immediately focused his attention on the man with the mole. "Are you well acquainted with Lu Min?"

Upon hearing this, the mole shook his head vigorously as if something disgusting had gotten stuck in his hair, hastily denying, "I'm not close with someone like him! Don't interview me about his matters!"

His behavior was a classic case of protesting too much—the more he tried to distance himself, the more it suggested he knew Lu Min well. From his words, it was clear he had already assumed An Changpu and Qin Ruonan were gossip reporters.

"If you're not familiar, then all these bad things you've said about Lu Min lack credibility, don't they?" Qin Ruonan deliberately provoked him.

The man with the mole didn't have much awareness of self-protection, nor did he realize that the two before him were not reporters but detectives. With less psychological burden, Qin Ruonan's provocation made him bristle, his face tinged with offended indignation. "How is what I say not credible? I never talk nonsense! I stay away from him because I find him shameful, but that doesn't mean I don't know about his affairs! If you must know, our families are distantly related!"

"In that case, tell us about Lu Min. We won't reveal our source," An Changpu offered, only then realizing he had inadvertently become the "good cop" between the two. Usually, unless paired with someone more senior or imposing like Cheng Feng or Tian Yang, he was the "bad cop," especially when working with a female detective. This was his first time playing the good cop in such a partnership, and it felt quite awkward.

"Whether you reveal it or not, I don't care. With his abilities, whether he's a woman or still a man, I'm not afraid of him." The mole waved dismissively, as if swatting away a fly. "Our families really are distant relatives, there's some blood relation, but we don't interact much. I only see him at the market, never visit his family, and what I know comes from other relatives and elders. They say he never does any work at home; his wife manages everything—both supporting the family and caring for the child. Before he became a woman, he wasn't much of a man either. Our relatives all say he must have had extraordinary luck to marry such a virtuous wife, and yet he doesn't appreciate her! Even his parents, driven to their graves by his desire to become a woman!"

"Does Lu Min frequent this area?" An Changpu pressed. The mole's information was worth considering, but it needed verification, as it could be tainted by rumors. Its value depended on whether the body they found was indeed Lu Min.

The question was broad, and the mole, having no interest in discussing his embarrassing relative, stayed silent. The others, their curiosity piqued by the mole's earlier gossip, finally seized the opportunity to join in, chattering away.

When it came to Lu Min's whereabouts, the motorcycle taxi drivers' accounts were fairly consistent. While there was some disagreement about when he was last seen, they all agreed Lu Min used to enjoy shopping and showing off in the area, but hadn't been seen for a long time—at least half a year. No one, not even the mole, could explain his long absence.

Everyone viewed Lu Min with the same derisive amusement, as if watching a circus act. They looked down on him, yet found him entertaining, and when asked for their opinion, none offered a single word of praise. He was either called a pervert or said to be mentally unstable.

"If he wanted so much to be a woman, he shouldn't have married in the first place! Just imagine, the child is grown, and suddenly their father becomes their mother—who can handle that? Besides, now his wife is left alone, as if widowed. It's just cruel!" an older motorcycle taxi driver shook his head and sighed.

After chatting with these talkative drivers, An Changpu and Qin Ruonan went to the Jiangkou District Public Security Bureau to investigate Lu Min's household registration. They discovered that "Lu Bing" was merely a name he used informally; he had not officially applied to change his name at the police station. They also obtained Lu Min's home address, which was located in a village some distance from Jiangkou District—not far enough to be remote, but not nearby either.

With the address in hand, An Changpu and Qin Ruonan immediately drove to Lu Min's residence.

The village where Lu Min lived was sparsely populated. Asking around, they finally found the entrance to his home.

Lu Min's house appeared somewhat dilapidated. Standing at the gate, An Changpu and Qin Ruonan didn't rush in but paused to observe. It had once been a respectable home, with a large and spacious yard, but wild grass sprouted unevenly from broken tiles, and the roof, old and missing many shingles, gave the place a desolate and decaying air.

"Is anyone home?" An Changpu called loudly toward the yard.

After several calls, a distant door opened and a middle-aged woman, dressed in dusty clothes and wearing a headscarf, emerged.

Seeing strangers at her gate, the woman approached with a look of confusion and unease. "Who are you looking for?" she asked.

"Hello, we're looking for Lu Min. Is this Lu Min's house?" An Changpu smiled politely.

"No," the woman replied firmly and unexpectedly, giving a clear denial. "You've got the wrong house!"