Chapter 14 The Big Brother Brick

Chapter Fourteen: The Big Brother

The attitudes and behavior of Song Chengliang’s parents and sister left An Changpu and Qin Ruonan pondering for quite some time. Were it not for genuine financial difficulties, no one would likely have willingly proposed a private settlement with a murderer in exchange for a substantial sum of psychological compensation.

After Song Chengliang’s death, the property and savings he left behind would naturally pass to his parents once the case was resolved—perhaps a timely relief for the Song family’s pressing troubles.

On one hand, why Song Chengliang concealed his family’s income and assets from his parents remained a mystery. On the other, Tian Yang made an important call, revealing that the hooligan recognized by the barber had been located and his movements confirmed.

Upon hearing this, An Changpu and Qin Ruonan promptly set out.

Finding the hooligan was not difficult. When they arrived, he was napping at home. Groggily opening the door and seeing unfamiliar faces, he was initially confused. But once An Changpu identified himself, the hooligan relaxed noticeably rather than becoming tense.

“You’ve got nerves of steel,” An Changpu remarked, noticing the man’s obvious ease, and couldn’t help but chuckle.

The hooligan seemed pleased with what might be considered a compliment, nodding smugly. “Of course. I might not be a good guy, but I steer clear of serious crime. You don’t have to give me a certificate of good conduct—if you come knocking, I’m not afraid!”

He leaned lazily against the doorframe, showing no intention of inviting them inside. An Changpu and Qin Ruonan had little interest in entering either. If the barber’s description was accurate, this hooligan was likely a minor player with no direct connection to Cui Lidong.

“Do you know Cui Lidong?” Qin Ruonan asked.

“Nope,” the man shook his head.

Qin Ruonan pulled out a photo and handed it over. The hooligan examined it for a moment, baring his teeth with a grin but unable to keep a serious face. “Looks kinda familiar, but I can’t quite place him.”

“Look closely. This person is suspected of intentional homicide. Shouldn’t he be your friend?” An Changpu asked from the side.

The hooligan’s expression changed instantly. As if afraid of catching some terrible disease, he hastily returned the photo and theatrically wiped his hands on his shirt. “I’m no friend of his! We’re barely acquainted!”

“Weren’t you just saying you couldn’t recognize him?”

“Don’t you know people have potential? Sometimes fright can jog memories you didn’t have before!” The hooligan laughed off Qin Ruonan’s questioning, holding up three fingers solemnly. “I swear on the lights, that guy isn’t my friend. He’s a friend of a friend of mine. Neither he nor I are close—no deep ties whatsoever. I’ve only seen him once, tagging along with my friend. They might have some business, but I don’t know anything about it. If you want to find someone or ask questions, go to my friend. I’m not telling you a thing.”

His words twisted and turned into a tongue-twister. An Changpu pressed on, “Do you know where your not-so-close friend is?”

“I do. But if you find him, don’t say it was me who told you. He’s not like me—doesn’t like dealing with cops. We live in the same place; if he finds out I deliberately got him into trouble, it won’t look good for me! Also, don’t get your hopes too high. From what I gather, my friend and his friend aren’t that tight. Seems like that guy doesn’t really want to associate with their crowd much.” The hooligan offered his advice gravely, then, after a moment’s thought, gave two addresses. “If he’s not at the first place, then he’s definitely at the second.”

An Changpu jotted down the addresses and double-checked them with the hooligan. As they left, he habitually glanced at the door number. Noticing this, the hooligan chuckled, “No need to look around. I’ve only got this one apartment. Can’t run!”

After heading downstairs, Qin Ruonan asked, “There’s still no clear lead. Why did you so boldly accuse Cui Lidong of murder when you spoke to that guy?”

“It’s a tactical move. I only said ‘suspected’—didn’t declare him the real culprit. Cui Lidong is in police custody. Saying this isn’t wrong. Think about it: the barber said that hooligan’s conflict with a restaurant owner forced the latter to compromise, even though no laws were broken. That shows the hooligan’s character—he’s no good, but he tries hard to avoid serious crimes. If we hadn’t made him think Cui Lidong was trouble, he might have kept dodging us.” An Changpu explained his reasoning.

After weighing it quickly, Qin Ruonan had to admit he made sense. They had at least accomplished the sole objective of their visit.

The next step was to find Guan Heshun, nicknamed “Big Brother,” the man familiar with Cui Lidong who often came to the barber shop. According to the hooligan, Guan Heshun wasn’t originally from City C but came here later. He knew the hooligan and some so-called street friends, thus indirectly knowing Cui Lidong.

The hooligan gave An Changpu two addresses: one was a billiards hall on a certain street, closer to the hooligan’s residence. An Changpu and Qin Ruonan decided to try there first but found that although people seemed familiar with Guan Heshun and said he usually came around this time, he hadn’t shown up yet.

With Guan Heshun absent, the second address became their next destination.

The second location was a soon-to-be-demolished residential area not far from the billiards hall, about a ten-minute drive. Many houses had demolition notices or large “demolish” signs posted. Narrow alleys were crowded, especially with storage sheds or piles of clutter in front of many homes.

Whether intentionally or not, the hooligan hadn’t specified a precise house number for the second address. An Changpu and Qin Ruonan had to ask neighbors along the way. Initially, several people claimed not to know the man they were seeking. Finally, they met a man who immediately shook his head at the name Guan Heshun but, upon hearing An Changpu’s question, raised his hand to help point the way. He paused, then pointed to a young man swaying as he stepped out the door.

“Isn’t that Guan Heshun?” he said, then called out warmly, “Guan Heshun, someone’s looking for you!”

Hearing this, Guan Heshun stood up and looked curiously at An Changpu and Qin Ruonan. They approached him, and just as An Changpu began to speak, “You’re Guan Heshun, right? We are—” Guan Heshun abruptly turned and sprinted away.

An Changpu and Qin Ruonan froze briefly, then gave chase.

Guan Heshun was short and lean, running like a startled rabbit. The twisting alleys worked to his advantage, but An Changpu and Qin Ruonan, unfamiliar with the route, struggled to close the gap. Several times, they nearly tripped over debris by the roadside.

While chasing, An Changpu barked to Qin Ruonan, “I’ve got this. No need for you to rush ahead!”

“This time is different. I’m not acting alone. Just watch yourself!” Qin Ruonan gasped, refusing to slow down as she pressed forward.

They pursued Guan Heshun for some time until their strength began to wane. Guan Heshun seemed to tire as well. Perhaps if the chase continued, he would give up first. But An Changpu and Qin Ruonan weren’t willing to gamble on who would falter first.

“Follow him!” An Changpu ordered Qin Ruonan, then veered into a side alley.

Qin Ruonan didn’t hesitate, continuing the chase. Guan Heshun glanced back, panting, and upon seeing only Qin Ruonan behind him, a relieved expression crossed his face.

Determined, Qin Ruonan pushed harder. Observers in the alley watched the two running—one chasing, one fleeing—with curiosity, whispering amongst themselves but offering no aid.

Unaware that the slender young woman behind him possessed such stamina and burst speed, Guan Heshun panicked as Qin Ruonan closed in. He summoned whatever strength remained to surge forward but failed to notice a man suddenly emerging from an alley ahead, arms outstretched.

With a thud, Guan Heshun collided with An Changpu’s arm and fell backwards, landing flat on the ground with a muffled grunt, too exhausted to rise.

“You run so well. Why not join the track team?” An Changpu panted, bending to haul Guan Heshun up. The maneuver to flank him earlier had taken considerable effort.

Guan Heshun was too breathless to speak, his body limp as wet clay. Without An Changpu’s support, standing would have been difficult.

“Here, you take the keys and drive!” An Changpu tossed the car keys to Qin Ruonan, supporting Guan Heshun as he limped ahead.

Qin Ruonan’s gaze flicked briefly to An Changpu’s left ankle, then she sighed softly, following them toward the parked car.

Grateful thanks to Kazamino Tsukiko for the pink ticket! Bow!