Chapter Sixty: The Assault Incident

When he said this, Qin Ruonan finally noticed that one wall of the small living room had been decorated as a "photo wall." Various photographs, large and small, covered almost the entire surface. She rose and walked over to examine it.

Xie Leming, responding in agreement, followed them with a nervous expression. He stood behind the two young officers, his eyes not on the photos, but rather fixed on the backs of their heads, as if trying to read some kind of information from them.

An Changpu seemed in no hurry to speak to Xie Leming. Instead, he observed the photo wall with leisurely interest. Qin Ruonan glanced over the photos as well, and found that they were indeed all taken back in Xie Leming's hometown. Most were from before the two-story house was built: the family's original dwelling was dilapidated and gave no impression of prosperity.

"Is this the old house before the renovation?" Qin Ruonan turned to ask Xie Leming.

Xie Leming nodded quickly, answering with a near-panicked eagerness, "Yes, yes! The new house was rebuilt just over two years ago. Before that, our circumstances were tough—after supporting my son through school, there was nothing left. The last couple years, my son's job stabilized, things improved, and he was worried I’d be uncomfortable, so he rebuilt the house for me. Don't let the pretty house fool you; it's just an empty shell. Inside, there’s nothing worth mentioning. My son’s only just found his footing, hasn't married yet, and still struggles to take care of himself, let alone an old man like me."

His words drew a suspicious glance from Qin Ruonan, puzzled as to why Xie Leming was suddenly lamenting his hardships and poverty. When they first entered, he’d spoken of his son with satisfaction; now, every word seemed to imply his son was unreliable.

Xie Leming avoided Qin Ruonan’s gaze, looking around at anything but her.

An Changpu glanced indifferently at the two as they spoke, then continued to admire the photos at his own pace, seemingly oblivious even when Qin Ruonan gently nudged his waist.

"Grandpa Xie, you’re quite fashionable! These days, photo walls are all the rage!" An Changpu praised without turning his head after surveying the wall.

Xie Leming did not seem particularly pleased by the compliment; his expression merely softened a little. He stepped forward, gently touching one photo where he stood before the old house, "At my age, what do I know about fashion? My son arranged all this. He said that, this way, I can always see scenes from the past, so I won’t miss the old home just because everything here is unfamiliar."

"That makes sense. Water flows downhill, people strive upward, but it’s hard to leave one’s native land. Suddenly moving from a place you’ve lived so many years to somewhere strange... And these days, living in apartments with security doors, nobody interacts, nobody knows each other. It's a bitter feeling," An Changpu sighed, empathizing deeply with Xie Leming’s situation.

Xie Leming nodded vigorously in agreement, "Exactly! Back in the hometown, I had acquaintances to drink and chat with. Now, living in an apartment, it’s like being a bird in a cage! Besides watching TV, all I can do is tend to a few flowerpots or get some air on the rooftop."

"That must be suffocating!" An Changpu looked at him sympathetically. "Do you want to move back to your old home?"

"No," Xie Leming replied, having spoken so much of his nostalgia. One might have expected him to yearn for his old house and life, but to their surprise, he abruptly changed his tone, answering firmly, "It’s better here in the city! I don’t want to go back."

Qin Ruonan eyed him with skepticism, but An Changpu seemed unfazed by Xie Leming’s contradictory attitude, continuing to peruse the photos with interest.

"Oh, look at that little tricycle! My grandfather had one just like it! When I was a kid, he’d ride it to pick me up from school," An Changpu exclaimed, pointing to a photo where Xie Leming stood in his courtyard, with a blue, paint-chipped tricycle parked behind him.

"I used to ride it to pick up my son, too. When he was in middle school, the school was far from home, so he'd board there. When school started or ended and he had lots of belongings, I’d use the tricycle to fetch him," Xie Leming said, his face lighting up unconsciously at the mention of his son—a glow he himself hadn’t noticed.

An Changpu continued smiling, as if he'd forgotten the purpose of their visit, engrossed in friendly conversation. "True enough! That tricycle must have been handy. Did your son bring it with you when you moved here? If he did, it’d be so convenient for trips to the market, and once he gets married and has kids, you could help fetch your grandchild from kindergarten!"

He lightly touched the photo as he spoke, then warmly drew Xie Leming over to the small sofa.

Seeing this, Qin Ruonan quickly understood his signal. She took out her phone and, unnoticed by Xie Leming, snapped a picture of the photo featuring the tricycle.

Xie Leming, sheltered by An Changpu’s maneuver, did not notice. When asked about the tricycle, his expression darkened further. He answered curtly, "Didn't bring it. It was lost back in the old home."

A tricycle—especially one ridden for years, with much of its paint worn off—has little material value, but merely mentioning it could so visibly affect Xie Leming’s mood. The fleeting displeasure dimmed the pride he’d shown earlier when speaking of his son.

An Changpu seemed oblivious to the shift in Xie Leming’s demeanor and abruptly changed the subject, "Grandpa Xie, aren’t you curious why we came to see you? I nearly forgot to say, and you haven’t asked once!"

"I...?" Caught off guard, Xie Leming stammered, "I wasn’t curious—no, I mean, I am curious! You’re police officers; if you don’t tell me, I don’t dare ask!"

"That’s not right," An Changpu said with a smile. "The police serve the people. We’re police, you’re a citizen—there’s no reason for citizens to fear the police. Only criminals need to be afraid!"

Despite his genial manner, An Changpu’s words made Xie Leming shudder, lowering his head without responding.

Qin Ruonan, having finished taking photos and tucked her phone away, quietly observed Xie Leming, watching his emotional responses.

Xie Leming remained silent, and An Changpu said nothing more. The three sat quietly, as if competing to see who could stay silent longest.

After less than a minute, Xie Leming was the first to break, surrendering with a return to his anxious, apprehensive demeanor. He forced a smile, trying to conceal his troubled thoughts, "So, what brings you here today?"

"Yes," An Changpu replied, now taking his time. "We’d like to ask if you know someone named Lu Min."

At hearing An Changpu use the name "Lu Min" rather than "Lu Bing," Qin Ruonan watched Xie Leming closely. She understood An Changpu’s tactic: first, relax Xie Leming, then abruptly make him nervous by using Lu Min’s real name, hoping to glean insight from his reaction. It was a bold strategy, requiring patience and self-restraint to keep circling around until Xie Leming let his guard down. In these repeated shifts between tension and relaxation, maintaining strict self-control becomes difficult—especially for an ordinary retired worker like Xie Leming, whose stubbornness was tempered by age.

If Xie Leming had had a conflict with Lu Min, one severe enough to threaten Lu Min’s safety, he would surely recognize Lu Min’s real identity. It was unlikely that he would be completely unaware of Lu Min’s real name.

When Xie Leming heard the name "Lu Min" from An Changpu’s lips, his expression instantly darkened. He shook his head firmly, answering without hesitation, "I don’t know this person!"

"Are you sure?" Qin Ruonan stepped closer, not sitting, but looming over him.

Normally, Xie Leming was nearly sixty, more than thirty years older than her and An Changpu. She wouldn’t want to pressure such an elder unless necessary, but ever since they entered, Xie Leming’s behavior had been suspicious, his words evasive—hard not to raise doubts.

"I’m sure," Xie Leming replied, glancing briefly at Qin Ruonan before quickly averting his gaze.

"Perhaps I should show you some photos," Qin Ruonan pressed on, ignoring his denial. "I forgot to mention, Lu Min also goes by Lu Bing. Does that name sound more familiar?"

"Don’t show me the photo! I don’t want to see that person’s picture!" Xie Leming suddenly sprang to his feet, waving his hands to stop her. Before the two could react to his attitude, he collapsed back onto the sofa, covered his face with both hands, and broke down in tears. "Just take me away! I’m the one who hurt him! It was me!"

[Thank you for the pink tickets from Ai5555! Recently, I've seen new friends sending pink tickets, and it warms my heart. Thank you for your support! One last shameless shout: please save your February pink tickets for me! Love you all, mwah!]