The investigation continued. The next morning, Chen Shi called Xu Xiaodong to come with him to investigate the case. Xu Xiaodong said to Lin Dongxue who was sitting in the office eating breakfast, "Dongxue, let's go together!"

"Who are you calling?" Chen Shi looked at the office, "There are still people in the office? Could it be that you can see ghosts? Oh my God, could it be the policemen who have died in the line of duty in the past?"

Lin Dongxue sneered and stood up. "Someone has gone blind because the heavens have punished him for doing too many bad things."

Chen Shi said to Xu Xiaodong, "You tell the ghost that I’m not afraid of evil forces because I’m just. Violating other people's privacy, and then imagining dramatic plots to frame others is a sickness and requires treatment!"

Lin Dongxue said to Xu Xiaodong, "Tell the blind man that he knows what he has done. Hiding and concealing things everywhere while pretending to be upright and just is so hypocritical that even Yue Buqun[1] would be defeated!"

"Tell that ghost that unless she apologizes first, she can forget about hearing any explanation. Just let her torture herself with the melodramatic plot that she had imagined!"

"Tell the blind man that he can keep those boring explanations for himself. He’s blind, but I’m not. I know what you did and what you’re thinking!”

Xu Xiaodong said awkwardly, "Why don't you two just quarrel directly? Don’t drag me into this, okay?"

Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue looked at each other. Lin Dongxue sneered and turned her head away. This expression made Chen Shi very angry and he didn't want to argue anymore. He said to Xu Xiaodong, "Let’s go and investigate the case. Once the case is solved, the two of us will go and have a nice meal!"

After getting into the car, Xu Xiaodong asked, "Brother Chen, are you two arguing?"

"Arguing? What argument? My mentality is very good! It's her who’s being unreasonable and causing a ruckus!"

"Brother Chen, do you know? People who quarrel are very immature. You’re being immature right now."

"Cigarettes! Cigarettes! Cigarettes!" Chen Shi hooked his finger.

"Don't. You’ve already quit."

"I quit for an unreasonable woman. I won't avoid it now. Hand me one! It’s just living five minutes less, what's the big deal? As long as I don't stay with her, I can live for several years longer!"

Xu Xiaodong produced the cigarettes and Chen Shi took one out to have a look. However, in the end, he didn’t light it.

"Why are you two arguing?" Xu Xiaodong was puzzled. "When I had a crush on Dongxue in the past, I thought that if I ever got together with her, I’d treat her well everyday… I’m not offending you by saying this, right?"

"No. Don't you usually quarrel with Little Li?"

"We don’t quarrel anymore. Mm... because we broke up."

"No wonder you two aren’t together these days."

"Aiya, it’s a long story!"

There was a car in front of him, and Chen Shi hit his horn. "If I have a choice in my next life, I want to be homosexual. Only men can understand one another. Men and women are creatures from two different planets who are forcibly bonded together due to primitive reproductive needs. This is the source of countless tragedies. Look at these cases. Which one doesn’t involve the mess that is love between men and women? Shitty love. Love is an abnormal psychology without logic. If men and men are together and women and women are together, the world will simply be wonderful!"

Right now, Chen Shi had become a philosopher as if he was possessed by Peng Sijue. This was his anger reaching a certain critical point, taking on a new form.

"Let this kind of world be over!"

"Xiaodong, you’re a policeman, and you’re often not at home. It will be very troublesome to get married in the future. You can just learn from Old Peng and be single for a lifetime. Why want a child or family? It’s not like people surnamed Xu are going to be extinct."

"Let's not talk about this. Let's talk about the case!"

"Okay, we'll talk about the case. Is there any progress?"

"No."

After a moment of silence, Chen Shi said, "In short, she has to take full responsibility for this matter, and she has to apologize. Let her see what dignity is. I will not bow to the evil forces. Even if the evil force has beautiful looks, it’s useless..."

Along the way, Xu Xiaodong was forced to become a trash can.[2] When he got out of the car, he really wanted to pat his ears and pour out all of what he had heard.

The target to be visited that day was Liu Jin. He was a car repairer and fit the characteristics of the suspect: he did not own a house at the moment, he wanted that house, and had participated in all three of the launches. According to a salesperson, when Mr. Li, the second victim, had gotten the house at the second opening, Liu Jin had stopped Mr. Li in the parking lot and quarreled fiercely with him. The reason for the quarrel was unknown.

When they got to the car repair shop, Liu Jin came up to Chen Shi and Xu Xiaodong, wearing an outfit badly-stained with grease. He wiped his hands with a rag and asked, "What can I help you with?"

Xu Xiaodong showed his credentials and left the rest to Chen Shi. Chen Shi asked, "Mr. Liu, have you always intended to purchase House 1818 of Unit C8 in Tiancheng International Housing District?"

Liu Jin's eyes flashed suddenly, "Yes, I'm saving money for it."

"How much is your monthly income?"

"Is this a discriminatory question? Do you think I’m a car repairer and can't afford that apartment?"

"It's just a normal question. Don't think too much."

"I have a monthly income of 4,000 to 5,000, but we sold the house in my hometown so we still have a little savings. Since you’re asking this, you’ve probably seen the house. It’s pretty good, isn’t it? I plan to buy it and bring my parents over. I will live there even after I get married. It’s 180 square meters, more than enough for four people. My whole family is thinking about ways to raise money for this."

"How much more do you need before you can buy the house?"

"Why, do you want to help me make the rest of the payment?" Liu Jin smiled, "It's almost enough. The down payment should be no problem, and the monthly mortgage payment can be paid off slowly! As you all know, I’m a migrant. [3] If I want a Long'an residence permit, I have to first get a house. It’s not easy to find a partner without a house. Women are very realistic these days! Officers, why are you asking about this? What is illegal or criminal about buying a house?"

"Actually, I really want to persuade you not to buy that house, because everyone who has taken a liking to it has met untimely deaths."

The purpose of exposing this matter was to observe Liu Jin's reaction. He opened his eyes wide and said a little excitedly, "Then the price is lowered now? Aiya, you’re not suspecting me, are you?!"

"I’m not suspecting you. We will visit everyone who wants to buy that house."

"How many people died? How much is the house now?"

"The full amount is two million."

"Fuck, it's still so expensive. It’d be good if a few more died... Don't get me wrong. I’m just saying that casually.”

"Are you familiar with Li Xiaolei?"

"No!"

Chen Shi showed him the photos and Liu Jin immediately remembered. "I know what you’re asking. Yes, I had a fight with him at the launch. I asked him to give up the house because I really wanted it. In hindsight, that wasn’t very rational. I’m not the only person who wants the house. Even if he gives it up, I may not be able to get it since that damn real estate company has an internal policy."

"What internal policy?"

"People who buy a house in full have priority. Why? Isn’t this motherfucking discriminating against us poor people? At that time, I sat there waiting from 6:00 in the morning. In the end, he was late but got it first. I was very upset, so I quarreled with him."

1. A character from Jin Yong’s novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer.

2. For people to vent (rubbish) at.

3. People from out-of-town who do not have local residence permits.