QTIMP -Chapter 300 Character Persona – Violent (Part 28)

Then an old man came out and said, “Yes, yes, yes. I had just stepped out and heard him scream, so I rushed over right away.

Who would’ve thought? I was just about to reach out and push the door open when I got shoved aside by Old Madam Liu. The door was forced open.

And right then, I saw that girl’s face head-on. I was so frightened I fell straight onto my backside.”

“Besides that girl and the woman in the room at the time, who else was inside?”

The old man tremblingly continued, “Liu family’s eldest son was inside too, but he only came out after hearing the shouting. As soon as he came out, he shut the door.”

At this point, another old woman stepped forward. “That’s right. We even tried to peek inside through the door. Not long after, Liu’s eldest son came out holding a cloth over the child’s face.

He carried the child out and said the girl had died from drinking poison and needed to be buried. We outsiders couldn’t really say anything.

It was only the Wei family’s kid who said they had killed her, and then he ran to the east courtyard to call Officer Sun over.”

Director Song then reached out and patted the child’s head. “Little one, what’s your name?”

The boy turned back to look at his mother, then said, “My name is Wei Chengguang.”

“Wei Chengguang is a brave child. Can you tell Uncle everything you know once more?”

The boy was thin and dark-skinned, but his eyes darted around quickly—clearly a clever child.

“They said Daya died from drinking rat poison on her own, but that’s impossible. Yesterday Daya told me she wanted to learn to read from me, so when she grew up she could leave this home. So Daya must have been killed by her stepmother.”

Just after he finished speaking, his mother quickly covered his mouth and pulled him back.

Her face was pale, lips trembling. “Don’t listen to the child’s nonsense. He’s still young and doesn’t understand anything.”

At that moment, Liu’s eldest son suddenly rushed forward, cursing loudly, “You little bastard! Always sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong—see if I don’t kill you!”

Director Song had his back turned, and Sun Zhenbang was still holding the old lady back, so no one noticed in time. He nearly broke free and rushed at them, almost injuring the child and the woman.

Just as he was about to make contact, Si Qiu lifted her leg and kicked him flying. The entire courtyard erupted in shocked gasps.

Director Song gave her a faint smile.

Then he turned to the child and comforted him, “Little one, you’re very clever and brave. You’ll be a little soldier in the future.”

The boy pulled his mother’s hand down and raised his arm high. “Yes! I am a brave child. I will grow up to be like my father—join the army, fight the enemy, and become a brave soldier!”

His appearance made Director Song quite fond of him, but knowing there was still work to do, he only firmly ruffled the boy’s hair.

He then questioned the neighbors repeatedly. In the end, the Liu family was taken away. With Si Qiu’s earlier display of force, they did not dare resist at all.

Si Qiu came out of the interrogation room, threw her notebook onto the desk, picked up her enamel cup, and drank water loudly.

Sun Zhenbang leaned over and asked, “How is it, Qiuqiu? Still adjusting okay?”

Si Qiu wiped her mouth, sat down in the chair, and sighed. “Sigh… it’s not that I can’t adjust. I’ve just witnessed the diversity of human nature, that’s all.”

A nearby older sister walked over with her tea mug. “What happened? Was it that strange?”

Sun Zhenbang nodded. “More than strange. Just because the little girl ate a bit too much wild vegetables, her stepmother beat her. And after beating her, she wasn’t satisfied—she went over, grabbed her by the neck, and strangled her to death.”

From start to finish, whether it was the father sleeping in the room or the grandmother going out to use the toilet, no matter how miserably the child cried or how pitifully they begged, they acted as if they didn’t hear anything at all.

After hearing this, everyone sighed and shook their heads in dismay.

“How can there be such a father and grandmother?” a young girl from the administrative staff said angrily.

Si Qiu responded quietly, “What else could it be? The stepmother is pregnant—they say it’s a boy.”

Next to her, Sister Hu slammed her enamel mug heavily onto the table.

“I really don’t get it. Just because they’ve got a bit more flesh between their legs, they act like they’re nobility. One by one they start acting all superior—completely forgetting they were all born from women in the first place.”

Sun Zhenbang coughed into his hand. “Uh… I wonder if the cafeteria saved any meals for us. Qiuqiu, did you bring your lunch box? Let’s go check.”

Si Qiu quickly turned and grabbed her bag. “I brought it, I brought it. By the way, is the food in your cafeteria good?”

She asked, but no one answered. When she looked up, she saw Sun Zhenbang staring toward the doorway. The others also turned their heads. She followed their gaze.

A man stood at the doorway, blocking most of the light. The remaining light outlined his figure, and his striking features seemed almost divine in the glow.

When he noticed them looking over, he smiled and walked in. “Qiuqiu, I came earlier, but someone said you were busy, so I packed some food and dishes from a restaurant and brought them for you.”

The others quickly stood up. “Qiuqiu, is this a family member who brought you food?”

“Hello, sister. My name is Ye Shubai, I’m Si Qiu’s neighbor.”

As he said this, he gave a slightly shy smile. “We’ve known each other for a long time.”

The older sister suddenly looked like she understood. She responded with a few “oh, oh” sounds, then turned to the two younger staff members. “Xiao Sun, weren’t you going to the cafeteria? Go ahead. Rongrong, come with me to the archives to find something.”

With that, she pulled the two of them away toward the back.

Si Qiu raised her hand as if to call them back, but a pair of chopsticks was already placed into her hand.

“Qiuqiu, see if these dishes are what you like. If there’s anything you don’t want, just tell me.”

When she opened the containers, it was exactly the same dishes she had picked a few extra bites of the last time they ate together.

Under his gaze, Si Qiu didn’t stand on ceremony and finished the meal.

Afterwards, he took out another lunchbox containing washed and cut fruit.

He didn’t wait for her to finish the fruit. Instead, he packed up the empty containers and took his leave.

As soon as he left, Sister Hu and Rongrong immediately rushed out of the archives room. Si Qiu didn’t mind and pushed the fruit box forward. “Have a bit more to sweeten your mouth.”

Sister Hu picked up a piece of fruit and tossed it into her mouth. “Xiao Qiu, is this guy trying to shut us up?”

Si Qiu nodded. “I’m a bit thin-skinned. I hope sisters will be merciful with their words.”

Sister Hu patted her. “I’m not that kind of person. So what’s going on with that guy?”

As soon as she said it, the three of them burst out laughing, then shifted the topic and chatted while eating fruit.

You really couldn’t tell—but once you left the neighborhood committee, the Public Security Bureau was probably one of the best places for gossip gathering.

It was just that they were too busy, so there wasn’t much time to chat. Mainly because in the early years after the founding of the country, illiteracy was widespread—and legal illiteracy even more so.

All kinds of cases that constantly pushed the limits of people’s worldview kept appearing one after another.

“Qiuqiu, since you’re free right now, write up the report for this case.”