Chapter 33: Identification

When the police vehicle returned to Liangang City’s Public Safety Bureau, Zhong Yuxiu, Rao Feifei, Yang Jie, and Xi Junhong were all standing beneath the eaves of the Bureau building. 

Lu Hui exited the car and walked over to them: “What did you find?”

“I went to Peacock Foods. None of Du Chengxian’s coworkers found anything strange.” Zhong Yuxiu spoke first, “If you insist, he is perhaps a bit milder than before.”

“And you?” Lu Hui looked at Rao Feifei. 

“Zhao Zifei said…” Rao Feifei shifted her eyes, “Wang Jing was living better now.”

“Living better now?” Lu Hui turned his head, his gaze landing on Du Chengxian, who was standing behind him, “Looks like your were enlightened by your trip to Zhuchuan Province.”

Du Chengxian smiled slightly but kept mum. 

Ji Fanyang kept watch on Du Chengxian’s hands, which were clenched together behind his back——Du Chengxian was nervous. 

“Let’s go inside to talk.” Lu Hui stepped inside, walking beside Du Chengxian. He lowered his voice and said, “I think your little brother was a bastard.”

Du Chengxian faced him and slanted his head slightly: “Oh?”

Lu Hui smiled mysteriously as he pushed open a vacant interrogation room. He lifted his hand, signaling those behind the one-way mirror to shut off the recording equipment, including the camera and voice recorder. Rao Feifei walked into the interrogation room, confused: “Why?”

Lu Hui blinked, then, as if he had just found a suitable reason, looked at Du Chengxian: “Actually, it doesn’t matter if you admit it or not, because you’ve already been contacted by the police. All I have to do is spread the news that you aren’t Du Chengxian, then wait…” His gaze slid over to the one-way mirror, like he could see Du Huanyue behind it, “For the day your family is torn apart.”

Du Chengxian slowly sat up straight: “You wouldn’t do that.”

“In fact, I would.” Lu Hui pulled out a chair and sat down. The chair was as cold as Lu Hui’s soul[1], “I don’t care.”

“You’re a cop.” Du Chengxian argued rationally, “You can’t use the life of a child as a bargaining chip.”

Rao Feifei stood in the middle of the room, at a loss: “ Should I shut off the recorder now?”

“What do you think?” Lu Hui turned the question over to Du Chengxian, “Are you really worth it for me to break the rules and shut the equipment off?”

Du Chengxian kept silent. His brow relaxed, but his expression, which ought to have been calm and collected, contained a deep constraint. He laced his fingers together, raised his eyes, then returned to the question at hand, full of expectation: “You wouldn’t do that.”

“Regardless of your exact identity before becoming Du Chengxian, you definitely aren’t someone easy to deal with.” Lu Hui’s fingers tapped on the table sequentially, first with his index finger, followed by his middle, ring, and pinky fingers. As they continued to tap one after the other, the oppressive atmosphere grew more tense, “Always trusting in the kindness of others. How have you lived up til now?”

Du Chengxian smiled wryly: “I’ve been comfortable for too long now.” His expression grew solemn, “One piece of information. This is the most I can tell you.”

Lu Hui stared at him: “Something that relates to me?”

“Yes.” Du Chengxian looked at him, his gaze filled with admiration, compassion, or some other emotion along those lines, “Something that relates to you.”

It was Lu Hui who was silent this time. He raised his hand and said to Rao Feifei: “Shut off the equipment.”

Rao Feifei nodded, then withdrew from the interrogation room. 

Lu Hui raised his voice and yelled: “Ji Fanyang, come in!”

“You want other people to be present?” By his expression, Du Chengxian thought it impossible, “This matter concerns life and death.”

Ji Fanyang opened the door and came in: “Chief Lu?”

“Sit down.” Lu Hui said. He looked at Du Chengxian, “It’s because it concerns life and death that he needs to be here.”

“Life and death?” Ji Fanyang said nervously. He caught Lu Hui’s elbow, “Yours?”

“I know of you, Deputy Inspector Lu Hui.” Du Chengxian said, using an unfamiliar title, “You should be grateful that Captain Wei transferred you out of the Public Safety Bureau in time.”

Lu Hui’s lips pressed together, the curve of his jaw stretching taut. He did not like others bringing up his past at all. 

“How about this. I’ll say what I know and you’ll say what you know.” Du Chengxian stated his intention. 

“I’m afraid you aren’t clear on who’s in charge here.” Ji Fanyang said aggressively, his perpetually sunny disposition completely gone, “Did your easy life make you forget even the basic skill of judging a situation?”

Lu Hui’s eyes revealed a trace of a smile: “Du Huanyue knows your identity and decided to cover for you. This isn’t hard to figure out. Your little brother was a bastard.”

“Correct.” Du Chengxian laughed bitterly, “There’s no way to see through someone just by observing them from the outside.” His voice was downcast, like it was enveloped in thick thunder clouds, “He was a pedophile.”  

In that instant, the atmosphere grew still. Lu Hui’s eyebrows shot up. Ji Fanyang’s face went blank. 

Du Chengxian said: “I didn’t know either until about half a year later…Xiao Yue said, ‘Dad, why aren’t you touching me?’” His fist pound on the table, “I was even ashamed before I found out.”

“You were the one being chased. Your younger brother died in your place.” Lu Hui said, “You got the golden ticket.”

“Yes.” Du Chengxian nodded, “I expected that I would die sooner or later. I observed Du Chengxian for over a year.” He supported his forehead on his right hand, “He brought Xiao Yue with him, and I brought her back. It was a perfect substitution.”

“Who is chasing you?” Lu Hui asked. 

Du Chengxian suddenly laughed, revealing a strangely carefree smile. He said: “I’m extremely honored to be your final case.”

“What?” Ji Fanyang frowned, “What are you saying?”

Du Chengxian considered Ji Fanyang: “You’re a friend of Deputy Inspector Lu? Based on my understanding, Deputy Inspector Lu was a lone wolf.”

“You’re saying that the person chasing you is also out to kill me?” Lu Hui narrowed his eyes, “And it has something to do with my final case.”

“The person you killed.” Du Chengxian smiled maliciously with a distorted sense of satisfaction, “The most righteous act and the greatest error of your life.”

Lu Hui was solemn: “You, Wang Jing, and Du Huanyue will be entered into the Witness Protection Program. Chief Zhong Yuxiu will guide you through the process.”

“It wasn’t for myself.” Du Chengxian said, “It was for Du Huanyue.”

“Du Huanyue can’t be left without a father.” Lu Hui said. He stood up, “You’ve lived in Liangang City long enough. You should go home.”

“Lu Hui.” Du Chengxian stood up and stretched out his right hand, “You’re a good person.”

“I’m not.” Lu Hui evaded his hand out of loathing, then left the interrogation room. 

Ji Fanyang stood and asked Du Chengxian: “You mean, Lu Hui’s in danger?”

“He was already a dead man the day he killed them.” Du Chengxian said sympathetically, “He’s a…”

“He’s a very good person. It’s not your place to judge him.” Ji Fanyang was like a hedgehog. He took a step back so he could pass, “Go pick up your daughter.”

Du Chengxian cast a meaningful look at Ji Fanyang, then left the interrogation room. 

Now, Ji Fanyang was the only one remaining in the interrogation room. He stood there in place, his thoughts drifting. 

“Ji Fanyang.” Lu Hui pushed open the door, calling for him impatiently, “What’re you thinking about? It’s time to eat.”

Ji Fanyang was startled out of his reverie. He exited the interrogation room and walked to the cafeteria side by side with Lu Hui: “Originally, we were going to have seafood hotpot.” 

“Now we can only have seafood hotpot instant noodles.” Lu Hui shrugged, “Not much difference.”

“You killed someone.” Ji Fanyang said, “When were you planning to tell me about this?”

“Tomorrow, when we were going to return to Zhuchuan Province and go to Zhongchuan City to pick up the files.” Lu Hui said, “You would find out.”