Unbeknownst to them, Luo Dayou's "Your Appearance" could be heard in their ears, but the singing voice was Su Xia's off-key shouting.
Gao Da appeared beside Ping An at some unknown time, chattering about something. But why was he trying to pull the arrow from Su Xia's neck?
"Don't pull it!" Ping An stopped Gao Da's hand.
"I wouldn't dare. This is evidence. You'll never be able to wash yourself clean now!" Gao Da said, wiping tears from his face.
"I killed him. What else is there to say?" Ping An replied.
"I asked, and that girl said you didn't kill him!" Gao Da said firmly. "Let's go. It'll be difficult to explain when the police arrive. Those gunshots just now probably mean someone has already called the police."
At the warehouse entrance, Su Tang leaned into Fei Keqing's arms, staring intently at her father.
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"Go! Go!" Seeing Ping An's weak state, Gao Da scooped him up and carried him on his back. He quickly walked to the door and gestured for Fei Keqing to pull Su Tang along.
"I can't go. I'm the victim. I saw everything, and I want to tell the police the truth," Su Tang suddenly said.
"You can't die. Your father sacrificed his life for you. If you dare to testify, someone will silence you. Ren Liu's death is still unclear. There are bad people among the police!" Ping An replied suddenly.
"But you can't get into trouble! I hired a detective to help my father, but I was tricked. Right now, the only one who can avenge my father is you, a half-detective! If you get caught, aren't you afraid of being silenced?" Su Tang looked into Ping An's eyes and said, "You're not a police officer, so you don't know how hard those police officers will try to catch you if one of them is killed. You think you're a god?"
"What kind of bullshit detective! Have you ever seen a detective as unlucky as me? Others have everything under control, and I can't even protect my own brother!" Ping An erupted.
"Slap!" Su Tang suddenly slapped Ping An across the face.
"Hide. After I handle my father's funeral, I'll team up with you. As for Mr. Ke, he's dead!" A flicker of malevolence flashed across Su Tang's eyes.
This slap woke Ping An up. He struggled free from Gao Da's grasp, walked unsteadily to Su Xia's side, knelt down deeply, kowtowed three times heavily, and then walked out of the warehouse without looking back.
"Mr. Ke? You're dead!" Watching Ping An and the others drive away, Su Tang had gradually come out of her initial grief. She glanced at her father and then sat down by the warehouse door, gently touching the wound on her calf, saying fiercely.
When the police cars arrived, Gao Xiaofei and Mei Qian had already been there for ten minutes.
The two of them, having just finished dinner and preparing to go home, suddenly received a call and rushed to the warehouse scene. They only saw Su Tang sitting at the door and Su Xia kneeling inside with an arrow stuck in his neck.
"Where's Ping An?" Gao Xiaofei asked softly with a sigh.
"He left," Su Tang replied calmly.
"Did he kill him?" Gao Xiaofei asked, lowering his head.
"No, my father committed suicide, but Gao Min forced him to," Su Tang continued.
"You witnessed everything?" Gao Xiaofei asked suspiciously.
"Can't you see? My father's hand is still on the arrow shaft," Su Tang said sarcastically to Gao Xiaofei.
"No, I mean, you don't seem to be eighteen yet, right?" Gao Xiaofei didn't know why he said that.
"Here, this is my electronic bracelet. You'll know what's inside when you watch it," Su Tang said, taking off a watch. "I've already uploaded the evidence from earlier to the cloud platform. If you're a bad guy trying to frame Ping An, don't think about hiding the evidence."
"I'm a bad guy! Framing Ping An! Are you kidding me? I'm his closest brother!" Gao Xiaofei was furious when he heard that. If Mei Qian hadn't held him back, he would have taught the young girl a lesson.
"You're Su Tang, right? I'm Mei Qian. Since you've thought of that, I can tell you responsibly that I'm Ping An's future brother-in-law. You can trust me completely, so what else do you have to say?" Mei Qian asked patiently.
"Police officers don't live long! I'll advise Ping An not to marry his sister to you even if he dies!" Su Tang rolled her eyes at Mei Qian, then looked back at her father, forced herself to stand up, and walked towards the ambulance that had just arrived.
"Young girls nowadays don't show any respect!" Mei Qian said to Gao Xiaofei with an awkward expression.
"If it were any other time, I'd repeat this joke a hundred times and laugh at you for a hundred times, but today, I'm not in the mood." Gao Xiaofei put his hands in his pockets and looked at the comrade he had fought alongside. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"What a great older brother, what a great senior," Gao Xiaofei wiped away the tears that had formed with his right hand. It really wasn't the time for sadness, because he knew that Su Xia's death would stir up a storm throughout Hechuan.
Another major case in Hechuan City! A brave people's police officer killed in front of his daughter!
Vice Mayor Wang slammed the table loudly at the meeting, but Xiang Wanqiu received an anonymous text message mid-meeting. It was short, only five words: Mr. Ke is involved!
In the following week, Su Tang gave her statement three times, recounting everything she knew and saw, including meeting the fake Mr. Ke, searching for her father, visiting the warehouse, Liu Juan's murder, her father being forced to commit suicide, and Gao Min making bombs. With the video evidence she provided, the case was basically concluded.
In the hospital, Su Tang hurried towards the cardiology ward with a box of dumplings. Her father's death was a great blow to her mother. After a night of wailing, her mother's old illness recurred, and she was admitted to the hospital. Although she was rescued, the doctor still stated responsibly: "She's not going to make it."
Her father had just passed away, and now her mother was on the verge of death. Fourteen-year-old Su Tang displayed a composure beyond her years, took a long leave of absence from school, and stayed by her mother's side.
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Lin Dang, who was also recovering in the same hospital, discussed with An Jing and prepared to visit Su Xia's wife and Su Tang, but was stopped by Fei Keqing, who knew it wasn't the right time. And under Ping An's "instructions," Fei Keqing secretly gave Su Tang another 30,000 yuan after Su Xia's wife was hospitalized. When Su Tang learned that the money was from Ping An, she accepted it without refusal and put it in her bag with righteous indignation.
"I want to see Ping An." After feeding her mother a few bites of dumplings and seeing her fall asleep again, Su Tang entrusted the nurse with her care, went to Lin Dang's ward, and pulled out Fei Keqing, who was chatting, stating her purpose directly.
"Ping An's intention is that you still need to do more for your mother!" Fei Keqing said.
"Destiny dictates life and death. My mother should have died long ago. If it weren't for my father getting that black money to prolong her life, so many things wouldn't have happened, and my father might not have died," Su Tang said calmly. "Aunt Fei, I've accepted it all. I need Ping An's help, and I can help him. To win, we must join forces!"
"Okay, wait for me in the underground parking lot first. I'll go say hello and come right back," Fei Keqing said.
It had been a week since Su Xia's death.
Su Tang had no time to hold a proper funeral for her father.
The Hebian District Public Security Bureau arranged a memorial service.
Although the concept of "crimes are absolved upon death" does not apply in a society governed by law,
Su Xia was still posthumously recognized as a "martyr" by the Hebian District Public Security Bureau Party Committee due to insufficient evidence.
Regarding the 100,000 yuan matter, even the most critical Huang Sha was unwilling to mention it again.
At the memorial service, Hao Gang cried the most sincerely, calling out "brother" over and over.
However, as soon as the memorial service ended, Gao Xiaofei, with a sinister smile, threw him to the ground with a suplex and then inexplicably handcuffed him.
It was said that Hao Gang cried even louder as he was being put into the police car.
In the underground parking lot of the hospital, the sound of high heels clicked from afar. Soon, the headlights of a black Audi flashed twice. Fei Keqing held her keys, opened the car door, and then looked around for Su Tang.
"Aunt Fei." Su Tang slowly appeared from behind a pillar, but she didn't come closer.
Fei Keqing cautiously observed Su Tang's surroundings, secretly pulling out a spray from her handbag with one hand.
As expected, after Su Tang appeared, a middle-aged man in sunglasses also appeared behind her.
"Hello, Reporter Fei. My surname is Xiang. Don't be afraid. I'm a police officer. This is my badge." The middle-aged man took off his sunglasses and waved his police ID. It was Xiang Wanfeng.
"Are you Team Leader Xiang from the Provincial Department?" Fei Keqing tried hard to recall and indeed remembered.
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"Yes, I urgently need to see Ping An!" Xiang Wanfeng said, stepping forward two steps past Su Tang. "Don't worry, I won't arrest him."
"I'm sorry, I don't quite understand what you mean," Fei Keqing said, pretending to be confused about the person in front of her.
"How about this? You call Ping An and ask him if he's willing to meet Xiang Wanfeng alone," Xiang Wanfeng said.
"I can't contact him, and I won't contact a wanted criminal," Fei Keqing stated her attitude clearly and concisely.
"Well, if, I say if, you meet Ping An this time, please tell him that I'll be waiting for him at Axiang Stinky Tofu Shop at 11 p.m. tonight. Regarding—" Xiang Wanfeng paused, then looked back at Su Tang behind him and said, "Mr. Ke, I have some important information! Also, please tell him to quickly hand over the evidence that will clear his name and stop fooling around. You and he have found a lead on the mastermind who sent Gao Xiaofei to investigate."
"Although I don't know what you're talking about, thank you anyway," Fei Keqing blinked her big eyes and gave Su Tang a look, saying, "Su Tang has something else to do, so we're leaving now."
Su Tang, who had been expressionless the entire time, heard Fei Keqing say this, quickly walked to the Audi, opened the door, and sat in the passenger seat.
"Alas! If you really meet Ping An, please tell him that if he insists on investigating, I can arrange a small team for him. My people, you can rest assured. He's already unlucky enough to be alone, and it's too dangerous." Seeing Fei Keqing's determination to leave, Xiang Wanfeng added.
Seeing Su Tang safely in the car, Fei Keqing smiled politely at Xiang Wanfeng and then started the car and drove out of the underground garage.
"Do you know this Xiang What's-His-Name?" Fei Keqing asked inside the car.
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"I saw him once during the interrogation. When I mentioned Mr. Ke, he appeared, then kicked everyone out and questioned me alone. Finally, he warned me not to speak carelessly outside, as it would be dangerous," Su Tang said.
"Do you think he's a bad guy?" Fei Keqing asked.
"His wife was tricked to death by Mr. Ke!" Su Tang said. "The female teacher Mu Tong, who was sentenced in the 1999 case of a female teacher murdering a student, was his wife. I searched for information about Mr. Ke online for the past few days and found this case."
"Oh, then it seems he's not a bad guy!" Fei Keqing said.
The Audi drove halfway around Hechuan City before heading towards the apartment building opposite the municipal public security bureau.
At this time, Gao Da was cooking in the apartment. Since Su Xia's suicide, Ping An had been hiding in the master bedroom with a bathroom and refused to come out. Gao Da only delivered food daily, and he would open the door a crack, take the bowl, and immediately close the door. He saw no one, not even An Jing, who quietly came to visit her brother. Crying, scolding, and acting spoiled didn't work.
"Oh, Su Tang is here. Just in time for dinner. Sit, sit. How is your mother's health?" Seeing Su Tang arrive, Gao Da hurried to get fruit and pour tea.
"Uncle Gao, don't be busy. I'll be living here for a while," Su Tang said casually as she looked around the apartment.
"Oh! Stay, stay! It's just that this place isn't very safe. How about—" Gao Da thought Su Tang was homeless and asked to stay. He stopped halfway and quickly glanced at Fei Keqing.
"Why don't you stay with Auntie? I live alone in a high-end neighborhood, and it's safe!" Fei Keqing said.
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"Where did my father live before?" Su Tang asked.
"Uh, the one with the balcony," Gao Da pointed helpfully.
"Oh, thank you, Uncle. Thank you, Aunt Fei. It's been seven days, and I haven't slept a good night's sleep. I'm so tired, I want to sleep. Please don't wake me," Su Tang said, then walked into Su Xia's room and closed the door.
Coming here, not seeing Ping An first, but asking to sleep in her father's room. Such abnormal behavior surprised Fei Keqing and Gao Da.
Five minutes later, Fei Keqing quietly leaned against the door and listened, then boldly entered Su Xia's room.
There were no cries, only the sound of deep breathing.
Fei Keqing walked to the bed and saw Su Tang sleeping soundly on the bed, hugging the quilt, without even taking off her shoes.
"Sigh..." Fei Keqing sighed softly, gently took off Su Tang's shoes, covered her with the quilt, and then quietly withdrew from the room, closing the door.
"Poor child. She hasn't cried or made a fuss since the incident. She really doesn't seem like a fourteen-year-old," Fei Keqing said to Gao Da. "Let the child sleep. I'll go buy a black chicken and stew it in a pressure cooker to give the child a good meal tonight."
"Yes, chicken soup is good. I'll make some fine noodles and make noodle soup with chicken soup for the child," Gao Da asked. "By the way, how is the child's mother?"
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"I asked the doctor. I'm afraid it's just a day or two. Her life force is completely gone. She's already lost consciousness. After forcing herself to eat a few dumplings today, she fainted. The doctor told us to prepare for the funeral," Fei Keqing said helplessly. "What a tragedy. Almost overnight, both parents are gone. What will happen to this child in the future?"
"What do you mean, what will happen? Didn't Su Xia entrust the child to Ping An? Ping An, that kid, has money, ability, and talent. Are you afraid the child won't have a place in the future?" Gao Da said, pointing to Ping An's room. "He's like a dead person! He hasn't even eaten a bite of food all day."
Hearing this, Fei Keqing got angry. She walked to Ping An's door and kicked it fiercely.
"Su Tang is here! Aren't you afraid to see her? If you're a man, come out!" Fei Keqing shouted.
"Hey, hey, Little Su is sleeping. Keep your voice down, keep your voice down!" Gao Da quickly stopped her.
"On the way here, someone named Xiang Wanfeng asked me to pass on a message to you. He said he has new information about Mr. Ke and won't arrest you. He wants you to meet him tonight at that damn stinky tofu shop." Fei Keqing continued. "If you heard me, fart loudly and let me be quiet!"
"Pfft!" A loud fart sound came from behind the door.
"You bastard, I'll strangle you!" Fei Keqing was stunned for two seconds and kicked the door again.
Gao Da eventually pulled the cursing Fei Keqing away. For the rest of the time, the two sighed. One went out to buy chicken, and the other kneaded dough at home. When the rich aroma of chicken soup filled the house, Su Tang came out of the room.
"Child, eat noodles and drink chicken soup!" Gao Da tried to adjust his face to look as kind as possible.
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Su Tang didn't speak. Instead, she stood outside Ping An's door.
"Ping... An... Uncle, I'm Su Tang."
"I slept very well."
After saying two sentences, Su Tang clearly didn't know what else to say and stared blankly at the door.
"Su Tang, let's eat first," Fei Keqing said comfortingly from the side.
"I heard... my dad entrusted me to you...
"My dad used to use you as a positive example at home, often saying that you, the son of a murderer, could achieve such great success...
"Do you know that for the past seven days, I've been waiting for you to see me.
"I'm waiting for you to explain why so many things happened.
"Although I know some things have nothing to do with you.
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"But I don't know who to ask!
"For example, right now, I received a call from the hospital. The doctor said my mother is gone..."
At some point, Su Tang's face was covered in tears.
"I've been lying to myself, telling myself that everything will get better.
"I've also been strong, pretending that nothing matters, is that being strong.
"But I can't pretend anymore. I'm tired and exhausted. I have to see so many strangers every day.
"Although I haven't seen you many times.
"But, but, but, didn't my father die in front of you?"
"Why haven't you seen me these seven days?
"Is it because I slapped you?
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"Do you know, I slapped you because I was scared.
"Afraid that no one in the world will care about me anymore..."
"Creak—" The door opened slightly.
An arm stretched out from the room, embraced the weeping Su Tang, and held her tightly.
Ping An, with a full beard, rubbed his red eyes and spoke his first words in seven days: "Don't hold it in. Cry it out!"
Fourteen-year-old Su Tang, a girl with a powerful memory talent, finally let go of her last pretense in this man's embrace—innocence, helplessness, anger, resentment, sadness, timidity, and exhaustion intertwined, culminating in heart-wrenching cries.
The chicken noodle soup in two old bowls had a thick layer of oil on top. Ping An stirred it with chopsticks, took a hearty sip, turned around, looked at Su Tang, who was already devouring her food next to him, smiled with satisfaction, and also started eating heartily.
At the dinner table, this father and daughter, one bored and the other tired from crying, held bowls no smaller than their faces and ate large mouthfuls. Fei Keqing, sitting on the side, had already cried until her eyes were red. Seeing them eat heartily, she couldn't help but ask Gao Da for a bowl and ate with them.
"I'm not worthy of being your father. In the future, I'll be a father to my own children, so—" After finishing the noodles, Ping An, satisfied, lit a cigarette and said to Su Tang, "From now on, you're my disciple. This life, neither of us can break our connection."
"I just want someone to support me. You're thinking too much," Su Tang, now full, clearly returned to her arrogant state.
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"Don't worry about that. You'll live at my place from now on. I'll support you. And in the future, college, graduate school, studying abroad, finding a job, buying a house, and dowry, you don't need to worry about any of that," Ping An said. "You don't have many relatives other than an uncle who married into another family, right? After all the mess is over and your father's revenge is avenged! I'll go through the adoption procedures."
"Do I have to be your disciple? Why do so many people want to take me as a disciple!" Su Tang narrowed her eyes and asked melancholically.
"Who else?" Ping An asked.
"Mr. Ke!" Su Tang said provocatively. "She said I have a talent for being a detective!"
"Nonsense! Following him is not being a detective, it's being a criminal!" Ping An said disdainfully. "There's no choice, you're my disciple! The辈分 (bèi fèn - generation/status) is enough, and the name is right!"
"Alas, let me try calling you that!" Su Tang said sheepishly, "Master!"
"You're hailing a taxi!" Ping An said. "Don't play word games with me. The 'fu' in 'shifu' is the 'fu' in father. It should be pronounced heavily!"
Su Tang looked at Ping An, who was angry, then suddenly stood up, knelt on both knees, and performed a standard kowtow.
"Master!" Su Tang asked politely.
Seeing Su Tang kneel, Ping An smiled with satisfaction but didn't rush her to get up. He placed his hand on Su Tang's shoulder and said, "From this day forward, I, Ping An, accept Su Tang as my disciple. I am willing to impart all my skills, whether they are abilities or burdens. After the adoption procedures are completed, I will become your legal guardian. I will raise you to adulthood and help you find your place in society."
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With their hearts cleared and their identities redefined as master and disciple, they sat on the sofa and began to discuss future arrangements.
"Tomorrow morning, your Uncle Gao will help you pick up your mother. I'll tell Aunt An Jing to help you with the funeral arrangements," Ping An said. "After that, you pack your bags and move to my place. The distance to school will be farther, so Keqing, please help her with the transfer."
"Master, I want to live here! I can help you solve cases!" Su Tang said.
"No. The case has reached this point, and it's time to close the net! At such a critical juncture, I need to be single-minded. Having you with me will be a distraction," Ping An said. "We can't stay in this apartment either. Old Gao, Keqing, let's part ways temporarily tomorrow. You can't help with the rest."
"What are you going to do?" Gao Da asked vigilantly.
"As I said, the case is about to be closed, and the police will be mobilized. What do you think Xiang Wanfeng wanted to see me for!" Ping An said. "Keqing, go back to work. If Old Gao doesn't want to go back, he can continue to be a security guard at the training center; he can take Su Tang to and from school every day. Lin Dang will be discharged soon; she is a key witness and also needs protection."
"What about you, alone?" Fei Keqing asked.
"I'm fine alone. Wandering the world, drinking from the Yellow River in the morning, sleeping in internet cafes at night, appearing like a shadow, disappearing without a trace, like a city knight..." Ping An said with squinted eyes.
"Is my master always this stupid?" Su Tang worriedly asked Fei Keqing.
"Most of the time he's normal..." Fei Keqing replied perfunctorily.
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"I have a feeling like I'm jumping into a fire pit..." Su Tang said worriedly.