"Zeng Demei" wasn't actually surnamed Zeng. Her real name was Zhu Laixiu.
That day, after Qin Guan found "Zeng Demei's" shabby rented room following Xu Ruyi, Xu Ruyi left first, then Qin Guan. The moment Qin Guan walked out, Xiao Zhi found her.
Unlike the rushed encounters with Qin Guan and Xu Ruyi, Xiao Zhi had plenty of time.
The first thing he seized was her ID card—the most crucial item Qin Guan had overlooked.
That arrogant, self-proclaimed brilliant lawyer, ever since he'd gotten that blurry ID photocopy from Spring Beauty Cleaning, hadn't doubted it for a second, firmly believing her real name was "Zeng Demei."
Of course, during their first meeting, aside from her identity, the cunning Zhu Laixiu revealed nothing else to Xiao Zhi.
However, her "son" held no such reservations for her.
The young boy in the bright orange shirt, after being chased by Qin Guan, never returned to the rented room. Instead, he holed up in an internet cafe.
When Xiao Zhi found him, the kid was deep into an online game, completely absorbed.
This "son," who shared no blood relation with Zhu Laixiu, had no intention of covering up her disgrace. After a bit of friendly chat, before he'd even finished a pack of cigarettes, the kid spilled all of Zhu Laixiu's dirty secrets.
Zhu Laixiu had served three years in prison.
The woman was bold, greedy, and utterly without principles—at the time of her crime, she was still married. She'd abandoned her husband back in their hometown and traveled around with her lover, swindling people. She was caught during one such scam and sentenced to three years. Her affair also came to light. Her enraged husband divorced her, and her son and daughter both disowned her. Everyone from her in-laws to her birth family cut ties with her.
After her release, homeless, she sought out her lover again—the boy's father.
"My dad's a simpleton, just got tricked by her. He's an old fool, insists on trusting this woman. Didn't learn his lesson the first time! She got three years, he got one! Total idiot! That woman's mouth is full of lies, can't believe a word! Damn it, didn't expect she'd trick me this time too!" The boy was full of resentment when talking about Zhu Laixiu.
"She said there was some big money-making deal here, spun some wild story, asked me to come help, promised me a cut. After I got here, I found out it was just running errands and delivering messages for her! Damn it! She made me come all this way for that crap! Worst part? Didn't even make any money! Barely gave me anything, not even enough for a phone with better storage!"
He sneered at this "stepmom." "What stepmom? She's not worthy! She's just a con artist, an idiot, a fool! My old man's just lonely, hooked up with this lowlife woman!"
He was also clueless about the whole scheme. "Who knows what the hell she's mixed up in? She promised me a hundred thousand! If not for the money, why would I come here? For her? And what happened? Not a damn cent! I'm washing my hands of her. I'm outta here. Won't believe a single word from her again!"
Encouraged by Xiao Zhi, the kid left immediately.
After seeing him off, Xiao Zhi thoroughly investigated Zhu Laixiu again.
Then, on the same morning Xu Ruyi went to the Lotus Hotel to meet Qi Min, he contacted Zhu Laixiu once more.
Xu Ruyi never found out exactly what method Xiao Zhi used or what he said, but the result was that "Zeng Demei" truly complied and left obediently.
When she left, she even took out her phone's SIM card and threw it away.
But now, she was back.
The dishes on the dining table were barely touched. Auntie Feng had specially made Xu Ruyi's favorite smoked fish, but she had lost her appetite.
She stood up and walked to the wide balcony—the night was ink-black, a crescent moon hung in the sky, casting a soft, cold light into the room.
Everything appeared peaceful and beautiful.
But Xu Ruyi knew this peace was an illusion.
The woman's return had only one purpose: money.
She had waited at Bell Sound Alley, insisting on seeing Xu Ruyi in person. In plain terms, it was extortion.
"Please put in a good word for me with your young lady! I'm a truly pitiful old woman! My son and daughter won't acknowledge me, my husband abandoned me, and now even that deadbeat—he heartlessly kicked me out! Said I got his son beaten up! He's got only that one son, treasures him like gold. Blamed it all on me! Where's the justice? I barely made any money from this, gave it all to that kid! Bought him clothes, shoes, a new phone! I've got nothing myself, poor me…"
She sobbed to Auntie Feng during their meeting.
"Your young lady is a good person, a kind-hearted soul! Her parents helped so many people, truly great benefactors! Please tell her, have pity on me! I was just confused for a moment, listened to Qi Min's words! But I came to my senses later! I obeyed your young lady! Pity me, I'm old, truly have nowhere to turn! Only begging your young lady to give me a way to live! Otherwise, at my age, should I turn myself in? Turning myself in means jail! Jail I'm not afraid of, but what about the child? A mother's heart aches for her child! How pitiful is a child without a mother, you tell me…"
She wiped her tears, her words a constant stream of pleading, yet every syllable carried a threat.
"Young lady, put this on, it's cold on the balcony," Auntie Feng hurried over, draping a coat over Xu Ruyi's shoulders. At the same time, she whispered softly, with deep affection, "Don't be afraid. Take it one step at a time."
Yes, what use was fear?
Auntie Feng had already given Zhu Laixiu twenty thousand yuan—in cash.
Everyone knew that woman would never be satisfied with a mere twenty thousand. For her, that amount wasn't even pocket change.
She would definitely come back. She would demand more.
She would come faster, ask for more, and more frequently.
Because she would inquire. This case was currently plastered on the front page of the local news, the biggest topic of conversation everywhere. Once she grasped the progress of the case, she would immediately realize her own pivotal role in it.
Then, she would use that to raise her price.
This was a bottomless pit.
This woman's greed and shamelessness surpassed even Qi Min's.
Yet, apart from compromise, Xu Ruyi had no better solution. For now, she still held a slight advantage—the police didn't even know this woman's real name yet. Once they found her, Qin Guan, currently nailed down tight, might get a chance to turn the tables.
She absolutely could not allow that man to escape.
"Xiao Zhi just video-called me. I told him about going to the police station today," Auntie Feng said while wiping the table, making it sound like casual chatter. "He told me not to be afraid, to tell the police the truth, not to hide anything. 'With a straight body, the shadow isn't crooked.' Young lady, you should do the same. Don't worry. We haven't done anything wrong. Oh, Xiao Zhi also said he's very busy lately, planning a new activity for his club. He's in full charge."
Xiao Zhi's meaning was clear: he would handle the Zhu Laixiu problem.
But how could he solve it?
He was just a university student, not even out in the real world yet. And this matter—this whole tangled affair—he was already far too deeply involved…
Xu Ruyi was frowning, deep in thought, when Auntie Feng's phone rang.
Auntie Feng answered, and her face instantly changed.
She stammered a reply, hung up, and turned her pale face towards Xu Ruyi. "It… it was Captain He. He… he asked for Xiao Zhi's school and class. He said… if he has time, he wants to go see Xiao Zhi."