Chapter Ninety-Four: Grandmother Is Annoying!
Chapter Ninety-Four: Grandma Is Annoying!
Li Yu sat on a protruding boulder, basking in the sun and listening to music. Whenever he wasn’t in class or talking to someone, he liked to plug in his earphones and lose himself in melodies, as if that separated him from the outside world, creating two distinct realms. Oddly enough, his roommates from Room 307—Tang Zhong, Hua Ming, Liang Tao—had never heard him sing, not even a vague hum.
Each afternoon, when Hua Ming and Liang Tao would belt out, with all the passion they could muster, lyrics like “How many have admired your youthful beauty, but who will endure the relentless changes of time?” or “How I long to return to that distant place and be by her side again,” Li Yu would only smile quietly, remaining a dedicated listener.
He was the first to notice Zhou Wei returning. When he saw the guarded expressions of the policemen trailing behind Zhou Wei, he thoughtfully adjusted his glasses.
“Zhou Wei’s back,” Li Yu called out.
“So what if he’s back?” Liang Tao replied indifferently. “Is he still not giving up?”
“He can’t even compete with Liang Tao, yet he wants to vie with our second brother for a girl? He’s not a bad guy, just too dumb,” Hua Ming said, careless and loud.
Liang Tao punched Hua Ming, cursing, “You bastard, is that praise or an insult?”
“There are police too,” Li Yu added.
That got Hua Ming and Liang Tao’s attention; both sat up with a start. If the police were here, it meant things had taken a turn.
Zhou Wei spoke quietly to the lead officer with the dark face, and then they all strode quickly toward them.
Suddenly—
Hua Ming, Liang Tao, and Li Yu found themselves surrounded, as if the officers feared they might flee.
“Zhou Wei, what are you doing?” Liang Tao glared, accusing Zhou Wei of having stirred up trouble with the police.
He hadn’t even considered murder—who would? It seemed impossible.
“These are Tang Zhong’s roommates: Hua Ming, Liang Tao, and Li Yu,” Zhou Wei introduced them to the lead officer.
Then, addressing Liang Tao’s question, he said, “Liang Tao, these men are police officers. They suspect Tang Zhong from your dorm has killed someone—”
Hua Ming exploded, cursing, “Zhou Wei, I’d believe you if you said our second brother stole someone, I saw that little girlfriend you were flirting with earlier eyeing him; who knows when the two might end up together. Murder? Murder your damned mother!”
Zhou Wei was incensed. “I never said that! What does it have to do with me? Watch your mouth.”
“So what if I don’t?” Hua Ming shot back, convinced Zhou Wei was scheming against Tang Zhong, bringing the police to ruin his good fortune.
As for murder, perhaps Zhou Wei and the others would believe it, maybe even relish the thought. But as Tang Zhong’s roommates, Hua Ming, Liang Tao, and Li Yu could never believe such a thing.
Who kills someone just for fun? That’s insanity.
To them, Tang Zhong was brilliant—he wouldn’t make such a mistake.
“Quiet, all of you,” the dark-faced officer barked. “He called the police himself, and the body’s been found. You, you, and you—since you’re his roommates, come with us to identify him. If he gets agitated, help us calm him down.”
The Temple of Tianyi sits atop Jade Maiden Peak, steep and lofty. If Tang Zhong were to resist arrest or become too emotional, having his roommates there to reason with him might help. Otherwise, if he panicked and jumped from the mountain, things would be much more complicated.
“We should go,” Hua Ming said.
“I don’t believe second brother could do such a thing,” Liang Tao agreed. “Is this some movie?”
Hua Ming shot Zhou Wei a look of disdain, muttering, “Look at his gleeful face; this isn’t a movie. That’s genuine joy.”
“That bastard,” Liang Tao cursed.
Li Yu hurried forward, saying to Hua Ming and Liang Tao, “Prepare yourselves mentally for the worst.”
“You little—” Liang Tao bristled. “You think second brother’s a murderer? After all he’s done for you?”
“Liang Tao,” Hua Ming tugged him, signaling not to lose his temper. Then, turning to Li Yu, he asked, “Li Yu, do you think something could happen to second brother?”
“It already has,” Li Yu replied calmly.
Hua Ming and Liang Tao exchanged glances, abandoning bravado for sober contemplation of the situation’s strangeness.
The police were eager to ascend the mountain and arrest the suspect. Hua Ming, Liang Tao, and Li Yu worried for Tang Zhong’s safety. Zhou Wei simply wanted a spectacle. What felt like an endless climb suddenly passed in a flash.
At the entrance to Tianyi Temple, the dark-faced officer raised his hand. “Stop.”
He pointed at Hua Ming, Liang Tao, and the others. “Wait here. No talking.”
Turning to four officers, he said, “Follow me inside. Don’t act rashly. Take the suspect down quickly while he’s unguarded.”
“Yes,” the four replied quietly.
He nodded to one officer. “Detain that old priest at the gate. He might know something.”
“In we go,” the lead officer ordered, only entering after his men.
A leader, after all, must bring up the rear to maintain authority.
They crept cautiously, tiptoeing through the gate toward the temple’s backyard.
There, they spotted the suspect: a young man and woman tightly embracing, silent, as if asleep.
Just as they prepared to apprehend the suspect, he opened his eyes.
“You’re here?” Tang Zhong spoke, as if greeting visitors at home.
The officers exchanged bewildered glances.
Should they answer “We’re here,” just to be polite?
Was this young man really a murderer?
He’d just killed someone—how could he be so composed?
Their colleagues had called earlier, describing the body as gruesome. Yet, seeing the suspect’s face, they couldn’t imagine him committing such an atrocity.
The dark-faced officer stared at Tang Zhong. “Are you Tang Zhong?”
“I am Tang Zhong,” he replied.
“Did you call the police?”
“I did.”
“Did you kill someone?” the officer pressed, doubting the story. Why would a student from South University need to kill?
“I defended myself. He was an assassin. He tried to kill me,” Tang Zhong answered.
The officer gestured to a subordinate to bring in Tang Zhong’s roommates.
This young man was too calm, so calm it was unsettling.
More troubling, he held a hostage.
He and the hostage sat at the cliff’s edge; one misstep could send them tumbling below.
“Tang Zhong, since you called the police yourself, it shows you recognize your mistake—”
“I made no mistake,” Tang Zhong said. “I was just here for the view. He suddenly tried to kill us. I could only defend myself.”
“We’ll get to the truth. Trust us—we won’t punish the innocent nor let the guilty escape.”
Tang Zhong smiled.
He’d heard these lines too often.
He used to think such phrases existed only in movies; who knew real policemen would parrot them? Only fools believe such words.
Seeing Tang Zhong’s smile, the officer grew even more cautious.
“This kid has nerves of steel—he’s a veteran,” he silently assessed.
“Tang Zhong, I trust you want to cooperate so we can clarify things. Now, hand over the young woman in your arms and come with us to explain. All right?”
Seeing their cautious request to take away Qiu Yihan, Tang Zhong realized they thought he was holding her hostage.
Hua Ming, Liang Tao, and Li Yu rushed in, startled at the sight of Tang Zhong, bloodied from head to toe.
They’d only come up the mountain for a view—how had it turned into this?
“Second brother, what happened?” Hua Ming called.
“They say you killed someone—how is that possible?” Liang Tao exclaimed, anxious.
Li Yu merely frowned at the scene, saying nothing.
The officer managed a rare smile. “Look, you have classmates who care about you, parents and family who love you. Don’t do anything foolish. If it’s as you say—self-defense—things will be much simpler. Please hand the girl over.”
“She’s my classmate,” Tang Zhong said. “She was the assassin’s target, too. You can take her whenever you wish.”
Tang Zhong knew he had one huge advantage: Qiu Yihan’s testimony would prove his innocence.
He gently patted Qiu Yihan’s head, calling, “Qiu Yihan—Qiu Yihan—wake up.”
She was fast asleep, unresponsive.
He tapped her cheek, calling again, “Qiu Yihan, wake up. Come on. The police are here.”
Finally, Qiu Yihan stirred. Her arms tightened around Tang Zhong’s neck like octopus tentacles, her little head burrowing against his shoulder. In a sweet, languid voice, she murmured, “Grandma is annoying… let me sleep a little longer…”
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Silence descended. Everyone was frozen, turned to stone.