Grocery Store No.514

Ling Hua’an repeated Su Meiqi’s words to Jiang Chengyan, “the meaning of the Red Spider Lily is the call of death and endless love. With the pregnant women who have been killed one after another, I suspect that one of them has a terminal disease, and the reason why they tried to impregnate the victims was for the child in their wombs.”

Jiang Chengyan frowned so tight and asked, “Hua’an, what do you mean by that?”

“In ancient times, there was a cult called Xiyu. They had an evil skill that could bring people back to life from the dead, but the method was too cruel and destroyed many people. This technique was to plunder five pregnant women about to give birth. They disemboweled the victim to take the baby then the body was buried according to the orientation of the five elements. After that, they use the baby’s heart as medicine to bring back someone alive after eating it.”

“Five elements orientation?”

“The East is Zhen; Element of wood, The West is Dui; Element of Gold/Metal, The Shout is Li; Element of Fire, The North is Kan; element of water¹. Although the lake is called East Lake, but it’s located in the north of Huacheng, while Xinhua Mountain is in the east of the city. Shen Xin was thrown into the water and Su Meiqi was buried on the mountain. Thinking about the content of those methods, I have such a guess.”

“If it’s really like what you said, it means three more pregnant women have been killed or are about to be killed, right?”

Ling Hua’an sighed and said, “I’m afraid the three pregnant women have been killed, but the bodies have not been found yet.”

“Hua’an, how can you be so sure?”

“Because I met Wu Zheng before, the ghost baby has already entangled him. It’s indicating that the child has been killed, and this medicine blending needs to be adding a child’s heart every 24 hours according to the exact time. If Su Meiqi is the first victim, based on the time of her death, all five children should have died.”

Jiang Chengyan frowned tightly, “If that medicine really has the effect of bringing back the dead, why does Wu Zheng look so weak and terminally ill?”

“This is just a legend. No one can be sure if it will work. What’s more, even if it works, they will be haunted by resentful ghosts. Even if they are cured, they will eventually die.” Ling Hua’an smiled mockingly, “before, I gave you the paper talisman I saw that you were stained with resentment. You must have been tainted during the interrogation of Wu Zheng.

“It turned out to be like this. “Jiang Chengyan was silent for a while and asked, “Hua’an, since you can see ghosts, can you find the other three victims?”

“The Shout is Li; Element of Fire. There is a crematorium in the south of the city. If I were the murderer, I should find a way to burn the body. The five elements of the west and northwest are all gold. Is there anything related to metal over there?”

“The west and the northwest?” Jiang Chengyan thought about it for a moment and said, “There is a building materials market over there.”

“The building materials market is not a suitable place to dump a body. Is there any other place? ”

“Wait, let me check the map. “Jiang Chengyan took out his mobile phone, opened the map, and checked it carefully. After a while, he said with a complicated expression, “There is an abandoned iron mine in the northwest of Huacheng City.”

“En, that’s the best place to dump the body.”

Up to now, it is almost speculated by Ling Hua’an, which made Jiang Chengyan have to believe it and asked, “What about the last victim?” 

“The northeast belongs to Gen, the southwest belongs to Kun, with elements of the earth.”

Ling Hua’an pondered for a while, “Do you know any abandoned unfinished buildings in the southwest?”

“No need to look for it,  I know that there is indeed an unfinished building over there, called Zangyun Garden. They all say that the feng shui there is not good. There are often construction accidents. The real estate developer ran away and it was abandoned.”

“That’s right there then.”

Jiang Chengyan smiled bitterly and said, “Even if we know who the murderer is, based on the evidence we have so far, we can’t convict him at all.”

“This requires the efforts of Captain Jiang. After all, the fewer people know about the ghost the better. So it won’t cause social panic.”

Jiang Chengyan nodded in agreement and said with a smile, “En, with your help, I’m confident.”

Ling Hua’an raised the corners of his lips and said, “I always get paid for helping people, and Captain Jiang is no exception.”

Without saying a word, Jiang Chengyan took out the wallet he was carrying and handed the whole thing to Ling Hua’an, “this is all my savings, I’ll give it to you.”

Ling Hua’an was stunned and said with amusement, “You gave it all to me, what about yourself?”

Jiang Chengyan whispered in embarrassment, “Aren’t I also yours?”

Ling Hua’an feels so happy, he held Jiang Chengyan’s hand, and said with a smile, “I don’t lack these things, so your payment has to be calculated separately.”

Jiang Chengyan was a little nervous from Ling Hua’an’s stare and asked, “then what do you want?”

“I want …… you.” Ling Hua’an pulled Jiang Chengyan up, patted his leg, and said, “Sit here.”

Jiang Chengyan looked at Ling Hua’an’s slender legs, he swallowed his saliva subconsciously while his face burning, “Hua…Hua’an, it’s still morning, no…not so good.”

Ling Hua’an’s eyes deepened with a smile, “then will you sit down? ”

Jiang Chengyan hesitated for a while, gritted his teeth, and sat up. Although his warm skin was covered by his clothes, he felt a little hot, his heart was beating wildly, and his body was stiff.

Ling Hua’an felt a burst of helplessness in his heart, smoothly patting his back, “Captain Jiang, don’t be nervous, I don’t mean anything else, just want to …… kiss you.”

Jiang Chengyan couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief when he heard this, but there was also a faint disappointment in his heart. When he realized his thoughts, he felt completely messed up. He was so embarrassed that he wants to find a crack in the ground and squeeze oneself in².

Without giving Jiang Chengyan a chance to think wildly, Ling Hua’an held his face and kissed his lips

***

At 8:30 in the morning, Jiang Chengyan returned to the criminal investigation team and met Yao Min in the corridor. She stared at Jiang Chengyan with excitement flashing in her eyes, and asked in a low voice, “Captain, what’s wrong with your lips? Why are they swollen?

Jiang Chengyan touched his lips subconsciously, his ears blushing in the next second, “What’s the matter? I just eat pancakes and fruits in the morning with too much chili, so it’s spicy. You say that you’re a girl, what kind of nonsense is in your head every day.”

“Captain, you’re blushing, it’s obviously a guilty conscience. Hurry up and explain honestly, what’s going on?”

Seeing Jiang Chengyan’s face getting redder and brighter, Yao Min’s eyes lit up like searchlights, “No way, Captain. You and Ling Dage are progressing so quickly? Have you taken safety measures? Captain, do you have any pain there? Have you cleaned it up or do you feel like that you’re going to have diarrhea?”

“Yao Min!”  Jiang Chengyan was annoyed and snapped, “If you keep talking nonsense,  you will be exclusively to receive all the families of the dead in the future!”

Yao Min shrank his head in fright, but still said excitedly, “Exclusive or not, it’s always been me anyway.  I’m more interested in you and Ling Dage’s affairs now. Captain, you ……”

Jiang Chengyan smirked while holding Yao Min by the back of her neck, he walked towards the training room, “I think you are too energetic, so you can do some training.

Yao Min, who was so lively just now, wilted in an instant. She said in a weak voice, “No, no, captain, I was wrong, I was wrong, I will never dare again, just let me go.”

“Are you sure? ”

“Sure, sure, and sure! “Yao Min nodded like pounding garlic.

It’s a life-and-death situation, which has caused a serious psychological shadow. Jiang Chengyan and Yao Min have worked together for a few years, and he knows this all too well, so this trick is simply a hundred times better.

Jiang Chengyan loosened Yao Min’s collar and said, “Next time you dare to talk nonsense, I will let you do a month of physical training. ”

Yao Min shrank his neck in fright, “I don’t dare, I don’t dare, I don’t dare again.”

Jiang Chengyan came into the office, he glanced at everyone, and said, “Liu Ran, Wang Bin, go check Wu Zheng’s wife and don’t let any information slips. The others go to the Ping’an community with me.”

Jiang Chengyan left after speaking, and everyone hurriedly followed.

In the car, Yao Min asked strangely, “Captain, why did we go to Ping’an Community, and do you receive the alarm again?”

“Yesterday, the deceased on Xihua Mountain was named Su Meiqi. She lived in the Ping’an Community.”

Yao Min feels even more strange now, “Captain, how do you know the identity of the deceased? Nothing was found near the body that could prove the identity of the deceased. Also, the body was all bloated like that, even if her own mother came, I don’t think she would recognize her.”

“You brat girl, why are you asking so many questions? It’s better for us to find the identity of the deceased than not knowing about it.”

“I’m not curious. Didn’t you also say that those who are criminal police must get to the bottom of it. ”

“I have seen this deceased person once before. The bracelet on her wrist is very special. In addition, she is pregnant, so it makes me remember it. ”

“So that’s how it is. I say that’s quite a coincidence, saves us a lot of work.”

Everyone drove to Ping’an Community and walked to the door of Su Meiqi’s rented room. The gap in the door was stuffed with advertisements and the door locks were dusty, apparently unattended for a long time. 

On the way, they had already contacted the property office in Ping’an Community, found the owner of the house. About ten minutes later, the owner came. After Jiang Chengyan showed his ID, he opened the door with a spare key.

The things in the house were neatly arranged, but the tabletop was covered with dust, and the vegetables placed in the refrigerator were rotten. It is obvious that no one has lived here for a while.

Jiang Chengyan looked at the owner and asked, “Ms. Liu, when was the last time Su Meiqi contacted you?”

Liu Yuling thought for a while and said, “It should have been a month ago. The property fee was due last month. The property contacted me then called Su Meiqi. And I haven’t contacted them since then.”

“Are you familiar with her?”

“I’m not familiar with her. It’s just the relationship between the tenant and the landlord. We haven’t seen each other since we rented the house to her.  We’ll contact the tenant when we need the rent payment or to pay the property fee.”

“Did she rent it by herself at that time?”

“Yes, there is no one else, and she also said that she lives by herself. I don’t know whether it’s true or not. After all, we are not familiar with each other.”

Okay, thank you. You can go back now.”

“Comrade policeman, what’s wrong with Su Meiqi? Her rent will expire in a month. If she doesn’t pay it, I can’t wait for her with an empty house.”

“Isn’t it still a month before it expires? You wait first, and we will talk about it again after it expires.”

Liu Yuling was sent away by Jiang Chengyan in a few words, and Su Ke brought people to the scene.

Su Ke said with a smile, “Okay, Captain Jiang. My autopsy report hasn’t come out yet. You have found the residence of the deceased.”

“This is also a coincidence. Don’t talk too much, hurry up and search for evidence. Although I am sure that it is Su Meiqi, it’s still up to you to identify her identity.”

“Okay, leave it to me.”

~~~

1. More about five elements. Read here↺
2. means one wishes to find a place to hide himself so as to keep away from an embarrassing scene. ↺