Hints at GL - Chapter 39

Chapter 39

“Oh, is that so? You’re interested in this shop—how so?”

John leaned forward slightly, clearly intrigued by Su Yuan’s explanation.

“Because I overheard some rumors,” Su Yuan replied unhurriedly. “They said the male shopkeeper was like a wizard and made people’s skin crawl. We were curious what that meant.” She smiled, her excuse seamless. “At first, we thought the owner might do divinations, so we came to take a look.”

John nodded. “I see.”

“But please don’t misunderstand; Camden Passage is a very interesting place, and I only brought her along for a stroll.” Su Yuan turned her gaze toward Zhong Ning, her lie so smooth that even Zhong Ning almost believed it. “The other shops are very interesting too. We didn’t go specifically for that one.”

Freda sat to the side, her deep gaze fixed intently on Su Yuan, leaving it unclear whether she believed her or was entirely skeptical.

John nodded in a friendly manner. “I understand. So…”

Just then, Freda suddenly interjected, “I wonder where you heard these rumors? Could you be more specific?” She seemed particularly concerned about this statement.

Zhong Ning took a deep breath from the side. How am I supposed to answer that?

Su Yuan’s gentle eyes looked over, appearing completely unbothered. “I saw it on a webpage. The original words were exactly what I just said, no more, no less.” She paused and added, “Would you like me to give you the specific URL?”

Freda shook her head. “No need. John, continue.”

John jotted down a few words and asked one more question regarding the previous topic. “So you went there specifically for that. Did you feel the male shopkeeper was really that magical?”

“Not at all,” Su Yuan replied, looking directly at John without changing her expression. “I felt he was just an ordinary person.” She didn’t feel like she was lying in the slightest. “He seemed rather introverted. Since he didn’t speak English, we had some difficulty communicating with him.”

John nodded; clearly, Su Yuan’s description basically matched his prior investigation. “Actually, regarding the rumors you mentioned, we’ve asked a few people. Most simply said he was very accurate at appraising goods, and a few said he ought to go into fortune-telling.”

Speaking of this, John raised an eyebrow at Freda. “Come to think of it, I suddenly feel that if he were still alive, you would definitely be interested in him.” Seeing Freda purse her lips noncommittally, he didn’t continue the small talk.

“So, other than what you’ve just said, did you see any strange people or occurrences?”

“When we first went in, a few Japanese customers happened to be leaving. They seemed like regulars since they were chatting happily with the proprietress.” Su Yuan knit her brows in thought, as if she were truly reminiscing. “As for strange things… I don’t believe there were any.”

At this point, Freda suddenly spoke up and asked Zhong Ning, “Miss, do you have anything you’d like to say?”

Zhong Ning was stunned.

Having rarely lied since childhood, being suddenly called out made Zhong Ning quite nervous. But since Su Yuan had already instructed her not to speak the truth, she could only manage a forced smile. “I don’t have much to say.”

Zhong Ning looked toward Su Yuan beside her as if for help and came up with a strained excuse. “She can speak for me. I’m afraid my English isn’t very good and I won’t be able to explain clearly.”

She couldn’t even convince herself with that excuse.

Freda was clearly the same; she couldn’t help but smile. “Is that so? I think it’s not bad at all.”

“Thank you…” Zhong Ning bit her lip awkwardly.

Perhaps as a way to bail her out, Su Yuan suddenly asked, “So? Are we under suspicion now?”

“Oh, please don’t misunderstand. We are simply conducting a screening based on the CCTV records at the entrance. Everyone who visited the shop is being questioned, and you are no exception,” John explained patiently once more.

Su Yuan, however, was not appreciative. “No, I wanted to ask just now—didn’t the entrance CCTV capture the murderer?”

John and Freda exchanged a look, seemingly hesitating over whether they should tell them. “…We are still investigating that,” he paused, giving only an ambiguous answer.

Their avoidance made Zhong Ning feel very strange. If they could track down her and Su Yuan, how could they not investigate the killer first? Clearly, they already had a result but found it inconvenient to tell them.

John cleared his throat and asked quite solemnly, “So, where exactly were you around 12:30 last night, and what were you doing?”

This question wasn’t hard to answer; they had no time to commit a crime.

“At home, naturally. We went to see a movie around 18:30 last night and went home afterward.” Su Yuan replied in a measured tone. “There are CCTV cameras all along the way, including at my doorstep, which you can check. South London is quite far from East London; it couldn’t have been us.”

John nodded and looked at Zhong Ning. “And you?”

Zhong Ning was startled. Can’t he tell she and Su Yuan are a couple? “I’ve been with her since last night… until now.” She hadn’t expected the first time she’d publicly declare their relationship would be in front of the police; she felt a sudden flash of embarrassment.

John nodded. “If you can remember, please write down the locations and times here.” He watched as the two finished filling out all the forms, then stood up. “That will be all for today. If there are further results, I will notify you. I’ll see you both out.”

“John, don’t you have a few more people to question?” Freda stood up. “I’ll see them out instead.”

The interrogation lasted only a short time—no more than half an hour from start to finish. In fact, Zhong Ning could see that the police currently had no clear suspects and were simply conducting broad inquiries.

Consequently, when Freda led them to the door, Su Yuan casually struck up a conversation with her. “The news said this case is ‘bizarre.’ Is that true?” Her voice was steady.

Freda stopped walking and looked directly at her. “Yes. Everything happened too fast, as if the murderer never existed at all.”

Su Yuan smiled upon hearing this. “That doesn’t sound like something a police officer would say.”

Freda’s blue eyes crinkled slightly, making it hard to tell if she was joking. “Oh, you never know. For example, if the killer were a ghost or a spirit…” She paused, her lips twitching. “If that’s the case, we’re in trouble.”

As she spoke, Freda suddenly narrowed her eyes. “Actually, I’ve always felt there’s something you haven’t said. Is that right?”

Zhong Ning stood by listening, her nerves pulled taut.

Su Yuan’s voice noticeably lowered as she smiled shallowly. “Why do you have that feeling?”

Freda looked at her. “Just a police officer’s intuition. If you feel offended, I apologize.” That being said, she didn’t seem to expect them to say anything now. She took a pen and a piece of paper from her uniform pocket, scribbled a line, and handed it to them.

“This is my number. If you have any further leads, remember to contact me.”

Freda’s parting words left them both with complex emotions. The death of the couple was a heavy blow to them, and having to deal with police questioning on top of that left them feeling physically and mentally exhausted.

Thus, after Su Yuan and Zhong Ning got into the car, they fell into a heavy silence.

“There’s a reply to the email I sent Theo this morning.” Zhong Ning looked at her phone notifications, her heart still heavy. “It’s from his manager. He says the band is currently busy recording, and he asked if there’s anything he can pass along to him.”

“Su Yuan, I remembered something. Do you remember after the second hypnosis session… I said I didn’t see Theo? Actually, I haven’t seen him for several nights in a row now…”

“Is that so?”

A soft voice sounded beside her. Su Yuan didn’t seem to be listening at all. “Do you mind if I smoke?” She turned to look at Zhong Ning, a trace of sorrow flashing in her eyes.

Zhong Ning was slightly taken aback. Su Yuan didn’t look well at all, which made her frown too. “I don’t mind. Open the window,” Zhong Ning shook her head.

“Thanks.”

Su Yuan looked down as she opened the cigarette pack, pulled one out casually, and lit it. Her thin lips pressed against it.

After a long while, she spoke softly. “When I was in high school, my theology teacher died suddenly.”

“He was a very peaceful man. Every time I talked to him, I felt calm. I didn’t expect… that kind of thing to happen suddenly.” Su Yuan looked ahead, thinking of who knows what.

“But I can’t remember what he looked like anymore.”

A faint smile drifted across Su Yuan’s lips as smoke escaped from between them. “Maybe people are just like that. Gradually, we remember nothing at all.”

Zhong Ning looked at the woman’s exquisite profile and felt an indescribable sense of loss.

No one wanted it to be this way—someone you were just on good terms with vanishing the next moment. One day, they would become like that too, and no one would remember them.

Zhong Ning had always avoided thinking about this.

Su Yuan’s constant composure, or the joy of just having fallen in love, had masked their senses. But now they had been pushed to the edge of a cliff, and even this woman looked like she couldn’t take it anymore.

The more Zhong Ning thought about it, the more her nose stung. She couldn’t help but grab the other woman’s arm. “I want some too.”

Su Yuan was slightly startled and instinctively handed her the cigarette pack. But for some reason, a rush of heat surged into Zhong Ning’s head. She bit her lip and said, “I want yours.”

The corner of Su Yuan’s mouth curved, and she actually handed it over.

“Cough, cough—” Zhong Ning had never tried smoking before; she choked before she could even exhale.

Seeing her distressed coughing, Su Yuan took the cigarette away and stubbed it out. She gently patted Zhong Ning’s back, her knit brows gradually relaxing. “…Acting tough when you’ve never smoked.”

Zhong Ning finally managed to speak clearly. “I just… didn’t want you to…” She wanted to say she didn’t want Su Yuan to be so sad alone, but she felt unable to voice it.

Su Yuan looked at her, smiling as she kissed her temple. “I know.”

She paused and added softly, “Let’s go talk to Alex and the others in a bit.”