No Witnesses

It was already early summer, and the weather in the West City district was so muggy that the white asphalt road was melting, making a sticky sound as people walked on it. A few scantily clad women on the street, holding colorful parasols, were like a beautiful splash of color. A gust of wind blew, and a large branch, infested with insects, suddenly broke off from a Ficus virens tree standing in the middle of the street. With a loud crash, pedestrians thought it was thunder from above and were so startled that several men and women scrambled to run indoors.

Tangdu City, West City Ficus virens tree cold drink shop.

A man wearing sunglasses, a kraft paper package tucked under his arm, had already requested a secluded corner booth. He sat with his back to the door, leisurely checking messages on his phone. This man was Long Wen, the boss of the West City Labor Export Company. He had been waiting for an important guest at the cold drink shop for half an hour.

With a creak, the glass door opened, and a middle-aged man in a fashionable plaid short-sleeved shirt, holding a black briefcase, entered. He looked around, then walked directly into the private room Long Wen had requested, and sat down opposite him. Afterwards, they switched seats. Both were accustomed to this way of sitting.

This person was Qian Fu, the guest Long Wen was waiting for.

He took two sips of the lemon-flavored cold drink he had already ordered, looked down at the thick kraft paper package on the seat, and weighed it in his hand. A brilliant smile instantly appeared on his face.

"So cool, this is the life!"

Qian Fu didn't look up at Long Wen, but eagerly asked, "What's up?"

Long Wen looked around, his face tight with tension, appearing extremely cautious. He whispered, "Someone in Tangdu jumped into the river and disappeared. One person died, you know!"

"Nonsense, what do you think I do for a living? Hurry up and say it, spit it out!"

"That was one of my brothers. Hu Pan has already been released by you, and I have to thank you for that. But two days ago, Hu Pan was chased by a tall police officer. Luckily, he wasn't caught. Scarface has been missing for three months, and one brother is dead. I think this case is definitely not over."

"Who was the tall police officer?" Long Wen asked.

"I didn't see the person, how would I know who he was... Oh, maybe he was just assigned to the West City Station. I forget his name. A while ago, a young man named Long Xing was also assigned to our team!" Qian Fu guessed.

"Then keep an eye on it. The most urgent thing now is, do you have any way to smooth this over?" Long Wen got to the point.

"Didn't the thugs tell you?"

"No... Oh, right, I think I heard the thugs say you guys haven't found that woman yet. Her name is Long..." Long Wen suddenly felt like he had let something slip and wanted to take it back.

"Long what?" Qian Fu pressed.

"I don't know!"

"You're playing games, I'm not asking anymore. This is really a bit stupid! What can be done? A life for a life!" Qian Fu said dismissively, actually implying that Long Wen and his group were in a dangerous situation and needed to make plans soon.

From their conversation, it was clear that Long Wen knew who the woman was and where Scarface was, but he just wasn't telling Qian Fu. He was also holding back information from Qian Fu, which was Long Wen's cunning.

"Brother Qian, I know you have a way!" Long Wen said with a fawning smile.

Qian Fu pondered for a moment, looking like a seasoned schemer, and said, "Do you know what kind of person will never talk?"

"What kind of person? A mute!" Long Wen replied without thinking.

Qian Fu glanced at Long Wen.

"Oh! Then... then... it's a dead...!" Long Wen didn't finish his sentence before Qian Fu stopped him.

"I didn't say that!" Qian Fu deliberately distanced himself from responsibility, glared at Long Wen, got up, tucked the kraft paper package from the seat under his arm, took a few steps, smiled knowingly, then turned back and threw out a sentence: "Think carefully, and use the phone less in the future!" He pushed open the blue glass door, squeezed out sideways, and plunged into a Volkswagen car parked under the Ficus virens tree, disappearing instantly into the swirling dust and leaves.

Long Wen stared blankly at Qian Fu's receding figure, "Brother Qian... you..."

Long Wen returned to the West City Labor Export Company with a blank expression. He pondered for a long time, bewildered, not understanding the meaning of Qian Fu's words. He summoned his assistant, Ma Shaokang, for an explanation. Ma Shaokang, feigning mystery, said, "Ask Hu Pan, and you'll know what's going on!"

"Ask him? Are you kidding me?" Long Wen felt it was beneath him, but then he remembered the boss's instructions and had to do as Qian Fu said. He called Hu Pan.

Long Wen secretly met Hu Pan at the Longshe Coffee Shop.

"Hu Dawa, you and Scarface's mess isn't over yet. The police are closing in. You need to quickly find a way to clean up your act so you don't implicate everyone. You know the boss's temper!" Hu Pan remained silent for a long time, looking distressed and burying his head in silence.

"Why are you stalling? Or should we just hand it over to the Public Security Bureau!"

"No... no... Brother Long needs to help with this!" Hu Pan became anxious and knelt down, kowtowing to Long Wen, "Brother Long must have a way!"

"Alright, who is that woman you guys were involved with? Where does she live? Think of a way to make her shut up! No one can know about this."

Hu Pan seemed to suddenly understand and said proudly, "Brother Long, I know what to do. Isn't it just 'ka-ka'!" Hu Pan made a gesture across his neck twice.

"Idiot! Are you looking for death? You need to use your brain and think of a foolproof way to get out of this!" Long Wen said angrily.

Hu Pan frowned, his eyes blinking rapidly and darting back and forth.

"Brother Long, that woman is obsessed with fortune-telling. Her daughter was forced out by her fortune-telling, and she has suicidal thoughts!"

"Are you sure?"

"Sure. Her daughter was overheard by our people when she was talking to her friends!"

"Then do as I say..."

Long Wen leaned down and whispered a few words into Hu Pan's ear, then warned him, "The key is not to expose yourself. Make sure it's foolproof and make her shut up!"

"Brother Long, don't worry, we'll do it flawlessly!"

"That's more like it! Yes, we need to come up with a foolproof plan to get out of this!"

"Brother Long, don't worry!" Hu Pan showed a smug look on his face.

At eleven o'clock at night, Garden Street in West City was brightly lit. Customers came and went from the massage parlor. Hu Pan, heavily drunk, appeared at the entrance of shop number 14. He didn't forget to cautiously greet the massage parlor owner, Wu Shan, "Mom Wu, help me keep an eye outside, don't let any strangers in. Is Zhu Li here?" Hu Pan walked unsteadily, stumbling inside.

Judging by his casual manner of speaking, Hu Pan was a regular customer. Wu Shan, however, showed a hint of annoyance, thinking that this hooligan was here to cause trouble again, but she could do nothing. "She's here, lying on the bed inside." Wu Shan forced a smile, which was also an act.

Zhu Li, hearing Hu Pan's voice from inside, was startled and quickly came out. She looked at Hu Pan with a terrified expression and said, "Brother Hu, what's wrong?"

"Come, let's talk inside." Hu Pan was worried about others overhearing. Zhu Li's heart pounded even harder. She was afraid Brother Hu would make improper advances towards her, but facing his intimidating presence, she didn't dare to disobey.

Zhu Li followed Hu Pan silently into the small room behind the curtain. Hu Pan looked at Zhu Li's revealing clothing and alluring figure, and indeed felt a stir of desire. Fueled by alcohol, he unconsciously leaned forward and kissed her.

At that moment, the things Brother Long had instructed suddenly swirled in his mind. He couldn't help but curse, "Damn it, ruining my mood!"

Zhu Li stared at Hu Pan in horror, her face full of suspicion, unsure of what had happened.

Hu Pan suddenly became amiable, completely out of character. He immediately took out a thousand yuan bill and waved it in his hand, looking at Zhu Li with a lecherous gaze. "Lili, this is for you!"

Zhu Li hesitated, frowning.

"What is this..." Zhu Li had never received so much money at once in her life. She wondered if this hoodlum had taken the wrong medicine, or lost his mind.

Hu Pan shoved the money into Zhu Li's hand, then launched into a series of familiar, caring questions. Perhaps for Zhu Li, who frequented nightclubs, receiving such concern from someone with no close ties to her, especially showing particular care for her mother, would be incredibly moving.

Zhu Li was instantly overcome with longing for her mother and couldn't help but cry. Under Hu Pan's "skillful guidance," Zhu Li, completely unguarded, revealed her background and why she had come out to work. It was because her mother, Long Qiaozhen, was particularly obsessed with fortune-telling. She had gone to have her fortune told, and the fortune teller said she wouldn't amount to anything if she continued her studies, forcing her to come out and work. Thinking about how her mother, sick, had visited her not long ago, and she had avoided seeing her, she became even more melancholic.

Little did she know, Zhu Lina's good friend Wu Shan had already told Hu Pan everything. This was why Hu Pan understood as soon as he heard Qian Fu's words. Hu Pan had accidentally overheard Zhu Li explaining why she came out to work at Wu Shan's massage parlor. Her mother, having believed the fortune teller's nonsense that studying was useless, forced her to leave. From this, Zhu Lina revealed that her mother, Long Qiaozhen, was obsessed with fortune-telling.

Today, Hu Pan once again confirmed Long Qiaozhen's obsession with fortune-telling.

He rejoiced inwardly, his confidence in dealing with Long Qiaozhen growing. A sinister plan began to form in his mind. He couldn't wait to call Brother Long to report. Brother Long nonchalantly said, "Since you know the general direction of these matters, don't tell me. You two should discuss and handle the foolish things you've done yourselves!"

West City District, Zhu Li's hometown, Foyun Mountain Village.

Hu Pan contacted Scarface, who had been lying low. The two met secretly in Foyun Mountain Village. Driving a Crown sedan, they headed towards Foyun Mountain Village. After circling the village, they spent a great deal of effort to inquire about Witch Yin, who often told fortunes for Long Qiaozhen. She was rarely at home, spending most of her time in the Longmen Alley area of West City District, scamming people with fortune-telling.

The two then rushed to Longmen Alley and found Witch Yin. Scarface deliberately exposed a sharp knife he had hidden, flashing it a few times. Witch Yin turned ashen with fear and let out a "wow," trying to run, but Hu Pan held her back. Scarface then explained their intentions, threatening Witch Yin, demanding she tell Long Qiaozhen's fortune according to their instructions. He promised her five thousand yuan after the job was done, otherwise, her life would be forfeit.

Witch Yin, greedy for money and forced into a corner, readily agreed.

Witch Yin returned to the village, mysteriously boasting that she had earned money from fortune-telling because her readings were now more accurate. This time, she returned to the village to tell fortunes for the villagers, free of charge. The sickly Long Qiaozhen, clinging to life by a thread and penniless, saw that Witch Yin was offering fortune-telling for free and went to join the crowd. This was exactly what Witch Yin had hoped for. She wrote a note exactly as Hu Pan had instructed and handed it to Long Qiaozhen. Upon hearing the contents, Long Qiaozhen's face instantly changed. She returned to her small wooden hut without a word and shut herself inside.

Seeing the contents of the note, Long Qiaozhen realized that to eliminate the disaster in her home, she had to choose between herself and her daughter. She tearfully repented, "Heavens, I've already wronged my daughter. What's the point of staying in this world? As long as my daughter lives well, I will have no regrets!"

She burned a pile of paper money in front of her husband's memorial tablet, chanting prayers, asking her husband in heaven to bless their daughter, and that she would join him soon. She then placed the note under the shrine where incense and candles were placed. Afterward, she put on a clean, beautiful outfit, went to the mountain ridge outside the house, gazed for a long time in the direction her daughter had left, and then returned to the house, closing the door.

The next day, Long Qiaozhen inexplicably died at home.

The Tangdu City Criminal Investigation Brigade received the report seven days later. The call came from Officer Lan of the West City Police Station, requesting their presence at the scene. At noon that day, Qian Fu arrived with the forensic doctor.

Officer Lan and Lu Tong from the police station had already cordoned off the area. A strong smell of decomposition filled the air, attracting swarms of green flies, making one's skin crawl. Outside the cordon, the Foyun Mountain Village chief, Niu Jingrong, was constantly urging the onlookers not to enter. A short suicide note was found at the scene, stating, "The torment of illness is unbearable; I no longer wish to live."

Qian Fu and the forensic doctor cautiously entered through the front door. A body was hanging from a roof beam. Due to the heat, the body had severely decomposed. Qian Fu had people carefully lower the body. Preliminary examination by the forensic doctor indicated that the scene's characteristics were consistent with death by hanging. The handwriting was initially judged to be Long Qiaozhen's.

Qian Fu feigned concern and pulled the forensic doctor aside, asking, "How did she die?" In Qian Fu's heart, he already knew the answer, but in front of everyone, especially the police station, he had to pretend nothing had happened.

"You're an experienced detective, an old leader. Can't you see it yourself? Hanging, suicide!"

"That's good!" Qian Fu nodded with satisfaction. He searched the room briefly but found no flaws. Officer Lan and Lu Tong also looked around and found no suspicious items or other evidence. The case was definitively classified as suicide by hanging.

Qian Fu called Officer Lan, Lu Tong, and Village Chief Niu Jingrong aside and informed them of the case details. This was not a criminal case. As the deceased's family was nowhere to be found, the village would be responsible for handling the funeral arrangements.

That afternoon, Long Wen, the general manager of the West City Labor Export Company, received a text message from Qian Fu stating that Long Qiaozhen was dead. A triumphant smile spread across his face.