For the next few days, everyone in Liuying Lane talked about Liu Huaian's death and the fire that year. When they talked about the heyday of the Liu Family's wool spinning factory and its subsequent decline after being burned to the ground, the old folks always sighed with regret.
The noodle shop owner was indignant when he mentioned Liu Huaian: "If I had known that this bastard was such a heartless scoundrel, I should have poisoned him with rat poison. That son of a bitch has eaten countless bowls of noodles here for free!"
"That's right, this son of a bitch hasn't taken enough cigarettes and alcohol from me?" the supermarket owner said.
"Damn it, when we were scavenging for garbage, this shameless bastard always snatched the best stuff. Seeing how crazy he was, we all let him have his way. We never imagined he was such a vicious person! He eats and drinks for free all day long, what does he do with the money from selling garbage?" Old Man Wu, the garbage collector, cursed angrily, "He probably bought a coffin!"
"Well, it's true, Madman Liu gets government subsidies, he does cleaning and sells garbage, but I haven't seen him spend any money. Where did all the money go?"
Everyone was puzzled and speculated about where Madman Liu's money had gone. As a result, many rumors began to circulate about Liu Huaian's life and the cause of his death.
One account says that he had no other hobbies in his life except for a prostitute in the alley at the end of the alley. He vividly described what the woman looked like, how she seduced Liu Huaian, and how she swindled him out of his money. In the end, the prostitute ran away with the money and disappeared without a trace. Liu Huaian couldn't bear it and jumped off a building.
One rumor claims that Liu Huaian was spying for the United States government, and that his madness was all an act. He was exposed by the State Security, which drove him to suicide. It's also said that he had a foreign wife and two children in the United States, and that his money had long been transferred abroad.
And so, the lively conversation in Liuying Lane shifted from the sorrow and grief over the fire twenty years ago to the Madman story of a madman who jumped off a building.
Hu Xing came to see Qingmu, and as soon as she entered, she asked, "I heard that a spy died here?"
Qingmu said, "You actually believe that!"
"Your street is famous now!" Hu Xing said.
"It's not exactly a good reputation," Qingmu said. "Why have you police officers become so gossipy?"
Hu Xing retorted, unconvinced, "Where's the gossip?"
The Crow next door cawed through the curtain, "Women gossip! Gossip about women!"
Hu Xing was so angry that she rolled up her sleeves and was about to beat up the Crow.
Qingmu said, "Alright! When haven't I always been tricked into getting some food? He's just hungry; he always uses the same trick when he's hungry."
Hu Xing lifted the curtain, swung her fist at the Crow inside, and said, "I'll deal with you next time."
The Crow hopped around and said, "Come on, you think you're so great just because you can wash sheets? I saw it all, woman!"
Hu Xing's face flushed instantly. She lowered the curtain and said, "I'll go buy some groceries to eat."
Before she even stepped outside, she heard Crow cawing inside. "Third shop on the left, braised pork belly, stir-fried pork intestines, and a plate of dried anchovies, no chili!"
Hu Xing stamped her foot and went out, turning left. When she came back, she was carrying a large bag of packed vegetables, with Shi Dazhuang following behind her.
Qingmu smiled, somewhat surprised, and asked, "What brings Captain Shi here?"
Shi Dazhuang said, "I originally wanted to treat you to a meal, but Little Hu has already bought the food. It turns out my invitation has become a free meal. I'm so sorry!"
Hu Xing took the lunchbox into the inner room, laid it out on the table, and joked, "I think you did this on purpose."
Shi Dazhuang laughed and sat down, saying, "Eating a meal with a rich woman like you is nothing!"
As Hu Xing distributed the chopsticks, she said, "It's my pleasure!"
The Boss Coal flapped his wings and flew onto the table, hopping around among a pile of vegetables, chanting. "Braised pork, stir-fried pork intestines, dried small fish, stir-fried eel, steamed pork with rice flour, greens, greens, greens..."
Hu Xing corrected, "This is Malabar spinach, this is baby bok choy, not everything is called 'green vegetable'."
The Boss Coal said, "That's about enough!"
Shi Dazhuang said, "Hey, your bird is pretty good!"
The Boss Coal was extremely displeased that someone called him a bird. He was about to say something when he saw Shi Dazhuang's straight back and upright face, and for some reason he became deflated. He opened his mouth and made two " Guagua " sounds, but didn't say anything that was meant to be sarcastic.
Hu Xing took an empty box, filled it with vegetables for the Boss Coal, broke up some of the larger pieces with chopsticks, and placed them on the small table next to him.
The Boss Coal flew over and said, "You know how to handle people, woman!" Then he silently started eating.
Qingmu asked Shi Dazhuang, " Captain Shi, is there something you need from me?"
Shi Dazhuang said, "I won't beat around the bush. I'm here to ask you for a favor."
Qingmu asked, "What is it?"
Shi Dazhuang said, "I heard from Little Hu that you have methods for treating childhood depression and autism?"
Hu Xing reminded Qingmu that it was something that happened in the Xia Tian.
Qingmu said, "I understand a little bit, but whether there's a solution depends on the situation."
Shi Dazhuang said, "Here's the thing. I have a comrade-in-arms who, along with his wife, sacrificed their lives. Their child is currently being fostered by someone in the countryside, and I'd like to go and bring her over. But the child is a bit autistic, and I'm afraid she won't want to come with me. So, I'd like to ask you, brother, to come with me."
"Sure." Qingmu figured he had nothing better to do, so he readily agreed. He then asked, "Did Captain Shi serve in the military before?"
Shi Dazhuang nodded and said, "I served as a reconnaissance soldier. But my comrade-in-arms wasn't from my time in the army; he was from when I was a narcotics officer in Southern Yunnan."
Qingmu took a few cans of beer from the cabinet and said, "We can't drink alcohol during community work hours, but a little beer is fine." He opened a can and handed one to Shi Dazhuang and Hu Xing Xingge. "I know that being a narcotics officer is the toughest and most dangerous job. Come on, let's have a drink for you and your comrades!"
Shi Dazhuang said, "Yes, if my comrade hadn't taken the bullet for me, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you guys." His eyes suddenly reddened, and he took the beer, clinked it heavily with Qingmu's, and gulped down more than half a can.
Qingmu could sense Shi Dazhuang's feelings at that moment and said, " Captain Shi, you tell us when to go."
Shi Dazhuang looked at him with gratitude and said, "I'll buy the plane ticket for you tomorrow."
Qingmu estimated that a trip to Southern Yunnan would take at least a week and a half. He first asked Director Liu for leave, then informed Bi Shenghua, and entrusted the Boss Coal to the relatively free Xiao He, Tu Shuqi, and Mo Yu.
That evening, he hastily stuffed a few pieces of clothing into a plastic bag and called it his luggage.
Bi Shenghua sighed when she saw this, went back to get a travel backpack, and helped him reorganize his clothes, putting them away neatly.
He snatched Qingmu's wallet and looked inside, finding only a few crumpled yuan notes. He yelled, "When are you going to use your brain? You'll starve to death in Southern Yunnan like this!"
Qingmu said, "I still have money in my phone."
Bi Shenghua said, "It's not always convenient to pay with your phone everywhere."
She went back inside to get five thousand yuan, first stuffing it into Qingmu's wallet, but finding it too bulging, she took out most of it and put it in a hidden pocket inside her travel bag. She then checked Qingmu's phone balance and found only a little over thirty yuan, so she topped it up with five hundred yuan.
Finally, Bi Shenghua stared at Qingmu's hair and pants for a long time before shaking her head and giving up on the idea of modifying him.