When A Snail Loves Chapter 28

When Ji Bai said the two inferences, Xu Xu’s heart skipped a beat. A lot of details flashed through her mind, vaguely, but very descriptive.

Once again, Ji Bai’s deep voice was heard, as he calmly said: “The wound on the victim’s abdominal area is messy and indecisive, with multiple cuts. This demonstrates that it probably took the killer multiple stabs before succeeding while the other four wounds were done cleanly, it was a  different level of skill. That’s why I’ve predicted/inferred that the murder was done by two people.

“I agree.” Officer Wu nodded.

One officer asked: “Could it still be possible that it was done by the same person? He was too tense, at first, to do it well, then became skilled later on.

Officer Wu replied: “The location and angle of the stab wounds are different, I predict that they weren’t done by the same person.”

Xu Xu didn’t have any research experience in stab wounds but having heard up to this point, she immediately related it to her expertise: “From an amateur to becoming skilled, it requires a long period of progress. It isn’t possible for the first stab to be hesitant and rusty, then for the second stab to be done cleanly and skilfully. This also demonstrates a difference in mindsets during the commitment of the crime. One mindset is hesitant and fearful while the other is determined. There can’t possibly be such a difference in mindsets in such a short time period.

“What about the affair?” One officer questioned.

Xu Xu looked at Ji Bai. His calm eyes released a light of sharpness. Because there was no smile on his face, he looked strict and cold.

“It’s unusual for one wardrobe to have quite a lot of clothes while the others only have a few. The clothes are messy, not arranged in accordance to season or material, and are spread out in all of the wardrobes. The shoe rack is the same. Looking at this villa, Ye Zi Xi is a neat person. That’s why it is likely that someone’s clothes in one of the wardrobes have been taken away. He moved Ye Zi Xi’s clothes into it to disguise that. In addition, although there is no direct evidence of a man ever living in this villa, but by observing the whole of the villa’s interior design, the black leather sofa, the heavy, dark colors, and the calligraphy frames on the wall, it doesn’t look like the place of a woman who is living alone. Isn’t that right, Xu Xu?”

Xu Xu nodded, after hearing him call on her all of a  sudden: “If Ye Zi Xi were to live alone, it is more likely that she would choose a modern minimalist, or a more sophisticated interior design.”

Officer Wu added: “A single, unmarried woman, stayed in a villa located in the mountain in the middle of the night, it is possible that she’s secretly dating. With Ye Zi Xi’s fame, if it were a normal relationship, it would have been discovered long ago. Moreover, with her position and wealth, why didn’t she choose a developed location for her villa, instead of choosing an isolated location like Lin Shan Mountain?”

“According to the preliminary analysis results, we can place her lover as the primary suspect. But we cannot disregard any other possibilities.”

It was already noon when they came back to the police station. Everybody hastily went to eat.

Ji Bai asked: “Where is Ye Zi Xiao?”

Zhao Han pointed to the interrogation room.

Xu Xu also looked up, and saw Ye Zi Xiao in the small room, sitting there motionless, with his disheveled hair and an expressionless face. Next to his hand was a lunchbox and a cup of tea, still completely untouched.

“The fourth son of the Ye family is quite good-natured.” Someone said: “He didn’t see the message because he was in deep sleep. Can’t blame him for that.”

Someone else said: “Right, it would have been too late, no matter what. Ye Zi Xi sent the message when she was about to die. Five stab wounds were inflicted after she was dead. This indicates that the killers came back after leaving, or that she sent the message while the killer wasn’t looking. The killer had yet to leave the villa at that time. With Ye Zi Xiao departing from the city, it would take at least an hour to get to the villa. Ye Zi Xi would already be dead, by then. We didn’t find the victim’s cellphone at the crime scene, so it’s probable that the killer took it away when he found it.

Yao Meng wasn’t at the crime scene this morning. Hearing what everyone said, she sighed: “To see his sister’s dead body, it must have been heart-rending for him.”Then, she gently touched Xu Xu’s arm.

Xu Xu understood the meaning, Yao Meng was hinting to her to go comfort Ye Zi Xiao, because she was aware that Xu Xu knew him.

But Xu Xu didn’t know how to comfort Zi Xiao. In this situation, words were useless. Moreover, she wasn’t good at talking.  

At this time, Ji bai stood up: “I’ll go talk to him.”

Xu Xu immediately stood up, following him.

Ye Zi Xiao had calmed down after spending the whole morning at the police station. He tried hard not to think about Ye Zi Xi’s body, lying in the pool of blood. Right then, when his mind was blank, he could hear footsteps, and Ji bai’s figure appeared at the doorway, behind him, was Xu Xu.

Although Xu Xu’s ruthless rejection was already a distant memory, as if it happened on another planet, but knowing that she was participating in the interrogation, Ye Zi Xiao still felt uncomfortable.  

Because this was for the official records, Ji Bai started to ask for his name, age, and other basic information, and Ye Zi Xiao answered. At this time, Xu Xu lowered her head and was writing, occasionally looking up at him. Her calming eyes helped Ye Zi Xiao relax while feeling an inexplicable sorrow.  

His expression did not escape Ji Bai’s eyes. He continued to ask: “Where were you from eight last night to 5 in the morning today?”

His expression did not escape the eyes of the, as he quietly continued asking: “Last night, from eight to five, where were you?”
“I stayed in the bar until 9:00 pm, then I went back to my villa in Jialin Court.”

“Do you have any eyewitnesses?”Ji Bai asked.

“No, I don’t. I can’t possibly kill my sister, you don’t need to suspect me.”

Ji Bai and Xu Xu looked at Ye Zi Xiao, and Xu Xu spoke up: “Think about it once again, carefully.”

“I said no.”Zi Xiao coldly replied, staring intensely at the table.

Suddenly, Ji Bai turned to Xu Xu: “You go out first, get another person to come record the statement.”

Xu Xu was silent for a moment, then got up and walked out.

Ye Zi Xiao did not look at her, as he supported his head with one hand. After a moment, Yao Meng walked in. Ji Bai said: “You can tell the truth now. Murder is a serious felony, we hope you can avoid being a suspect as soon as possible.”

After leaving the room, Xu Xu did not immediately return to her desk, but instead sat on one of the chairs in the corridor.

She knew Ye Zi Xiao was lying. He was wearing his clothes from yesterday. 
Sitting silently for a moment, what came to mind, were images of the murder scenes again, a dull feeling overcame her, and attacked her heart. 

The fact was, that Zi Xi and she wasn’t close.

They had met this month, and it was always Zi Xi who called her and arranged to meet her. She seemed to really like Xu Xu, and so naturally expressed her attitude/feeling of wanting to become friends with her. 
This kind of attitude surprised Xu Xu and made her feel a little uncomfortable. In addition, because she was busy with work, Xu Xu would only meet with Zi Xi once or twice, out of the ten times that she asked her.

But Ye Xi did not seem to mind Xu Xu’s attitude. She kept the right distance and showed kindness and consideration. Slowly, Xu Xu became accustomed to her presence. Xu Jun had asked her one time: “You are going to eat with Ye Zi Xi again? You are closer to her than me. She answered: “Because we’re friends.”

Sometimes, Xu Xu analyzed the relationship she had with Ye Zi Xi. Since young, there were only men in the family. She had never lived with an older women, thus she lacked the love  that came from women. The appearance of an older and mature friend, with a gentle personality, like Zi Xi, was able to fill that gap.

Having filled the emotional gap, it often meant people would become happier.

But now, Ye Zi Xi was dead.

From morning until now, even though her mind was focused on work, but somewhere in her mind, a part of it was numb, and hard to breathe.

She finally understood that this feeling was called sorrow.

She felt really bad now because she had always passively accepted Ye Zi Xi’s friendship. 

Chapter end