Zhang Peiru looked at Jian Jing suspiciously, sizing her up.
To be honest, she didn't believe that such a young girl could find out the truth. How could such a little girl know what it meant to kill? She had never even killed a chicken.
But she still hesitated and wavered.
After ten years in prison, Zhang Peiru no longer had any acquaintances or friends, and she also knew that the police would not reinvestigate her husband's case.
Although Ji Liming's son said he would investigate, she didn't believe him.
However, it is not practical to check it yourself.
When she came out of prison this time, she always felt that the world had become very strange. She could not understand anything the people around her said.
Having been out of touch with society for so long, I have no idea where to start.
After thinking it over, Zhang Peiru nodded.
Jian Jing pretended to be very similar and immediately took out a thousand yuan from her bag: "This is a deposit. I want you to tell me about what happened back then."
Zhang Peiru took a deep breath and said, "Please sit down first. I'll pour you a glass of water."
She walked to the kitchen and poured a cup of hot water and handed it over. Jian Jing took it but didn't drink it. She also realized that Zhang Peiru didn't really want to pour water, but just wanted to prepare a little bit, so she waited patiently.
After a brief silence, Zhang Peiru spoke: "Since you were able to find out about me, you must know what happened. I will tell you one thing - Honglin definitely did not kill anyone. I can guarantee it with my life."
Jian Jing asked: "What's your reason?"
"He is not that kind of person," Zhang Peiru said firmly.
Jian Jing shook her head: "My feeling doesn't count. Do you have any evidence?"
Zhang Peiru looked at her and said in a less than friendly tone: "If there was any, I would have reported it to the police long ago."
"Don't be angry." She didn't care. "Then tell me about your story."
Zhang Peiru closed her eyes, with a complicated look on her face: "Honglin and I met in early 1999. At that time, many people were laid off, including me, so I set up a street stall with a friend to do business. I met him when I was purchasing goods. He was repairing cars for people in a repair shop. His skills were good. Gradually, people asked if he would take private jobs. He thought that he didn't have to pay the boss, so he was tempted. Who knew that it wouldn't take long before his boss found out and fired him.
"It just so happened that my friend thought getting up early and working late was too tiring, so he quit. I couldn't handle it alone, so he said he would come to help me. After a few meetings, we got together and got married at the end of the year."
Having said this, her expression naturally softened.
Jian Jing couldn't help muttering, it was really strange, Ms. Zhang was obviously not good-looking, thin and old, but at this moment she looked so charming.
Is love really so magical
Probably.
Zhang Peiru paused for two or three minutes before she came back to her senses from the sweetness of the past and continued, "In 2002, I was pregnant, but my luck was bad. I had an ectopic pregnancy and the surgery revealed a uterine tumor, which had to be removed. All the money in the family was spent, and our original plan to save money to open a store was ruined.
"The operation went smoothly, but the doctor said I couldn't overwork. So from 2002 to 2003, I stayed at home to rest, and Honglin went out to drive a taxi. He drove during the day and sold beer at food stalls at night. He drove at night and moved sandbags at construction sites during the day. He was so thin that he was just a bag of bones. Girl, how could he kill for money after doing so much?"
Jian Jing couldn't answer this question.
"In 2006, he said he couldn't make money driving a taxi, so he decided to drive long distances. We saved 100,000 yuan, borrowed some from relatives and friends, and bought a car with a loan. I bought a second-hand tricycle from a friend, and I usually picked up passengers near the school. I thought life was getting better, but suddenly..."
She suddenly choked up and covered her eyes, saying, "It's all over so suddenly. What did we do wrong? The police insisted that Honglin was the murderer, but I knew it was definitely not the case. He is not that kind of person."
Jian Jing said, "Is that what your husband said? Is he wronged?"
"Of course." Zhang Peiru reacted strongly. "He told me that if you did such a bastard thing, you would be struck by lightning and die a miserable death."
Jian Jing asked: "What do you think of your husband?"
"We are both honest people. He doesn't smoke, drink, or beat his wife. He just listens to the radio and has no bad habits." Zhang Peiru said, "We have never earned a penny against our conscience. In 2004, he drove a car to pick up a boss and left 30,000 yuan. We didn't take a penny and even found someone to return the money after a long time."
She argued confidently: "He wants the money, why don't we just keep the money? Don't you think this makes sense?"
"You have a point." Jian Jing showed her kindness at the right time, "By the way, does your husband have any enemies?"
Zhang Peiru shook her head: "My husband and I have never made enemies with anyone, so how could we have any enemies?"
"No, that's not right. Think about it, your husband ran into it by chance, so it's not a coincidence. Everything else is correct, especially the shoe size - the police told you, it was a size 40 shoe."
Jian Jing asked, "Have you really never suspected that someone wants to use your husband as a scapegoat?"
Zhang Peiru didn't say anything.
To say I haven't thought about it is definitely a lie.
In the past ten years, she has thought of everything and doubted everyone, but her trust in her husband has never wavered.
"Ms. Zhang, your husband has passed away. If you want to clear his name, you can't let go of any clues." Jian Jing asked, "Is there really no such person?"
Zhang Peiru said: "No, there is one."
"His name is Jia Long, and he is the manager of the taxi company where Honglin used to work. Originally, he had nothing to do with us, but one time, my husband caught him sneaking into the boss' office and taking money from his safe. Honglin is an honest man, and the boss treated him well, so he felt bad and wanted to expose this matter."
She sighed and said helplessly, "I advised him that it is better to have less trouble than more. No matter how small the manager is, it is more than enough for me to manage him. But he didn't listen and reported it to the outside. He was fired and the boss rewarded him with 5,000 yuan, but Jia Long held a grudge against him."
Jian Jing asked, "Did he ever take revenge on you?"
"Of course. He smashed Honglin's car and said something like 'I told you not to mind your own business. I'll kill you next time I see you'. He said a lot of cruel things." Zhang Peiru suspected him the most. "I heard that he didn't live well afterwards. One time when he was drinking with friends, he threatened to make Honglin pay. Honglin's friends were also drinking with him at the time, so we secretly told him to be careful."
Jian Jing asked curiously, "Have you mentioned him to the police?"
"I mentioned it before, but they didn't take it seriously." Zhang Peiru's eyes were filled with resentment. "Don't think I don't understand. They just want to get the job done quickly, but they can't find out the cause, so they have to use my Honglin as a scapegoat."
Her teeth were clattering: "They are not good things."
Jian Jing didn't respond.
In the current situation, no matter what she said, it would be useless. Zhang Peiru would not believe it. Only by finding the real murderer can all the grievances be put to rest.
So, she patiently waited for Zhang Peiru to vent before she said, "Do you remember what happened in January? As long as your husband mentioned it to you, it doesn't matter what it is, big or small."
So many things happened in January 2007 that it is hard for Zhang Peiru to forget. In the dead of night, she often can't help but recall those days.
"At the beginning of January, he told me that he had been assigned a job to transport wood to the south. I asked him when he would be back, because the Chinese New Year was early that year and it would be bad if he was delayed on the road. He said the place was not far away and it would take half a month to go back and forth. The temperature in the south was not low and the road was easy to drive. He said that any extra money he could make was good money and he could have a good Chinese New Year.
"He came back on the evening of the 14th and told me that everything went well and the goods had been delivered. The wood was a little damp, and they insisted on deducting 500 yuan from him. I couldn't argue with them, so I just let it go. The next day, he took a day off to pay the electricity and gas bills, and then he drove the tricycle for me on the 16th.
"You can tell from my family's financial situation that they are well off, but you don't know that riding a tricycle in winter is the worst. When the tricycle is on, the cold wind blows against your neck. He feels sorry for me. Besides, in January, school is over, and it's not like normal days when I just drop off kids around. I have to run farther. I can't stand the cold wind and don't dare to walk far, but he doesn't care and is willing to take me anywhere.
"In 2007, the land in the west of the city was very barren and there were few taxis, so the business was pretty good. Especially at night when the buses were gone, many people preferred to take tricycles. He left early and came back late, and he happily told me that a customer asked if he could hire a car to go back and forth. If he could do this business, he could earn an extra 200 yuan before the New Year."
Zhang Peiru looked up and held back her tears.
"As you know, the police came to our door on the 22nd."
Jian Jing nodded gently: "I understand."
She thought about it and said, "I need to investigate further. I'll contact you if I have any questions."
Zhang Peiru pursed her lips for a long time before asking, "Do you really believe Honglin didn't kill anyone?"
"It's useless to believe that he didn't kill anyone." Jian Jing said, "It doesn't matter whether I believe it or not. What matters is that I am willing to investigate. Ms. Zhang, do you have any other hope?"
Zhang Peiru was silent.
"You don't trust the police anymore, do you?" she asked again.
Zhang Peiru said: "They don't care at all."
No, no one cares.
Jian Jing denied it in her heart but pretended to be ignorant on her face.
"Let me remind you that new evidence is needed to overturn a case. If we can find some key physical evidence in your husband's case, it will be of great help." She said, "Did your husband leave any relics?"
She nodded.
"Then you have to look carefully." Jian Jing said, "Maybe hope lies in something inconspicuous."
Zhang Peiru was touched by these words. The skinny old man cheered up again: "I will find it."
Jian Jing left her phone number: "Yes? If you have anything that you care about, you can contact me."
She left.
After saying goodbye to Zhang Peiru, Jian Jing sat in the car and picked up the page of paper in the file bag again.
This is Ji Liming's note. The handwriting is very sloppy. It is not a diary, but more like an investigation report. The object of the investigation is the enemy Zhang Peiru mentioned, Jia Long.
It can be seen that after Wu Honglin's death, although Ji Liming didn't say anything, he still felt guilty in his heart. He found this guy from somewhere and conducted a serious investigation.
But his investigation revealed that Jia Long wore size 42 shoes, was tall, and made a living by defrauding people in 2007, targeting wealthy women with a small amount of assets. He also drank with people every night, which was the case most of the time in January, so he did not have the time to commit the crime.
So, there is actually no need to check Jia Long.
As a veteran criminal policeman with more than ten years of experience, his ability in this area is even better than hers.
Jian Jing thought of the old map on the monsoon car and decided to talk to the boss who hired Li Xiaonuan. The shop he renovated in the west of the city in 2007 is still open and is a training center.
On the way there, I specifically observed the surrounding environment.
To be honest, it doesn't look as desolate and remote as described in the case files. It is very lively, with milk tea shops and fried chicken shops all over the commercial street, and it is bustling with people.
She found the training center, but the front desk said that no one was there and would be back in the evening.
Jian Jing didn't want to make another trip, so since she was already here, she might as well visit all the places where Li Xiaonuan's case occurred.