Chapter 993: Chapter 985: The Correct Answer
Hua Xiangrong had been investigating Xiao Yifei’s case all afternoon, but despite a busy afternoon, she hadn’t uncovered any clues. It was only just before she was about to finish work that she noticed a suspicious person on the surveillance footage. Although it wasn’t really a lead, Hua Xiangrong found the person suspicious as soon as she saw them, knowing that a detective’s intuition can often be quite reliable.
However, such intuition doesn’t explain anything concrete. To solve a case, the most important thing is having both witnesses and physical evidence. Only then can a case truly be considered solved. Isn’t there a saying that if you’ve ruled out all the impossibilities, whatever remains, no matter how unbelievable, must be the truth?
Hua Xiangrong followed her hunches but soon found the lead had gone cold. Firstly, because the lead was only a hunch of hers, and secondly, because the incident happened in a crowded place at night, making the surveillance footage unclear. So, she decided to put it aside for now and pick up the investigation again the following day.
Upon returning ho, she found Xiao Yifei wasn’t there. She asked her father and learned that Xiao Yifei had gone out that afternoon and hadn’t returned yet. Not knowing where he’d gone, Hua Xiangrong thought about calling him but decided against it. She figured he’d definitely be back by night.
It wasn’t until almost bedti that Xiao Yifei returned. He had actually been looking for Deng Fuguo’s father but found that because his father was in a high-end hospital ward, general visitors weren’t allowed unless Deng Fuguo had already notified them. Thus, Xiao Yifei had waited at the hospital all afternoon, hoping Deng Fuguo would show up, but he never did.
Having no other options, he returned ho, only to be caught in the evening rush hour traffic, experiencing a massive traffic jam. Xiao Yifei initially thought Z City was crowded enough, but arriving in Beijing, he finally witnessed what a real traffic jam looked like. Its reputation was certainly well-deserved.
“Uncle, I’m really sorry for keeping you waiting so long. I took a walk, but when I headed back, I got caught in the traffic jam. It took a lot of effort to get back,” Xiao Yifei apologetically said to the two of them.
Even though Xiao Yifei had called Hua Xiangrong on the road, advising the two of them to eat first, upon returning ho, he found that they hadn’t eaten and had been waiting for him all along.
“It’s alright. It’s good you’re back. I’ll heat up the food and you can get ready to eat,” said Hua’s father.
Xiao Yifei felt truly guilty, having made these two people wait, especially since they’d only t him a day ago. Even his own parents hadn’t waited for him like this before, and he was quite touched.
After dinner, Xiao Yifei and Hua Xiangrong sat down for a chat, and he filled her in on her father’s condition.
“Your father’s illness can be treated, but right now the tools I use for treatnt were stolen by a thief. Only by retrieving them can your father be saved,” Xiao Yifei said.
“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely investigate thoroughly, if only for my father’s sake. By the way, I found a small lead this afternoon, but I hit a dead end afterward. Perhaps there will be new developnts tomorrow. Please don’t worry,” Hua Xiangrong comforted Xiao Yifei, aware of how anxious he must have been having lost sothing so important.
“Um, can I borrow so money from you for the ti being? I promise to return it after so ti,” Xiao Yifei said after much hesitation, finally deciding to bring up the issue.
He was indeed left with no other options, unable to find anyone else to help him. He couldn’t turn to Hu Jingtang, who was quite old and already deeply worried because of Liu Rui’s situation. He couldn’t add to his burdens by telling him about his own problems.
The only person who could perhaps help now was Hua Xiangrong, but judging by her household, they didn’t seem very well-off either, making Xiao Yifei feel uneasy about his request. If he had any other choice, he wouldn’t do this.
“Why didn’t you say so sooner? How much do you need? Although I don’t have much to lend you, I just received my paycheck two days ago, so I’ll lend it all to you. I should have realized your problem earlier,” Hua Xiangrong said.
“I don’t need that much. Just lend five hundred yuan for now! Once my situation is resolved, I’ll definitely return it imdiately,” Xiao Yifei said, amazed by Hua Xiangrong’s kindness and her willingness to trust a stranger so completely.
“Aren’t you afraid I might scam you out of your money?” Xiao Yifei asked.
“Afraid of what? I’m a detective; I know all about you now. Besides, I trust you wouldn’t do that. I trust my judgnt of people,” Hua Xiangrong replied.
Hua Xiangrong took out five hundred yuan from her wallet and handed it to Xiao Yifei. As she did so, he noticed there wasn’t much money in her wallet, which made him feel he might have asked for too much. However, it didn’t seem right to hand it back now, so after so hesitation, Xiao Yifei accepted the money.
“Could you tell what’s happened to you? Maybe there’s sothing I can help with,” Hua Xiangrong asked, sensing that Xiao Yifei had co to Beijing for sothing serious.
“A friend of mine got into so trouble and was taken away by the police,” Xiao Yifei said, not elaborating on the details because he didn’t want to burden Hua Xiangrong further. He had already caused enough trouble.
Seeing Xiao Yifei’s reluctance to talk, Hua Xiangrong didn’t press further, realizing that matters involving the police were never small affairs, and there was little she could do.
The two continued to chat about various topics, and Hua’s father, watching Xiao Yifei and his daughter talking happily, was reminded that his daughter never brought anyone ho before. As a father, his greatest wish was for his daughter to find a good family to marry into, so he could be at ease.
Yet, with his daughter already graduated for so long, she never ntioned anything about relationships. Each ti he asked, she made excuses like not having t the right person, leaving him, as her father, unsure what more to say since she insisted this way.
If her mother were still around, she could help their daughter with such matters; mother-daughter talks about these topics would be more fitting.
So, seeing his daughter bring Xiao Yifei ho, though she claid she did it because he was in trouble, Hua’s father secretly hoped there might be sothing between Xiao Yifei and his daughter. Over the past two days, he’d observed Xiao Yifei seed like a good person, handso, and a doctor to boot, and his character also seed quite admirable.
But he realized this was rely wishful thinking on his part, as neither of the two youngsters seed aware of such expectations. He knew his daughter was quite beautiful, yet even so, she never brought ho a suitable suitor.
Matters of the heart couldn’t be forced. Although Hua’s father wanted to bring Xiao Yifei and Hua Xiangrong together, he felt doing so seed as if his daughter couldn’t find a husband, and so decided to let them be, trusting them with their feelings.
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