Volume 3 Winter Solstice Chapter 38 Mother-in-law
"15, right?" Sun Yu took out his mobile phone and scanned the payment code. After paying, he and Guan Nuo walked into the noodle shop and sat down in the innermost corner.
Guan Nuo turned his head and saw Sun Yu taking a bite of the pancake, so he also took a bite, chewing while looking at Zhou Zhihao who was packing up the stall outside the glass door.
Not long after, Zhou Zhihao pushed open the door and walked in. He sat down in front of Guan Nuo and Sun Yu.
The emotion showed on his face.
"Is she really dead?" he confirmed with Sun Woo.
"Yes."
"How did he die?"
"Drowning," Sun Yu tied up the pancake bag and put it on the table. His expression and tone were serious. "According to witnesses, there were several children playing by the river at the time. After she went over and said a few words, the children laughed and scattered. Then her expression became dazed, and she fell down and somehow fell into the river. At that time, someone who could swim went into the river to save her. After being rescued, she was sent to the hospital, but she did not wake up."
"Whitewater River?"
"Yes, you know?"
"Xiaolu's home is near the Baishui River. She told me that when she was a child, she almost fell into the river. Fortunately, my mother-in-law held her tightly. So she has never dared to walk near the water." Zhou Zhihao glanced at his phone. "When Xiaolu is done with her confinement, I will go back to Sumo with her."
"That's her mother!" Guan Nuo suddenly spoke.
Zhou Zhihao was stunned for a moment, then he smiled bitterly, "Xiao Lu and I have been married for five or six years. When we first arrived in Tangjiang City, she got pregnant once. At that time, our conditions were even worse than they are now. She worked as a waitress in a restaurant, and I took carpentry jobs outside. She worked too hard, and she lost the baby and her health was damaged."
Zhou Zhihao glanced outside. "I stopped letting her work. I had saved a little money. Brother Feng was a nice man. He rented me the space in front of his store to set up a stall. Xiaolu and I worked together in the morning. During the day, I would go to work if I had work. Xiaolu looked after the stall by herself. Gradually, she settled down. I originally thought that I would not have children, but she took good care of herself and got pregnant. After the month was over, I stopped working and asked her to rest in the house and not come out..."
"Does Sun Fang know that Zeng Lu is pregnant?" Sun Yu asked.
"have no idea."
"Is there any conflict between you?"
"She, she is a person..." Zhou Zhihao hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Thank you for coming all the way to tell me this news."
"Did you get the marriage certificate without telling her?"
"Yes, it is."
“Is there a big conflict between you?”
"Why do you ask that?"
"Mediating relationships is also part of the police's job. I hope you can understand." Sun Yu's tone and expression were calm.
Zhou Zhihao hesitated for a moment, and then he said, "Actually, there's nothing to hide. Her mother is a good person, but if we don't run away, the three of us will go crazy."
"Crazy? Why?" Guan Nuo asked.
Zhou Zhihao smiled bitterly again, "In order to prevent Xiaolu from leaving her side, my mother-in-law hid the household registration booklet, Xiaolu's level 6 certificate, and diploma. She thinks she is the only one who is good to Xiaolu. Others who approach Xiaolu have a purpose and want to harm her. She is a Chinese teacher and has an amazing eloquence. Xiaolu and I can't reason with her."
Zhou Zhihao looked into Guan Nuo's eyes. "After Xiaolu graduated from university, she found a job for herself. The company was engaged in e-commerce. But my mother-in-law said that the company was engaged in speculation and profiteering. Many years ago, people would be arrested for doing so. Now the social atmosphere is not good, so Xiaolu went there to work, which meant she was helping bad people..."
"Being an accomplice to the evildoer?" Guan Nuo asked.
"Yes, that's the idiom. When Xiaolu was on probation, she went straight to the company and said that our daughter didn't want to do it..." Zhou Zhihao sighed, "After the job fell through, Xiaolu prepared for the civil service exam at home. She failed for two consecutive years. In the third year, a classmate of hers prepared for the exam with her. For some reason, she failed in her own province but passed in the one in the neighboring province. She passed the interview, but when it came time for the physical examination, my mother-in-law started to make a fuss, saying how would she live alone in Sumo in the future."
"Follow him."
"She said she was old and couldn't bear to leave her hometown. She would feel very anxious if she left Sumo."
"Then go back and take a look more often?"
Zhou Zhihao was helpless. "She said that even if she came back once a month, that's 12 times a year. She can only see her daughter 360 times in her life. Every time she sees her daughter, it's one less time..."
"How did you and Zeng Lu know each other?" Sun Yu pulled the question back.
"We met online, in a gaming group. She trusted me a lot and told me a lot of things. Later, I went to Sumo to see her. I couldn't let her go after we met. I thought I could do the job anywhere. But my mother-in-law, she doesn't say she looks down on me. Every time I visit her, she asks me what books I've read recently. Then she tells me that carpentry doesn't last long and that the debris from renovations has a great impact on health, so I need to study more."
"And then?" Guan Nuo seemed a little fascinated by what he was saying.
"After a few times, I was ready to leave. Since you don't like me, then I'll just leave."
"It shouldn't have been six years..."
"Xiao Lu has no work experience, and she doesn't have any education certificates with her. I don't have any money either. I used to spend whatever I had. After I moved to Tangjiang, in order to save the little money for rent, Xiao Lu worked as a waitress, serving dishes and being ordered around. When she was in confinement, I asked my mother-in-law if she could come and take care of her. We had already obtained the marriage certificate and were a family. I wanted to take this opportunity to repair our relationship, but do you know what she said?"
"What?"
"She said that the baby was lost because we didn't do good deeds, and it was God's retribution for us... What else can I say? Xiaolu, she only rebelled against her mother once in her life, and she ran away with me. I am the only one she has, and I have to hold on."
"I understand," Sun Yu held the now cold pancake in his hand, "I understand almost everything."
"Thank you, police comrade."
Sun Yu stood up and said, "If there is any follow-up, I will contact you again."
"Okay, okay."
Zhou Zhihao sent Sun Yu and Guan Nuo out.
After walking a long way, Sun Yu took a bite of pancake in the cold wind.
"Brother Sun, is what he said true?"
"I don't know. I'm just recording it. After the Section Chief and Brother Jiang read it, they may be able to analyze the cause of the evil spirit and why it appeared here."
"I didn't listen to you last time. I was wrong, Brother Sun."
Sun Yu looked a little surprised, and then he said, "What's the big deal? You're not full either, are you? I'll treat you to hotpot."
"good."
