Chapter 44

The joss paper shop owner arrived at the police station at the same time.

As witnesses, they couldn’t meet.

Captain Luo had the shop owner brought in through another door.

Dai Chunhua had put her headscarf back on.

She sat there, head bowed.

Captain Luo pointed at her and asked the shop owner, “Boss, is this the woman you saw yesterday morning?”

The owner carefully examined her and confirmed, “Yes, it’s her!”

Captain Luo gestured for him to leave.

Then, Shen Hongxing was brought in.

She recognized Dai Chunhua as the middle-aged woman who had been looking at Hongxia on the bus.

Her hunch was right.

This woman had malicious intent.

She regretted not noticing sooner.  Why did Hongxia end up like this?

Captain Luo’s men held her back as he repeated the question, “Miss Shen, is this the woman you saw on the bus?”

“Yes, it’s her!”

Shen Hongxing glared at Dai Chunhua with bloodshot eyes.

If the detectives hadn’t held her back, she would have beaten Dai Chunhua for revenge.

“Dai Chunhua, do you have anything to say?” Captain Luo asked.

Dai Chunhua was composed.

She sneered, “The man was from the joss paper shop. It was Ghost Festival. I bought offerings. What’s wrong with that? I just rode the bus with this girl. Why are they accusing me of murder? Do they have proof…”

Shen Hongxing interrupted, “Dai Chunhua, we didn’t accuse you of murder. We only said we saw you.  Aren’t you admitting guilt?”

Dai Chunhua realized her mistake and changed her story, “Officers, don’t be misled. She’s the killer…”

“We didn’t say you killed anyone!”

Dai Chunhua’s eyes darted around.  “I heard about the murder. When you arrested me, I thought you suspected me.”

Suddenly, “Bang!”

Captain Luo slammed the table, “Dai Chunhua, are you still trying to deny it? Do you think we’re incompetent?”

“I’m innocent, officers! I swear!”

Dai Chunhua paused and then…

said, “Besides, I have no reason to kill them.”

She acted unconcerned, as if they lacked evidence.

Captain Luo gestured to Xiao Zhang.

Xiao Zhang presented the evidence Cao Hongxia’s blood soaked purse.

Shen Hongxing had noticed a small piece of white cloth hidden in the inner lining.

Xiao Zhang took out the cloth.  It had a few crookedly embroidered words:

“Grape Lane, Dai Chunhua”

Shen Hongxia must have taken it from the mentally disabled man as a clue.

Dai Chunhua had moved from Grape Lane years ago.

Dai Chunhua’s face turned pale.

She should have known Cao Hongxia would leave evidence.  She hadn’t expected her to take the anti-lost cloth she’d made for her son.

But she still denied it, “It’s just a cloth. What does it prove?”

“Dai Chunhua, you’re digging your own grave!” Captain Luo clapped.

The door opened.

A man and a woman rushed in, yelling at Dai Chunhua, “You old hag! You gave us money to report this girl and accuse her of murder, then tried to kill us! Luckily, the officers saved us!”

Dai Chunhua thought it was foolish.

Why would she kill them now?

The detectives had set them up to make them think she was going to kill them.

She knew she couldn’t deny it anymore.

Cao Hongxia’s real name wasn’t Cao Hongxia.

Her name was Xin Xiaoxia.

At age 9, her parents sold her to Dai Chunhua for 100 kuai to be a child bride.

Dai Chunhua’s son was mentally disabled.

Soon, Dai Chunhua’s husband, Qiao Danyan, targeted young Xiaoxia.

To please her husband, Dai Chunhua lured Xiaoxia to her room one night.

Fearing her escape, they chained Xiaoxia to the room.

Qiao Danyan repeatedly assaulted Xiaoxia.

Dai Chunhua, jealous of her husband’s obsession with Xiaoxia, abused and beat her.  Finally, Xiaoxia couldn’t take it anymore.  When Qiao Danyan was drunk, she knocked him unconscious and tried to escape.

Dai Chunhua discovered them.

They struggled, knocking over a kerosene lamp.  Their straw house quickly caught fire.

Cao Hongxia escaped in the chaos.

The fire killed Qiao Danyan and scarred Dai Chunhua’s face.  Dai Chunhua swore revenge on Cao Hongxia.

For eight years, Dai Chunhua pretended to work elsewhere, moving from place to place.  Six months after arriving in Chaoyang, she saw Cao Hongxia on a bus.

She wasn’t sure at first, but when she saw the mole on Cao Hongxia’s ear, she knew it was Xin Xiaoxia.

She began her revenge.

After Shen Hongxing and the others got off the bus, Dai Chunhua followed them.  Knowing their address, she went to wait the next morning.

Seeing Shen Hongxing and Cao Hongxia buy joss paper and gold ingots, she entered the shop through the back door.

Cao Hongxia tried to run when she saw her.

Dai Chunhua grabbed her and whispered, “If you don’t want your friend to know your past, come with me!”

Cao Hongxia said something to the shop owner and followed her out the back.

She planned to kill Cao Hongxia in the abandoned restroom.  But when they reached the back, she saw her mentally disabled son, Qiao Dazhuang.

He recognized Cao Hongxia and wanted to take her home.

Dai Chunhua changed her plan.

Cao Hongxia refused.

Dai Chunhua threatened her.

Cao Hongxia went to the restroom with Qiao Dazhuang.

Dai Chunhua told Qiao Dazhuang to undress Cao Hongxia.  Although he was mentally disabled, he was kind to Cao Hongxia and refused.

Dai Chunhua was furious.

Cao Hongxia had killed her husband, and now her son was protecting her.

She grabbed Cao Hongxia’s hair, pushed her to the ground, and forced Qiao Dazhuang to take off his pants.

Qiao Dazhuang, afraid, did as she said.

But he refused to touch Cao Hongxia and begged Dai Chunhua.

Dai Chunhua pulled out a knife, holding it to Cao Hongxia’s neck, threatening Qiao Dazhuang.

Worried about Cao Hongxia, Qiao Dazhuang tried to grab the knife.

In the struggle, Dai Chunhua stabbed Qiao Dazhuang in the chest.

Qiao Dazhuang fell to the ground.

Dai Chunhua froze in terror.

“Dazhuang!”

Seeing Qiao Dazhuang fall, Cao Hongxia, disregarding her clothes, rushed to help him.

Dai Chunhua reacted, grabbing Cao Hongxia’s hand, forcing the knife into it, and stabbing her in the abdomen.