Chapter 23 Section five

As expected of a reporter, Okumura conducted a thorough investigation.On the way to President Aizawa's own house, he explained the ins and outs of the whole thing to us in detail. "Among the seven employees, there are two other than Minyan who don't have an alibi." One is Tatsuro Udagawa, a young salesman of the same period as Toshihiko; the other is Jiro Akimo, who is in charge of business and accounting. He is about the same age as President Aizawa and is a senior employee who has known the president for more than 20 years. "Especially Udagawa, he left the company only a little earlier than Minyan. It is said that he is a playboy who spends money like water. This person is very suspicious."

Kayo turned the steering wheel and asked: "You seem to have misunderstood something. I don't think the real culprit is someone else. I just want to know why Mr. Minyan needs money urgently, and I just want to know the reason." "Do you believe Toshihiko Uno is the murderer?" "At this stage it is." Okumura was silent.Kayo glanced at him in the rearview mirror and continued: "Does Mr. Okumura have evidence that he is not a criminal?" "Whether it's physical evidence or situational evidence, it's all against him." "Yes. I also heard at the police station that he was the last person President Aizawa saw before his death. There seems to be no doubt about it."

Earlier than the presumed time of death, President Aizawa called his wife and said that he would bring home the money from the stock sale (it is said that he would use the money to buy a new car for the child), but there was still a salesman who did not come back. He's going to wait until he gets back before leaving. The salesman he was talking about was Min Yan.I heard that the president also said this on the phone: "Ah, I'm back, Uno just came back. Goodbye." The phone just hung up.From that moment until the discovery of the president's body, no one has spoken to or met the president.

"I've heard about this too," Okumura said. "Really? Then, what is the basis for you to think that Mr. Toshihiko is not the murderer, based on intuition?" Okumura, who was looking out the window, watched Kayo-chan in the rearview mirror. "Did you know he has a sister?" Both Kayo-chan and I were taken aback by his sudden mention of Miss Tomoe. "I know. Is it Miss Youhui?" "Her feet are uncomfortable," Okumura said, looking away. Even so, I still saw that his eyes were suddenly covered with a layer of haze, as if there was pain somewhere in his body.

"His sister's marriage fell through because of the opposition of the man's parents. It is said that it was because of her feet." It was an uncomfortable thing to hear. "I heard that at that time, Mr. Minyan was so angry that he went to negotiate with the other party several times—" "Are you hiding it from Miss Youhui?" "I think so. In the end, Mr. Min Yan also threw back the settlement fee that the man's parents used to send him. There are a total of two million." The eyes of the two meet again in the rearview mirror. "This happened about a month before the incident. I asked Min Yanyan's friend, and I also confirmed with Miss Youhui's former fiancé. It can't be wrong."

Okumura lifted himself up from the seat. "At that time, he had already started to borrow money from the underground bank, and he was as short of money as he was at the time of the crime. Isn't that strange? Why didn't he accept the money? Thinking about it, I really don't think he is the murderer." Okumura said that he hadn't met Mrs. Aizawa yet, and when Kayo-chan was thinking of an excuse for the two to visit, he immediately suggested: "Let's say I was taken care of by the president before, you are my girlfriend, we are getting married, and I came here to report before the funeral. Isn't this a perfect statement?"

"There seems to be no other way." The president's house is a stately mansion, and the walls around the house are all made of precious cypress, which is very valuable. Xiao Jiadai parked the car by the fence.An iron-gray car parked not far away. "Any guests?" Okumura said. I'm on standby in the car.It's a pity, but after all, I still have disadvantages.Some places, no matter what the reason, I just can't break into them. Kadai and Okumura went to visit and were invited to the house.To be honest, I find it really boring.I poked my neck out of the driver's window to see if they were within sight.

Just then, I realized there was someone in the iron-gray sedan as well. The other party may have been lying down and just sat up now.I looked over and saw the man's face.It was a very young man, maybe a college student. The car door opened, the man went outside, and walked towards the door of Aizawa's house with a displeased expression on his face. When he passed by this car and found me, he had a disgusted expression on his face, as if he wanted to avoid dirty things. I am not angry, this is not the time to be angry. I'm not a drug dog, but I can smell drugs. The male student who avoided me was a real poisonous bug, with the smell of the drug called "Xiloben" wafting from his body.

Who is he?I stare.The man turned back and put his hand into the window of the iron-gray car, and honked the horn like a slap. What did this guy do?Covering my slender ears, I waited and watched, and saw someone running out of Aizawa Kyuri.There was a middle-aged woman in a kimono, a muscular middle-aged man, followed by Okumura and Kokayo. "Masashi!" The middle-aged man yelled and ran over, holding the arm of the young man called Masashi. "You're slow!" Masashi waved his arms like a child throwing a tantrum. "I'm sorry, the matter has been settled, let's go back. Here? It's Dad's fault that made you wait so long."

Judging from the ensuing conversation, the middle-aged man was Jiro Akimo, a senior employee of "Kinxin Coffee".The woman in the kimono was Mrs. Aizawa, and she looked at Akimo and his son with displeasure. No wonder, even I was dumbfounded. After Kadai and the others came back, I learned the purpose of Mr. Qiumo's visit.He came to discuss the future business direction of "Qinxin Coffee". "That son is weird." Okumura sat down in the back seat and said so. "I heard from Mrs. Aizawa that his father even asked him to study painting, but it looks like he should start with basic education."

Little Kayo said while starting the car: "He feels very unhealthy, something is not right." "Is it because your personality is more neurotic?" No, it's because of drugs. "Mrs. Aizawa also said with a smile that Mr. Qiumo thinks his son is a genius." Okumura smiled wryly. "He also said that his son has never graduated from college, and he really doesn't know what to do in the future." Kayo-chan looked pensive.Future artist addicted to drugs... I feel uncomfortable too. That night, Kayo posed such a question to Xiaoxi: "Xiezi, let me ask you, what do you think of when you hear the word 'white knight'?" Xiaoxi, who was staring at the TV, replied casually: "Through the Looking-Glass." "fairy tale?" "It's not a fairy tale, it's a fantasy novel. Only adults can read it interestingly." Xiao Jiadai raised his hands to express "surrender". "Okay. I just know." "Then, let me teach you." Xiaoxi sat upright again. ""Through the Looking-Glass Alice" is the sequel to the game. Alice ran into the world of chess and finally became the White Queen, and the one who led her to become the Queen was the White Knight." "That's how it is." Kayoko said. "So, the white knight is a righteous character?" "Yeah. In Through the Looking-Glass, the White Knight was the best for Alice and a gentleman. But since he's a character in that story, he's also a weirdo. He keeps falling off his horse. , will still be trapped in your own armor. Just wait for me." Xiao Xi stood up lightly, and brought a book from the bedroom. "'Knights in tin armor, a pity they don't fit at all'," she read. "It's a great scene. The white knight sang a song.'—The knight stopped his horse and let go of the reins. Slowly beating the time with one hand, with a smile on his gentle and funny face, he sang Here come the song.'” After singing, the knight escorted Alice to the edge of the forest, begging her to watch him go. "'It won't take you long, please stay here for a while, and when I come around the corner, please wave your handkerchief for me. Then you will be able to cheer me up.'" Little Kayo had been listening quietly, and when he heard this, he smiled. "Can I borrow that book? I want to read it tonight." "Okay, the illustrations should also be carefully appreciated. John Tenniel's illustrations are great!" After Xiaoxi finished speaking, he looked puzzled: "Why did you suddenly ask about the 'White Knight'?" Kokayo explained the whole story.Mrs. Aizawa said that she heard Toshihiko say "I am the white knight" once. It is said that he said it when he sold the car.The car was purchased through the car dealer introduced by my wife, and the same car dealer was also entrusted to sell the car. "It's a pity, why did you sell it?" When Madam asked this, Min Yan replied with a smile: "Because I am a white knight——" "what does that mean?" "It's unbelievable, I can't figure it out." "If he deliberately used the word 'white knight', it probably refers to the white knight in Alice's story. For example, I would have read it in the newspaper...Hey, isn't there some 'merger and acquisition company' now?" "Hmm. Acquisition of stock acquisitions." "I heard that in order to protect itself, the acquired company sometimes solicits companies that are willing to provide financial assistance. At this time, the expression 'such and such company seeks a white knight' will be used. It is said that this expression comes from "Alice The good knight from Through the Looking-Glass. This usage is already common." In this way, Kayo-chan read "Through the Looking-Glass" until late at night.I huddled at her feet, listening to the early winter wind blowing against the window. Then, I suddenly thought. Could the "white knight" be referring to snow? Perhaps it was the fair face of Miss Youhui who came to the office with snowflakes, which aroused my association.