Chapter 60 Section 60

The Isobe Police Department sat across from Setsuko.Although the person next to Isobe who took the notes was also a young detective, he was not Shiguchi's classmate Nishiguchi. "Is the air conditioner about the same? Does it feel too cold?" Isobe asked.Although his face was expressionless, there was a look of consideration for Setsuko in his small eyes under his thick eyelids.Perhaps, he also had to put on such an expression from time to time, and it became a habit over time, so he did this.In the past, there were often such guests in "Spring Day".It's not that he's in a bad mood, in fact, he's just embarrassed to show a soft expression.

"Exactly." Hearing Setsuko's answer, Isobe nodded slightly, and looked down at the previous record. To be honest, the environment of the interrogation room is not too bad.The air conditioner is suitable for heating and cooling, and the policemen did not light cigarettes, so the air is not very cloudy.When it comes to the interrogation room, although there is always a feeling of being watched from behind the single-sided light-transmitting glass, there seems to be no such thing here. "Then, let's ask some more details." After that, Isobe asked questions about the hotel's operating status, boiler inspection and repair, and the cost.Since these were all things that were unnecessary to lie about, Setsuko answered Isobe truthfully.

From the looks of it, things seem to be going pretty well.The police seemed ready to close the case with negligence and abandonment of the body.If you can conceal what happened sixteen years ago, then this level of crime is nothing at all. "It seems that the operation of the hotel is really difficult." After listening to Setsuko's narration, Isobe scratched his head and murmured, "Well, after all, it seems that hotels are similar everywhere?" Setsuko nodded silently.If the "Green Rock Village" had closed earlier, perhaps these things would not have happened, but it is too late to say these things now.

"Speaking of which, why did the victim choose your hotel? Have you ever asked him why? The person who brought the victim food before should be you, right?" Setsuko tilted her head and said, "He just asked me to explain the cooking a little bit." Yeah?Isobe pursed his lips and nodded.Although he thought it was strange, it seemed that he didn't pay much attention to this issue. Isobe said a few words to the criminal policeman who was in charge of recording, and then the two left the room.Setsuko glanced at the window paneled with iron bars.Outside the window, dusk was approaching, and the sky was crimson.

The morning glow that day was so gorgeous—the scenery of sixteen years ago suddenly appeared in Setsuko's eyes. It was a Sunday.On the first day, Setsuko went to meet some old friends, and when she got home at night, it was already late.Moreover, Setsuko drank some wine.On the way home, although Setsuko saw a lot of police cars parked by the side of the road, she thought it was just a traffic accident.It was already twelve o'clock at night when Setsuko returned home. Chongzhi went away on business alone, so naturally he wouldn't show up at home.Setsuko took a sneak peek at Chengshi's room, which was still in junior high school at the time.Although the lights were turned off in the room, Setsuko could still see the shadow of her daughter curled up under the blanket.Setsuko relaxed, and quietly closed the door of her daughter's room.

The next morning, the ringing of the phone woke Setsuko up.Setsuko never thought that Handsome Xianbo would actually call home.While shocked, a trace of embarrassment and nostalgia surged in Setsuko's heart.Although she felt a little overwhelmed, she didn't feel the slightest bit of discomfort. However, the development of the situation no longer allowed Setsuko to continue to indulge in that sweet feeling.If something important hadn't happened, Xianbo wouldn't have called early in the morning.After hearing Xianba's narration, Setsuko was very surprised.That Rieko back then—that is, Nobuko Miyake was killed.Moreover, the murder scene was very close to the residence of Setsuko and her daughter.Afterwards, Xianbo also revealed a fact that made Setsuko dizzy: Nobuko Miyake seemed to be aware of Naruto's life experience.

After hanging up the phone, Setsuko immediately went to Chengshi's room to have a look.Cheng Shi is still on the bed.Cheng Shi on the bed was like a fetus in the womb, with his hands and feet curled up and curled up into a ball.Cheng Shi was not asleep at all, and there were still tears on her cheeks.Setsuko understood everything immediately: her daughter cried all night. On the table, there is a kitchen knife.It is the one that Setsuko often uses on weekdays.There were black marks on the kitchen knife, not only the blade, but even the handle was covered with blood. Setsuko was stunned for a moment, and stood there dumbfounded.For some reason, she turned her head and looked out the window.The early morning glow dyed the distant clouds an ominous red.It felt like it was showing the future fate of their mother and daughter.

Setsuko asked, "What happened? What happened to this kitchen knife? Answer me honestly." However, it is simply impossible for a junior high school girl whose mind is in chaos because of killing someone to calmly explain what happened.Even so, Setsuko still heard some facts from her daughter's narration: before, a strange woman came suddenly and pestered Chengshi to ask her about her life experience.After the woman left, Cheng Shi rushed into the kitchen, picked up a kitchen knife, caught up with the woman, and killed her. Although there are still many unclear points in the whole matter, it is useless to ask the child who is in a trance.What should I do?This matter must not be let Shigeji know.Right now, the only person who can be relied on is Xianbo.

Setsuko immediately called Xianbo and told Xianbo what happened before and after.Immediately, Xianbo gave instructions to Setsuko to hand over the kitchen knife to him.Xian Bo said that he would find a way to deal with this matter. He doesn't want to help Chengshi take the blame, does he?Could it be that Xian Bo is going to surrender to the police instead of Cheng Shi?If this was the case, then Setsuko would never let Xianbo do this.She couldn't let Xian Bo take the blame for her daughter. However, when thinking about Chengshi's future life, Setsuko feels that only by doing so can Chengshi get out of the current predicament.If possible, Setsuko herself would be willing to take the blame for the child.Unfortunately, however, Setsuko had an alibi the night before.Moreover, she couldn't think of a suitable motive for the murder.She absolutely can't tell Chengshi's life experience.

Although he was still doubtful, Setsuko followed Xianba's instructions and went out with the kitchen knife.When he was about to go out, Jiezi called out to Chengshi again: Chengshi, you also go with me—— Although she knew she couldn't let Xianbo do this, in her heart, Setsuko still looked forward to his kindness.Apart from this method, there is no other way to save Chengshi.Setsuko is very clear that she will probably agree to Xianbo's proposal.If things really got to that point, at least she hoped that Xianbo could have a look at what her daughter would look like when she grew up.Because Xianbo is Chengshi's real father.

Arriving at the appointed place, Setsuko finds that Xianbo has become much emaciated.From his appearance, one can fully guess the hardships he has experienced in these years.However, right now, Setsuko has no time to reminisce with him. Xianbo asked many details about Chengshi's murder of Nobuko Miyake, and it seemed that he was indeed ready to take the blame for his daughter.After telling Xianbo all the situation that she finally asked from her daughter before, Setsuko asked: Is this really okay?It is a mother's bounden duty to protect her daughter——Xianbo's words were like a big hand pushing Setsuko's back heavily. Two days later, Setsuko saw the news of Xianbo's arrest on TV.According to the news, Xian Bo was about to destroy the evidence at the time, but was discovered by the search police and arrested on the spot.Setsuko was a little surprised, she didn't expect that Xianbo didn't turn himself in.Xian Bo did this, perhaps because he thought he could hide it from the police.Xianbo's love for his daughter, who is willing to aggravate the crime, but also protect Chengshi, makes Jiezi heartbroken. Xian Bo had probably already made full preparations before he was caught with nothing.Judging from the news and newspapers, the police did not seem to be suspicious of Xian Bo's confession.In this way, those criminal policemen would naturally not come to find Setsuko, mother and daughter. Setsuko confesses everything to Chengshi.Cheng Shi was greatly hurt and did not go to school for four consecutive days.Later, as the relevant reports gradually decreased, Chengshi's mood gradually calmed down.Perhaps, she has figured everything out, what she did, and who saved her. Mother and daughter are of the same heart, needless to say, neither mother nor daughter have ever mentioned this matter to Chongzhi.After that, the mother and daughter almost never mentioned this matter again.However, they did not forget.This incident left indelible scars in the hearts of both mother and daughter. Not only did they feel heartache from time to time, but it sometimes affected the lives of both mother and daughter.Before, Chengshi had always disapproved of Shigeji's proposal to move back to Glasspool, but this time, Chengshi agreed.As a mother, Setsuko understands her daughter's thoughts very well. Life in Glasspool is peaceful and happy.Although Chengshi's figure of waking up from a dream and devoting himself to the environmental protection movement all day makes Setsuko feel a little heartbroken, but if doing so can alleviate some of the sins in her heart, Setsuko would rather not say anything.When Setsuko hung the painting painted by Xianbo's wife in the lobby of "Green Rock Villa", Chengshi didn't say anything to stop it. In this way, the family lived a peaceful life in Glasspool for fifteen years.Although the mother and daughter have never forgotten Xianbo, it is undeniable that memory will be dusted with the passage of time. The person who blows away the dust is Tsukahara Shoji.That day, when Setsuko was arranging the bowls, chopsticks and food for him, he said softly "...Mr. is in the hospital now". Setsuko didn't hear the name Tsukahara said clearly, so she asked one more question: "Who do you say is in the hospital?" Tsukahara licked his lips, a slightly stiff smile appeared on his face. "Sinbo. Mr. Sinbo is in the hospital now." Setsuko felt as if her expression had been frozen for an instant.She didn't know what to say, her lips just trembled slightly.Afterwards, Tsukahara lowered his voice and told Setsuko in a low voice that he was actually the criminal policeman who was in charge of Ogiki's murder. Setsuko's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and she felt that she could even hear her own heartbeat. "Don't be afraid. I didn't come to ask you to repeat the past." Tsukahara said, "I came to you to ask you to do something." What's up?Setsuko asked.Regardless of the stiff expression on her face, she exhausted all her strength to ask this question. Tsukahara stared at Setsuko's eyes and said to Setsuko: Can you let Chengshi visit Xianba? "He is running out of time. According to the doctor, it is estimated that he has only one month left at most. Before he dies, I want the person he has spent his life to protect to meet him. This is I... sixteen years ago, the only compensation I made to him was the one who made a big mistake." Please be sure to agree.After speaking, Tsukahara lowered his head deeply. Seeing Tsukahara's appearance, Setsuko gradually calmed down.He didn't come to expose Chengshi's crimes back then.In fact, he was just sympathizing with Xianbo. However, Setsuko couldn't just open up to him so easily.Setsuko restrained herself desperately, pretending to ask Tsukahara what he was talking about.Who is Xianbo?Does it have anything to do with us? "Really? That's really regrettable." Tsukahara just said this with a sad face, and never mentioned it in front of Setsuko again. Setsuko left the room after setting up the food and bowls and chopsticks.Reiji was standing in the corridor.Setsuko was taken aback, and asked what Shigeharu was doing?Shigeji replied that he was not doing anything, just passing by by chance.There was no expression on Reiji's face. Although Setsuko was also suspicious, she felt that Shigeharu seemed to have heard the conversation between her and Tsukahara before, but she had no way to confirm this.She could only silently watch her husband walking away on crutches. Afterwards, Setsuko took Yukawa to the izakaya.After a few drinks with Yukawa, Setsuko left.Setsuko felt a little uneasy in her heart, she didn't know if Tsukahara would pester her again after she went back.Just as Setsuko was standing at the door of the store hesitating, Naruto and Sawamura appeared.Sawamura proposed to send Setsuko back, but Setsuko naturally couldn't refuse. What happened afterwards was the same as what she had told the police before.Returning to "Green Rock Village", Setsuko saw Shigeji sitting in the lobby alone in a daze.He told Setsuko that the boiler had an accident and the passenger died.Shigeji originally planned to call the police, and Setsuko agreed with her husband's proposal, but Ke Sawamura objected.Sawamura said that in order to protect Glass Pool, this matter must be arranged as another accident.The three discussed it, and Shigeji and Setsuko finally agreed with Sawamura. Let Tsukahara die in a place that has nothing to do with his family.This was Setsuko's true thoughts at the time.Even if it was just an accident, it is estimated that the police will find out the connection between Tsukahara and himself during the search process. and-- Setsuko is also wondering, is this really an accident? Even if Shigeji heard the conversation between himself and Tsukahara before, he probably didn't know what was going on.And if Chongzhi had been vaguely aware of the case sixteen years ago, then the matter would be another matter. Sixteen years ago, when the case happened, Shigeharu was in Nagoya.However, he probably also knew about the killing of Nobuko Miyake and the arrest of Senba.Shigeji knew both of them, and the case happened near the residence of Setsuko and Chengshi at that time.Faced with all this, what will Reiji think? Moreover, he seems to have realized that Cheng Shi is not actually his biological daughter. Of course, Setsuko never tested Shigeharu.But she knew her husband very well.The husband knew that Chengshi was not his own daughter, but he still treated Chengshi as his own daughter. Shigeharu is a smart man, it is impossible for him not to have thought about the relationship between that case and Setsuko's mother and daughter.However, he never brought up the case.This, on the contrary, deepened Setsuko's conviction. At that time, Shigeji suddenly and forcefully proposed to move back to Glasspool.This matter must also be related to that case.He did this because he wanted to take his wife and daughter away from the land of right and wrong as soon as possible—perhaps, that was what Chongzhi thought at the time. All of this is actually just Setsuko's conjecture.But if Setsuko's conjecture is correct, what would Shigeharu think after hearing what Tsukahara said? Perhaps, he regarded Tsukahara as a messenger who opened the door of that ominous past.As long as Tsukahara is still alive, his family will never have peace. Setsuko didn't know the truth of the matter.She never asked Shigeji if it was really an accident.Since Shigeharu didn't say anything, Setsuko could only remain silent.Maybe, Shigeji would never tell everything in his life. Setsuko is very clear that this is the only way for her family.