Chapter 103 Section Thirteen

The hands of the clock passed twelve o'clock, and when I thought that there would be no more guests today, the old wooden door creaked open.A man in his early sixties, wearing a dark gray coat, walked in slowly. Seeing who was coming, Yayoko Kirihara's smile suddenly disappeared, and she sighed softly: "It turned out to be Mr. Sasagaki, I thought the God of Wealth came to the door." "What are you talking about, am I not the God of Wealth?" Sasagaki hung the scarf and coat on the wall by himself.Take a seat at the center of the L-shaped bar that can squeeze ten people.He wore a heavily frayed brown suit under his overcoat, his style unchanged since his retirement from police duty.

Yayoko put a glass in front of him, opened the beer bottle and poured it for him.She knew he only drank beer here. Sasagaki took a sip with relish, and reached for the simple appetizers brought out by Yayoko. "How's the business? The peak season at the end of the year is coming soon." "As you can see, the bubble economy here has burst since several years ago. It should be said that the bubble economy has never burst in my place." Yayoko took out another glass and poured beer for herself, without saying hello to Sasagaki, she drank half of the glass in one go. "You are still so refreshing drinking." Sasagaki reached out to pick up the beer bottle and helped her fill it up.

"Thank you." Yayoko nodded, "This is my only pleasure." "Mrs. Yayoko, how long has your store been open?" "Well, how many years has it been?" She wrung her fingers, "Fourteen years... yes, that's right, it will be fourteen years in February next year." "It's pretty good, you're still the most suitable for this line of work, huh?" "Haha!" She laughed, "Maybe, the previous cafe collapsed in three years." "You never help with the work of the pawn shop, do you?" "Yeah, that's the job I hate the most. It doesn't fit my personality at all."

Even so, she has been a pawnshop proprietress for nearly thirteen years, although she thinks that is the biggest mistake in her life.If I hadn't married Kirihara and continued to work in the bar in Kitashinchi, I don't know how big the store would be now. After her husband Yosuke was murdered, the pawnshop was temporarily managed by Matsuura, but soon after the family held a meeting, the pawnshop was changed to Yosuke's cousin.Originally, the Kirihara family operated pawnshops for generations, and several shops were jointly established by relatives.So after Yosuke's death, Yayoko couldn't do whatever he wanted.

Not long after, Matsuura quit his job in the store.According to the new boss who took over, Yosuke's cousin, Matsuura embezzled a lot of money from the store, but Yayoko didn't understand the numbers at all.In fact, she didn't care about it. Yayoko gave up the house and storefront to her cousin, and used the money to open a café in Uehommachi.At that time, she made a wrong calculation. It turned out that the land of Tongyuan pawn shop was in the name of Yosuke's brother, not owned by Yosuke, that is, the land was borrowed.Yayoi was completely unaware of this. The cafe went smoothly when it first opened, but after half a year, the number of customers began to decrease, and then it went from bad to worse for unknown reasons.Yayoko tried to update the varieties and change the interior decoration of the store, but the business was still declining. She had to cut labor costs as a last resort, which led to a decrease in service quality, and customers were even more reluctant to come to the store.In the end, it closed in less than three years.At that time, a friend when she was a bar lady said that there was a snack bar in Tennoji, and asked her if she would like to order it.The condition is very good, no royalties are required, and the decoration and equipment are all ready-made.She immediately agreed, and this is the store now.For the past fourteen years, Yayoko's life has been supported by this store.The thought of not having this store, even now, makes her hair stand on end with fear.However, as soon as her store opened, "Space Invaders" became popular all over the country. Customers rushed into the cafe not to drink coffee, but to play games. At that time, she was regretting closing the cafe I have to beat my chest and stamp my feet.

"How is your son? Is there still no news?" Sasagaki asked. The corners of Yayoko's mouth drooped, and she shook her head: "I've given up on it." "How old is this year? Exactly thirty?" "God knows, I forgot." Sasagaki has been visiting occasionally since Yayoko opened the shop in the fourth year.He was originally the policeman in charge of investigating Yosuke's murder case, but he almost never mentioned that case, but he always asked Liangji about it. Ryoji lived in Kirihara's pawn shop until he graduated from junior high school.Yayoko was preoccupied with the coffee shop business at the time, and not having to look after her son seemed to have helped her a lot.

Ryoji left Kirihara Pawnshop around the same time Yayoko started running the shop.They did not start the warm life of mother and child depending on each other.She had to stay with drunk guests until midnight, and then fell asleep.It’s always past noon when I wake up, I have something to eat, I take a shower and put on my makeup, and then I have to prepare to open the shop.She has never cooked breakfast for her son once, and dinners are almost always takeaway.Even the time for mother and child to meet may be less than an hour a day. Later, Ryoji slept out more and more frequently.Asked where he lived and got vague answers.But the school or the police never came to say that Ryoji had caused trouble, and Yayoko didn't take it to heart.She was exhausted from coping with everyday life.

On the morning of the high school graduation ceremony, Ryoji prepared to go out as usual.Yayoi, who rarely woke up in the morning, watched him from under the covers. He who usually leaves home silently, turned his head at the door that day and said to Yayoko, "I'm leaving." "Well, be careful on the road." She replied in a drowsy sleep. This became the last conversation between their mother and son.It was several hours later that Yayoko found the note on the dressing table, which simply said "I will not be coming back."Just like his message, he never showed up again.

If you really wanted to find him, of course it wouldn't be impossible to find him, but Yayoko didn't actively look for him.Even though she was lonely, she also felt in her heart that there was a reason for this situation.She knew that she had never fulfilled the responsibilities of a mother, and she also understood that Liangji did not regard herself as a mother. Yayoko wondered if she was born with a lack of motherhood.Ryoji was born not because she wanted a child, but because she had no reason to have an abortion.She married Yosuke also because she thought that she would have a good life without having to work.However, the role of wife and mother was far more boring than she had expected.She didn't want to be a wife or a mother, she wanted to be just a woman forever.

About three months after Ryoji left home, she had an affair with a man who dealt in imported groceries.He comforted Yayoko's lonely heart and fulfilled her wish to be a woman again. They lived together for about two years, and the reason for breaking up was that the man had to return to his original home.He is married and his home is in the city of Tun. After that, she dated and broke up with several men, and now Chi is still alone.Life is easy, but sometimes it feels lonely.On nights like this, she would think of Liangji.But she didn't allow herself to have the idea of ​​seeing him, she knew she didn't have that qualification.

Sasagaki picked up a Qixing, and Yayoko quickly picked up the lighter and lit it for him. "Hey, how many years has it been since your husband was killed?" Sasagaki asked, smoking a cigarette. "Twenty years..." "Nineteen years, it's really a long time ago." "Yeah. Mr. Sasagaki has retired, and I have become an old woman." "It's been so long, how about it, there should be some things that can be said?" "What's the meaning?" "I mean, some things you couldn't say then, you can now." Yayoko smiled faintly, took out her own cigarette, lit it, and spit thin gray smoke towards the yellowed ceiling. "It's strange what you say. I have nothing to hide." "Huh? There are many things I can't figure out." "You still can't let go of that case? You're really patient." Yayoi held the cigarette between her fingertips and leaned gently against the cabinet behind her.Music came from nowhere. "On the day of the incident, you said you were at home with Matsuura and Ryoji. Is that true?" "That's right." Yayoko picked up the ashtray and shook the ash off, "Hasn't Mr. Sasagaki already investigated this and is about to die?" "I checked, but the only thing that can be proved concretely is Matsuura's alibi." "You mean I killed people?" Yayoko exhaled smoke from his nose. "No, you should be with him. What I suspect is that the three of you are together. In fact, it's you and Matsuura, isn't it?" "Mr. Sasagaki, what exactly are you trying to say?" "You're having an affair with Matsuura." Sasagaki drank the beer in the glass, signaling her not to help him, and poured it himself. "Don't you need to hide it anymore? It's over. Now, no one will make irresponsible remarks." "I'm only asking about the past now, what are you going to do?" "Not doing anything, just trying to figure things out. When the murder happened, the customer who went to the pawn shop said the door was locked. To this, Matsuura's version is that he went into the vault, and you and your son were watching TV. But it's not Actually, you and Matsuura are on the bed in the back room, aren't you?" "What do you say?" "I'm right." Sasagaki smirked and drank his beer. Yayoko continued to smoke in a calm manner.Looking at the drifting smoke, my thoughts also drifted away. She didn't have much affection for Isamu Matsuura, she just had nothing to do every day, and was anxious in her heart, for fear that if this continued, she would no longer be a woman.So when Matsuura pursued, she simply accepted.He must have seen through her emptiness to find her. "Is your son on the second floor?" Sasagaki asked. "Ok?" "I mean Ryoji, you and Matsuura were in the back room on the first floor. Was that kid on the second floor at the time? You were worried that he would break in suddenly, so you locked the added lock on the stairway door." "Added lock?" After saying that, Yayoko nodded vigorously, "Yes, after hearing what you said, I remembered that there was indeed an added lock on the door of the stairs. As expected of a policeman, I remember it so clearly." "How? Ryoji was on the second floor then, right? But, in order to conceal your relationship with Matsuura, you decided to announce that he was with you. Is that so?" "It's up to you if you think so, I won't say anything." Yayoko put out the cigarette butt in the ashtray, "Open another bottle?" "Okay, let's go." Sasagaki drank the second bottle of beer with peanuts, and Yayoko also drank with him.For a while, the two were silent.Yayoko recalled the situation at that time.Everything was just as Sasagaki said, when the murder happened, she and Matsuura were having a good time, Ryoji was on the second floor, and the door of the stairs was locked. But—when the police asked for an alibi, it would be better to say that Ryoji was with him—it was suggested by Matsuura, so that the police would not make wild guesses.As a result of the discussion, it was decided that Yayoko and Ryoji were watching TV at that time, watching a sci-fi drama aimed at male audiences.The content of the program was introduced in detail in the juvenile magazine that Ryoji subscribed at that time. Yayoko and Ryoji read the magazine and memorized the content of the program. "Miyazaki doesn't know what will happen." Sasagaki said suddenly. "Miyazaki?" "Tsuto Miyazaki." "Oh." Yayoko flicked her long hair and felt that the hair was wrapped around her hands, but it turned out to be white hair wrapped around her middle finger.She quietly let her hair fall to the ground, so that Sasagaki would not notice. "Death penalty, that kind of scoundrel." "A few days ago, the newspaper reported the result of the public verdict. It seems to say that three months before committing the crime, his beloved grandpa died, and he lost his spiritual support or something." "What's that? If everyone wants to kill people like this, what's the deal?" Yayoko lit another cigarette. Between 1988 and 1989, four young girls were killed in Qitama and Tokyo.Yayoko read the news and learned that the "serial abduction and murder of young girls" was under trial.The defense provided counter-evidence based on the results of the psychiatric appraisal, but she was not surprised by the mentality of picking young girls.She has long known that there are not a few men with this kind of perverted psychology. "It would be great if I knew about that earlier." Sasagaki said in a low voice. "which one?" "Your husband's interest." Yayoko wanted to laugh, but her cheeks cramped weirdly.Only then did she realize that Sasagaki had brought up Tsutomu Miyazaki in order to bring up this topic. "Can that be of any help?" she asked. "It's more than just help. If we knew about the crime when it happened, the direction of the investigation would be changed 180 degrees." "Oh, that's it." Yayoko took a puff of smoke, "But..." "Yeah, of course I couldn't say it then." "No!" "I can't blame you," Sasagaki put his hand on his forehead, "It turned out that it took nineteen years." Yayoko refrained from asking what this sentence meant.Sasagaki may be hiding some secret in her heart, but she doesn't want to know until now.There was another silence.When there was one third of the second bottle of beer left, Sasagaki stood up: "Then I'm leaving." "Thank you for coming in such a cold day, come and sit when you think about it." "Okay, I'll come back next time." Sasagaki paid the bill, put on his coat and brown scarf, "It's a bit early, but I wish you a happy new year." "Happy New Year!" Yayoi smiled happily. Sasagaki grabbed the handle of the old wooden door, but turned around: "Is he really on the second floor?" "what?" "Ryoji, is he really on the second floor all the time?" "what do you want to say in the end?" "It's nothing, excuse me." Sasagaki opened the door and left. Yayoko stared at the door for a while, then sat down on the chair beside her.The goose bumps on my body are not just caused by the cold wind seeping in from outside. "Xiao Liang seems to have gone out again." Matsuura's voice rang in his ears.He was pressed against Yayoko, sweat dripping from his temples. Matsuura said this when he heard the sound of someone stepping on the roof tiles.Yayoko had also known for a long time that Ryoji often climbed out of the house through the window and ran out along the roof.But she never said anything to Liang Si about this matter. He was not at home, so it was convenient for her to have a tryst with her lover. It was the same that day.The tiles creaked slightly when he came back.but…… so what?How can you say what Ryoji did?