Chapter 135 Conflict

Chapter 135 Conflict

(referring to the earlier mention of a lighter) A lighter?

Shen Qingye was already aware of this from Bai Ci and exchanged a glance with Yue Lingchuan, frowning slightly as she naturally guided the conversation:

"A gas leak doesn’t always cause an explosion. For an explosion to occur, there must be an open flame... At the time, we found both unburned mosquito coils and the ashes of burned ones in the Liang family’s living room. We initially suspect that the explosion was caused by the mosquito coil."

Just as expected, Xu Hongxia’s eyes widened instantly at these words: "Mosquito coil? How could that be?"

"We never leave mosquito coils in the living room!"

Xu Hongxia took a deep breath, suppressing her headache, and said, "Mr. Liang comes from a rural background and has always been frugal. Even though he’s doing well financially now, he never indulges in extravagance. He teaches the kids to save and not develop wasteful habits. The kids barely get any allowance!"

"We usually only light mosquito coils in the dining room at mealtimes, but when it’s time to sleep, we take them back to our own rooms. Mr. Liang even said that leaving them there is wasteful."

"Once, we forgot to take the mosquito coil back one night, and Mr. Liang mentioned it the next morning. After that, I started checking every night before bed to make sure the mosquito coils were taken away!"

"I remember clearly: last night before going to sleep, I took the mosquito coil away! So how did it end up in the living room?"

Yue Lingchuan’s expression darkened. "In that case... it’s very likely that the mosquito coil was lit by the perpetrator?"

Shen Qingye nodded. "Along with the lighter sound... that seems to be the case."

Xu Hongxia nodded as well. "I definitely remember taking the mosquito coil back to my room! In fact, before going to bed, I could still smell it. I’ve always hated the smell, but there are so many mosquitoes here, and I hate air conditioning—I like sleeping with the window open—so I put up with it!"

Yue Lingchuan looked at Xu Hongxia and asked, "Where do you usually keep the mosquito coils in the Liang household?"

Xu Hongxia replied, "The mosquito coils... are usually stored in the cabinet against the wall in the living room."

Shen Qingye asked, "Is it hard to find them?"

"It’s not about whether they’re easy to find. You can see them as soon as you open the cabinet. If an outsider didn’t know, they might check a few more cabinets—"

Before she could finish, her voice suddenly faltered. No—wait, that’s wrong!"

"Those cabinets are old. Except for the one with the mosquito coils, the others all make a sound—not loud, but I’d definitely hear it—whenever they’re opened!"

She slept lightly, and the door to her room had poor sound insulation. She could even hear footsteps from downstairs. If someone had opened those cabinets, she would have heard it!

But last night, she hadn’t heard any cabinet sounds. That meant the perpetrator hadn’t touched the problematic cabinets but had gone straight—without hesitation—to the one with the mosquito coils!

Was it a coincidence?

Could it really be that coincidental?

Xu Hongxia’s hands on the bed trembled, too scared to dwell on what it meant.

Yue Lingchuan was the first to speak. "This means that the perpetrator was very familiar with the Liang household—so familiar that they knew exactly where everything was kept."

"The perpetrator... is likely someone you know well."

Xu Hongxia’s expression stiffened. Shen Qingye looked at her and softened her tone. "Auntie, please think carefully. Among the people the Liang couple usually interacted with... was there anyone who was particularly familiar with their home and might have held a grudge against them?"

Xu Hongxia’s mind was a complete mess. Shaking her head blankly, she murmured, "I don’t know, I don’t know..."

"Mr. Liang was a good man. He had many visitors, and Madam was the same—she could chat with anyone..."

"Every time guests came, the atmosphere at home was always harmonious. From what I saw, no one held such a grudge against them—"

Her voice trailed off suddenly, her expression changing rapidly: "The atmosphere, the atmosphere..."

Shen Qingye quickly asked, "What have you thought of?"

"I... I..." Xu Hongxia's teeth were chattering as she looked up at them, speaking with difficulty, "I suddenly remembered... a few days ago, Mr. Liang's nephew, Liang Wenjun, came to the house."

Shen Qingye paused: "Liang Wenjun?"

Yue Lingchuan's eyebrows twitched: "Is there something wrong with this Liang Wenjun?"

Xu Hongxia said, "Liang Wenjun... that day he came, it seemed like he had an argument with Mr. Liang."

"An argument?" Shen Qingye asked, "What was it about?"

Xu Hongxia took a deep breath and slowly shook her head: "I don't know."

She carefully recalled, "That day, the children were all at school, and Madam had gone out, so only Mr. Liang was at home. Liang Wenjun didn’t call ahead, so I was surprised to see him. I thought since he was a guest, I should go out to buy some groceries. But when I came back, I saw Liang Wenjun storming out of Mr. Liang’s study. He didn’t even say goodbye and just left! Mr. Liang was beside himself with anger, pounding the table and calling him a 'little bastard' and other names."

"Mr. Liang has always had a good temper. In all my years working for the Liang family, I’ve never seen him so angry."

"But I'm just hired help. It wasn't my place to pry into their family matters, so I just went to the kitchen to cook. Later, when Madam came back, Mr. Liang was still seething. But when she asked, he only said that brat was becoming more and more outrageous. As for what actually happened... I really don’t know."

Shen Qingye frowned and asked, "About when was this?"

"Let me think..." Xu Hongxia counted on her fingers, "Last Thursday, yes, last Thursday."

Yue Lingchuan thought for a moment and said, "If I remember correctly, Mr. Liang doesn’t have any other relatives left, does he? Just this one nephew?"

"That’s right. The Liang family line is thin. After his parents passed, his only brother and sister-in-law died in an accident too, leaving only Liang Wenjun as his nephew."

"In that case, their uncle-nephew relationship should be quite good. Why is it that in the information we’ve gathered, there’s hardly any mention of Liang Wenjun?"

"Was his relationship with Mr. Liang not good?"

"Well, this..." Xu Hongxia hesitated, looking troubled.

Shen Qingye reassured her, "You don’t need to worry. These words won’t be shared with anyone else, so please speak freely."

Xu Hongxia sighed, "It’s not that I want to speak ill of him, but that Liang Wenjun... really was something else."

"How so?"

Xu Hongxia composed herself and said, "When the elder Liang passed away, Liang Wenjun was only fourteen. Mr. Liang had always been close to his elder brother, so naturally, he couldn’t abandon his brother’s only child. He took Liang Wenjun in to raise him."

"But back then, Liang Wenjun was at that rebellious stage where he wouldn’t listen to anyone. Even when his parents were alive, they couldn’t control him, let alone after they were gone, with only an uncle left—he was completely unmanageable."

"Mr. Liang has a gentle temper, and the mistress is very kind. At first, they treated him no differently from their own children. Whatever Young Master Yu and his siblings had, Liang Wenjun wouldn’t lack; sometimes, he even got things Young Master Yu didn’t have."

"But that Liang Wenjun was hopeless. In the beginning, maybe because he had just lost his parents and was living with his uncle, he behaved himself somewhat. But once he realized how Mr. Liang treated him, he started acting up."

"At the time, he was in middle school, but his teachers were calling home nearly every week—if not more often. Every time, it was either for not paying attention in class, disrupting lessons, getting into fights, or even daring to hit a teacher... There were even a few instances of him seeing different girls..."

"The mistress had it rough back then, being called to the school at least two or three times a month. Honestly, her own kids never gave her half the trouble."

Shen Qingye asked, "Didn’t Mr. Liang discipline him?"

Xu Hongxia winced, "Of course he did. It’s not like Mr. Liang never talked to him. But first, he was only a nephew, not his own son, and he had just lost his parents. Mr. Liang took that into consideration and couldn’t come down too hard on him. Second, Liang Wenjun simply wouldn’t listen! You could lecture him all you wanted, and he’d nod along like he was listening, but afterward, he’d just go back to his old ways."

"Mr. Liang was extremely worried during that time, constantly apologizing to the parents of the students who were beaten and to the teachers. In the end, Liang Wenjun refused to change, and even the school didn’t want him anymore. No matter how much Mr. Liang pleaded—whether offering donations or funding building repairs—the school was simply afraid of him and tactfully persuaded him to leave."

"Later, Mr. Liang probably realized this couldn’t go on. He couldn’t just let a child go to waste like that. So, he enrolled him in a well-known boarding military school, hoping to whip the boy into shape."

"After arriving at the school, Liang Wenjun still wanted to cause trouble. But the teachers there were strict, and many of the students were similar to him—unafraid of his antics. He couldn’t stir up much trouble and was actually forced to behave for half a month."

"After half a month, Liang Wenjun couldn’t take it anymore and tried every means to escape. But Mr. Liang was determined to correct his behavior and ignored his pleas. He planned to wait until the boy had settled down a bit before bringing him back. But who would’ve thought Liang Wenjun would attempt suicide?"

"Suicide?" Shen Qingye exclaimed. "Did he really try to kill himself?"

Xu Hongxia looked weary. "Exactly! Apparently, during a meal at school, he deliberately smashed a bowl, secretly took a shard, and barged into the principal’s office, demanding to be let go. When the principal refused, he took the shard and slashed his own wrist without holding back! The principal was terrified and immediately called the school doctor to stop the bleeding before rushing him to the hospital. Thankfully, nothing serious happened in the end."

"After this incident, not only was the principal scared, but Mr. Liang was too. He rushed back from out of town, even neglecting his business, and went straight to the hospital!"

"When Liang Wenjun woke up, he looked straight at Mr. Liang and said that if he was sent back there, he’d attempt suicide again. He also warned against assigning anyone to watch him—he’d always find a way to kill himself. And if he really died, he asked if Mr. Liang could face his grandparents and parents afterward."

"What could Mr. Liang say? He was genuinely frightened and had no choice but to compromise, pulling him out of the school."

"But given Liang Wenjun’s age, what else could he do besides attend school? If Mr. Liang truly abandoned him and let him fend for himself in society, he wouldn’t have been at ease. In the end, they reached a tenuous compromise: no matter what, Liang Wenjun had to finish high school and promise not to easily clash with teachers or classmates. As long as he kept his word, Mr. Liang would fulfill any reasonable request."

"Liang Wenjun thought this was acceptable and reluctantly agreed. And so, the family managed to live in relative peace for over three years."

"During those three years, Liang Wenjun lived at home. To be honest, there were no major incidents, but minor ones were constant. Mr. Liang often tried to talk to him, but Liang Wenjun had no patience—after just a few words, he’d make excuses to go out. Eventually, he even grew tired of Mr. and Mrs. Liang’s nagging and demanded that Mr. Liang buy him an apartment so he could move out."

"Back then, he wasn’t even an adult yet. How could Mr. Liang agree? He said Liang Wenjun had to wait until he turned eighteen before discussing it."

"Liang Wenjun made a scene, but this time Mr. Liang stood firm. Left with no choice, Liang Wenjun had to wait."

"Mr. Liang knew his heart wasn’t in it and that he probably resented them by then. Thinking that out of sight, out of mind, he figured forcing the boy to stay would only breed hatred. So, when Liang Wenjun turned eighteen, Mr. Liang gave him an apartment and let him move out. Liang Wenjun was so happy that day—unusually obedient, calling them 'Uncle' and 'Auntie' nonstop."

Xu Hongxia sighed at the memory. "That was probably the most harmonious day in the house since Liang Wenjun had moved in."

Shen Qingye was silent for a moment. "And then?"

"And then," Xu Hongxia said distantly, "even though he moved out, Mr. Liang couldn’t just leave him alone. He assigned a housekeeper to 'take care of him,' but really, she was there to keep an eye on him and report back."

"At first, Liang Wenjun tolerated it. But as he grew more reckless—staying out all night multiple times—the housekeeper grew worried and told Mr. Liang, who then confronted Liang Wenjun. After several rounds of this, Liang Wenjun got fed up and demanded Mr. Liang dismiss the housekeeper, refusing to be monitored. The two had a huge fight, and in the end, Mr. Liang relented, promising not to pry into his life anymore. Only then did Liang Wenjun grudgingly agree."

"From age eighteen until now—about five years—Liang Wenjun mostly lived outside, relying on Mr. Liang’s monthly allowance and updates from the housekeeper about his well-being. He rarely came home, usually only when he needed money or wanted something."

"I remember the last time he came back was because he’d had his eye on a particular car. My word! I don’t know what kind of car it was—must’ve been made of gold, costing nearly a million yuan!"

"Mr. Liang had come from humble beginnings and thought the price was outrageous. But Liang Wenjun kept insisting, even showing rare humility. He stayed home for a week, on his best behavior, and only then did Mr. Liang agree."

She gave a tired smile. "But as soon as he got the car, he left again. It’s been two or three months now, and he hasn’t visited since."

"The reason the two officers mentioned earlier said no one mentioned Liang Wenjun is that he’s been living outside and rarely comes back. New neighbors don’t even know he exists, and old ones, though aware of him, only remember him as troublesome—but not how bad it really was. Plus, Mrs. Liang, despite her headaches, never aired their dirty laundry. So over the years, people probably forgot."

Shen Qingye pressed her lips together, puzzled after the long account. "Liang Wenjun is just Mr. Liang’s nephew, yet Mr. Liang has done so much for him—practically going above and beyond. Why cater to his every whim?"

For an established businessman to repeatedly give in to his nephew, handing over pricey apartments and cars, constantly fretting—it was almost as if Liang Wenjun were his own son.

And considering Mr. Liang was said to be thrifty, yet he bought a million-yuan car just because his nephew wanted it...

Liang Yongcheng’s kindness was one thing, but to this degree—

Shen Qingye’s brow furrowed slightly.

"Well, there's a reason for this," Xu Hongxia waved her hand and explained in detail: "Mr. Liang is a good man, but not *this* indulgent. The main reason he spoils Liang Wenjun so much is largely due to the eldest son of the Liang family."

Yue Lingchuan asked, "Liang Wenjun's father?"

"Yes," Xu Hongxia replied. "The eldest Liang son was eight years older than Mr. Liang. When Mr. Liang was born, his elder brother was old enough to understand responsibility. Plus, living in the countryside with heavy farm work, Mr. Liang was practically *raised* by his big brother. The brothers were *extremely* close."

"Later, when Mr. Liang grew up, he was a top student, sailing through middle and high school, and even got into college! That should have been a good thing, but unfortunately, the Liang family was too poor—so poor they couldn’t even afford his tuition. The whole family was *desperate*, and Mr. Liang was ready to *drop out*. But then his *sister-in-law* stepped up and offered her savings to pay his way. For the next four years, his big brother worked outside, sending part of his wages directly to Mr. Liang."

"Without his big brother, Mr. Liang *wouldn’t* have made it to college—let alone become who he is today."

"So once he made it big, Mr. Liang *never forgot* to repay his brother and sister-in-law. And honestly, his brother and sister-in-law *weren’t* greedy—they *knew when to stop*. For many years, they got along very well with Mr. Liang, and the two families were extremely close. So after they *died*, Mr. Liang *bent over backward* for Liang Wenjun."

Who’d have guessed Liang Wenjun would turn out *like this*? One could say Mr. Liang never put so much effort into his own children. Most of his patience and leniency went to Liang Wenjun.

The room went quiet for a moment. Shen Qingye lowered her eyelids, lost in thought.

If so, Liang Wenjun *had* butted heads with Liang Yongcheng before, and there was unresolved conflict between them. The *why* wasn’t clear, but it *gave him motive*. Moreover, Liang Wenjun had lived with the Liang family for several years and still visited occasionally in recent years, so he should be very familiar with the household—consistent with the idea that he could easily locate where to place the mosquito coil...

Shen Qingye suddenly asked, "About how tall is Liang Wenjun?"

Xu Hongxia answered, "The Liang family members are all quite tall. Liang Wenjun’s *around* six feet."

...The height matched as well.

She glanced at Yue Lingchuan, who understood her meaning and asked Xu Hongxia, "Where does Liang Wenjun live now?"

Xu Hongxia shook her head. "I’m *not sure*. He *hardly* visits, and when he does, he *keeps to himself*."

"But I *think* I heard Mr. Liang and his wife mention... a *guesthouse*?"

A guesthouse...

Yue Lingchuan pondered the word, then nodded at her. "We’ve *got the picture* now. We appreciate your cooperation with the investigation."

He stood up. "We don’t have any more questions for now. We hope you can rest well and recover soon."

Xu Hongxia sighed softly, closing her eyes wearily. "Don’t thank me. Just *catch* the killer—that’s what matters."

Deep down, she didn’t want to believe Liang Wenjun was the killer. Mr. Liang and his wife had been so good to him—even their *kids* grumbled about *him* being the favorite. If he really did this, what did all those years of Mr. Liang’s devotion amount to?

But the *cop’s* words made it *impossible* not to suspect him.

So many *clues*, and he *matches every one*...

Shen Qingye looked at her and said gently, "Hang in there too."

"You’ve *gotta* get better to see the killer *pay*."

Xu Hongxia forced a weak smile. "You’re right..."

She had to hang in there. She had to see the person who killed Mr. Liang and his family pay for it!

After exchanging a few more words, Shen Qingye took her leave.

Outside the door, they ran into Xu Hongxia’s children, who had been waiting. Seeing them, they managed a faint smile. "Police Officer."

Shen Qingye said, "Sorry to *barge in* like this. It’s just that this case is urgent, and Auntie Xu is the only witness..."

"We *know* you’ve got a job to do." Xu Hongxia’s son replied.

His lips twitched. "Actually, when my mom first woke up, she immediately asked about the Liang family. But none of us knew the details or how to explain it to her. Though she didn’t press further, I could tell she was still deeply concerned."

He continued, "Over the years, the Liang family has been very good to my mom, and our family has received many kindnesses from them. So, if the culprit is found, I hope Officer can let my mom know, so she can have some peace of mind."

Yue Lingchuan replied solemnly, "Of course. Aunt Xu is a victim too—she has every right to be informed. You can rest assured."

Xu Hongxia’s son finally relaxed a little, offering his thanks.

...

After leaving the hospital, Yue Lingchuan immediately called Yan Haifeng to report their findings. When he heard the update, Yan Haifeng’s voice grew serious. "Understood."

"We’ve also just zeroed in on this guy. After canvassing the Liang family’s neighborhood and workplace, we’ve gathered some leads on Liang Wenjun. We’re chasing those leads now and should have something soon."

"Your discovery is significant. Head back to the station first, and let’s discuss the next steps while we have the chance."

Neither had any objections.

Back at the station, the squad huddled up again to share updates from all sides.

After piecing together the evidence, the task force identified Liang Wenjun as a prime suspect in the case. Following over two hours of coordinated efforts across departments, they finally pinpointed Liang Wenjun’s current location:

Cangshan Heights.

Located in the city center, it was a mixed residential area with both villas and high-rises.

With this break, the team snapped to attention and headed straight for Cangshan Heights.

By then, the sky had gradually darkened—it was nearly 8 p.m.

·

Unlike the Longhu Villa District where the Liang family had lived, Cangshan Heights was a more densely populated and lively mixed community.

Summer nights came late, and even now, the sky wasn’t completely dark. Plenty of folks were still out walking or strolling outside.

Shen Qingye, Captain Ma, and three others arrived at Liang Wenjun’s villa. Taking in the scene outside the gates, Shen Qingye couldn’t help but frown slightly.

They knew Liang Wenjun was big on throwing parties, but the place was packed with luxury cars, inside and out, which got some raised eyebrows.

The villa itself was sizable, but every room was brightly lit, turning night into day.

Silhouettes of men and women were visible through the curtains, their roughhousing plain as day.

Up close, the racket was unmistakable—laughter and shouting pouring out.

"This is way over the top…" one officer muttered under his breath.

With his uncle’s family just murdered, Liang Wenjun still had the energy to throw a lavish party.

If he were truly uninvolved and unaware of the incident, it might be understandable. But if he were the perpetrator…

That’d be downright psycho.

The group stepped forward and stopped at the front door. Wei Zhengyi frowned and hammered the door again—a few sharp knocks, but nothing from inside.

"With that circus inside, no way they’re hearing us," someone remarked in frustration.

Wei Zhengyi cleared his throat, knocking on the door while shouting, "Open the door!"

"Police! Open up!"

After half a minute of yelling, a voice finally came from inside:

"Who is it?"

Wei Zhengyi yelled, "Police, open the door!"

The noise inside seemed to quiet down for a moment before someone sneered, "What kinda fake cops?"

"If you’re gonna scare us, put some effort into it!"

Yue Lingchuan’s expression darkened. Unable to tolerate it any longer, he lifted his foot and kicked the door hard.

The door shook violently, prompting a curse from inside. Someone stormed over, swearing, "The hell? Who’s got the balls—I’m busy here, you blind or what—"

Before he could finish, the door burst open with a loud bang. A young man in his twenties with dyed yellow hair glared out, but the moment he recognized Yue Lingchuan, his expression instantly changed:

"Y-Yue… Young Master Yue?"

Yue Lingchuan’s face remained cold. "You recognize me?"

The man nodded hastily. "Y-yeah, met you at a party once…"

And of course, he knew that this young master of the Yue family was indeed a police detective.

Glancing at the tall men behind Yue Lingchuan and recalling their earlier words, his face paled slightly.

"Young Master Yue, my bad—had no idea it was you—"

Yue Lingchuan had no patience for his excuses and cut straight to the point. "Is Liang Wenjun here?"

"Liang Wenjun?" The man blinked in confusion before belatedly realizing—of course, the police were here for the host.

Relieved by this thought, he quickly replied, "Yes, yes! He’s in there, he’s in there!"

He stepped aside. "Go on in."

Yue Lingchuan swept his gaze across the room. Inside, men and women were gathered together, leaning against walls or lounging on sofas, all freezing mid-action to stare at the newcomers.

Some had hair dyed in various colors, while others were locked in intimate embraces, yet none even blinked at being caught.

Shen Qingye slowly scanned the room before zeroing in on the man at the center of the sofa.

His buzzcut dyed fire-engine red, his face full of metal, and his outfit loud as hell—his decent looks got lost under all that junk.

At the moment, he was melting into the couch, tossing dice in one hand while the other arm draped around a young woman. His leer crawled over Yue Lingchuan and the others before sticking to Shen Qingye.

Even though his appearance was far removed from the one on his ID, Shen Qingye recognized him at a glance.

Liang Wenjun.

"Looking for me?" Liang Wenjun didn’t even bother standing up, slouching like a sack of potatoes. "Well hey, gorgeous. What’s a girl like you doing here?"

The second the words were out, his girl tensed up, and Yue Lingchuan’s eyes went arctic.

He cocked a brow with a greasy grin.

Shen Qingye remained expressionless, pulling out her badge and addressing him, "Police business. We’d appreciate your cooperation, Mr. Liang."

Mr. Liang responded in an odd tone, "Business?"

He chuckled lightly, letting go of the woman he was holding and casually crossing his legs. "What case are you working on? Would you say it concerns me?"

Yue Lingchuan said sternly, "The Liang family explosion case. Mr. Liang, would you say it concerns you?"

Liang Wenjun's eyes lingered momentarily before slowly shifting to Yue Lingchuan.

"What?" He reached up to scratch his ear, flicking his fingers away dismissively, his expression one of complete incredulity. "What explosion?"

He scoffed, "You can’t be serious with jokes like that, Officer? In peaceful times, where would there be any explosion?"

His tone was casual, utterly unconcerned. "Don’t screw with me."

The tense atmosphere in the room grew heavy. Yue Lingchuan looked down at him from his height, his voice calm but laced with quiet authority. "Do you think we police officers have nothing better to do than play games with you here?"

Though his words were measured, Liang Wenjun sensed a subtle contempt beneath them.

His smile stiffened, his eyes darkening as he stared at Yue Lingchuan.

Yue Lingchuan continued, "Whether you buy it or not is your call. But you’re coming with us for questioning."

Liang Wenjun looked at him, his smile never touching his eyes. "And if I refuse?"

Yue Lingchuan replied, "Mr. Liang, there’s something you should understand."

He met his gaze firmly. "Cooperating with police investigations is a citizen’s duty."

"As a person of interest in this case, if you refuse to cooperate..." He smiled slightly. "We’ll have no choice but to take stronger measures."

Liang Wenjun scrutinized him with a cold stare for a long moment before suddenly laughing. "Cooperate? Of course I’ll cooperate."

"This does involve my uncle and aunt. How could I not cooperate?"

He tilted his head. "Officer, what do you need me to do? Should I come with you now? Do I need to pack anything?"

Yue Lingchuan replied leisurely, "No hurry."

He glanced upward. "There are rooms upstairs, right? Let’s have a word inside."

Liang Wenjun watched him for a moment before slowly standing. "Of course, there are."

"Lead the way, Officer?"

Yue Lingchuan followed at an easy pace as they headed upstairs.

The remaining guests shared nervous looks, unsure what to do next.

One person ventured to ask, "Um... Officer, if there’s nothing else, can we leave?"

Wei Zhengyi turned to them with a polite smile. "Sorry, but you’ll need to stick around a while longer."

"There are questions for you all."

The guests’ faces changed at his words.

Meanwhile, upstairs...

Shortly after midnight today, an explosion suddenly occurred at the Liang family villa, which then triggered a fire. By the time firefighters arrived and rescued the people inside, Liang Yongcheng and his family of five had already tragically died.

Later, our officers detected traces of harmful gases, including carbon monoxide, at the scene, confirming that the explosion was caused by a gas leak.

Yue Lingchuan eyed the man slouching in front of him and said, "Liang Wenjun, did you know about this?"

Liang Wenjun slowly snapped out of his thoughts, raised his chin, and looked at him. "No."

"Well, now you do," Yue Lingchuan said calmly. "So, Liang Wenjun, what’s there to say?"

Liang Wenjun crossed his arms and scoffed lightly. "What’s there to say?"

"You said it—gas explosion." He shrugged. "Who saw that coming? What I say isn’t gonna change anything."

Shen Qingye asked, "After what happened to them, aren’t you even a little upset?"

"Upset? Why wouldn’t I be?" Liang Wenjun looked at her with a careless grin. "But who says being upset has to mean crying? Hey, Officer, don’t let my act fool you—I’m crushed inside!" He patted his chest. "I’m so torn up I can hardly breathe!"

"Since when does grief have rules?" he added, smirking at Shen Qingye. "Right, Officer?"

Shen Qingye scowled at his act but replied, "You’re right. Real grief can be disguised as indifference, and fake grief can be acted out as despair. Only the person themselves knows what they truly feel."

Liang Wenjun smirked. "No wonder I like you, Officer! You really get me!"

Shen Qingye remained expressionless, ignoring his words, and simply said, "We came here today because there are some things we’d like to ask Mr. Liang about."

"Go ahead, ask," Liang Wenjun said, locking his gaze on her face, his tone suggestive. "Anything for you."

Shen Qingye gave him a glance. "Mr. Liang, may I ask what you were doing after 10 p.m. last night?"

"10 p.m.?" Liang Wenjun raised an eyebrow. "What do you think? Sleeping!"

"Really?" Shen Qingye sounded slightly surprised, eyeing him up and down with an ambiguous tone. "I’d expect someone as ‘modern’ as you to stay up later."

"Ah, yeah, usually I don’t sleep early, but last night wiped me out," Liang Wenjun smirked, winking at Yue Lingchuan beside him. "I wasn’t planning to go to bed so soon, but hey, you’re a man too, Officer. You know how it is—after that, you’re spent."

"So, since I was tired, I went to bed early."

Yue Lingchuan remained unfazed. "So, last night, Mr. Liang was with his girlfriend the whole time. After 10 p.m., you went to sleep?"

Liang Wenjun nodded. "Yes."

Yue Lingchuan asked, "Is there anyone who can confirm that?"

Liang Wenjun chuckled. "Sleeping’s sleeping. Who’s gonna vouch for that?"

Yue Lingchuan said, "No witness means it’s just your word."

Liang Wenjun smirked lazily before replying, "My girlfriend was there all night. That count?"

He raised an eyebrow, his tone challenging. "She’s downstairs. Go ask her, Officer."

Yue Lingchuan remained composed. "Obviously. Didn’t need your help."

Without paying attention to Liang Wenjun’s displeased expression, he sent an officer out.

Six or seven minutes later, the officer returned and nodded at Yue Lingchuan. "She said she went to bed just before 10. She didn’t wake up once till around 7."

He paused. "She said he was there when she fell asleep and when she woke up."

Shen Qingye nodded and said, "So that means... during the long hours she was asleep, whether Liang Wenjun was by her side or not is uncertain?"

The officer replied, "That's correct."

Shen Qingye looked at Liang Wenjun. "Mr. Liang, what do you have to say?"

Liang Wenjun almost laughed in exasperation. "What am I supposed to say? What can I even say?"

He slumped back in his chair, lips curling. "I already told you—I was sleeping. What, I need a babysitter to prove I was sleeping?"

He sat up straight, looking baffled. "Look, Officer, what’s your angle here by coming here?"

"My uncle's family died in an accident, and I’m upset too, but what does that have to do with the questions you're asking?"

"Of course it does," Yue Lingchuan said calmly, watching him. "In fact, our investigation has revealed that the gas leak in the Liang household was no accident—someone sabotaged the gas cylinder hose."

He held Liang Wenjun’s gaze intently. "In other words, your uncle’s family was actually murdered."

Liang Wenjun froze for a moment before slowly coming to his senses. "Oh—so you’re pointing the finger at me, is that it?"

He pointed at himself, letting out a disbelieving laugh. "You’ve got to be joking. You’re asking all these questions because you think I deliberately released the gas, that I killed my uncle’s family?"

His expression was incredulous as he exclaimed, "Do I look crazy to you?"

Yue Lingchuan remained composed. "Mr. Liang, as I said before, we go by evidence, not jokes."

"According to our investigation, there were no signs of forced entry at the Liang residence, meaning the killer used a key to get inside."

"Moreover, after tampering with the gas line, the killer knew exactly where the mosquito coil was in the living room and lit it as a tool to ignite the gas."

"From this, we can deduce that the killer must be someone very familiar with the Liang household."

Liang Wenjun raised his voice. "So you’re pointing the finger at me?"

Unable to contain himself, he stood up and paced in a circle before turning back to them. "You said it yourself—that’s my uncle. Why on earth would I kill them for no reason? Do I look crazy to you?"

Shen Qingye remained unfazed. "We’re just conducting a routine investigation, Mr. Liang. Why are you getting so defensive?"

She paused before adding, "Besides, it wasn’t exactly for no reason, was it?"

Liang Wenjun stiffened. "What do you mean?"

Shen Qingye held his gaze. "A few days before the incident, didn’t you have a conflict with Liang Yongcheng?"

Liang Wenjun’s expression froze.

Shen Qingye continued, "Last Thursday, right?"

She held his gaze. "Mr. Liang, I’m curious—what exactly did you say that day to provoke Liang Yongcheng, who’s usually so mild-tempered, into such a rage?"

"Can you fill us in on that?"

Silence hung thick in the air. Liang Wenjun stared at her for a long moment before letting out a mirthless chuckle. "Now I see. So that’s your game."

"Exactly," Shen Qingye cut in, eyes sharp as knives. "So, Mr. Liang, can you fill us in?"