I'm not a genius detective

Chapter 20 Sun Qing
Han Ling didn't go back to her dorm to sleep. Instead, she went to find the owner of the scrap metal recycling station and called him out for a private chat.

The main topic of conversation was Sun Qing.

Based on the current situation, Zhao Kai will most likely be able to obtain a non-prosecution decision and avoid criminal punishment. Even if he still faces administrative penalties, he will only be detained for a few days before being released.

During the day, Han Ling could see that Sun Qing was living a hard life, and Zhao Kai was targeting her so much. Regardless of the reason, it would be better for her not to stay at the scrap metal recycling station in the future, so as to avoid unnecessary disputes. In that case, Sun Qing would definitely be the one to suffer.

He wanted to explain the pros and cons and persuade Sun Qing to change her job location.

Han Ling couldn't shake his meddlesome habit, and it would be even harder for him to change it after becoming a policeman.

“Sun Qing, her home isn’t far, it’s just one kilometer away from the purchasing station on Zhumin Street. It’s still old residential houses there. The address is… oh right, it’s number 35 or 36, Huaixiang Hutong, Zhumin Street. Go and look for it.”

The boss was quite polite and answered all my questions; he didn't want to offend the police.

Han Ling: "Okay, thank you."

He wasn't surprised that the scrap metal dealer knew Sun Qing's address so clearly, since the dealer had mentioned it during the day and seen her ID card; it was normal for him to remember familiar places.

"You're too kind." The boss walked away quickly, seemingly overwhelmed by his nephew's affairs.

If he had known it was his nephew who committed the theft, he certainly wouldn't have called the police.

Five or six thousand yuan is a lot of money, equivalent to several months' salary for an average person, but it doesn't matter to him.

Han Ling rode away on his bicycle and arrived at Huaixiang Hutong on Zhumin Street, based on the address provided by the owner of the recycling station.

I knocked on number 35, but no one answered.

I knocked on number 36, the door opened, and an old lady stood there.

"Who is it so late at night?!" The old lady's attitude wasn't very good; she was probably getting ready for bed or had been woken up.

Han Ling couldn't see whether the lights were off inside these high-walled bungalows.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Han Ling apologized first, then asked, "Excuse me, is that Sun Qing's house over there?"

The old lady said, "Yes."

Han Ling: "Why is nobody here?"

The old lady said, "Someone in my family has passed away. They've all gone to the funeral home. You can make a call."

After saying that, she closed the door.

Died?

Han Ling sighed. What a coincidence! During the day, Zhao Kai mentioned that Sun Qing's father was ill. If nothing unexpected happens, the person who passed away should be Sun Qing's father.

With her father gone, Sun Qing definitely won't be going to the scrap metal recycling station for the next few days; she can wait until later.

Han Ling rode away on his bicycle. Just as he left Zhumin Street and was about to enter the city's main road, he faintly heard a girl's cries for help in the distance.

The sound was faint and intermittent, as if someone had covered its mouth.

Without hesitation, Han Ling turned his bicycle around and pedaled furiously toward the direction from which the sound came.

The place was quite remote, with no houses around. As far as I remember, it was the road leading to the funeral home.

Han Ling braked at a corner and saw a bicycle lying on the ground by the roadside. Not far away, three young men were blocking a girl.

It could be a dispute between acquaintances, robbery or sexual assault by strangers, or simply harassment; it all depends on how many people dare to do it.

"Hey!"

Han Ling shouted and strode forward.

The three young men turned around and, seeing someone coming, left the girl. At this moment, Han Ling recognized her by the moonlight; it was indeed Sun Qing.

"Damn it! Mind your own business, what bad luck! Let's go!"

A young man cursed, but he didn't intend to cause trouble for Han Ling. He just glared at Han Ling as he passed by.

"What were you doing just now?" Han Ling turned around.

"Ok?"

The three young men stopped in their tracks, not expecting Han Ling to dare to ask a question.

"A hero saving a damsel in distress? Is that any of your business? Are you trying to cause trouble?" "Heh."

Han Ling smiled, took out a cigarette from his pocket, covered it with his left hand to shield it from the wind, and the yellow flame illuminated half of his face.

One of the young men walked over, saying as he went, "I'm asking you a question! Smoke your mother's cigarette! Show-off!"

Han Ling put away the lighter and said, "Let's make a deal. I won't call the police, and neither will you. How about that? Fair enough?"

"Huh?" The young man didn't understand.

Just as he was about to start cursing, he suddenly felt a powerful force in his lower abdomen, and his whole body was instantly lifted into the air, flying out like a sack of potatoes, and crashing heavily to the ground.

"I..." The young man was seeing stars and his head was fuming. Then he turned his head and vomited a large amount of stomach contents.

That kick was really hard.

"You fucking bastard! Go get him! What are you standing there for... Ugh~"

The remaining two youths were frightened. Kicking someone down is acceptable, but kicking someone flying is a bit too much.

What's the point of having it?

That's how it's portrayed on TV: the random passerby you encounter is actually a master of deception.

"Forget it, let's not cause trouble."

The two youths grabbed their companion and started to leave. The companion, still furious, struggled and yelled, "Damn it, you two are such cowards! The three of us can't take him down? Let go of me! I'll take him down myself!"

Saying this was useless. Both of his arms were being pulled back, and the speed was getting faster and faster until his feet couldn't keep up. He simply gave up struggling, and his heels dragged long marks on the ground until he disappeared from Han Ling's sight.

Han Ling was surprised; he hadn't expected the remaining two to be so cowardly. He had originally intended to give them a good beating.

Those who are pragmatic and adaptable are wise and have a promising future.

When he arrived in front of Sun Qing, she was quite frightened; her face was pale and she was trembling all over. Fortunately, her clothes were intact, so she was not seriously injured.

"Are you alright?" Han Ling asked.

Sun Qing subconsciously shook her head, feeling that the voice sounded familiar. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was the police officer who had come to the scrap metal recycling station to investigate the case during the day.

"It's...it's you! Thank you, officer! Thank you, officer!"
The girl's way of speaking is still at a stage of inexperience; at sixteen, she should normally be in middle school.

Perhaps due to family circumstances, he dropped out of school midway.

"You're welcome," Han Ling comforted her for a while, then asked, "Has someone in your family passed away?"

When this was mentioned, Sun Qing pursed her lips, holding back tears, and whispered, "Yes, my dad passed away."

Han Ling: "Then what are you doing here?"

Sun Qing: "Tonight I was keeping vigil, and my mom asked me to come back to get some daily necessities. That's when... I ran into those three people."

Han Ling didn't ask any further questions; it wasn't important anymore.

Afterwards, he took Sun Qing home.

The house is spacious, with only a bed in the bedroom, a table and two chairs in the living room, and pots and pans in the kitchen to cook, enough to satisfy daily needs.

Without a dining table, the wooden table in the living room serves as both a coffee table and a dining table.

This isn't living, this is just being alive.

Through their conversation, Han Ling learned about Sun Qing's family situation: her father was seriously ill, and her mother had been laid off and had no job, doing odd jobs on a regular basis.

To pay for her father's medical treatment, the family sold everything they could and borrowed all the money they could, leaving only this bungalow.

The bungalow was their last refuge. If they sold it, the family would be homeless. Now all their relatives are hiding from them, and no one is willing to offer any more help.

You can't blame your relatives for being indifferent; they've already done more than enough by lending you money, after all, everyone has a family.

Sun Qing should have continued to high school after graduating from junior high school, but her family could no longer afford it.

"Your father committed suicide?!" Han Ling was somewhat surprised; he had assumed the other man had died from illness.

But upon closer reflection, it makes sense.

(End of this chapter)