Chapter Eighteen: Justice Above Self-Interest

Lu Hehuan picked up the portrait, frowning slightly. "This... can't be..."
Bao Kang was resolute. "Lu Xiang and I aren't just colleagues, we live across the hall from each other. I could recognize him even if he were reduced to ashes. The man in this drawing is him, no doubt about it."
Hearing this, the other officers crowded around, whispering as they stared at the portrait.
"It really does look like Deputy Chief Lu."
"No way, Deputy Chief Lu and that widow are entangled?"
"And now he's killed someone?"
Listening to these mutterings, Lu Hehuan felt both humiliated and furious. He couldn't help but glare at the officers. "Shut up!"
The officers fell silent, but couldn't stifle their snickers.
"Who would've thought the dignified Deputy Chief of the Old Gate Police Station could do such a thing," Bao Kang said, looking at Lu Hehuan with a pointed, almost malicious intent.
Lu Hehuan turned to Sister Hao, feeling compelled to verify once more. "Sister Hao, are you certain the man you saw at Liang Fang's house the night of the incident is the same as in the portrait?"
Sister Hao, unaware of the relationship between Lu Hehuan and Lu Xiang, saw the anxiety in Lu Hehuan's expression and, assuming he was eager to solve the case, nodded firmly. "Yes, it's him. I saw clearly."
Lu Hehuan was stunned, and the officers all turned to look at him.
Bao Kang was overjoyed—this was the perfect opportunity to bring Lu Xiang down. He could hardly wait to see Lu Xiang embarrassed and barked, "There's your witness—go bring Lu Xiang here!"
"Chief Bao, hasn't Deputy Chief Lu called in sick?" Ying Xi whispered.
"Sick?" Bao Kang sneered. "I think he's just hiding something!"
Lu Hehuan saw Bao Kang was set on arresting Lu Xiang, and his hand holding the portrait trembled slightly.
Bao Kang shot Lu Hehuan a look, his tone mocking. "Lu Hehuan, since you're investigating this case, you go and bring Lu Xiang in for questioning."
Lu Hehuan was taken aback, realizing Bao Kang wanted to see him put his own father in handcuffs. But, knowing he couldn't refuse, he nodded. "Fine, I'll go."
With that, Lu Hehuan hurried out.
Bao Kang, fearing Lu Hehuan might cover for Lu Xiang, signaled to two officers, "You go with Lu Hehuan."
"Chief Bao, given that Lu Hehuan and Lu Xiang are father and son, to avoid any accidents, I'll go along too," Ying Xi quickly volunteered.
Bao Kang nodded his assent. "Keep an eye on Lu Hehuan. Make sure to bring him back to me."
"Yes, sir," replied Ying Xi, hurrying after them.
On the way home, Lu Hehuan's brow was deeply furrowed. He couldn't believe Lu Xiang was a murder suspect. The only thing he could do now was solve the case as quickly as possible. With this thought, he picked up the pace.
The two officers trailed after him, panting.
"Why are you following us?" Ying Xi caught up, scolding.
"Chief Bao told us to go with Detective Lu to arrest someone at the Lu home."
"Look at you—do you really think Deputy Chief Lu is the killer?"
The two officers exchanged awkward glances.
"Have you considered," Ying Xi went on, "that today Deputy Chief Lu is a suspect, and you, in uniform, haul him away from his own home. But if tomorrow he clears his name, he's still Deputy Chief Lu. What then? Think about the consequences—you won't be able to bear them!"
The two officers looked at each other, realizing Ying Xi's point.
"Thank you for the reminder, Detective Ying. We'll return to the station," one decided.
Ying Xi nodded.
The other officer, glancing at Lu Hehuan's receding figure, hesitated but, wary of Lu Xiang's power, reluctantly agreed. "Detective Ying, we'll leave the arrest to you. Just be careful—we can't afford to take the fall for this."
"What nonsense. With me personally handling it, what could go wrong? Now get lost," Ying Xi said irritably.
"Yes, yes," the officers replied, scurrying away.
Ying Xi glared after them, then hurried to catch up with Lu Hehuan.
Lu Hehuan, fuming, strode home. Ying Xi caught up, walking beside him.
"Where'd those two go?" Lu Hehuan wondered aloud, surprised the tails Bao Kang had sent had just left.
"I sent them back. You don't want your mother to see your father hauled away by two rookie officers, do you?"
"Thank you," Lu Hehuan said, surprised at Ying Xi's help.
Ying Xi rolled his eyes. "I told you to close the case as a suicide, but you wouldn't listen. Had to insist on a serial murder! Now look—your own father is involved..."
Lu Hehuan's brows tightened, saying nothing.
"The important thing now is to see how we can reclassify the case as a suicide. That way, your father's name is cleared," Ying Xi sighed.
Lu Hehuan, stubborn as ever, frowned. "This case isn't a suicide. We have to find the real killer. If my father truly did such a thing, he should face the law."
"Are you out of your mind? Trying to be a righteous son and turn in your own father—do you even know what kind of world we're living in?" Ying Xi was shocked by Lu Hehuan's reaction, but seeing his resolve, tried again to persuade him. "Do you think, just by sticking to the truth, you alone can set the world's morals right?"
"I only know that as a police officer, I must find the truth in every case. For now, our job is to take Lu Xiang to the station for questioning," Lu Hehuan answered firmly.
Ying Xi sighed with frustration. "Why are you so stubborn?"

Lu Hehuan ignored him and quickened his pace. Ying Xi, helpless, followed.
Lu Xiang, his face bruised from Lin Zhi's beating, was at home on sick leave, unaware he was already a murder suspect. He was sprawled on the sofa, pressing a boiled egg to his black eye, muttering about Lin Zhi.
"How many times have I told you, don't hit my face! I have a reputation to maintain out there... How am I supposed to show myself now? What a shrew, totally unreasonable..."
His complaints were interrupted by Lin Zhi, who came over with a plate of fruit. "Who are you calling unreasonable?"
"Ah?" Lu Xiang jolted in fright. "I—I was talking about Bao Kang."
Lin Zhi slammed the fruit plate down, pressing, "And the shrew?"
"His sister! Don't take it personally, will you?" Lu Xiang stammered.
At the door, Lu Hehuan paused, his hand in the air, hesitating. He hadn't imagined that after finally returning home, his purpose would be to take his own father away. As he stood there, voices from inside—Lu Xiang and Lin Zhi arguing—floated out.
"You old fool, I work hard to run this house and you call me a shrew!" Lin Zhi shouted, hitting him.
"Ouch, that hurts!" Lu Xiang, not yet recovered from previous injuries, now suffered fresh ones, groaning in pain.
Ying Xi, knowing Lin Zhi was at it again, saw Lu Hehuan's hesitation and encouraged him. "Even if you don't take Deputy Chief Lu away, he might not be safe at home."
Lu Hehuan glanced at Ying Xi, gritted his teeth, and knocked.
Inside, Lin Zhi had just grabbed the egg from Lu Xiang and smashed it on his head.
"Stop it, stop it!" Lu Xiang pleaded pitifully.
A knock sounded.
"Someone's here!" Lu Xiang whispered.
Lin Zhi dropped the smashed egg into Lu Xiang's hand and went to open the door, annoyed.
"If it's for me, tell them I'm not home. Don't let them in," Lu Xiang whispered, desperate no one see him in such a state.
The door opened. Lu Hehuan saw Lin Zhi, opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Lin Zhi was delighted to see her son.
"Son! Why are you home now? Are you staying over?"
Lu Hehuan shook his head, struggling to speak.
"What's wrong?" Lin Zhi sensed he was troubled.
"Mrs. Lu, good day," Ying Xi stepped in to help.
"Detective Ying?" Lin Zhi was even more confused. "Why are you here?"
Ying Xi smiled awkwardly and nudged Lu Hehuan.
Knowing he couldn't avoid it, Lu Hehuan decided to be direct but, fearing his mother might be overwhelmed, asked gently, "Mother, where's Father?"
"He's inside. What's happened?" Lin Zhi, seeing his son's serious face, immediately sensed trouble.
Lu Hehuan didn't answer, striding in, with Lin Zhi and Ying Xi following.
"You little brat, what are you doing back?" Lu Xiang snapped as soon as he saw Lu Hehuan, but seeing Ying Xi behind him, was puzzled. "Ying Xi? Why are you here?"
Remembering something, Lu Xiang quickly tried to cover his bruised eye.
"Is Bao Kang having you check if I'm really sick?" Lu Xiang demanded.
"Deputy Chief Lu, you've misunderstood. Chief Bao has sent me to ask you to come to the station," Ying Xi said awkwardly, as if holding a hot potato.
"He knows I'm unwell, yet he still sends you? What's that supposed to mean?" Lu Xiang was annoyed.
"Well... I'm afraid it's not really an invitation..." Ying Xi, uncomfortable, glanced at Lu Hehuan, urging him quietly, "Say something."
"Lu Xiang!" Lu Hehuan blurted out, his voice sharp.
Lu Xiang was stunned, indignant, forgetting to cover his bruise, and jabbed a finger at Lu Hehuan. "Outrageous! How dare you address your father by name!"
Lu Hehuan steadied himself, trying to summon courage. "Lu Xiang, you're suspected in a murder case. I have to take you to the station for questioning."
"What? Murder?" Lu Xiang was bewildered. "What do you mean? You think I'm a killer?"
"Without concrete evidence, you're only a suspect, pending our investigation," Lu Hehuan explained.
Lu Xiang was furious, slamming the table. "Outrageous! Lu Hehuan, you really have some nerve, investigating your own father!"
"Lu Xiang, you're a suspect now..." Lu Hehuan's voice trembled, both commanding and pleading. "Please cooperate."
"Suspect my ass! Cooperate my ass!" Lu Xiang raged.
"If you don't cooperate, I'll have to use force," Lu Hehuan said, reaching for his father's arm.
Lu Xiang, stunned by his son's seriousness, roared, "If you so much as touch me today, you're no longer my son!"
"Son, how can you be rough with your father? What's going on? How is your dad involved in a murder?" Lin Zhi, always partial to her son, couldn't help but scold Lu Hehuan.
"Mother, someone saw—" Lu Hehuan started to explain, but thought better of it. "Forget it, I'll explain when the case is cleared. For now, Father must come with me to the station."
He grabbed Lu Xiang's arm and pulled him toward the door. Lu Xiang was outraged.
"Lu Hehuan, this is treason! Don't call me father again—I have no son like you!"

"Son, talk it out! What are you doing?" Lin Zhi pleaded, pulling at Lu Hehuan's arm, trying to reason with him.
Lu Hehuan gritted his teeth and turned to Ying Xi for help. "Detective Ying, please keep my mother back."
Ying Xi, looking uncomfortable, blocked Lin Zhi, speaking gently. "Madam Lu, please let us do our job."
"What on earth is going on?" Lin Zhi fretted, wringing her hands.
Ying Xi looked all the more troubled. "It's better if you don't know right now."
Lin Zhi, hearing this, was sure there was more to the story and was determined to get to the bottom of it. Seeing that she couldn't stop them, she simply followed the three of them to the station.
Lu Xiang was brought to the interrogation room, sitting there with a dark expression, glaring at Bao Kang, who looked smug across the table.
Lu Hehuan stood beside Lin Zhi, Ying Xi behind him, keeping out of Lu Xiang's line of sight—he had no wish to offend Lu Xiang further.
Bao Kang cleared his throat, eager to begin. "Lu Xiang, where were you between eight and ten o'clock the night before last?"
Lu Xiang, unsure what Bao Kang was getting at, hesitated. "At home."
Bao Kang eyed him suspiciously. "At home? Or at the victim's house? You killed Liang Fang, didn't you, murderer!"
"What are you saying? I was home all night. Ask my wife."
Lu Xiang looked to Lin Zhi, who nodded politely at Bao Kang, the very image of a virtuous lady.
"Chief Bao, Lu Xiang was home. I can vouch for him."
"Your word means nothing," Bao Kang replied, deliberately making things difficult.
Lin Zhi's expression changed slightly, but she suppressed her anger, maintaining her composure. "Why not?"
"You two are married—your testimony doesn't count." Bao Kang was cold.
"But there were only the two of us at home. If I can't vouch for him, who can? Chief Bao, this is unreasonable."
Bao Kang reclined, eyes narrowing to slits, watching Lu Xiang and Lin Zhi slyly. "Just the two of you at home—you can say whatever you like."
Lin Zhi clenched her fists, gritting her teeth. "If that's how it is, where were you the night before last, Chief Bao?"
"At home, of course," Bao Kang replied automatically.
"And who can vouch for you?" Lin Zhi pressed.
"My sister, Bao Rong, can vouch for me," Bao Kang replied, not realizing he was walking into her trap.
"You're siblings—your testimony doesn't count. You could be the killer too!" Lin Zhi shot back, putting him on the spot.
"Well said!" Lu Xiang applauded.
Bao Kang, realizing he'd been caught out, slammed the table and stood up. "Nonsense! Sister Hao from Huaihua Lane saw Lu Xiang at the scene at the time of the crime. Without a third-party alibi, Lu Xiang is the murderer! If you keep making trouble, I'll charge you with obstruction as well!"
"Just because I haven't shown my teeth doesn't mean I'm a pushover!" Lin Zhi growled, abandoning any pretense of gentility.
Seeing her this way, Lu Hehuan nervously grabbed her arm and whispered, "Mother, this is the police station. Please hold back."
"Hold back? We've been bullied to this extent and you say hold back?" Lin Zhi shook off his hand and stormed toward Bao Kang in a fury.
Lu Hehuan was worried. "My god..."
Ying Xi, sensing trouble, bit his finger nervously and whispered to Lu Hehuan, "Is this going to turn into a crime scene?"
Lin Zhi, brimming with righteous indignation, marched up to Bao Kang, slammed the table, and stared him down.
"Bao Kang, don't go too far! You may be Chief of the Old Gate Police, but you're not my chief. If you dare frame Lu Xiang, I'll tear your station apart!"
Bao Kang gritted his teeth and pounded the table back, raising his voice. "How dare you! Not only are you shielding a suspect, but now you're threatening the police. That's obstruction—I've got every right to arrest you!"
Lin Zhi, trembling with anger, punched Bao Kang in the face. "Now I've assaulted an officer! Go ahead and arrest me!"
Bao Kang clutched his face, roaring, "You dare hit me? You think the Chief is as easy to bully as the Deputy Chief? Someone, arrest her—"
Before he could finish, Ying Xi and Lu Hehuan rushed over. Ying Xi clapped a hand over Bao Kang's mouth and whispered urgently, "Don't take on a woman, Chief. It'd be a laughingstock if word got out, and if Inspector Gordon hears, it'll ruin your reputation."
After a moment's thought, Bao Kang realized Ying Xi was right and swallowed his anger.
Lu Hehuan, seeing Ying Xi had calmed Bao Kang, quickly pulled Lin Zhi back. "Mother, this is the station."
"So what if it is? Your father's being wronged and you're just standing here doing nothing!"
Bao Kang's anger flared again. "Wronged? Ying Xi! Bring Sister Hao up here to confront Deputy Chief Lu!"
"Yes, sir." Ying Xi glanced uneasily at Lu Xiang, but hesitated.
"Hurry up!" Bao Kang bellowed.
Ying Xi dashed out of the room.