This question is a bit misleading. To a large extent, if Chen Youlu were alive, Liu Xiao'e would not remarry.

Sure enough, Liu Xiao'e's answer confirmed what Hu Pingtao was thinking: "He is dead."

"How did you die?" Hu Pingtao asked very quickly.

Liu Xiao'e did not answer.

She lowered her head, and her long hair fell from her forehead. Through the gaps in her hair, you could see the extremely complex elements shining in her eyes.

"The village I live in is located in a remote location. There is about two kilometers of mountain road to the town. Because there is no road, every time I go out, I can only walk this section of the road. Only after I get out of the mountain can I take a shuttle bus."

"When I was in my third month of pregnancy, my father and brother came to my door and asked Lao Chen to sell mushrooms in the town."

"Our place is full of mountains, and every year during the rainy season, fungi will appear in the mountains. Ganba mushrooms and chicken fir trees are very expensive to buy in the mountains, but they can't be sold at high prices in our local area. We can only pick them and send them to the town. There are people there who buy them.

...The season for picking mushrooms only lasts a few months. As long as you are willing to go to the mountains and are not afraid of hardship, you can still make money."

"Every household in our village goes to the mountains to pick mushrooms every year. Basically, the mushrooms picked the day before must be sent to the town the next day at the latest. Because the mushrooms are worthless after the canopy is opened, and people in the city like to eat small bones.

That kind of thing, so the sooner you pick it up and send it out, the higher the price will be."

"That day my father and my two brothers found Lao Chen, and they went out carrying the mushrooms they had collected. At that time, I felt something was wrong. My two brothers are lazy and usually sell mushrooms.

My mother is basically in charge. Although my father sometimes goes to town, he mostly goes to play cards with acquaintances."

"Actually, people in my family look down on Lao Chen at all. If Lao Chen hadn't been able to provide the betrothal gift and wouldn't have minded me breaking up early, they wouldn't have had anything to do with Lao Chen."

"At that time, I was pregnant and felt tired after walking a few steps. I couldn't walk the same way, so I had to explain a few words to Lao Chen and watch them go out."

"Later in the afternoon, around seven o'clock or almost eight o'clock, my father and my brother came back. There was only one road into the village, and Lao Chen's house happened to be right on the roadside. I made some leftover rice to warm myself in the afternoon.

After eating it hot, I moved a stool and sat at the door, holding the soles of my shoes while waiting for Lao Chen to come back."

"When I saw my father and my brother, I rushed up to them and asked them where Lao Chen was."

"The three of them smelled of alcohol, and they had drunk a lot at first glance. My father was annoyed by me and said that they had sold the mushrooms and found a restaurant in the town to eat and drink. Lao Chen was not full, so the three of them first

Let’s go, Lao Chen is lagging behind.”

"I felt bad when I heard that. I quickly grabbed my father's hand and asked him why he didn't bring Lao Chen back?"

Hu Pingtao frowned and asked, "You don't believe what they said?"

Liu Xiao'e explained: "When I first got married, because I was beaten by Lao Chen, I thought about finding an opportunity to run away. Later, Lao Chen found his relatives there and several old ladies who were close to him to come to the house.

Advise me. Once, my mother-in-law who lived next door quietly told me to pay attention to the people in my home.

. She said: My father had no good intentions in marrying me to Lao Chen. He saw that Lao Chen would get older and sooner or later he would be ahead of me. When the man in the family is gone and I am young, my father will definitely marry me.

I'll get it back, first take possession of the property left by Lao Chen, and then find someone else to remarry."

Hu Pingtao had thought about this problem before, but now he heard Liu Xiao'e say it himself, his expression became serious: "In the village, you can't get rid of the control of your family. Even if you remarry, it will only make more money for your parents and brother."

A betrothal gift."

Liu Xiao'e's eyes showed resentment: "That's what they had in mind. Lao Chen never came back that day, and it wasn't until noon the next day that someone came to report that Lao Chen had fallen under the cliff and was already dead.

"

"I was stunned when I heard it. I ignored it and ran out with the messenger. I was more than three months pregnant. It was inconvenient to walk with a bulging belly. I could only walk for a while and rest. Finally, I reached the place. It was far away.

From a distance, I could see a lot of people surrounding it, including policemen from the police station... Lao Chen was lying on the ground in the middle, his mouth open, his eyes rolled back, and he couldn't move."

Hu Pingtao's eyes were cold: "He was killed?"

Liu Xiao'e raised her hand and wiped her tears: "The people from the police station said that Lao Chen drank too much and it was already dark when he came back from the town. He didn't bring a flashlight and slipped on the mountain road and fell more than 20 meters.

Gao, he hit a rock, broke several ribs, and his heart was shattered. He was hopeless at that time."

Hu Pingtao advised: "Don't cry either. Who was responsible for this crime at that time? Can you name the person over there at the police station?"

Liu Xiao'e nodded: "Yes. I remember their names! Because Lao Chen died unjustly, I later asked someone to report the situation to the higher authorities. After I left home and came to the provincial capital, I also went to the city several times.

The bureau and the provincial department sent people to review and said that there was nothing wrong with the eucalyptus. It was indeed Lao Chen who fell from the mountain by himself and no one pushed him."

Hu Pingtao asked: "In other words, you have a complete piece of material on hand? What is the piece number? Give me one."

Liu Xiaoe casually reported a series of numbers.

Hu Pingtao was quite surprised and asked: "Where are the materials?"

Liu Xiao'e replied: "I left it at home. If you want it, I'll give it to you later."

Hu Pingtao frowned: "You didn't save it on your phone?"

Liu Xiao'e hesitated for a moment: "I...I don't have a mobile phone."

Hu Pingtao felt more and more surprised: "Mobile phones are now standard equipment. You live in the city and open a store, how can you not have one?"

Liu Xiao'e said calmly: "Lao Cao refused to buy it for me. He said that having a mobile phone would give rise to other thoughts and make it difficult to live a good life. He also said that women with mobile phones are not good people."

Ding Jian listened and shook his head: "What the hell kind of logic is this."

Because he had talked with Pang Zhonghua and Liao Yan before, Hu Pingtao could understand the conflict between the couple Cao Zhong and Liu Xiaoe: "He probably doesn't want you to have money... Forget it, let's put this matter aside for now.

Let’s go. What do you think about your ex-husband’s accidental fall and death?”

Liu Xiao'e opened her mouth and answered without thinking: "He was killed by my father and my brother."

Hu Pingtao asked: "Is there any evidence?"

Liu Xiao'e shook her head and said through gritted teeth: "It's obvious. They took Lao Chen to the town in the name of selling mushrooms. Damn it, you didn't go early or late, but you waited until noon to go. Walking so far

From the mountain road to the station, you can only take the shuttle bus at noon. Selling the fungi is fast, and there are people in the town who buy them. But they don’t rush back after selling them, and they drag Lao Chen to eat in the town and have a drink.”

Hu Pingtao thought for a moment and asked tentatively: "Your father and your brother persuaded him to drink?"

Liu Xiao'e's face was full of sadness: "I don't know...but I think he must have drunk him. Lao Chen...although he usually beats me, he doesn't hit me as hard as my father. Especially after I broke the child, he

He doesn’t hit me anymore, he drinks less, and he doesn’t even smoke cigarettes.”

"At the beginning of that year, the provincial hospital went to our village to do voluntary inspections. Lao Chen heard the doctor say that smoking and drinking are not good for children. The reason why I look like this is largely related to my father. Lao Chen is a

He really wanted his child to be well, so from then on he tried his best not to smoke or drink, and even gave his hookah to me for safekeeping, saying he would wait until the child was older."

"They didn't have good intentions! They knew that Lao Chen wanted to save money and would not stay in a hotel outside, so they dragged him to drink. As a result, my father and brother both ran back before the sun went down, leaving Lao Chen to spend the night alone.

Lu...even if they didn't push Lao Chen down the mountain, they deliberately punished him and wanted him to die."

small book booth

"The next day I got the news and rushed over. Seeing Lao Chen's appearance, I burst into tears. On the way back, I fell again and the child was gone..."

At this point, Liu Xiao'e couldn't control her emotions, so she lay on the quilt and cried loudly.

The nurse on duty outside heard this and hurriedly came in to ask. Seeing that he couldn't persuade him, Hu Pingtao said hello to the nurse and asked Ding Jian to leave the ward.

After entering the elevator, going downstairs, leaving the inpatient department, and coming to a place with few people outside, Hu Pingtao said: "It's almost time, let's find a place to eat."

Ding Jian nodded and sighed: "This woman is so miserable. When she said that, I couldn't stand listening to her."

Hu Pingtao did not express an opinion, but reached out to take the transcript from Ding Jian's hand and read it while walking.

Ding Jian asked: "Where are you taking me?"

Hu Pingtao said while reading the records: "There is a beef restaurant nearby, and it tastes pretty good. Let's go there and eat something!"

Ding Jian asked: "Why, are you coming back after eating?"

Hu Pingtao raised his head and said seriously: "If Liu Xiao'e's condition is better, I plan to take her and Cao Zhong to the bureau for questioning. But now they are like this. They have just come out of the dangerous period.

The child is gone, so we can only postpone it."

"But we still have to break it! To put it bluntly, the couple has serious suspicions. We have to hurry up and figure out the situation as soon as possible."

"When I came out just now, I specifically said hello to the head nurse and asked her to isolate Cao Zhong and Liu Xiao'e separately. On the way here, you heard that I called Zhang Yixuan. He rushed over after eating in the bureau. Then we will

Take turns guarding.”

The restaurant Hu Pingtao mentioned was not far away, and within five minutes of walking, I saw the signboard.

The two of them walked in, ordered a few dishes, ordered a large bowl of beef offal soup, and ate the rice with big mouthfuls.

After eating, Hu Pingtao took Ding Jian back to the hospital parking lot, took out his keys and opened the car door.

Ding Jian was a little surprised: "Didn't you say you were going to the ward to ask Liu Xiao'e?"

Hu Pingtao jumped into the cab, lowered the window, shook the notebook in his hand at Ding Jian, and explained: "Liu Xiao'e said her home address. I mean her hometown, Songyang Town, Maguhe Village

.”

"I know that place, and there's an acquaintance at the police station over there."

When Ding Jian heard this, he became extremely interested. He quickly opened the passenger door and got in, asking, "Who are you talking about? Do I recognize him?"

Hu Pingtao replied: "Zhang Liming, who used to train with me at the police academy. We were in a WeChat group, and I heard that I joined the grassroots level the year before last, right over in Songyang Town."

As he said that, he took out his mobile phone and found Zhang Liming's number.

Soon, a cheerful voice came from the other end of the phone: "Hello, Hu Pingtao."

After a few casual pleasantries, Hu Pingtao went straight to the point: "I want to ask, are you working over there in Songyang Town now?"

Zhang Liming smiled and said: "Yes, I am the deputy director of the police station here. Are you interested in coming to our place? I will treat you to mutton. Hey, don't say it! The black goats here in Songyang Town are very famous.
To be continued...