Chapter Forty-Two: An Ingenious Approach

Over the past few days, Qiu Xi and Li Yi had begun to get along more harmoniously, and Li Fuqi observed this with a quiet sense of joy for his younger sister. Although Qiu Xi seemed to lack ambition and, by Li Fuqi’s standards, was not the ideal brother-in-law, he was honest, easygoing, and held a relatively stable job. Li Yi, on the other hand, was a girl who loved to wander and was rarely settled—perhaps their differences could complement each other.

Despite his urban education and high degree, Li Fuqi’s thinking was rather traditional, a trait that could be traced to the deep-rooted culture of Li Village. He secretly watched the two, suspecting that Li Yi’s culinary skills had merely conquered Qiu Xi’s appetite for now. Hoping to nudge them closer, he often contrived opportunities for them to be alone together. He would frequently find excuses to drag Wan Yongkun out for a smoke or claim he needed to make work calls at the office to handle village affairs.

After a while, everyone became used to it.

Just moments ago, Qiu Xi had received instructions from Li Yiting: the case had stalled, and he was to keep a close watch on Li Fuqi, awaiting formal transfer to the city’s judicial authorities. Qiu Xi found a secluded corner to briefly report on Li Fuqi’s recent behavior, gently sharing his own views. Li Yiting was silent for a long time on the other end, finally telling Qiu Xi to keep up the surveillance; as for further investigation, Beiting would do its best.

No sooner had he put away his phone than Li Yi bounded in, excitement in her eyes.

“Hey, what are you sneaking around for?” Li Yi joked.

Qiu Xi gave a wry smile. “All for Fuqi’s sake... I hid here on purpose, and you still managed to find me?”

“Of course.” Li Yi said smugly. “My nose is as keen as a hound’s.”

Qiu Xi reached out and tapped her petite nose, teasing, “I see now—the smell of urine in this corner must have given you a clue.”

“Please!” Li Yi wrinkled her nose. “In the countryside, which corner doesn’t smell like that?”

“Hey, do you think my cousin’s really in trouble?” Li Yi couldn’t help but ask. She meant Li Fuqi, and though their bond wasn’t as strong as between Li Yiting and his brother, they’d grown up together and her concern was genuine.

Qiu Xi hesitated. “Hard to say. Almost all the physical evidence is against him. If not for the lack of solid witness testimony, I’d have to cuff him right now.”

“That serious?” Li Yi was startled. “Could you be making a mistake?”

Qiu Xi laughed. “I might, but your big brother is a seasoned detective—would he wrong his own sibling without cause?”

Li Yi nodded. “That does make sense, but still, holding him like this seems inhumane. Hey, do you want me to help you test him?”

“Who? Oh...” Qiu Xi took a moment to realize. “Are you up to it? How would you test him?”

“Listen, don’t get involved recklessly—this isn’t a joke.” He immediately objected; in his experience, Li Yi was prone to mischief.

“Let me finish. I’ve got a brilliant idea, you’ll like it.” Li Yi whispered. “Here’s my plan: the village is having a lantern dance these days. You and Yongkun pretend to go watch the lanterns. I’ll stay behind to keep an eye on my cousin, then privately let him go…”

Qiu Xi was startled. “That’s out of the question. Something could go wrong.”

“Don’t be hasty—I said it’s a test. You two say you’re leaving, but secretly wait at the brigade entrance. If my cousin refuses to leave, wouldn’t that prove his innocence?”

“What if he actually runs?” Qiu Xi said uneasily. “How would I explain to your brother?”

“If he runs, just catch him again.” Li Yi was unconcerned.

Qiu Xi shook his head decisively. “I may not be able to subdue him. Fuqi, when riled up, is like a bull.” He meant it—his slight build was no match for Li Fuqi.

“Silly!” Li Yi snapped. “Yongkun’s there too, why worry?”

“What if Fuqi doesn’t take the main exit? It’d be easy to climb over the wall.” Qiu Xi was thorough in his thinking.

Li Yi pouted. “I’m here too, would my cousin climb the wall with me? If he really tries, I’ll notify you right away.”

Qiu Xi pondered, still feeling uneasy, so he fell silent.

“Well? Say something—yes or no?” Li Yi grew impatient.

Qiu Xi questioned, “What’s the point of this? The storm will soon end, the road should be repaired soon, and the truth will come out. Isn’t this unnecessary? If something goes wrong, no one can bear the responsibility…”

“Ugh… The road here isn’t fixed so easily, you’re overthinking.” Li Yi seemed momentarily stumped. “I just see you so torn up, always indecisive. Why not try this directly?”

“Are you sure?” Qiu Xi was undecided, his heart pounding.

“Absolutely.” Li Yi’s eyes sparkled. “And there’s another benefit: Suppose my cousin isn’t the culprit—what if you’re wrong? Not only would you have wronged a good man, but the real criminal would still be in the village. Isn’t that frightening? What do you think—do you believe my cousin is the killer?”

Qiu Xi’s resolve wavered; it was a question he hadn’t seriously considered. More importantly, he harbored doubts himself—Li Fuqi didn’t seem like the culprit.

“Hmm, you make some sense.” Qiu Xi nodded at last.

“Exactly.” Li Yi stuck out her tongue mischievously, pleased with her cleverness.

Qiu Xi changed tack. “But Fuqi’s clever. If we all leave and only you stay behind, he might not believe it. If he’s innocent, fine, but if he’s guilty, he’ll be suspicious.” He mused aloud, “We need a more thorough setup. How about this…”

Li Yi looked at him with anticipation.

“I’ll handcuff him to a chair and tell him we’re leaving for half an hour. I’ll give you the handcuff key.” He smiled. “You know what to do then, right?”

“Of course—I’ll ‘accidentally’ leave the key somewhere he can spot it,” Li Yi caught on instantly, a little excited.

“Not bad,” Qiu Xi praised.

“Settled, then!” Li Yi said briskly. “Let’s go play cards—yay!” She was visibly delighted, skipping ahead.

Qiu Xi suddenly stopped, thoughtful.

“You’ve got an ulterior motive, don’t you?” Qiu Xi muttered.

Li Yi turned and shoved him, impatient. “You got me! So what? Right and wrong will be clear after this test. No more endless doubts with no answers.”

Qiu Xi sighed. “I always feel like you’re using me.”

“Nonsense, I’m helping you guys.”

Li Yi beamed. “Don’t overthink it—come on, let’s go!”