Chapter 5: Searching for the Lost Path

The meticulous Lin Hua thought to himself, let’s temporarily keep this part hidden. The man who came to collect the snow coat, even if he is not the murderer of Wu Yun, must certainly be connected to Wu Yun's death, and this connection must be related to emotions.

At the moment of parting, Hong Yang asked Lin Hua: "Do you think I am a fickle or unfeeling man? After all, it has not been long since Wu Yun left, and I already have a new girlfriend"

Therefore, it is better to first grasp the evidence before revealing the truth.

A large photograph of Wu Yun hangs in the room. In the photo, Wu Yun has captivating eyes and rosy lips, her smile radiant, truly a beauty. Lin Hua, while sighing about the fleeting nature of beauty, searches around the room.

Lin Hua widened his eyes, looking at Hong Yang in disbelief. This answer was absurd enough. They appeared to be as intimate as lovers, yet it was merely because of a piece of clothing identical to Wu Yun's

The next day, Hong Yang took the snow-white garment to the laundry. That piece of clothing may have been soiled during the act of killing her; he wanted to clean it, just as he wished to cleanse his own sins. Then, he could regard that clean snow-white garment as Wu Yun, perhaps as a keepsake, or perhaps simply bury it.

Lin Hua nodded and accepted this incredible coincidence with *Picture* and *Book*. She thought for a moment and asked Hong Yang: "Can you tell me where Wu Yun's home is? I want to go see the things she left behind..." Noticing that Hong Yang seemed a bit hesitant, she added: "You must have noticed that I am a very curious girl. I usually find pleasure in reading mystery novels. My strengths are being bold and attentive to detail. I have a feeling that I will definitely be able to help you uncover the truth!" She added: "You must have noticed that I am a very curious girl. I usually find pleasure in reading mystery novels. My strengths are being bold and attentive to detail. I have a feeling that I will definitely be able to help you uncover the truth!"

Wu Yun's mother, in a show of loyalty, opened Wu Yun's room. She stated that after Wu Yun left, nothing in the room had been changed, and nothing had been put away. She encouraged Wu Yun to look around freely, without any need for politeness

This is a directory, yet it is blank. Lin Hua flipped to the last page, and just as disappointment was about to set in, he saw two lines of numbers written on it

Hong Yang's eyes revealed a deep confusion, mingled with a hint of surprise: "Are you saying that this white cashmere coat later appeared in your laundry shop, and no one came to collect it? Who sent it and when?"

Lin Hua was perplexed, but then she thought that her inferences were solely based on Hong Yang's account. If he were the murderer, how much credibility could his words have in relation to the book?

Lin Hua smiled and said, "It's nothing much. What era are we in now? Do you really want to be lost in sadness?"

Hong Yang said earnestly: "In fact, I only realized now that a person's inner beauty is more important than their outer beauty. I was previously only infatuated with Wu Yun's beautiful appearance. As for Yang Shan, she is a girl with great inner qualities."

In a fit of anger and sorrow, Hong Yang developed a murderous intent and strangled Wu Yun to death. He then concealed Wu Yun's cashmere coat and leather bag, creating the illusion of a robbery and murder, thus allowing himself to evade culpability

Upon leaving the room, Lin Hua told Wu Yun's mother that she had not gained anything and expressed her gratitude before bidding farewell. Lin Hua did not inquire about any details regarding Wu Yun's victimization, as she did not wish to inflict further pain on this unfortunate mother

Hong Yang pondered for a moment, took out paper and pen, wrote down Wu Yun's address, and handed it to Lin Hua

Perhaps feeling guilty, he dared not retrieve the snow-white coat. Holding Wu Yun's phone, after receiving his own call, he pondered for a long time but still felt uneasy, so he asked someone else to collect it.

Hong Yang stated emphatically: "Yes, it is just www.hetushu.com. The clothing was a gift from her aunt. She left her hometown to attend university here, and her aunt happens to live in this city. Her aunt loves her daughter, but does not have one herself, so she treats her like her own child."

After bidding farewell to Hong Yang, Lin Hua pretended to head home, but after walking a short distance, she changed her route and headed straight to Wu Yun's house. At this time, it was still not too late, and she was eager to see Wu Yun.

Hong Yang was very excited after listening to Lin Hua's account. He planned to provide this crucial lead to the police first thing tomorrow morning. He expressed his gratitude to Lin Hua and requested her cooperation with the police investigation when necessary

Lin Hua quickly memorized the number and password

As she walked, she reflected on her earlier conversation with Hong Yang, pondering over certain details. Suddenly, she boldly speculated that perhaps Hong Yang was the true culprit behind Wu Yun's murder

Lin Hua conveyed to Hong Yang what she knew, but concealed the fact that someone came today with a laundry receipt to collect the snow coat

Upon Hong Yang's inquiry, Lin Hua recalled the woman in the white cashmere coat from earlier. She said in confusion: "I noticed you because I saw that girl with the coat in the library, and then I recognized your voice. I am very curious, who is she? Why is she wearing the exact same cashmere coat?"

Perhaps that day was not as Hong Yang described; after he bought the late-night snack, Wu Yun had already left the internet café. On the contrary, he encountered Wu Yun and offered her the snack he had purchased. However, Wu Yun was ungrateful, and the two had a dispute on their way home. They even discussed breaking up, a suggestion made by Wu Yun.

Hong Yang did not respond immediately. At this moment, the cigarette in his hand was already the second one. He flicked the long ash into the ashtray and slowly said: "Her name is Yang Shan. In fact, I just met her. I got to know her because she was wearing a white cashmere coat."

When Lin Hua arrived at the bottom of Wu Yun's building, he suddenly recalled that Wu Yun had been strangled to death with a thin, long iron wire. If that were the case, then Hong Yang must have prepared the wire in advance; it would not have been a spur-of-the-moment act of murder.

Lin Hua agreed. She thought that if the police went to the laundromat to collect evidence, the owner might fire her. But compared to an innocent life lost, what did her job matter?

She opened the only unlocked drawer. Inside the drawer were some cosmetics, various bottles and jars, which held no research value. The only item that piqued Lin Hua's interest was a notebook the size of a mobile phone

The more Lin Hua thought about it, the more he felt that such speculation was very likely, which also explained why Hong Yang had found a new love in such a short time. A chill involuntarily rose in Lin Hua's heart; if Hong Yang really killed Wu Yun, wouldn't he also be in danger?

The first line is the QQ number, and the second line is the QQ password

Hong Yang suddenly asked: "How did you find me? How did you know that I am Wu Yun's boyfriend?"

It was Wu Yun's mother who received Lin Hua, a kind-hearted woman who had just lost her beloved daughter. Lin Hua claimed to be a high school classmate of Wu Yun's. Not long ago, someone had asked Wu Yun to pass an important item to her, but before the item could be delivered, Wu Yun had passed away. Therefore, she came to search in Wu Yun's room, hoping to find it.

Leaving Wu Yun's house, Lin Hua headed straight to the internet café. She needed to log into this QQ account, as there might be unexpected discoveries awaiting her

If Hong Yang were to recognize the man who came to take Xue Yi, he might harbor the same suspicions as himself, and then, in a moment of impulse, might act irrationally.