Afterlife Department

Chapter 20 - Xu Wenrong

Seeing He Furong still haven't calmed down, Gu Xingfeng frowned. She was sent to the infirmary by her escorting police officer. "Send the next person." He told the female police officer.

The female police officer nodded and went out. Not long after and an old man came in. He has a cordial smile and anyone would feel amiable towards him. "Good afternoon." He greeted and sat on the chair on his own. He has no escorting police officer. After all, he was already old and he moves as slow as a turtle.

"Hey. It's a grandpa.." Huo Ling said and looked at the information about the old man Gu Xingfeng took out. Xu Wenrong, age 70 years old. No relatives. Living in 141 alone.

However, Yi Bing's expression changed. He… he thought, then waited for things to come.

Gu Xingfeng raised his head and saw the old man smiling. For some reason, he felt strange. Nonetheless, he schooled his expression and returned his smile. "Hello, Mr. Xu." He greeted.

"What could it be that you called for me?" Xu Wenrong asked.

"I have some questions to ask Mr. Xu." Gu Xingfeng answered.

"Okay." Xu Wenrong nodded, a smile still on his face. One can't help but warming their heart and pity this old man.

Gu Xingfeng took out a picture and pushed it towards Xu Wenrong. "Does Mr. Xu recognize this man?" he asked.

Xu Wenrong nodded. "He is living on the second floor." he answered when he remembered Su Rong. "I sometimes meet him and he helps me descend the stairs." He said.

"How about her?" Gu Xingfeng asked and took out Fu Ling's picture.

"She also lives on the second floor. I see her always in a hurry." Xu Wenrong answered.

"How about him?" Gu Xingfeng asked and showed Tan Yu's picture.

"He's also living in the second floor. I see he's always with his friends." Xu Wenrong answered.

"This one?" Gu Xingfeng asked and showed him Li Lingling's picture.

"She's living in the tenth floor. She rarely goes out." Xu Wenrong said.

"This one?" Gu Xingfeng showed He Furong's picture.

"She's also in the second floor." Xu Wenrong answered.

"Him?" Gu Xingfeng asked.

Xu Wenrong looked at the picture. "I don't recognize him." He answered. "He looked like he's a good kid." He said.

"Oh! He praised me!" Huo Ling giggled as he looked at his picture. He looked handsome.

Gu Xingfeng nodded. "This man is suspected of killing this woman." he said, referring to Huo Ling and pointed to Fu Ling's picture.

Huo Ling's eyes widened. "Hey!" he called to Gu Xingfeng. "What lies is he spouting now?" he asked, mad.

Yi Bing, like earlier, pulled him back with his 'tail'. "He's testing the old man." He told Huo Ling.

"'testing'?" Huo Ling said. "Is the old man lying?" he asked, surprised. He doesn't look like it… he thought.

Yi Bing could guess what Huo Ling was thinking just by looking at his expression. "We'll see." He just said.

Huo Ling looked at Yi Bing, a puzzled look on his face. However, he didn't ask when he saw Yi Bing's serious expression. What does he mean by that? He thought and ignored the thought. He resumed listening to Gu Xingfeng's lies.

Xu Wenrong looked shocked. "He did?!" he said.

Gu Xingfeng nodded and frowned as he glared at Huo Ling's picture. "He is this woman's boyfriend, and actually had an unspeakable – ehem. Tastes, when it comes to sex." He said, his face red in embarrassment.

Xu Wenrong had an awkward look on his face. "I had lived for a long time, yet this old man can never understand the youths of today." He sighed.

Gu Xingfeng nodded and casted a look of sympathy in Fu Ling's picture. "She wouldn't have expected for her boyfriend to be…" he shook his head.

"A pitiful child." Xu Wenrong said.

Gu Xingfeng suddenly looked tired. He combed his hair with his fingers. "By the way, grandpa – " he called and took out two more pictures. " – do you recognize them?" he asked.

Xue Wenrong looked at the pictures. "If I remember, they are this child's friends." He said and pointed Tan Yu's picture.

Gu Xingfeng was surprised. "They are?!" he said and looked at Wei Jing and the other guy's picture. "So they're his friends…" he muttered. There was a sympathetic look on his face as he looked at Tan Yu's picture.

Xu Wenrong looked confused. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Gu Xingfeng clicked his tongue while shaking his head. "I didn't expect for them to know each other. You see, Mr. Xu – " he said and pointed Wei Jing. " – this man is a homosexual. While this other man – " he said and pointed the other guy's picture. " – is a bisexual." He sighed. "We found that they frequented bars and red-light districts." He said and gathered Wei Jing and the other guy's picture. "AIDS is a communicable disease. We also don't know if Mr. Tan Yu – their friend, if there's something happened between them…" he shook his head. "Mr. Tan Yu looked like an upright man." He added.

Silence fell. Xu Wenrong looked pensive. "Has something happened to that child?" he asked, referring to Tan Yu.

Gu Xingfeng's face fell. "Mr. Xu was still in the dark…" he said. "Mr. Tan Yu died with multiple stabs on his body." He told him. "We still haven't received further reports from the forensics." he added.

Xu Wenrong was shocked. "Died… do you suspect…?" he looked at Wen Jing and the other guy's picture.

Gu Xingfeng looked like he was hesitating. "Yes." he finally answered. "If Mr. Xu knows something… I hope you can tell us." He told Xu Wenrong.

Xu Wenrong's expression was heavy. He didn't expect for Tan Yu to die, too. "I will." He said.

Gu Xingfeng nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Xu." He then turned to the police officer sitting next to him. "Please escort Mr. Xu out." he told him.

The police officer nodded. "Yes." he said and led Xu Wenrong out. Xu Wenrong rose from his seat and looked like he wants to say something.

Gu Xingfeng saw him hesitating. "What is it, Mr. Xu?" he said. "Did you remember something?" he asked.

Xu Wenrong's eyes fell on Huo Ling's picture on the table. "May I know where is this young man now?" he asked and looked at Gu Xingfeng.

"Oh." Gu Xingfeng muttered. "He's still on the run." He answered.

Xu Wenrong sighed. "Such a bad kid." He said. "I'll call you if I find him. After all – " he smiled. " – nobody would harm a harmless old man." He then reached for the door.

For some reason, Huo Ling suddenly felt cold. He subconsciously hid behind Yi Bing as he watched Xu Wenrong leave the room. "What's wrong?" Yi Bing asked when he felt Huo Ling moved towards him. He turned and saw him looked scared.

"I – " Huo Ling said. "The old man looked harmless." He said. "But, I feel he's strange." He told him.

Yi Bing didn't speak and just watched the door where the old man left. How can he not be strange – he thought and looked at the doorknob which the old man touched. – when he was densely covered with Foul?