Chapter 178: The Eyewitness

Granny Liu, looking distressed, said, “I didn’t deceive anyone. I lost my money and had no choice but to ask for help… I’ve lost all my dignity this morning.”

Lin Dongxue and the officers hurried over after getting Chen Shi’s message. Chen Shi told the store owner, “We’ll handle this. You can go back to work.”

Granny Liu seemed very anxious when she saw the police, a detail that didn’t escape Chen Shi. She said, “Thank you, sir. We’ll be leaving now.”

“Where will you go? Didn’t you say you lost your money? If you’re in trouble, you can ask the police for help!” Chen Shi said with a smile.

Granny Liu glanced at the police uniforms, then at her grandson clinging to her clothes, trembling as she waved her hands. “No trouble, no trouble. My family will come to pick me up soon. It’s all good.”

Chen Shi stopped her. “Actually, we need your help with an investigation.”

“An investigation? I don’t know anything about that!” She pulled her grandson and tried to leave again.

Lin Dongxue stepped forward, “Granny, we just need your cooperation. We won’t arrest you.”

Seeing no way out, Granny Liu hesitated. She only knew Chen Shi as a kind taxi driver and curiously asked, “Sir, weren’t you driving a taxi yesterday? How come you’re a policeman today?”

Chen Shi smiled, “I’m a friend of the police. Are you thirsty?”

They took the elderly woman and the boy to a temporary station at the bus depot, gave her a cup of hot water, and noticed that she looked even more worn out than yesterday. Chen Shi asked, “Have you eaten?”

“We have.”

“How did you end up like this? Weren’t you visiting relatives?”

Granny Liu sighed and recounted what happened. Her grandson, Dog Egg, had broken an antique at Wang Xifeng’s house, angering Wang, who scolded them. In the chaos, Granny Liu had left all her spare change as compensation.

Luckily, she still had an emergency hundred-yuan note, which she changed at a store. However, after reaching a guesthouse, she realized she only had fifty left, not enough for both accommodation and transportation. So they spent the night wandering the streets and finally stayed at an ATM booth.

The night was uncomfortable, her old bones ached, and by morning, they were dizzy from lack of food and water. On the way to the bus station, she couldn’t take it anymore and bought some food, leaving her short of the bus fare. She had to ask around at the station for the missing amount.

Tears welled up in Granny Liu’s eyes as she recounted their misfortune, and Dog Egg also started crying. Chen Shi noticed a dark red stain on the sleeve of Dog Egg’s jacket, which had been clean and new yesterday.

Lin Dongxue said, “That store clerk must have tricked you. Did he count the money out for you and make it look right?”

Granny Liu said, “Yes, Dog Egg bought a Coke, and the clerk said he didn’t have change for fifty, so he gave me ten-yuan bills, nine of them.”

“That’s a scam. They fold the bills to make it look like more. You wouldn’t even realize you were shortchanged.”

Granny Liu was suddenly enlightened, “People can be so wicked!”

Chen Shi asked, “Did you stay at the ATM booth all night and not go anywhere else?”

“No! No!” Granny Liu frantically denied.

Seeing Dog Egg’s expression, Chen Shi understood and looked at his watch, telling the officers, “Thanks for your help, everyone. It’s almost noon. I’ll get some boxed lunches for everyone… Granny, would you like some too?”

“Thank you, sir. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know what we would have done…” Granny Liu started crying again, searching for a handkerchief. Dog Egg helped wipe her tears.

“Don’t mention it. It’s just a small effort.”

Chen Shi motioned for Lin Dongxue to step outside. He said, “The child isn’t talking and looks very strange. He must have seen something. Granny Liu probably thinks the child committed the murder, so she’s denying they were at the complex last night. She’s honest but protective and doesn’t understand that children aren’t imprisoned for murder. She won’t say anything!”

“So what do we do?”

“We need to be clear with her. No more ‘inconvenient to disclose case details.’ We need her to understand that Dog Egg isn’t the killer and that we just need his testimony. Do you agree?”

“Why do I need to agree?”

Chen Shi laughed, “Because you’re the only real cop here, of course.”

“Agree, agree!” Lin Dongxue also laughed. “Detective Chen’s actions are always right!”

Chen Shi went to the station’s McDonald’s and bought a McSpicy Chicken Sandwich meal and a kid’s meal. He also got a large bag of boxed lunches and bottled water. Returning to the booth, he handed out the food. Dog Egg, having a kid’s meal for the first time, was thrilled but still silent. Granny Liu expressed countless thanks. After eating, she said, “Thank you so much, sir. If there’s nothing else, we need to head home.”

Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue exchanged a glance, and Lin Dongxue said, “Granny, there was a murder at the complex you visited yesterday. We’re investigating.”

Granny Liu spilled some water and looked flustered, “What does that have to do with us?”

Chen Shi added, “The victims were Wang Xifeng and her roommate, Qiu Ping.”

“What!?”

Chen Shi noticed Granny Liu glanced at Dog Egg again.

“Who killed them… Poor Wang’s family is now completely gone,” she said.

Lin Dongxue said, “According to the evidence, the killer is a grown man. We just opened the case and are still investigating. Surveillance shows you and your grandson were at the complex around 11 PM last night. We believe your grandson is a crucial eyewitness. We need his testimony to catch the killer and clear your niece’s name.”