Chapter 257: Who Are You Really?

A few hours earlier, Wang Daji didn’t go out just to buy roast duck; he could hardly hold back any longer.

He rushed downstairs and began to vomit violently under a tree, his vomit laced with blood and a bitter bile taste filled his mouth. In anger, he punched the tree, tears welling up in his eyes.

Lighting a cigarette, the more he smoked, the more bitter his mouth tasted, so he threw the cigarette away.

Wang Daji then wandered outside to a roast duck shop, ordering a whole duck, peanuts, and on a whim, added brain and pork knuckle to his order.

Knowing his days were numbered, each meal could be his last. Yet, he was fond of this new friend who was honest, determined, and decisive—the complete opposite of himself. He hoped to make this meal a lavish one.

He felt grateful to have met Song Lang in his final days of life.

Carrying his purchases, he was suddenly ambushed in an alley by someone who struck his head with a metal rod. From the sound of the impact and his years of rough living, he knew it was an iron bar.

Wang Daji fell to the ground and was dragged deeper into the alley. He saw a pale-faced youth with a sickly smile.

The youth pulled out a triangular branding iron, heating it with a lighter, and said, “You weren’t supposed to die, blame it on someone else who took your face.”

Despite the blow, Wang Daji wasn’t dazed; thanks to a calcified spot on his skull from an old injury, he remained conscious.

Lying on the ground, he played along, thinking quickly. From the assailant’s words, it seemed this attack was intended for Chen Shi.

Just as the iron touched his clothes, Wang Daji opened his eyes and cursed, then kicked the youth hard in the face.

Taking advantage of the youth’s stumble, he ran as fast as he could, his steps unsteady, drawing startled glances from passersby.

Breathless, he returned to his neighborhood, where a man by a van asked him, “What happened, brother?”

Wang Daji glanced up; the man paused, but Wang Daji didn’t catch the moment of recognition. Panicking, he asked, “Got a phone? I need to use it.”

“Sure…” the man reached into his pocket, then suddenly smothered Wang Daji with a cloth, plunging him into darkness.

Chen Shi, handcuffed, was led into the interrogation room by Lin Dongxue and Xu Xiaodong, who kept their heads low. Many officers came out, whispering and wondering, “What happened?” “Why was Chen caught?”

Chen Shi’s expression was more frozen than calm, as if he was controlling every muscle on his face to mask his feelings.

Peng Si-Jue emerged, coffee stains on his shirt, and exclaimed, “Old Chen…”

Chen Shi managed a bitter smile and shook his head slightly at him.

Lin Qiu-Pu approached, poking Chen Shi in the chest, “You’re not Chen Shi. Who are you, really?”

“Captain Lin, I don’t know what you’re talking about. My ID is in my pocket, check it yourself.”

“It’s convenient that the dead man also had an ID, also named Chen Shi.”

“Someone’s been misusing my identity, and you arrest me for that?”

“It’s more than identity theft. Come with me. Dongxue, wait outside!”

Lin Dongxue protested, “No, I want to be in the interrogation.”

“You need to recuse yourself!”

“Why should I? Chen Shi isn’t my boyfriend…”

“It’s an order!”

With a sorrowful glance at Chen Shi, who whispered, “Clear conscience fears no accusation… I’ve been in interrogation rooms before… and, please take care of Yueyue for me.”

“Will do!” she replied, leaving the room reluctantly.

Sitting across from Lin Qiu-Pu in the interrogation room, Chen Shi faced the question again, “Who are you?”

“Chen Shi, a driver and a police consultant… What’s the point? We just spoke this morning.”

“I’ve doubted your identity since day one. You were a thug, then suddenly turned detective. How does that add up?”

“Here we go again. Who’s dead? Someone who looks like me?”

“How did you know?”

Chen Shi knew Lin Qiu-Pu wouldn’t give away too much. This could drag on.

“I guessed from your conversation. Looks like someone resembling me is dead, and since he can’t be here, you’re grilling me instead?”

“Who should I suspect then?”

“Perform an autopsy first. Find out who the imposter is and how he died.”

“You reminded me…” Lin Qiu-Pu scoffed and picked up the phone, “Peng, take his blood for a DNA test, see if they are twins.”

Chen Shi frowned, “Don’t bother, I don’t have a twin.”

Lin Qiu-Pu noticed some commotion outside and walked out, shouting, “Everyone back to work. I know you all know Chen Shi, but if we want to find out who the impersonator is, we need to investigate thoroughly!”

Peng Si-Jue entered, drawing blood from Chen Shi’s hand. Chen Shi managed a wry smile, “Peng, you should believe me.”

Peng Si-Jue whispered, “Was the man arrested for solicitation really you?”

With the camera recording in the interrogation room, Chen Shi chose not to speak, not wanting his words to be recorded. After all, Peng Si-Jue understood anyway.

“I really think you should reveal your true identity now,” Peng Si-Jue suggested.

It wasn’t the right time yet, Chen Shi thought silently.

After the blood collection, Peng Si-Jue left, and Lin Qiu-Pu returned with another interrogator. Chen Shi spoke up, “Wait it out. I’ll prove who I am… Can I see the body?”

“In your dreams!” Lin Qiu-Pu scoffed.

Seeing Chen Shi being led away in cuffs, Tao Yueyue knew something serious must have happened. She quickly gathered up all the things Wang Daji had brought, including the third set of dishes and cups they had used, and cleaned everything thoroughly.

She also cleaned the sofa cushions under which she discovered a cellphone that belonged to Wang Daji. Opening it, she found it wiped clean except for one video.

The video, recorded by Wang Daji in a bathroom late at night, showed him crying, “Officer Song, I lied to you about something…”

Suddenly, suspicious noises came from outside. Tao Yueyue quickly turned off the phone and anxiously stared at the door, sounding like someone was trying to break in.

Heart pounding, she blared a news clip from her phone loudly. The intruder seemed to realize someone was home and stopped. Trembling, she sat on the sofa, clutching her knees, eyes fixed on the door until Lin Dongxue’s voice called from outside, “Yueyue, are you there?”

This intense episode weaves together suspense and drama, highlighting the complex web of relationships and deception surrounding Chen Shi, as the narrative inches closer to unveiling his true identity.