Chapter 369: Danger in the Mountains (Please Support More Updates)

The three of them didn’t immediately take Zheng Zhifei away. Xu Xiaodong had been holding it in for a long time and, after cuffing Zheng Zhifei, hurriedly looked for a restroom. Officer Wang pointed outside, and Xu Xiaodong saw a simple, thatch-covered toilet in the field. He went in and shouted, “Damn, this thing won’t collapse, will it?”

Chen Shi used the water pump in the yard to wash his face, drinking his fill of the refreshing mountain spring water, and then filled his water bottle.

He took a look around the simple house, noticing the lingering smell of cigarettes. There was a bowl with leftover noodles on the floor, and the TV was on. Chen Shi casually turned off the TV and noticed something on the stove — a girl’s hairpin.

He picked it up with a piece of newspaper and saw blood on the hairpin. He wrapped it up and put it in his pocket.

Xu Xiaodong returned from the toilet, looking distressed. “Chen, it’s getting late. How about we stay here tonight and head back in the morning?”

“Let’s keep moving. It doesn’t get completely dark until eight. We can have a big meal when we get back to town.”

At the mention of a big meal, Xu Xiaodong’s mouth watered. Officer Wang took out some bread, tearing it and sharing it with them. Chen Shi shared his piece with Zheng Zhifei, who leaned against the courtyard wall and refused to eat.

On the way back, the sky grew darker, and with the suspect in tow, their pace slowed significantly.

Reaching a flat area by a cliff, Xu Xiaodong was too tired to move and sat down to catch his breath. Suddenly, Zheng Zhifei sprang up and jumped toward the cliff. Xu Xiaodong was too stunned and exhausted to react.

Chen Shi lunged to grab him, but Zheng Zhifei’s momentum was too strong, and they both fell off the edge.

“Chen! Chen!” Xu Xiaodong rushed to the cliff’s edge, relieved to see them both on a ledge about five meters down, but unable to reach them.

Zheng Zhifei landed on the left side, Chen Shi on the right. “Xiaodong, my back is hurt. I can’t move,” Chen Shi said.

“Hang on, I’ll go find a rope with Officer Wang to get you out.”

“Hurry up!”

Xu Xiaodong hesitated for a moment, then reappeared. “Chen, I’ll leave my gun with you for protection.”

“No, no, I can handle myself.”

Xu Xiaodong gritted his teeth and quickly descended the mountain with Officer Wang.

Chen Shi sat holding his back, watching as Zheng Zhifei slowly got up. They stared at each other for a long time. Zheng Zhifei started feeling around for a rock with his cuffed hands. Chen Shi, seeing his intent, said, “Killing a cop will land you in prison for life.”

“Hmph, if I kill you, I’ll just jump off. It’s worth the risk.”

Chen Shi sneered, “What did that girl do to you to deserve such a brutal death? Do you know her father’s hair turned white from grief?”

“…”

“You liked her, didn’t you? But you couldn’t have her.”

Zheng Zhifei’s lips trembled, “If that damn film crew hadn’t come to our poor village, none of this would have happened!”

“Tell me about it. You’ll feel better.”

After a moment of silence, Zheng Zhifei began, “I grew up here. This mountain was my entire world. When I was ten, a film crew came looking for a kid to do a show about city and country life. They chose me. I was thrilled. My dad said it was a good chance to see the world beyond the mountains, so we agreed. A few days later, a pale-skinned little girl came to stay at our place. She was curious about everything. I showed her around, took her bug catching, fruit picking, and playing in the river…

“After three days, I went with her to the city. I’d seen cities on TV, but it was nothing like being there. Elevators that took you up twenty floors in one go, taps that poured hot water, fridges full of food, kitchens so clean they had no rats. The first meal scared me. White rice, dishes I couldn’t name — and this was just a regular meal. After dinner, Li Mengran handed me a bottle of white drink, sweet and sour. I’d never tasted anything like it. It cost two yuan. My dad made ten yuan a day, and their fridge was full of it.

“I lay in a soft, warm bed and cried. Why was there such a big difference between people? Why did some people get to live in such houses, with floors like gold? You saw that show? They made me look stupid, but actually, Li Mengran was very nice to me. She called me brother. It made me feel… special.

“After those dreamlike three days, the shoot ended, and they bought me a ticket back to town. They didn’t ask about me again. I bought a ticket with the money Mr. Li gave me and went home. Suddenly, my house felt so small, the walls so broken, the food so hard to eat. City kids were pampered at the table while I heard only complaints and curses from my father. I kept saying I wanted to go to Mr. Li’s house. Dad said they were busy and wouldn’t welcome me. I kept asking, and he got fed up, called me clueless.

“After that, life was a blur. I felt I should be a city kid. I was abandoned in this horrible place. I’d run to the mountain at night, hoping a car would come to take me away. Days turned into weeks, months. I missed everything about the city, especially Li Mengran. I didn’t want to play with the other barefoot, skinny kids. I only thought of her, day and night…”

Chen Shi interrupted, “When you were twelve, you killed your father?”

Zheng Zhifei’s eyes turned fierce, “Yes, because he found my notebook filled with Li Mengran’s name. He hit me with it, called me ungrateful and delusional. I felt exposed, humiliated. So I mixed pesticide into his medicine and forged a suicide note. The police didn’t know he couldn’t read. I always wrote everything for him.”

Zheng Zhifei laughed, “Ironically, I learned that trick from your city TV dramas. I couldn’t stand another day here, so I dropped out and went to the city to work. I spent all my money on a train ticket to Long’an. I had to see her. I couldn’t stand not seeing her. I even gave her my first time, the night before I left the city. My first time… thinking of her!”