Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Half of Her Face

Wen Baohui understood why Chen Xiao mentioned that he was getting closer to Xiao Diandian.

Because the whole case had gained a critical character.

Although this character had always been a key presence before.

But her identity had undergone a complete reversal.

Previously, Yang Ziping was the only family member of the missing person.

But now, Yang Ziping had a bizarre connection with Xiao Diandian’s disappearance.

The night Xiao Diandian disappeared, Yang Ziping likely wasn’t doing the laundry.

She might have lied to the police!

But why would she lie to the police?

If Yang Ziping was a normal person, one would think to detain her immediately for intensified interrogation.

However, Yang Ziping had gone mentally unstable!

Whether her instability was genuine or feigned.

It seemed the next step would be to detain her…

Wen Baohui figured out the next step and was about to talk to Chen Xiao when she saw Chen Xiao had already called Hu Yue.

“Captain Hu, I have some findings here, you must quickly find Yang Ziping now.”

“And once you find her, send her to a psychiatric hospital immediately for a diagnosis to determine if she is truly mentally unstable.”

Upon hearing Chen Xiao’s words, Hu Yue asked in surprise, “Do you mean she’s pretending to be mentally ill?”

“Not sure, but it doesn’t look like it.”

Hu Yue was a bit confused and paused before saying, “Don’t worry, ever since she left, I’ve arranged for people to look for her. We should have news soon enough.”

“That’s good then.”

Chen Xiao finished speaking and hung up the phone, then said to Wen Baohui, “Come with me to look around the village.”

Wen Baohui nodded, and they walked out of Yang Ziping’s house together.

Soon, Chen Xiao entered the neighbor’s house.

The neighbor had been peeking from the second floor of his home the moment Chen Xiao and his team arrived.

Although there were instructions not to disturb those entering Yang Ziping’s house, it hadn’t been said that villagers couldn’t observe from their homes.

So when the neighbor saw Chen Xiao coming to his house, he hurriedly came downstairs.

“Hello, officers!” the neighbor quickly greeted, then explained, “Please don’t misunderstand, I was just curious and took a few extra glances at you.”

Chen Xiao smiled, “Brother, don’t worry, I’m just here to gather some information!”

The neighbor breathed a sigh of relief and laughed, “I see, when I saw you entering my home, I thought I might have disturbed you.”

Chen Xiao shook his head and got to the point, “Brother, do you often interact with Chen Yan’s family?”

Wen Baohui glanced at Chen Xiao as the neighbor began to speak, “If you’re talking about when Chen Yan was around, not much. Chen Yan didn’t like people coming to his house. The only time we went there was on the first day of the New Year to pay respects without getting a cold shoulder.”

“I heard Chen Yan came to your Sifang Village through marriage, right?” Chen Xiao continued to ask.

The neighbor nodded quickly, “Yes, yes, Ah Ping’s father is from our village and was skilled in carpentry. He often worked away from home and one year suddenly brought back a young student, claiming him as his apprentice. That apprentice was Chen Yan, and when he came home for the New Year that year, Ah Ping started liking him.”

Chen Xiao feigned surprise, “It seems Chen Yan must have been quite handsome then?”

“Not at all, Chen Yan was very skinny, just over 160 cm tall, with dark skin. Despite his thin frame, Uncle Yang said he was very strong. Once, when we were sitting and chatting, I arm-wrestled him.”

The neighbor rolled up his sleeves, showing off his biceps.

Chen Xiao’s eyes widened, “Wow, brother, those are impressive muscles! You must have won, right?”

The neighbor chuckled and shook his head, “I lost. We were at a stalemate for five minutes before he narrowly beat me. I was a bit unconvinced and wanted a rematch, but Chen Yan, panting heavily, refused. I thought he was afraid to lose, so he didn’t give me another chance.”

Chen Xiao nodded along, “That sounds right. So how was the relationship between Chen Yan and Yang Ziping?”

“Hard to say, Chen Yan always seemed mysterious. When Uncle Yang was alive, Chen Yan wasn’t the decision-maker, so he was barely noticeable. After Uncle Yang passed, we thought Ah Ping would manage the household, but she ended up doing whatever Chen Yan said. Ah Ping always seemed to be thinking about him, but as for him, we couldn’t tell.”

Chen Xiao paused, “Was Chen Yan often away?”

“He was, he inherited Uncle Yang’s carpentry skills and would spend almost the whole year working outside. When it came close to New Year’s, Ah Ping was like a stone waiting for him by the village entrance every day.”

Chen Xiao glanced at the neighbor and then pretended to be angry, “That Chen Yan really is a bastard!”

The neighbor slapped his thigh, “No kidding! Ah Ping has aged so much over the years; she used to be the flower of our village. Uncle Yang must have been blind to take in a thankless wretch like him. Otherwise, Ah Ping could have married anyone better!”

“Exactly, I heard that when Xiao Diandian was just conceived, that bastard took off, right?” Chen Xiao added.

The neighbor nodded repeatedly, “Yes, yes, I remember clearly that Ah Ping gave birth on the night of the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. If my wife and I hadn’t taken her to the county hospital, who knows what might have happened!”

Chen Xiao’s reaction of anger left Wen Baohui speechless with wide eyes.

“Brother, we’re talking about Xiao Diandian, his own flesh and blood. For ten months of pregnancy to now growing up to three years old, that bastard never came back to see her?” Chen Xiao questioned.

The neighbor shook his head, “Like hell he did, that scumbag doesn’t like kids. No matter whose child it is in the village, they all stay clear of him.”

“Why? Did he hit other people’s kids or something?”

“No, he didn’t hit them. He just stared menacingly. You don’t understand, when he looks at someone, even adults flinch!”

“Brother, can you show me? How can someone scare people with just a look?”

The neighbor thought for a moment, then scratched his head, “I can’t really demonstrate it, but many people in the village are afraid to meet his gaze. His eyes don’t seem fierce, but if you look at him for long, you get goosebumps. Some villagers have even said that Chen Yan might have killed someone outside, that those are killer’s eyes!”

Chen Xiao hummed thoughtfully, then casually asked, “So in your surrounding areas, apart from Yang Ziping’s daughter Diandian, no other children have gone missing, right?”

“No, our area keeps a close watch on children. But Xiao Diandian disappeared while sleeping at home in the middle of the night!”

“Yes, when I heard about the case, I found it strange. Was Xiao Diandian like this before? Did she often run away?”

“Not at all, Xiao Diandian is such a good kid, very timid and shy. When I heard Ah Ping crying for her in the middle of the night, I couldn’t believe Diandian would leave on her own.”

“What do you think happened then?”

The neighbor glanced around furtively, “I think… she was taken away!”

Chen Xiao was shocked, “So then, brother, you have someone in mind who you suspect?”

The neighbor nodded and was about to speak when he suddenly stood up abruptly, his face changing color.

Chen Xiao looked puzzled and slowly turned his head in the direction the neighbor was staring.

At the door behind him, someone was crouched, showing only half a face, grinning towards their side.

And it was… Yang Ziping!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep