Street Hustler and His Policewoman Wife

Chapter 226 226: Silent Mentor

After dinner.

Chen Xiao got into Xie Wensheng's car.

In the car, Xie Wensheng was in high spirits.

"Want to listen to some music?"

Chen Xiao smiled: "Captain Xie, do you still have a passion for music?"

"Back in the day, I almost joined a band, but later my father pulled me into the police force. I was so rebellious at the time, I nearly fought with him."

"Did your father ever hit you?" Chen Xiao laughed.

Xie Wensheng squinted and laughed: "You only ask whether he hit me? You should ask how many times and how hard he hit me."

"Haha, same here. In my memory, until I was in middle school, my father never truly laid a hand on me again," Chen Xiao replied. Xie Wensheng nodded in strong agreement:

"Maybe all fathers are like this. Middle school is like the watershed moment. They think we're almost grown, almost as tall as they are, and it's not appropriate to hit us anymore."

"Maybe, but if you commit a grave mistake, they'd still hit you regardless."

Xie Wensheng laughed along: "When I wanted to form a band back then, my dad even took out his belt. But at that time, I was already taller and stronger than him, so I thought I didn't need to be scared of him."

"Even when his belt hit me, it didn't hurt nearly as much as when he cut off my long hair with scissors."

Saying this, Xie Wensheng's eyes were filled with nostalgia.

Chen Xiao didn't ask where Xie Wensheng's father was.

His eyes had already told the story.

Chen Xiao felt fortunate himself; Old Chen was still young, and his mother hadn't entered into old age yet.

He and his parents should have many years to spend together.

But as soon as Xie Wensheng brought up the topic of his father, he gradually fell silent.

It wasn't until they arrived in front of an old family house that Xie Wensheng spoke again:

"This is my old home. When my father was still alive, we all lived here."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiao felt puzzled.

He had spoken of his father being alive but hadn't mentioned his mother.

"Does your mother live with your siblings?" Chen Xiao asked, looking at the seemingly lifeless old house.

Xie Wensheng looked down: "My mom is in a nursing home."

Chen Xiao frowned.

He didn't think that Xie Wensheng was an unfilial person.

Or perhaps his understanding was not entirely correct.

But he did have a somewhat rigid belief that children should bring their aging parents to live close by.

Xie Wensheng was already in his thirties or forties, which meant his mother should be around sixty, if not older.

This age wasn't like Old Chen and his peers.

And elderly people in their sixties nowadays were not nearly as robust as those of the same age in future generations.

As for nursing homes, Chen Xiao wasn't very trusting of them.

Xie Wensheng seemed to have read Chen Xiao's thoughts and said bitterly: "She swore never to see me again in her lifetime."

Chen Xiao couldn't help but raise his head, his eyes filled with an unmistakable shock.

Xie Wensheng didn't explain too much at the door. After gesturing for Chen Xiao to enter, he followed him into the old house.

Once inside, Chen Xiao could tell the place was regularly cleaned.

Although the furniture in the house was covered with dust sheets, it was clear from the meticulous cleaning and polished surfaces that someone cleaned here regularly.

"Does your wife come to clean often?"

"Yes, sometimes I come when I have time."

Chen Xiao recalled that he hadn't seen any memorial photos in Xie Wensheng's home before.

Now, hearing that Xie Wensheng's mother intended never to see him again, Chen Xiao thought there might be quite a story behind this.

Removing the dust sheets from two chairs, Xie Wensheng smiled and said: "Please, have a seat."

Chen Xiao nodded, and Xie Wensheng pointed to the center of the main hall: "That was where I often knelt when I made mistakes in my youth. My father even had a disciplining stick, but later, I secretly took it and threw it into the hearth, haha."

"Captain Xie, with everything you've said, can I ask what's happened between you, your father, and your mother?"

Finally, Chen Xiao asked the question.

Xie Wensheng sighed deeply: "My father died in the line of duty twelve years ago, yet he still exists, as a teacher seen by many students until this day."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiao felt a deep sense of respect!

"Is Mr. Xie serving as a model cadaver teacher?" Chen Xiao asked.

Xie Wensheng nodded: "After my father died in the line of duty, I fulfilled his wish by donating his body for educational purposes. Of course, he's due for retirement now, given how long it's been."

As he said this, Xie Wensheng kept his head lowered.

At that moment, Chen Xiao's respect only grew more profound.

He understood people's regard for their bodies after death.

He also understood how important burial rites were for individuals and their families.

Anyone willing to donate their body was, in Chen Xiao's eyes, truly noble.

So noble that mere words could never fully honor their gesture.

From Xie Wensheng's brief explanation, Chen Xiao could guess a few things.

"Your mother has strong objections to this decision, doesn't she?" Chen Xiao asked.

Xie Wensheng nodded: "Yes, I made this decision in accordance with my father's wishes when he was alive. But my mother couldn't understand or accept it. Her resentment turned into disappointment over the years; she called me an unfilial son, insisting that my father can't rest in peace even after closing his eyes for so long."

"Was your father's death in the line of duty questionable?" Chen Xiao inquired.

"Yes, my father's death was ruled as suicide after exhaustive efforts from my side. When his body was found, the scene analysis concluded it was suicide. But my father was less than fifty years old; why would he commit suicide? Mind you, he was investigating a similar case at the time!"

Chen Xiao remained silent.

Xie Wensheng slightly raised his head and said: "I still can't comprehend my father's death. I've nearly worn out the investigation files flipping through them, yet I still find no discrepancies. From my criminal investigation education, it was a clear suicide case!"

"But among those deceased was my father, the one investigating the case. How could he possibly mimic the manner in which the case's victims allegedly took their lives?"

Chen Xiao understood the deeper reason for Xie Wensheng inviting him tonight.

From what Xie Wensheng said alone, Chen Xiao knew it wasn't simple.

Despite the weaker forensic techniques over a decade ago, distinguishing between suicide and homicide should be well within the capabilities of investigating officers.

Especially now, with Wensheng still finding no evidence of foul play in the records, it implies deep-seated intrigue in the case.

While Chen Xiao was contemplating, Xie Wensheng opened a drawer, took out a picture frame, and gently wiped it.

The frame held an old photograph of his father in traditional police uniform.

As he polished the frame, he spoke:

"My father died because of a ghostly legend, which I've investigated for years. I thought I had time, but now... time is a question mark for me!"