False evidence

Chapter 16 The Strange Study
Lin Dan said, "The suspect's photo was just sent over by the police station."

Pidan glanced at her phone, his face instantly drained of color. "It's her! She's the one who just delivered the sample photos!"

The woman in the photo is about thirty or forty years old. Although she has some fine lines around her eyes, her features are still quite pretty.

I stared at the photo for a while, and suddenly had a strange feeling that I couldn't describe.

Lin Dan asked me, "How do you know I've seen the murderer?"

I countered with, "Under what circumstances did you meet her?"

Lin Dan was silent for a moment, then said, "I just found out too. Her name is Tong Liru. She works at a photo studio that mainly does wedding photography."

The monkey interjected, "I know, you must have gone to choose a wedding dress with that big blockhead."

Lin Dan glared at him, her expression conflicted, and said, "I remember her because after getting to know her, I found her to be a really kind person."

Pidan's mom quickly said, "Yes, Miss Tong is really nice. Pei Pei and I chose the cheapest set meal, but she didn't mind at all and was very helpful to us the whole time."

"Taking wedding photos?" I looked at Pidan in surprise.

Pidan's face still looked terrible. Pidan's mother probably thought I was a police officer too, and hurriedly said to me, "Our Peipei is sick, I just want... to let her experience what other children have gone through." As she spoke, she turned her back, obviously wiping away tears.

My heart felt a little heavy, but for some reason, I still said to Pidan, "Can I see your photo?"

Realizing the seriousness of the matter, Pidan stopped hesitating and handed me the express bag, saying, "It's just a sample photo. I was originally planning to choose one before enlarging it."

As I looked through the photos one by one, that strange feeling from before actually became stronger.

Lin Dan asked me, "I've seen the photos, what are your thoughts?"

"It's beautiful. I think it's just missing me by the side." I pouted and nodded seriously.

Pidan glared at me and said fiercely, "I've realized that being soft-hearted is my biggest flaw!"

I was a little confused and a little guilty, so I quickly said to Lin Dan, "You'll stay here, right?"

Lin Dan nodded: "It's not just me, Captain Gao will send other colleagues over soon. Until the murderer is caught, we will be responsible for protecting the safety of the two groups of target victims."

"That's good." I winked at the monkey, and we took the opportunity to leave together.

When I got home, I took a shower and changed my clothes. As I came out of the bathroom, I saw a small building with a similar style behind the courtyard wall, and a thought struck me.

It turns out that Pidan's house is only separated from this courtyard by a wall!
Thinking of that optimistic girl with a terminal illness, I suddenly had an idea. I went inside, hesitated for a moment, and tiptoed up the stairs to the second floor.

When I first arrived, Li Ping said that the humidity was high in the summer and suggested that I stay on the second floor. But out of respect for the homeowner, I did not agree and did not even go to the second floor to check it out.

Because of my 'impure motives,' I felt even more guilty and kept trying to avoid making a sound, like a thief.

Looking out through the back window on the second floor, I was somewhat overjoyed. From here, I could not only see part of Pidan's backyard, but also get a general view of the house through the second-floor window.

I couldn't help but have a dirty thought: when is the earliest I can expect to receive a telescope ordered online?

Through the rain, I couldn't really see anything clearly. Feeling bored, I decided to go downstairs. As I turned, I noticed that one of the doors to two rooms upstairs was ajar. In fact, Li Ping had given me all the keys to the building. Firstly, I hadn't been in the mood for anything else lately, and secondly, out of respect for the homeowner and Li Ping, I had no intention of going upstairs to check.

But everyone has a sense of curiosity. Since we're already up here and the door isn't locked, it would be a bit hypocritical not to take a look.

I immediately walked to the door of that room and peeked inside through the crack in the door. Before I could even see the furnishings in the room clearly, I smelled a strange, subtle fragrance.

It smells like incense burning in a temple, but it seems different from ordinary sandalwood.

I can't quite describe the scent, but I was completely drawn in by it and unconsciously pushed open the door.

Seeing the situation inside the room, I felt a little more at ease.

This appears to be a study, so there probably isn't much privacy inside.

Stepping inside, I only glanced around before feeling a pang of emotion. When Liping told me the homeowner's family had emigrated, I was a bit of a cynical youth, thinking they emigrated because "the moon is always brighter abroad than in China." Now, it seems I was too narrow-minded. The original owner of the house… at least the owner of this study, was undoubtedly a deep lover of traditional culture.

Leaving aside the simple yet elegant retro furniture in the room, the dazzling array of traditional books on the bookshelves alone is enough to prove that the owner of the study has a considerable understanding of Chinese culture.

However, what attracted me most was not the books, but a treasure cabinet on the other side and a daybed facing the bookshelf.

What initially caught my eye was that daybed.

I don't know much about wood, so I can't tell what material this daybed is made of. What I find strange is that on the low table in the middle of the daybed, there is a sign that reads in a very formal manner: "Do not sit or lie down."

Should one not sit or lie down?

I find it a bit puzzling. In ancient times, a Luohan bed was equivalent to a modern sofa for entertaining guests; it was meant for people to sit and lie down on. This is just a study in an ordinary house, not a museum, so why would there be such a warning sign here?

Could it be that this Luohan bed is actually a valuable antique?

That doesn't make sense. If it were something really valuable, even if the family couldn't take it with them when they immigrated, they should have disposed of it properly. How could it just be left here so openly?

If a thief were to break into the house and happen to be knowledgeable in the trade, it wouldn't be too difficult for him to take such a valuable item from this uninhabited house.

"If they won't let me sit, then I won't sit."

I exhaled and turned my gaze to the treasure cabinet on the side. After examining it carefully, I was immediately plunged into deep confusion.

A "treasure cabinet" is essentially similar to a modern home display case or decorative cabinet. Modern people often display uniquely shaped handicrafts or collectible wines. In ancient times, treasure cabinets were mostly used to display porcelain vases and similar items, serving a function largely the same as today.

This treasure cabinet contained only eight wooden sculptures of ancient people, and nothing else.

My grandfather was a vendor of wild medicinal herbs; as he often said, he was...
—If we sold all our belongings, including my son and me, we could only afford a small outhouse in the city.

The old man was poor his whole life, but even the poor have their preferences. He had one hobby: collecting various sculptures and figure paintings (of course, his collection was something most people wouldn't even look at, let alone antiques or famous paintings).

Because of my grandfather's unique hobby, I quickly recognized the identities of these eight wooden figures.

These eight wooden figures all have extraordinary origins...

(End of this chapter)