I turned and ran as soon as I thought of the burial jade, but I came back after a few steps. Huang Aiguo looked at me with a look of shock: "Comrade Tang Nan, what's wrong?" I was confused. Just now I almost took a taxi back to the city to go to the Lin family. Huang Aiguo and I drove here.
"To the Lin family."
"Please spare me."
"Listen to me, and I guarantee that your daughter will have a happy and auspicious wedding, and your whole family will be blessed. During this time, you will do whatever I ask you to do, and you will come whenever I call. Otherwise, I will send you to prison on your daughter's wedding day."
I don't have this ability. Huang Aiguo isn't a real swindler, but Huang Aiguo doesn't know that. He thinks of himself as a swindler and is afraid of threats like mine.
...
On the way back, my grandfather's funeral was being held. Under these circumstances, Lin Zhijun still took the time to say a few words to me, asking about the special investigation team. I told him the truth: there was no substantial evidence from the special investigation team. Hearing this, Lin Zhijun's knitted brows relaxed a lot: "I can't let this person ruin my father's perfect life. I suspect the person who reported him is the X driver, and he is seeking revenge on me."
I was a little inclined to believe Lin Zhijun, but a fly doesn't bite a seamless egg. From my current investigation, my grandfather's life was definitely not perfect. He might not be the X driver, but he was very likely the X driver's assistant. And the X driver was probably hurt too much by Lin Zhijun, so after using the tactic of shedding the tail of a lizard, he pinned all the blame on my grandfather to embarrass Lin Zhijun.
"I'm familiar with the special investigation team, and I'll follow up."
"Thank you!"
"Mr. Lin, you're too kind."
After speaking, I glanced at Lin Han. My grandfather's cremation was imminent, and she was crying in grief, with no time to pay attention to me.
Cremation, placement into the urn, and my grandfather was permanently laid to rest in the cemetery. I followed the convoy back to the Lin family. As soon as I entered the door, I saw Lin Han. It wasn't anger, but her eyes were cold. At this moment, she gave me a different sense of strangeness. The strangest thing was that this feeling still didn't feel entirely real, just like my past feelings for Lin Han. She was like an onion, and I had peeled off layer after layer, feeling that each layer was her true self, and yet not.
"I've packed your luggage for you, and you can leave this house tomorrow."
Before I could speak, Lin's mother rushed over, pulling Lin Han's arm: "Xiao Tang, don't listen to Xiao Han talking nonsense. She's a bit overcome with grief. Regarding her grandfather's matter, her father said he still needs your help."
"Mom, don't just listen to Lin Zhijun about everything. What can Tang Nan do about the suspicion on grandfather? He believes grandfather is the X driver more than anyone."
"Your dad said."
"He said, what did he say? Forget it, pretend I didn't say anything, I didn't say anything, okay?"
Looking at Lin Han, I sighed, "Lin Han, where are my things?"
"The study."
"Is everything packed? Is there anything missing?"
"You don't trust me."
"If you don't trust me, why should I trust you?"
"Fine, let's go to the study together and see what's in your bag? Is there money? How much is missing? If it's ten million, can your suitcase hold ten million? However, if you, Tang Nan, say it, I'll assume you have it. Take the ten million and get out. Don't bother me."
"Alas~ I don't care anymore, I can't manage it either. How did a good couple turn out like this? What in the world is going on?" Lin's mother sighed.
I didn't say much and led the way to the study, with Lin Han following angrily.
I rummaged through my suitcase and indeed, the burial jade was still there. I held the burial jade in front of Lin Han and asked her calmly, "What about the others?"
"What others? Isn't this just a burial jade? Judging by the era, it should be Han jade. So what if it's ancient? It has no provenance and isn't worth much. Besides, you can buy this kind of thing in Xi'an."
Lin Han fell for my trap. I chuckled inwardly, but my face remained expressionless. "This is a national treasure."
"What national treasure? You're trying to trick me."
"In the 1990s, an officially excavated ancient tomb in Xi'an attracted attention from all sides because of a burial jade. One of the jade pieces was cut into three sections and made into a jade shroud and jade grip. This practice is completely contrary to the traditional burial jade culture. Have you heard of this?"
Lin Han frowned. She didn't deny my words. She was a professional with profound cultural knowledge. Moreover, this jade artifact belonged to the museum my grandfather was affiliated with, so Lin Han had no reason not to know. After pondering, she didn't speak but walked to the bookshelf and found a book similar to a catalog. From it, she found a picture of a Han Dynasty burial jade artifact. The photo showed two sections of jade.
After looking at the photos, Lin Han became even more confused. She carefully examined the broken edges and the patina. Finally, she muttered, "The thing my grandfather searched for half his life, how did it end up in your hands?"
...
I also don't understand why such a thing would be left with Liu Chenxi. Is it a coincidence? Absolutely not! Now I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to the X driver. His identity should be revealed in this setup. What I can do now is to add fuel to the fire or stir up the water completely, so that the person who set up this situation to lure out the X driver can escape successfully.
"Lin Han, don't worry about whether this thing is in my hands or not. I'm going to set up a trap to force the X driver out."
"Don't you believe grandfather is the X driver?"
"When did I say that?"
"But your expression."
"Judging by expressions, have you ever been right?"
I finally didn't have to consider Lin Han's feelings and said a few words to her. Before setting up the trap, I went along with the plan and left the Lin family with my luggage. This way, being kicked out of the Lin family made me seem even more certain that grandfather was the X driver.
...
On the issue of the burial jade, I felt I had grasped the key point. I wanted to hand this matter over to the special investigation team, but I couldn't say it myself. Therefore, I had to set up a trap. I found Huang Aiguo and got straight to the point: "I have basically obtained the evidence of your crime."
Hearing this, Huang Aiguo's face turned pale, and he was almost on his knees. I felt like laughing seeing Huang Aiguo's appearance, but I had to hold it back. Huang Aiguo truly embodied the saying "a guilty conscience is easily frightened."
"Tang Nan, do you want me to do something?"
"You're quite clever."
"I'll do anything you ask, just don't send me to prison."
This was exactly what I was waiting for. I took out fifty thousand yuan from my suitcase and handed it to Huang Aiguo. Huang Aiguo looked bewildered. I smiled and said, "Your daughter is getting married. She's probably older than me, so let's call her 'sister' for now. This is a wedding red envelope for sister."
Huang Aiguo hesitated to accept it and tried to return it, but I glared at him, scaring him into taking it back.
"Do me a favor, then sell your shop, and from now on, the word 'swindler' will have nothing to do with you."
Huang Aiguo looked at the money, then at me. "If I sell the shop, what will I do?"
"Everyone in the country is living better now. You can get a shop near the Bell Tower or Drum Tower and sell some local snacks like spicy cold noodles and roujiamo. As long as they are delicious and affordable, tourists from all over the country will appreciate it."
Huang Aiguo was still hesitant. "I've thought about it too, but the shop is too expensive."
I pondered for a moment, took out three hundred thousand yuan from my suitcase, and handed it to Huang Aiguo. "Consider it my investment."
Encountering such a benefactor, Huang Aiguo couldn't smile at all. He looked at me with a worried expression. "You're not asking me to kill someone, are you?"
Hearing this, I really couldn't help but laugh. "Grandpa was right. You really watch too many TV dramas."
I gave Huang Aiguo a towel and had him go to a public iC card phone to call the Lin family. On the phone, Huang Aiguo pretended to be the X driver, claiming responsibility for grandfather's death. He also told the Lin family that if they handed over the Han Dynasty ancient jade that grandfather owned, he would mail the evidence.
This was a trap I had discussed with Lin Han. After receiving the news, Lin Han would immediately inform the police. This way, not only would it draw the police's attention to the burial jade, but it would also confuse the public and help the person setting the trap to divert attention.
...
Huang Aiguo was trembling a little after the call. He kept looking around even after returning to the van. I smiled. "No need to look, I'm watching for you. No one was around when you made the call, so the police won't suspect you."
"That's good, that's good!"
"Take me to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. I remember there's a hotel there with an ancient atmosphere."
"Okay, and me?"
"After you've done what you need to do, we'll have no connection. However, don't run away the next time you see me, because I'm your partner."
...
These days, I've been a bit more relaxed, which is rare. I'm still feeling heavy-hearted about my grandfather's passing. Perhaps because I'm about to face the X driver, my nerves are starting to get excited. I took a shower at the hotel and lay on the bed, but I still had no sleepiness. I clearly hadn't slept well yesterday, and I'm still not tired today. If this continues, my body will break down. Just as I was about to force myself to sleep, the phone rang.
Yu Xiaoluo, what's up so late?
I answered the phone.
"Tang Nan, where are you?"
"I've been kicked out by the Lin family and I'm at a hotel."
"Come to the special investigation team. The X driver has appeared, and we need to figure out a way to catch him."
So soon? Did Lin Han relay the call I made? I don't know if I stimulated the X driver, but he showed himself. This doesn't make sense. To understand the situation, I changed my clothes and took a taxi to the special investigation team.
"The informant is a schemer, and he's playing us. Grandfather of the Lin family is not the murderer at all."
Yu Xiaoluo got straight to the point when she saw me, which also surprised me. The informant had previously sent a photo of my grandmother pushing my grandfather on a pedestrian bridge. This evidence was supposedly taken inadvertently while street shooting.
My grandfather and grandmother passed by a pedestrian bridge every day on their way to the wet market, and it was on that bridge that my grandfather fell. This photo proved that the murderer was my grandmother. However, today, the murderer sent another piece of evidence. That photo was developed at a photo studio nearby, and the receipt was dated the day before my grandfather fell off the bridge. This means that the photo could not prove that my grandmother caused my grandfather's death. This photo only proved that my grandmother pushed my grandfather the day before. But so what? The old couple pushed and helped each other. How can you tell from the photo? It's clearly someone taking things out of context.
I listened to the whole story and asked curiously, "What does this have to do with the X driver?"
"The X driver miscalculated. After we received the evidence, the X driver called the Lin family and attempted to extort two Han Dynasty burial jades from them."
Hearing Yu Xiaoluo say this, I couldn't help but laugh and cry. There was no X driver. That call was made by someone I hired. The enemy was one step ahead of me, and I had entered the trap. Now, I had become the X driver.