Da, da da...

The sound of heavy and dragging footsteps echoed in the narrow corridor. A man over fifty years old and with a beer belly was drunk and walking up the handrail of the stairs. He hummed an untuned little song in his mouth, his face flushed, and a blurred look in his turbid eyes.

He didn't care whether the dim sensor light in the corridor was not on. He Zhuangsheng's house lived on the fourth floor and had been moved here for ten years after the demolition of the village. He could walk back home even with his eyes closed.

He Laosi died. He Laosi's family was having funeral today. He helped organize funerals during the day and drank a lot of wine with the guests who were paying their respects at night. It didn't disperse until it was dark.

He thought vaguely that He Lao Er was dead today and he would probably prepare for a funeral tomorrow. The people living in this building were all related to relatives, and relatives would give away favors for anyone who handled the matter. He was thinking about how much favors he should give to Lao Er's family, but he didn't notice that he had already circled around the stairs.

He Zhuangsheng's house is on 404 on the fourth floor. He thought the door number was unlucky, so he took it off and hung a mirror to ward off evil spirits. Usually, he could only climb a few floors to see the familiar mirror on the door frame, and then push the door and go home.

But today, it seems that I will never be able to climb the first place today, but it is only four floors.

"No matter how broken building is, the elevator will not install one!"

He Zhuangsheng walked with his legs that were like he was filled with lead and cursed a few words.

This community was a resettlement house compensated by the developer when the village was demolished. It was still fashionable and high-end in the past 2009, but in the past ten years, it has become dilapidated. There is not even an elevator. The residents can only rely on narrow stairs.

He Zhuangsheng felt that the stairs were so hard to climb today. He had been climbing for a long time and had not reached the fourth floor yet.

A drop of water dripped from the top of his head, splashing on the back of He Zhuangsheng's neck, and a hint of coldness spread out as if it were. He Zhuangsheng looked up at the dark top of his head, wiped the back of his neck casually, and cursed again: "Who is flooded again?"

The community is too old and the exterior walls are gradually cracking, especially in places like the corridors, where cracks are everywhere. If someone's water pipes are cracked, the water above the building seeps through the cracks, and the downstairs dripping like rain.

He Zhuangsheng gasped and stopped in a weak state. The alcohol evaporated along the sweat, and his chaotic mind became clearer.

The paralyzed brain finally realized something was wrong.

There were seven floors in total. The way he climbed just now was more than enough to reach the top of the building. But he turned his head and looked around, but he was still in the middle of the stairs. The sensing light was broken, and there was only a vague ray of light shining in from nowhere and barely able to see the object. He could only see this way, but he couldn't see clearly what floor it was.

In fact, the induction light is not broken, and he can't see the floor sign. The community is too old and the floor numbers are mottled and fall off. Most of the residents here rely on their habits, and then they just look at the house number to determine which floor they have climbed.

He Zhuangsheng climbed up a few more steps, wanting to see what the door number of the residents above were.

But no matter how he looked at it, the house number seemed to be deliberately blurred, sometimes far and sometimes near, and could not see clearly.

A cold sweat broke out from behind He Zhuangsheng, rubbed his face hard, wondering if he had hit a ghost and hit a wall.

He stood in the dark corridor, raised his head and shouted his wife's name. His rough voice echoed in the stairwell, but no sound responded to him.

The sound insulation of the old campus is naturally not good. In the past, he had something to do, and it was common for him to stand downstairs and call the woman upstairs, but now his shouts are like muddy cows entering the sea without a trace of response.

He Zhuangsheng had a little weak legs, and a dense cold sweat appeared behind him. He looked at the security door with only a few steps, and tried to move his legs with lead, trying to go up and knock on the door. There were acquaintances upstairs and downstairs, no matter who it was, as long as he was a living person.

He thought so in his heart, and climbed up with difficulty with the stairs handrail.

Da, da da...

Dada, dada, dada...

His heavy and dragging footsteps sounded again, and after his footsteps, another regular footstep sounded.

He Zhuangsheng's first reaction was not joy, but a furrow behind him. He stopped suddenly like a beast that sensed danger, turned around, stared at the black and deserted corridor behind him.

A thick voice with a heavy breathing sounded: "Where is where? Don't pretend to be a fool with me!"

The sound of footsteps stopped.

He Zhuangsheng's palms holding the handrail were covered with sweat. He overcame his fear and looked down, but saw a little girl of seven or eight years old standing there, looking up at him.

The little girl had two pigtails, a pink clip on her head, a round face, big and black eyes, and two cute blush on her cheeks... More importantly, He Zhuangsheng recognized her.

This is clearly the granddaughter of Lao Liu's family, Niu Niu, who lives on the sixth floor.

The panic suddenly felt relieved. He Zhuangsheng stepped down two steps and waved to Niu Niu: "Niu Niu, why are you the only one? Where are your grandparents?"

Niu Niu looked at him outside and grinned. Her round face looked flat from the side. She looked at He Zhuangsheng with a crisp voice: "Grandmad is at home, I'll buy ice cream."

He Zhuangsheng really laughed. Niu Niu's grandparents didn't let her eat ice cream often. He waved and said, "Come on, Master Wu will send you upstairs."

Niu Niu trotted a few steps as he spoke and arrived at him.

But He Zhuangsheng seemed not to see the little girl's flat body, and took her hand and said, "Let's go."

Niu Niu responded happily, her flat head turned, and she smiled at him with a round face with a blush.

Maybe he had a living person as his companion, although he was just a child, but it also made He Zhuangsheng feel much more at ease. He led Niu Niu up and climbed a few steps, and saw the house number that he could not reach before.

The door number says 301, and it has arrived at the third floor.

Just climb the first floor and you will be home.

He Zhuangsheng breathed a sigh of relief and crawled up with his legs and feet.

Niu Niu followed him step by step, humming a cheerful song:

"Saiqing Mother, Saiqing Mother, it won't rain tomorrow, I'll give you a silver bell.

Saiqing Mother, Saiqing Mother, it won’t rain tomorrow. I will give you a golden bell.

Sao Qing Mother, Sao Qing Mother, if it rains tomorrow, cut off your head."

The little girl's voice was ethereal, like a newborn slut, crisp and tender, and she hummed a few nursery rhymes over and over again.

But after hearing the lyrics clearly, He Zhuangsheng got goose bumps and crawled from his arms to his face. He said sternly: "Where did you learn this?"

Niu Niu's mouth was grinning, her eyes were dark and big, but there was no light, making her look dim and unclear.

"I listened to what others sang."

"This song is not good, don't sing it in the future."

He Zhuangsheng barely restrained his anger and pulled her upwards vigorously. As he walked, he felt that the little hand he was holding became lighter, and the originally soft and tender hand became a little flat and cool...

He Zhuangsheng felt a cold look at him. But he didn't dare to explore the strange touch in his hand, nor did he even dare to bow his head. He looked at the familiar security door with a mirror hanging on it, hurriedly shook Niu Niu's hand, took out the key and opened the door and rushed in...

The Sao Qingniang, who was hanging upside down on the security door, was carried by the wind, and the corners of its mouth suddenly turned upside down, making a crisp sound from the little girl: "It's time to go home."

***

Jiang Luan and Wang Qing also stayed for a vigil together.

There is a parking space in front of the floor, which makes it convenient for them to monitor. The two of them sat in the same car with Team Chen and another team member Zhao Li, paying attention to the abortions in the three buildings while re-examining the case.

Both of the dead died of beheading and their bodies were hung upside down at the door of their house. With such cruel and consistent methods and locations in the same building, it is hard not to remind people of revenge and murder.

Team Chen and the others have listed the interpersonal relationships around the deceased as much as possible, and found that the residents of this building were basically relatives.

They moved to this building ten years ago, in 2009, due to the demolition of the village, and most of the people living in this building are from the village's He family.

The deceased He Zhuangyang and He Zhuangqing are cousins, He Zhuangyang is the second and He Zhuangqing is the fourth. In addition to the two of them, there are six cousins.

Boss He died of gastric cancer a few years ago. He Laoqi died in a car accident the previous year. The earliest death among his eight cousins ​​was He Laoba, who died in the flood twenty years ago.

Only He Laosan, He Laowu and He Laoliu are still alive.

"The relationship between these cousins ​​is not very good, or the neighborhood relationship in the entire building is relatively ordinary. There are some trivial conflicts, but they are not as good as making enemies." said Chen.

Wang Qing said strangely: "All of them are relatives who have moved from the same village. They don't join the group in a strange community and their relationship is still very cold. Isn't it a bit strange?"

Jiangcheng's economy has developed rapidly in recent years. Many surrounding rural demolitions have been built in relatively remote areas such as Hanyang and Caiyang. Large areas have been built to resettle these villagers. Generally, these villagers have relocated from the village as a whole to the community, and their relationships have become closer. Because there are not only relocated villagers, but also many tenants or residential residents of commercial and residential buildings in the community. When facing outsiders, they are always surprisingly united.

Captain Chen nodded and said, "We also think it's a bit strange. But after visiting the residents, we can't find out any information. We currently tend to kill people in retaliation. The murderer must have something to do with the man surnamed He or these eight brothers. I have asked someone to investigate what happened before they moved to see if they can find clues."

"If it is really a retaliatory murder, then the still alive brothers He Sansan are not likely to be in danger?" Wang Qing hesitated.

"Don't worry, someone has been sent to stare at them."

Team Chen said helplessly: "He Laosan is sick and is locked up at home for many years and never goes out. He Laosan has difficulty in legs and feet, and most of the time he is at home. Only He Laoswu has to go to help with the second family to help with the funeral. In order not to alert the enemy, I sent two people to secretly protect him."

When they were talking, Jiang Qing looked through the materials, and there were detailed information of the He brothers on it. He looked at the person in the photo and looked at the man who had entered the four doors drunk, and said with some uncertainty: "Is the one who just entered He Laowu? His name is He Zhuangsheng?"

Team Chen went to see it when he heard this, but he had only time to see a bloated back.

When he thought of his teammates following He Zhuangsheng, he felt that Jiang Xun had read it wrong. However, out of caution, he still said: "I'll contact them to ask."

But the phone dialed, but there was no response there.

Several times later, Captain Chen's expression sank: "There is probably something wrong, let's take action separately. Wang Qing, please help Zhang Peng and the others find someone. Zhao Li and I go upstairs to find He Zhuangsheng."

After saying that, he opened the car door and headed towards Building 4. Jiang Qing followed their steps and went upstairs together.

He Zhuangsheng's house was on the fourth floor. Three young men climbed the stairs very quickly. In a flash, they arrived at the door of 404. Team Chen knocked on the security door with a tense expression. The woman in her fifties came to open the door. She asked vigilantly through the security door: "Who are you? Which one are you looking for?"

Team Chen showed his police certificate and said, "Is He Zhuangsheng at home? We have something to ask him."

Who knew that the woman said, "I didn't come back. He was holding a funeral at his second son's house and drinking with someone. He probably won't come back until midnight."

Captain Chen's heart thumped and suddenly looked at Jiang Luan.

Jiang Luan recalled the back of the building that walked into the fourth house and said surely: "I shouldn't read it wrong, it's him."

Team Chen's brows were almost knotted and he quickly said to the woman: "Our colleagues saw that he was back. We have important things to ask him. Please call him and ask where he is now."

The woman's expression was obviously a little unhappy, but because the other party was a policeman, she had to take out her cell phone and dial He Zhuangsheng's phone number.

The phone was connected quickly, but there was no sound of He Zhuangsheng, and only the ticking sound of water droplets came.

Tick, tick, tick... The rules remind people of some terrible facts.

"What happened." Captain Chen's eyes darkened.

But he couldn't figure out why something happened so soon when He Zhuangsheng entered the building with them.
To be continued...