Chapter 1371 - 679: Utter Shock? Shattered Worldviews (Part 2)

"Mr. Luo, are you serious? Do you really think this way?"

At that moment.

The principal was genuinely shocked.

Luo Fei also said.

"Of course, I’ve told him more than once before. Don’t act recklessly, don’t rush to investigate blindly. But he just wouldn’t listen, which led to the current situation."

"So, regarding Lin Shuyao, we can’t just view her from the ordinary perspective of a minor or a young adult. We need to investigate the truth more deeply to ensure that we can uncover the truth in time."

Luo Fei’s words made the other party silent for a while.

"Mr. Luo is right."

Luo Meihong understood clearly that Luo Fei was hinting at her.

He hoped she wouldn’t interfere in this matter and let the police investigate on their own.

Otherwise, she might end up facing a similar situation.

So, at this moment, Luo Meihong was also extremely grateful to Luo Fei.

"Mr. Luo, I understand your meaning. You can rest assured that I will definitely cooperate actively with the police and follow instructions."

As the call ended.

Luo Fei and Li Yu had already arrived at the scene.

But as soon as they entered the room.

They saw.

At the moment, a young girl was lying on the bed, but she was already unrecognizable.

Meanwhile, Deng Wen, who was also present at the scene, took off her mask after leaving the room.

"Mr. Luo, from the content on the girl’s phone, she had blocked all her relatives back home. And her elderly mother had transferred her 1000 yuan before she passed away, pieced together in two separate transactions."

"As for the timeframe, it’s been roughly half a month. The fridge and kitchen in this room are basically unused and have been for at least over half a month. With the doors and windows tightly shut, she hadn’t contacted the intermediary during this period."

Deng Wen’s words made Luo Fei hesitate for a moment.

"If that’s the case, has she starved herself to death in the room over this half month?"

"Pretty much."

While the two were talking.

A young girl hurried to the doorway.

"Officer, I’m the landlord, Zhang Xiaoli."

Upon hearing her introduction, Luo Fei said.

"Miss, from the scene, it looks like the girl committed suicide and it has nothing to do with those around her. Plus, on our way here, the intermediary called. She mentioned you work in Shenchuan for years and rarely return to your hometown in Changli City. So we can mostly rule out your involvement."

Zhang Xiaoli took a deep breath upon hearing that.

"Officer, I just got in touch with her parents. They said there’s been no news from their daughter for half a month. Besides, they can’t accept news like this."

Zhang Xiaoli’s explanation made Luo Fei suddenly understand.

"Is that so?"

Seeing Luo Fei looked a bit surprised, as if he couldn’t believe her words.

Zhang Xiaoli didn’t confirm or deny it.

"Mr. Luo, actually, I found it strange as early as half a year ago when this girl first paid rent. She’s 33 years old, two years older than me, yet when she paid rent for the first time, she deliberately delayed payment. That was really odd."

Back then, Zhang Xiaoli knew she graduated from a prestigious university and thought she’d find a decent job in Changli City, so she didn’t think much.

Plus, with the economic situation being dire in recent years, she wasn’t in a hurry to urge.

"Maybe I should have known back then. Turns out, from graduating to age 33, she hadn’t worked due to her arrogance and pride. She thought, as a top university graduate, she should have a particularly decent job. But didn’t expect the reality to be completely opposite to her expectations. This led to her reclusion and depression. So she never found work, cared little for jobs paying a few thousand yuan, yet never got a call from those offering salaries of twenty thousand a month or more."

This revelation made Luo Fei enlightened.

"I guess her hometown folks also played a role in excessively praising her."

"Indeed, she was the pride of the village; everyone said she’d achieve great things, looked down upon ordinary jobs, leading her to believe she should have jobs better than those of her middle or high school classmates. The result was that some technical college students learned skills and their eventual performances outshone hers."

Upon hearing this news.

Others exchanged glances.

Everyone kind of understood.

Previously, this girl had too high expectations for herself.

Yet the reality didn’t meet them.

But regarding many things, people could only offer some sentiments, after all, people’s values differ. If she had such scope, perhaps she wouldn’t have done such a thing.

Ring ring!

Right then.

Zhang Xiaoli’s phone rang.

Soon, the voice of Chen Shuman’s elderly father came from the other end.

"Ms. Zhang, I’m really sorry my daughter caused you trouble. But after all, she died in your house, so we still need to seek some compensation from you. You know, in our village, raising a student like this isn’t easy. Although I’ve raised her for seven years. When it comes down to it, I’m her father. We still have to consider future retirement for me and her mother."

Zhang Xiaoli took a deep breath upon hearing this.

In the empty corridor, it seemed like only her and Luo Fei’s breaths could be heard.

"Sir, I understand your intention. I also understand that you care about your daughter, she shouldn’t have had to face this."

"So I’ll try to contribute this money. But you should also cover cleaning fees, mental damage fees, and disinfection fees for the house. Plus, the furniture she used can’t be reutilized. You’ll need to handle these costs. Most importantly, I hope you can take your daughter’s ashes back to the village. That’s extremely important."

Yet upon hearing this news.

The person on the other end seemed electrified.

"It’s impossible, that’s inauspicious. Since she’s unmarried, even if she goes back, she can’t enter the ancestral graves and will instead be randomly discarded. Even if I wanted to bring her back, the villagers wouldn’t permit it. So please don’t make it difficult for me."

The straightforward refusal.

Made Zhang Xiaoli let out a helpless laugh.

She originally knew their conservative mindset might lead to refusal.

But didn’t expect such straightforward and firm rejection.

She was truly taken by surprise.

Seeing Zhang Xiaoli seemed bewildered.

Her face showed traces of unease.

Luo Fei then said.

"Sir, you may follow your village’s customs. But at least come over to take your daughter’s belongings, right? Do you intend for the landlord to help tidy up?"

"... Understood. We’ll organize funds to come by later."

"No need! You don’t need to come anymore!"

At that moment.

With Zhang Xiaoli shouting and hanging up the call, she felt both angry and sad.

Such a reaction made Luo Fei sigh.

"Zhang Xiaoli, you should’ve anticipated the village customs."

Seeing him about to speak but hesitating.

Zhang Xiaoli took a deep breath.

"Mr. Luo is right."

"I was too hasty. And I guess if I mailed Chen Shuman’s belongings back, they wouldn’t accept them, perhaps considering them unlucky and discarding them."

"So instead of having them throw away their daughter’s belongings, we’re better off finding a place to burn them and bury them with her body, giving her a simple funeral."

Zhang Xiaoli knew clearly this isn’t just about the money, but that if she didn’t do this, she’d struggle with her conscience.

Even though this grave might get flattened after 40 years if the fee isn’t renewed.

But that’s already the utmost Zhang Xiaoli could achieve.

After all, she was a stranger, and only met posthumously.

Zhang Xiaoli wasn’t obliged to go to great lengths for an outsider; reaching this point was already a complete act of kindness.

"Ms. Zhang, don’t be too disheartened. Actually, reaching this point shows you’re very kind. I also believe her death has no direct connection with you. Once the trace identification report is released, you’ll be totally cleared from suspicion."

Watching Luo Fei speak earnestly.

Zhang Xiaoli remained deeply shocked, unable to let go.

After all, this situation was still too astonishing for her.