Chapter 20: The Dahua movie theater case

For the sake of peace, Bojing kept his mouth shut. "Sis, I-I am so h-honored to work with you!"

His pure innocence was so sparkling that it shot an arrow straight through her heart. Bojing reminded her of the little apples of her eyes, Weiyun and Limei and how the angels always melted her heart.

If Bojing will be there too, then Mingshen's presence will be more tolerable. I will just stay beside Bojing, she felt immense relief with that thought.

"I know what you are thinking Spicy but I won't let that relief hang in the air for much longer~" Mingshen popped the bubble of her hopes.

Jia smiled with her retort. "After which your life won't exist to hang around in this world for much longer either."

From the corner of her eye, she glanced at two adults and a child standing outside the last row's entrance. The man and woman looked to be shaken with shock and disbelief over the victim Dai Yaling's death while the little boy seemed to be confused but also curious about the commotion.

"They must be her family, judging by their expressions," Huojin commented.

Bojing looked back and nodded. "The man is Dai Fengge. He is her son."

They went further ahead and Jia and Huojin took off their police caps as they stood before them. "Mr. Dai. I am Superintendent Song Jia."

"Superintendent Mo Huojin."

Jia looked down at the little boy and smiled as she kneeled. "Hello."

"H-Hello!" He shyly replied. The boy looked to be six or seven years old.

"What's your name?"

"Dai Yun."

"Yun. That's such a sweet name," her gaze shone.

Yun blushed with the compliment.

Jia knew that it wasn't good for a child to witness this conversation and the scene of his grandmother's dead body, which could have a negative impact on his mind.

"Are you hungry?"

It was as if she asked right on the cue that his stomach made a grumbling sound.

"Haha. How about my friend here treats you to some nice meal?"

Yun was about to happily agree when he stopped and remembered all the chaos around him. "But Grandma is sick…Dad is looking sick too," his face looked tense as he looked up at his father.

Jia ruffled his hair. "That's no problem. We are here to exactly help you with that."

His watery eyes gleamed. "Really?"

"Yes, so you don't need to worry about anything. It's not good to remain hungry for long. So will you eat?"

"Okay!" He bobbed his head hard.

"Great!" Jia laughed.

She called in Officer Xiyang and said, "Give him the tastiest treat."

"Of course," Officer Xiyang left with Yun, hand in hand.

Mingshen watched him pass by his side and leave. He looked back at Bojing. "Talk me through what you have found."

"Yes, Boss."

The boss-assistant duo left to do their own work.

Jia could now openly talk about the accident and faced the couple. She expressed her condolences. "We are very sorry for your loss, Mr. Dai."

Dai Fengge struggled to respond. "I…I don't even know what happened. When…? We were just watching the movie like everybody else and then when it got over, Mom…Mom wasn't answering anymore…I-I don't understand how…"

Huojin gently said, "We understand it's a difficult time for you. We are here to find out that very truth. I know it's hard, but will you please answer some of our questions? It will help quicken our investigation."

Dai Fengge rubbed his wrist, his brows creased with stress. "But I really don't know anything…"

The woman beside him rubbed his arm in assurance and anxiously faced Jia and Huojin. "Fengge is right. We really don't know anything. She was just fine when the movie started."

"You must be Mrs. Dai Mehui, am I correct?" Jia asked.

Huojin checked his notes about the Dai family members and gave a slight nod. Dai Mehui was Dai Fengge's wife and Dai Yun's mother.

Dai Fengge and the woman stiffened.

"Um that…"

Jia observed them glancing at each other with hesitation. "You are not Mrs. Dai Mehui?"

She awkwardly smiled. "...No. I am Yin Xiaoling."

Huojin stared at them and asked, "And how are you two related?"

Jia felt a momentary pause before Dai Fengge replied. "She is my friend."

It then dawned upon her why Yun mentioned only about his father looking uneasy but talked nothing about Yin Xiaoling because he didn't understand the meaning behind this strange woman's presence here in the first place.

Jia looked around and enquired. "I see. So where is your wife?"

"Meihui is at her office in G-Gucheng…"

And here you are in Dongdan with another woman, Huojin inwardly snorted in disdain.

He even noticed that they wore expensive couple watches, making him further grimace.

Dai Fengge noticed that Huojin had noticed the watches. His voice broke as he looked at it lovingly. "Th-these were a gift from M-Mom to us…" His trembling head lowered. "And I…I c-couldn't protect her…"

Jia and Huojin had tons of questions and comments about this 'friendship', but they maintained their professional composure. "We are sorry. About your wife I guess we would be able to talk to her only later."

"Yeah…" Dai Fengge then gave an apologetic smile.

Jia then continued, "Was your seat beside Mrs. Dai Yaling's?"

"That's right…"

"Alright. We know you said you know nothing, but please think a little harder now. It's about your mother's death. She must have shown some signs of discomfort or struggle if she was suffering from something that led to her passing away. You must have heard something. Anything. Some cry for help atleast. Or felt any movement from her side."

"I-I really heard or felt nothing. Otherwise I would have immediately taken her to emergency!" He weakly broke down.

Huojin looked at Yin Xiaoling. "What about you Miss. Yin?"

She shook her head. "I was beside Fengge so one seat farther away from Mrs. Dai. I also saw or heard nothing either. If Fengge, who was just beside her didn't, then how could I have…?"

Jia sighed helplessly.

For now, they cannot help us.

Mingshen's ecstatic voice sounded from behind her just then. "Spicyyyy, come and look at what your awesome partner has found!"