Invincible Young Master in the City
Chapter 568 - 568 564 Murderer

568: Chapter 564: Murderer?

(Part 2) 568: Chapter 564: Murderer?

(Part 2) Su Mengchen lived in government-subsidized affordable housing for teachers, a new six-story building with light yellow exterior walls.

According to Su Mengchen, the school had two such buildings, each unit about sixty square meters, comprising two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom.

A one-time deposit of fifty thousand yuan was required for a lease term of fifteen years, after which the deposit would be refunded.

The rent was the interest or profit generated from that fifty thousand yuan.

“That’s quite nice, this policy,” Ye Fan commented with a smile after hearing the introduction.

Su Mengchen lived in room 302 on the third floor, which was a very good location.

Ye Fan and Su Mengchen chatted as they climbed the stairs, and soon they arrived at the door of Su Mengchen’s home.

While Su Mengchen took out her keys to unlock the door, Ye Fan glanced at the door of Teacher Jin’s house across the hall and noticed it was open a crack, about three fingers wide, with light seeping out.

“It seems my luck is not bad,” Ye Fan thought to himself.

At this moment, Su Mengchen had already opened the door and invited Ye Fan inside.

As Ye Fan stepped inside, he immediately noticed a pleasant fragrance, and, looking around, he saw that the living room, though not large, was arranged in a neat and orderly fashion, exuding a warm and welcoming feel.

Although it was winter, Ye Fan did not close the door nor did Su Mengchen seem inclined to, keeping the door wide open, clearly to avoid any suspicion.

Sitting on the couch, Su Mengchen began preparing tea and took some fruits to wash, cut, and serve on a low glass table in the living room.

Having finished these preparations, Su Mengchen took a seat on another sofa and smiled, “My humble abode isn’t much, sorry for the simple hospitality.”

“It’s quite nice, I think,” Ye Fan responded with a smile, “By the way, how do you get along with your neighbor?”

“Teacher Jin?” Su Mengchen said, “We get along alright.”

Ye Fan said, “Just now, I saw that his door was open.

Why not invite him over to join us?

I have some interest in poetry, too.”

Su Mengchen hesitated for a moment, then understood that Ye Fan was probably trying to help her avoid suspicion by deliberately inviting another person over.

Honestly, she had been hesitant on her way home with Ye Fan.

After all, she was an unmarried single woman, and bringing a man home at night could lead to idle gossip.

If it were her boyfriend, it might be acceptable, but clearly, Ye Fan was not her boyfriend, and it was an undeserved accusation.

“Hehe, sure,” Su Mengchen laughed and immediately got up to invite Teacher Jin from across the hall, feeling pleased with Ye Fan’s thoughtfulness and consideration.

Before long, Ye Fan heard Su Mengchen returning, accompanied by a middle-aged man’s voice.

He stood up, turned toward the door, and sure enough, saw Su Mengchen leading a middle-aged man inside.

“Let me introduce, this is Mr.

Ye, skilled and once took down three pickpockets single-handedly,” Su Mengchen introduced, “And this is Teacher Jin, a Chinese language teacher, deeply admired and liked by the students, and also a modern poet, frequently published in the city’s cultural newspapers and literary magazines.”

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

Ye Fan and Teacher Jin exchanged smiles and shook hands politely.

Ye Fan took the opportunity to size up Teacher Jin.

He saw that Teacher Jin was about one meter seventy-five, slightly slim, wearing glasses, with a decent appearance, well-dressed, his smile bright and somewhat charming.

Just as Ye Fan concluded that Teacher Jin could not possibly be the murderer, his pupils suddenly constricted; he saw a women’s bracelet on Teacher Jin’s wrist.

The bracelet was identical to the one lost at the crime scene of the second victim in a series of serial killings.

Ye Fan only managed a quick glance before averting his eyes, lest Teacher Jin notice.

After the three sat down, Ye Fan smilingly initiated a conversation with Teacher Jin, “I heard from Teacher Su that you have a profound understanding of poetry.

I happen to have some interest in poetry as well.

I wonder if Teacher Jin could offer some insights.

Hehe, don’t mind my rough exterior, which seems culturally indifferent; actually, I have quite an appreciation for literature.”

Su Mengchen and Teacher Jin both couldn’t help but laugh.

Teacher Jin said with a smile, “No one dictates who can’t appreciate literature.

I teach Chinese and have been dedicated to poetry for many years, gaining some insights.

We can discuss and exchange ideas together.”

“Hehe, thank you for not despising me, Teacher Jin,” Ye Fan laughed, “I read a poem recently that I thought was very well written, but I found it a bit elusive in terms of appreciation.”

Then, he recited the poem:

“Cigarette smoke has courted the fingers,

But the fingers passed the cigarette to the lips,

The cigarette kisses the lips,

Yet the heart gave itself to the lungs,

The lungs thought they had the cigarette’s true affection,

But they didn’t know they were hurting themselves!

Is it the treachery of the fingers that made the cigarette fickle,

Or is it the greed of the lips that brought the lungs sorrow

…

Life is like smoke,

Time leaves no trace,

The cigarette is fickle,

Burning itself to nothing but ashes…”

Actually, Ye Fan did have some ability to appreciate poetry.

Initially, his family had even arranged for a renowned poet to teach him, not to make him a poet, but to endow him with the capacity to appreciate the refined aspects of life.

Before he joined the army, he even used to write limericks in classical poetic meter.

However, poetry requires inspiration and long-term commitment, and now Ye Fan no longer composed poetry.

Listening to the poem recited by Ye Fan, Su Mengchen’s eyes brightened significantly as she said, “This poem has a philosophical depth, using objects to reflect human emotions, it’s wonderfully written!”

Teacher Jin also nodded and added, “Indeed, it’s a fine poem.

Although the scope is a bit small, the ups and downs seen within the confinement are truly remarkable.”

Then, he continued to appreciate and discuss the poem with Ye Fan and Su Mengchen.

While Teacher Jin was appreciating the poem, Ye Fan pretended to casually glance over Teacher Jin’s left wrist and noticed that the women’s bracelet had been completely covered by his sleeve.

“Could he have noticed my attention to his women’s bracelet?” Ye Fan thought to himself, his gaze returning to Teacher Jin’s face, seeing him engrossed in the poetry, Ye Fan relaxed, “Right, perhaps when Teacher Su suddenly went to fetch him earlier, he came hurriedly and forgot to take off the women’s bracelet, allowing me to notice it.

Now that he has realized it himself, he discreetly hid it.”

Ye Fan further contemplated, “However, a women’s bracelet alone cannot confirm that he is the murderer.

The other two victims also each had something missing.

If I can find the same items, I will be able to confirm it definitively.

I need to find a way to look around his house.”

After approximately fifteen more minutes, they finally finished discussing the poem.

Teacher Jin seemed to be in a good mood, and Su Mengchen also had a smile on her pretty face.

Clearly a passionate poetry enthusiast, Teacher Jin effortlessly switched the conversation back to poetry without needing any prompts from Ye Fan.

Leveraging his remaining knowledge of poetry, Ye Fan discussed poetry with Teacher Jin, effortlessly fitting the role of a somewhat knowledgeable poetry enthusiast.

After another half-hour, without Ye Fan having to suggest it, Teacher Jin, carried away in his enjoyment, invited Ye Fan to his study to discuss poetry further.

Feeling secretly ashamed by Teacher Jin’s enthusiasm, Ye Fan hoped in his heart that Teacher Jin was not the twisted murderer.