Upside Down Grocery Shop - Chapter 8

Zhang Haisheng’s words genuinely startled Xiao Ling. Was Zhang Haisheng already mentally broken or simply out of his mind? Why did he keep saying that he’d already seen Li Haiqing and his daughter? Xiao Ling placed her cup down steadily. “Zhang Haisheng, then tell me—when did you see them? How did you see them?”

Zhang Haisheng looked at Xiao Ling and still shook his head. “No, I can’t tell you. I can’t put you in danger.”

Everyone around had already given up. It seemed impossible to get any useful clues from Zhang Haisheng.

Xiao Ling let out a long breath, giving up as well. Su Ran had said there would be no clues from Zhang Haisheng, and it looked like he was right.

Thinking about Su Ran, Xiao Ling suddenly felt that maybe it was time to try a different approach. She avoided the others and sat down alone with Zhang Haisheng. “Zhang Haisheng, can I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead. I’ll answer whatever I can.”

His thoughts seemed clear, not like someone out of their mind.

Xiao Ling leaned in and whispered mysteriously, “That night, why did you go to the Shang Xia Grocery Store?”

Zhang Haisheng was startled, his body trembling as he almost fell over. He looked at Xiao Ling. “How do you know?”

Seeing Zhang Haisheng’s reaction, Xiao Ling felt a glimmer of hope. “Of course, I know. And I also know this matter involves a giant bear.”

Zhang Haisheng suddenly grabbed Xiao Ling’s hand tightly, almost desperately. “Officer, young lady, I advise you to stop investigating. You can’t fight them. And whatever you do, don’t bring up the bear. I’m saying this for your own good, for your own safety!”

Xiao Ling’s face turned serious as she shook her head. “I’m afraid I can’t promise that. Sorry, but I’m a police officer!”

Zhang Haisheng clenched his teeth, hesitated, and looked at Xiao Ling.

“That bear killed your wife, and you’re just going to let it go like that!” Xiao Ling’s voice was strong, and Zhang Haisheng’s hand began to loosen, but Xiao Ling grabbed him again. “Whether it’s a person or a bear, we should bring them to justice!”

Zhang Haisheng still didn’t want to speak. “Officer, I’m older than you, so I’ve been through more. Believe me, I’m keeping quiet for your own good.”

Xiao Ling couldn’t hold back her anger and threw her paper cup, splashing water on both of them. “Zhang Haisheng, if you’re still a man, if you’re still a husband and father, then you shouldn’t be wasting my time with this nonsense. Li Haiqing and Zhang Tingting are both dead, and here you are, acting like a coward!” Xiao Ling shook her head, disappointed. “I really feel sorry for them!”

Zhang Haisheng remained silent.

Xiao Ling took a few steps away, then turned back, her voice heavy. “I bet Zhang Tingting, even after knowing her mother was dead, would still be fighting. But you… you really let me down!”

Xiao Ling turned to leave. This Zhang Haisheng was absolutely hopeless.

“Officer,” Zhang Haisheng called out.

Xiao Ling didn’t turn around. “Do you have anything left to say?”

“Give me half an hour. Let me think about it.”

“Fine!”

Xiao Ling sat there, anxiously waiting. She had never felt half an hour stretch as long as a century. Everyone around was also waiting, uncertain if they’d get any answers, or if, after half an hour, Zhang Haisheng would still keep his mouth shut.

A text came through. Xiao Ling glanced at it. It was from an unknown number, with just a word: Cult.

Xiao Ling frowned. What did this mean? When she tried calling back, the phone was already off.

With that, Xiao Ling thought of someone—Su Ran. No one else would bother with such cryptic messages. But what did Su Ran mean by “cult”? Could that be the breakthrough with Zhang Haisheng?

Half an hour later, Xiao Ling returned to Zhang Haisheng, but his face had become even more conflicted. He looked at Xiao Ling, at the people and lights around, and then shrank back. “I’m sorry, I don’t know anything.”

Everyone around was utterly disappointed and speechless. They’d already guessed that after half an hour, the only thing this guy would realize was that he wanted to quit.

Xiao Ling got up and walked over to Zhang Haisheng. She’d expected him to back down. After so many days of struggling, and still refusing to speak about his wife and daughter’s deaths, it was unlikely he’d change his mind in just thirty minutes. So, him saying nothing was the most probable outcome.

Xiao Ling quietly whispered in Zhang Haisheng’s ear, “Cult.”

Xiao Ling was only trying it out, to see how much impact those two words would have. Unexpectedly, Zhang Haisheng’s face turned pale immediately, his terrified expression like he’d seen a ghost. He grabbed Xiao Ling’s hand. “Miss, don’t go there!”

Seeing his reaction, Xiao Ling knew she’d found a breakthrough, but still had no idea what this cult was.

Xiao Ling’s silence only made Zhang Haisheng more anxious. He looked around, pleading, “Officer, I’ll tell you—but only you!”

“Alright!” This was perfect. As long as he was willing to talk, there was a chance.

In a closed room, there were only Xiao Ling and Zhang Haisheng. A table, two chairs, and a cup of warm water helped calm Zhang Haisheng down a bit.

“I assure you, it’s just the two of us. You can speak freely.” Xiao Ling watched Zhang Haisheng still hesitating and gently coaxed him.

Zhang Haisheng took a sip of water, took a deep breath, and finally began. “It was a year ago. Originally, the three of us were really happy. We weren’t rich, but we had each other and lived well.” Zhang Haisheng’s face softened into a smile, recalling what must have been a truly blissful time. “But everything changed when Tingting brought home a little dog.”

Xiao Ling listened quietly.

“It was a rainy day. Both Haiqing and I were home. When Tingting returned, she had a filthy little black dog with her. It must have gotten sick from the rain; it looked pitiful. Tingting couldn’t bear to leave it to freeze on the roadside, so she brought it home.”

“Haiqing didn’t like dogs, but seeing Tingting’s pleading eyes, she agreed to let the dog stay for a while. But who could have known… that little black dog would be a disaster!”

Zhang Haisheng’s face twisted with bitterness as he gripped the cup tightly.

After calming himself, he continued. “As time passed, I noticed Haiqing changed. She used to be cheerful and loved to laugh, but she became silent and withdrawn. She wouldn’t smile, and she’d snap at me and Tingting for no reason. She became strange, stopped doing chores, stopped cooking, and ignored Tingting entirely. Later, she even kicked me out of our bedroom, keeping the door locked, not letting anyone in.”

Xiao Ling felt a chill as she listened. What could make a person change so drastically?

“I tried talking to Haiqing a few times, but she’d ignore me or say nasty things, telling me we should divorce if I couldn’t take it. For the sake of Tingting, I didn’t want to escalate things.”

Zhang Haisheng took a deep breath, his face shifting as if he was about to say something horrifying. “One time, I purposely led Haiqing out and snuck into the bedroom. But… but,” Zhang Haisheng looked at Xiao Ling. “Do you know what I saw? There was an altar… and the thing she was worshipping was that little black dog!”

“What!” Xiao Ling was shocked. A little black dog, worshipped on an altar?