His wife

After making an appointment with Gu Xiaofan on the phone, Xu Ruobei came to the of Criminal Investigation department half an hour later.

Although the suspected deceased Ren Xuefeng is 49 years old this year and is about to enter the age of knowing his destiny, but his wife Xu Ruobei is only 32 years old. She is 17 years younger than Ren Xuefeng. So when Xu Ruobei showed up, Gu Xiaofan couldn't help feel somewhat surprised by the other party's youth.

When Xu Ruobei arrived, she was wearing a dark gray cashmere coat that reached to her ankles. It was unbuttoned, revealing a black turtleneck underneath. She also wore the black leggings and black knee-high leather boots. There aren't many traces of make-up, it is just a little powder. Although her face looked well maintained, against the background of a dark clothes, the face looked extremely pale and bloodless. Although the whole person is dressed elegantly and decently, it is still hard to hide his haggardness and obvious dark circles.

"Who is Officer Gu Xiaofan? I'm Ren Xuefeng's wife. I received a call." She walked into the criminal police office, cleared her throat, raised her hand to knock on the open door. Her voice is slightly hoarse.

"Here" Gu Xiaofan hurriedly stood up to meet her, "I'll take you over to identify the body and see if it's your husband Ren Xuefeng or not!"

"Wait a moment, can I sit here with you for a while?" Xu Ruobei spoke a little weakly. She raised the corners of her mouth, sort of forcing herself to smile at Gu Xiaofan.

Gu Xiaofan nodded quickly, and reached out to help Xu Ruobei. Xu Ruobei didn't refuse and let her help her walk from the door to the office, and Gu Xiaofan helped her sit next to Zhong Han's desk.

You can sit here for a while, I'll go get you a glass of water." Gu Xiaofan made sure Xu Ruobei was sitting firmly before releasing her arm and went to the water dispenser to pour a glass of hot water for her.

The main reason she let Xu Ruobei sit next to Zhong Han's desk was because Gu Xiaofan felt that it was closer to the water dispenser, so it would be easy to bring water back and forth. She handed Xu Ruobei a cup of water and took a glance at Zhong Han's desk. When she saw it, she couldn't help but be a little glad for her decision. She looked at Zhong Han's desk which was spotless and neatly arranged and then peeked a glance at her own desk which is a mess. If Xu Ruobei was allowed to sit at her place, she might have laughed at her thinking she is asloppy policewoman.

Clean but not tidy - this is Gu's mother's evaluation of her daughter. It is also Gu Xiaofan's consistent life state.

"Did you rush over here just now? Drink some water first and take a rest. I will take you there to identify..." Gu Xiaofan looked at Xu Ruobei's pale face and the layer of sweat on her forehead. Xiaofan wondered if she put too much pressure on Ruobei just now on the phone that she is feeling great anxiety “Don’t put too much psychological pressure on yourself. We are still not sure if it’s your husband Ren Xuefeng. It’s just to identify it. For the time being we can not say anything.”

"I know, in fact..." Xu Ruobei gently rubbed the water glass with both hands, but didn't drink it.

"I'm also quite conflicted, mainly because I'm afraid that it's my husband. And I'm also afraid that if it's not then I will have to see a stranger's corpse which is  terrifying."

"That's true," Gu Xiaofan had just finished looking at the corpse in the morning. When she recalled that scene, the sandwich she just ate started to stir in her stomach again. So she could understand Xu Ruobei's concerns, "Then how about this, I'll show you a portrait first."

As she said that, she went to her desk and took the portrait and handed it to Xu Ruobei. Xu Ruobei just took a glance at the portrait in her hands and suddenly slapped the portrait on Zhong Han's desk. Because of the slap, the pen holder next to it was also knocked over and the ballpoint pen rolled all over the table. Gu Xiaofan hurriedly picked up those pens and put in back into the pen holder, so that Zhong Han would not be upset when he returned later.

"Do you think the person in the portrait is Ren Xuefeng?" Even if Gu Xiaofan don't ask, she could already it from Xu Ruobei's reaction. If she didn't think that person in the painting was her husband, how could she behave like this?

Xu Ruobei's lips trembled slightly. she didn't make a sound, just nodded slightly. Her face was paler than when she came in just now, the eyelids of her eyes drooping, seemingly staring at her knees. But Gu Xiaofan saw that her eyes were particularly flustered and her eyes moved quickly from side to side, looking restless.

"Then..." Gu Xiaofan bit his lips, "Is there any other immediate family member of your husband in your family that can come over and identify the body for you? It's better not to force yourself with this kind of thing."

Xu Ruobei shook her head: "No, my husband is older than me. Heis also the youngest son in the family. My in-laws are in their eighties and they live together with my husbands brother and sister abroad. There are only the two of us in City A."

"Before you married Ren Xuefeng...he must have had an ex-wife?" Gu Xiaofan already knew that Xu Ruobei, who is 17 younger is not the first wife. "How about you ask his ex-wife or his ex-wife's children to come over?"

"No need!" Although her face was pale, Xu Ruobei's answer to this question can be said to be quite straightforward and she seemed to be gnashing her teeth "I don't think there is that need. Now I'm Ren Xuefeng's legally recognized wife. Even if that person is really Xuefeng, I'm the only one that is most qualified to identify him. Only I am qualified to handle the rest of the matter and send him off for the last time."

After listening to her, Gu Xiaofan realized how unappealing that question she had just asked was. Even though, she is an single old  woman, without a rich love history and was unfamiliar with marriage, just being a female is enough for her to understand this. She could easily imagine that Xu Ruobei, as Ren Xuefeng's remarried wife, would have a certain psychological rejection of Ren Xuefeng's ex.

"Then I'll take you to the forensic department later." Since Xu Ruobei said so, of course Gu Xiaofan has nothing else to say. Even though, the thought of going to the forensic department again and seeing the horribly swollen and deformed corpse again gave her gosebumps, she still have to do her job. Especially now because she is only one here right now.

Short term pain is better than long term pain. You take me over there now, I don't want to wait in pain" Xu Ruobei took a deep breath, put the water cup aside, stood up and said to Gu Xiaofan.

Gu Xiaofan nodded and led her out of the office. Just as she walked to the door, she saw Zhong Han coming back. He was called by the leader just now. He still had some chores to deal with as he is just transferred. She didn't expect him to come back so soon.

Zhong Han glanced at Xu Ruobei next to her, and asked Gu Xiaofan: "Where are you going?"

"This is Ren Xuefeng's wife. I'm going to take her over there to identify if the corpse" Gu Xiaofan said it in a relaxed manner, not wanting Zhong Han to notice her timidity.

Zhong Han looked at her, the corners of his mouth twitched. He looked like he wanted to laugh but had to hold back. He didn't say much, just stuffed a stack of materials in his hand to Gu Xiaofan, and said to her: "Then let's switch. I'll take her to the forensic department and you can help me take these back to the office and put them on my desk."

"Really?" if not for the presence of Xu Ruobei Gu Xiaofan almost jumped for joy. As long as she did not have to look at any corpses, it was the greatest preferential treatment for her, "Then I'll trouble you!

Gu Xiaofan turned around and fled back to the office as if she was afraid that Zhong Han would go back on his word. When she reached the door of the office, she stopped and looked back. Zhong Han has already gone. Gu Xiaofan was suddenly a little embarrassed. She felt that she acted like a villain.

This new guy is really confusing. Gu Xiaofan put Zhong Han's materials on his desk casually, then sat in his chair in a daze. When she thought about the scene in the morning, he obviously took her to look at the corpse on purpose. It made her vomit. But now, he clearly knew that she was afraid, so he deliberately replaced her with good intentions.

Gu Xiaofan scratched her head. Did he just wanted to retaliate in the morning for accidentally vomiting all over him that day and after that revenge, the debt was written off? If so, then this man can be regarded as upright.

She should have apologized to him in a serious manner. After all, she was the one who was at fault first and she slipped away afterwards. She should apologize and get along peacefully in the future. It’s better that way.

Not long after, Zhong Han and Xu Ruobei came back together. Xu Ruobei almost half-lying beside Zhong Han and was helped by Zhong Han. Gu Xiaofan heard Xu Ruobei's sobbing before the two of them even entered the door. Xu Ruobei was crying so hard that she can barely stand   and Zhong Han's face was livid.

"Is it confirmed?" Gu Xiaofan hurriedly got up to meet him and then looked at Zhong Han's stiff posture and embarrassed face, "What's wrong with you?"

"It's okay, let's talk about it after helping her to sit down first." Zhong Han frowned, trying to keep his expression from looking too ugly and his eyes glanced at the tears and snot rubbed up by Xu Ruobei on his sleeves, holding back the twitching of his cheek muscles.

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