dead innocent

Xiao Shu had already parked the car on the side of the road and waited for a long time. Seeing them showing up, he quickly got out of the car and opened the door. He Cheng bent down and got into the back seat. Chu Xingyun sat next to him and asked Xiao Shu: "Which hypnotist are you dating?"

Xiao Shu drove the car onto the main road and said, "President He used to be a psychiatrist."

Chu Xingyun quickly realized that what he was talking about was Dr. Li who had been hacked by Xia Xinghan before and stole customer information.

Despite the accident last time, this Dr. Li is also a well-deserved benchmark in the industry, and her psychological diagnosis and treatment include hypnotherapy.She had previously suggested to the bewildered He Cheng to use hypnosis to distinguish the chaotic memories, but at that time He Cheng refused to accept anyone, hastily prevaricated and did not accept it.

Now when He Cheng decides to let himself undergo hypnosis, she is the first thing he thinks of.

On the way to Dr. Li's studio, Chu Xingyun didn't know how He Cheng was feeling, anyway, he was getting more and more nervous, even more nervous than He Cheng who was going to be hypnotized later.

Xiao Shu parked the car in the parking lot, Chu Xingyun opened the door and got out of the car, but He Cheng did not come out.

He bent down and looked into the car, and saw He Cheng sitting in the car, with his arms on his knees, his hands clasped together against his forehead, his head buried in his thoughts.

Sure enough, it was still too difficult for him.

Just when Chu Xingyun wanted to take him away, He Cheng suddenly got out of the car, looked at the towering office building with a pale face, and walked to the entrance without saying a word.

A staff member who recognized He Cheng took them to Dr. Li's office.Over forty years old, still young, the gentle and elegant woman has been waiting for a long time, seeing them walk in, she also stood up to greet them.

He Cheng shook hands with her, said a few words, then turned his gaze to Chu Xingyun who was standing aside, and said: "The main purpose is to cooperate with the police in investigating the bombing case last night, so I hope he will ask me questions later. "

Only then did Chu Xingyun understand that it turned out that He Cheng did not let go of his guard against others, he still only believed in him, and decided to let him hypnotize him.

He suddenly became nervous. This feeling of tension was like holding a very fragile glass bottle through the sea of ​​fire and jumping on the tip of the knife.Careful and trembling, for fear that if the bottle is not released well, it will fall to pieces.

Dr. Li said to Chu Xingyun as if he had expected it a long time ago: "Then you must be police officer Chu."

When Chu Xingyun learned that he was entrusted with an important task by He Cheng, he tried his best to keep calm and shook hands with Dr. Li, and listened to her talk about some precautions.

"Then let's start."

As he spoke, Dr. Li pointed to a reclining chair placed by the floor-to-ceiling windows.

He Cheng took off his windbreaker and handed it to Xiao Shu. Xiao Shu hung his clothes on his arm, then gave Chu Xingyun a meaningful look, opened the door and went out.

Dr. Li closed the screens of the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the room fell into a kind of claustrophobic darkness.

Chu Xingyun stood beside He Cheng like a bystander, saw him sitting on the recliner and unbuttoned the two buttons of his shirt collar and lay down, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath, saying: "Let's start."

Dr. Li was sitting on a single sofa with crossed legs and a clipboard on his lap.

"Mr. He, let's start then."

Doctor Li asked softly.

"it is good."

He Cheng said.

Doctor Li looked at Chu Xingyun again, and nodded slightly to him.

Chu Xingyun squatted on the ground with one knee, grabbed He Cheng's left hand that fell by his side, noticed the slight sweat on his skin, looked at his face, and said in a coaxing tone: "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

He Cheng's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he clenched his fingers silently.

Like an ordinary chat, Dr. Li asked him a few simple and easy-to-answer questions. He Cheng gradually relaxed under her guidance, and as the topic deepened, he slowly accepted and obeyed her guidance.

Chu Xingyun has been carefully observing He Cheng's state. Although he knows nothing about psychology, he can see that He Cheng is gradually letting go of his guard. His slightly frowned brows are gradually relaxing, and his face is getting more and more relaxed. He answers questions His tone became more and more slack, more and more erratic.It was like talking to Dr. Li in a dream.

Contrary to his expectations, he did not expect He Cheng to be able to enter a deep hypnotic state so quickly.

"What clothes did you wear to the banquet last night?"

Doctor Li asked.

He Cheng's usual low and moderate voice sounded unusually loose and erratic at the moment, like a light wind coming and going.

"Zegna tailor-made suit."

"With whom?"

"Zhou Quliang."

Dr. Li asked Chu Xingyun for the correct answer with his eyes.

Chu Xingyun nodded slightly to her.

Dr. Li began to guide the next step: "Mr. He, we are going out to a banquet now. Do you remember where the banquet was held?"

He Cheng said: "The State Guest Building."

"Yes, the State Guest Building. You are standing outside the banquet hall of the State Guest Building. There is a door in front of you. Do you see it?"

"I saw it."

"When you open the door, you're back in the banquet hall. It's safe and there are many people. Your partner Zhou Quliang is also inside. Now, open the door and go in to find him."

Dr. Li's voice gradually weakened until it disappeared, and then he gave Chu Xingyun a look and told him that he could ask questions at any time.

Chu Xingyun felt that He Cheng was holding his hand and gradually withdrawing his strength. The eyeballs under He Cheng's tightly closed eyes were constantly turning, as if he had entered another space, a space of resplendent and radiant clothes and phantoms. Everyone at the party...

Chu Xingyun suddenly felt dry mouth and tongue, licked his dry lower lip, looked at He Cheng motionlessly, and asked, "Have you found Zhou Quliang?"

After a while, he heard He Cheng say, "I found it."

As if he had successfully tested the water, Chu Xingyun breathed a sigh of relief, his tone was no longer so tense, and he tried to keep his voice as soft as possible, and asked again: "Where is he?"

"Stand with me in front of the bar on the first floor."

"The mayor's secretary is speaking on the stage, have you seen it?"

"Ah."

"It's boring, isn't it? Why don't you take a look at the southwest corner of the second floor, next to the crystal display stand."

"...No one on the second floor."

Chu Xingyun tried his best to stabilize his chaotic heartbeat, and kept a calm tone: "Is there no one? Don't look away."

He Cheng frowned slightly, and said, "I don't know, I want to go to the bathroom on the second floor."

"Okay, then you leave the first floor now, go to the second floor, and tell me everything you have done and everything you have seen."

He Cheng suddenly fell into a long silence, the only thing that was quiet in the room was the ticking sound of the pocket watch in Dr. Li's hand.

Just when he thought he had failed, and He Cheng was about to escape from the illusion and return to reality, he suddenly heard He Cheng's very soft voice, as soft as the whisper of a breeze.

"I'm on the second floor now—there's no one on the second floor. I see a crystal display stand in the southwest corner, and there's a beautiful crystal ball on the display stand."

Chu Xingyun hurriedly said: "You can see clearly, is there really no one on the second floor? 'He' may be a waiter"

He Cheng frowned slightly, as if feeling repulsed by his question and feeling uncomfortable, he shook his head lightly.

Chu Xingyun asked again: "Then you continue to move forward, did you hear the sound?"

He Cheng fell into silence again, a trace of panic suddenly appeared on his face, his frowning brows kept trembling, and he breathed unsteadily, "I passed the crystal stand and turned left, and in the corridor to the bathroom, I heard a child's cry from behind me. It's a boy's voice."

child?Where did the children come from at the banquet?

Chu Xingyun grasped his hand tightly, sweating profusely without knowing it, staring at his closed eyes, and said: "Look back, He Cheng, look back."

He Cheng gritted his teeth suddenly, his jaw tightened, his expression became more and more anxious, sweat quietly seeped from his forehead, he clenched his fists as if trying to break free, and said in a trembling voice: "That boy is just a back, I saw a The woman in the chef's uniform called him after him."

"Who? His mother?"

He Cheng's breath became more and more broken, as if there was a residual breath hanging in his chest, his pale lips pursed several times before he managed to piece together a sentence: "Yes, it's his mother."

Chu Xingyun pressed his shoulder: "What else did you see?"

He Cheng seemed to have forgotten who the person beside him was, Chu Xingyun's touch made him writhe and struggle like crazy, "There is no light, there is no light! I can't see anything, I only hear—"

puff.

He Cheng suddenly stopped struggling, and suddenly opened his eyes.The face is like white wax, and the eyes are like dead wood.

Chu Xingyun thought he was awake, but he only saw emptiness and confusion in his eyes, and the darkness and hesitation of falling into the bottom of the abyss.

There was a plop, the sound of the crystal ball falling to the ground.

He grabbed He Cheng's hand, and clearly felt his body temperature drop like a flood, his hand was as cold as if soaked in cold water, damp and cold.He Cheng's body froze, his whole body was lying there icy cold, his eyes seemed to be frozen and lifeless, like...a corpse.

"He Cheng? He Cheng!"

Chu Xingyun touched his face, shook his shoulders, and called his name, but he was indifferent.

Seeing this, Dr. Li hurried over and pushed him away from He Cheng, but the woman's insignificant strength actually pushed him aside easily, even almost pushed him down.

Chu Xingyun knelt on the ground with his knees on the ground, looking at He Cheng who seemed to have passed away, his eyes flickered for a while, and suddenly felt the energy in his whole body draining like a tide, and he would not be able to support the weight of his body and fall down at any time.

"Mr. He, now you leave the banquet hall and go back to the door. I'll count to five, and you push the door open again, one, two, three, four, five."

Dr. Li's voice fell lightly, and He Cheng's dark eyes trembled slightly, as if a beam of light was injected into his hollow and slack pupils.

He seemed to have had a dream, and gradually woke up from the dream. The first thing he said after regaining consciousness was: "Is it over?"

With this sentence, he turned to look at Chu Xingyun and asked.

Chu Xingyun squatted beside him, holding his hand tightly: "Well, it's over."

Chu Xingyun's hands are colder than his, and they are still shaking.He Cheng tilted his head and looked at him quietly for a moment as if tired: "You seem to be very scared, what did I just say?"

Chu Xingyun pushed aside a strand of sweat-soaked hair on his forehead, and gave a short and dull laugh: "You almost scared me to death, I don't remember what you said just now?"

He Cheng lowered his eyes and thought carefully for a moment, then said: "I remembered."

"Remember what?"

He Cheng supported his body with his hands and sat up from the reclining chair, took a breath, lowered his head and pondered for a while, then looked up at him, and said, "The last voice was the boy knocking down the crystal stand, and the crystal ball fell on the ground. Voices from the ground."

As soon as he sat up, the collar of his shirt, which had been loosely opened after struggling just now, drooped obliquely, revealing the sweat-soaked skin inside, and a drop of water was slipping from his straight collarbone and falling into the edge of the collar.

Chu Xingyun fastened his third shirt button, smiled indifferently, and finally raised his hand to touch his sweaty face, and said: "Young master is really capable, your task has been completed, don't think about it anymore. "

After finishing speaking, he got up and walked towards the door. He took only one step when he was suddenly grabbed by He Cheng.

He Cheng held his hand, looked at him weakly and tiredly, and asked softly, "Did I help you?"

Chu Xingyun's heart was sore and soft, and Dr. Li who was on the side didn't hug him, and said with a smile: "Of course, you helped me a lot."

He Cheng seemed to be guessing whether his words were true or false, but his mind was dizzy, and the wound on his forehead was still aching. It was very difficult for him to work on his brain at this time, so he put this question aside for now, and grasped it. She tightened his fingers, looked up at him and smiled with difficulty, and asked again: "Then do you love me more now?"

"...Well, I love you even more."

Xiao Shu, who was waiting outside the door, saw Chu Xingyun opened the door and came out, and hurriedly asked him about the situation inside. Seeing that he was only concentrating on contemplation, he wanted to go in and have a look, but he blocked him at the door and asked: "Yesterday Among the staff in the banquet hall tonight, is there a female chef?"

He didn't ask the wrong person, Xiao Shu had as much information as the police.

Xiao Shu flipped through his phone, and quickly found the answer: "There is only one, the pastry chef, and she is a single mother."

"Is her son included in the list of on-site personnel registered?"

"son?"

Xiao Shu called the hospital to check, and hung up the phone a few minutes later and said to him: "A child was indeed sent to the hospital last night, and it was her child who was registered, but not her son."

Chu Xingyun frowned, looked at him and asked, "What do you mean?"

Xiao Shu said: "It's her daughter, she has no son, only one daughter."

Chu Xingyun was taken aback, and immediately remembered the helplessness and fear on He Cheng's face when he recalled the 'boy' just now.He Cheng's reaction to those memories was real, even real and extreme, but there were loopholes in his memory, he regarded girls as boys...

why is that?Did he remember wrongly?Or—is he lying?

"He Cheng said that he saw a crystal ball last night at the exhibition stand in the banquet hall of the State Bin Building. Have you seen it?"

he asked again.

Xiao Shu asked doubtfully, "Crystal ball?"

Chu Xingyun stared at him motionlessly: "Have you seen it?"

Xiao Shudao: "There is indeed a crystal ball on the display shelf on the second floor of the banquet hall. It has been placed there for a long time. Not only I have seen it, but everyone who has been there should have seen it. Mr. He must have seen it too. It was bought by a collector a month ago, how could he see it last night?"

The boy is fake, the crystal ball is also fake, and the two clues that He Cheng told him are all fake——

Chu Xingyun felt that he had encountered an unprecedented predicament. In the past, he encountered any difficulties, and he would always break through a way.But now his problem is He Cheng, how could he wave the weapon in his hand at He Cheng.

Xiao Shu didn't know why he was bothering, he only saw that his complexion was getting worse and worse, flickering from bright to dark, from warm to cold.

At this time, the door of the office was suddenly opened again. Dr. Li found Chu Xingyun and said to him, "Let's go to the side and have a chat."

Chu Xingyun followed her to an empty staircase and asked, "What's the matter?"

Dr. Li didn't hesitate or turn around, and asked directly the question in his heart: "Has Mr. He ever received hypnosis before?"

Chu Xingyun didn't think about it: "No, never."

Dr. Li said, "Are you sure?"

When asked by her, Chu Xingyun suddenly began to doubt his own judgment, and the uneasiness that had just faded away was surging in his heart.

"I don't think so. You know, he's very closed. He hardly trusts anybody but me."

Dr. Li said: "But he entered the hypnotized state very quickly, and he was very easy to be guided. He was easier to be controlled than any of my previous patients. His subconscious mind knew how to cooperate with the hypnotist. When I guided him , He performed very skillfully, and I don’t think this is a reaction that a person who is hypnotized for the first time can make.”

Chu Xingyun suddenly took a step back, leaned against the wall, looked at the elegant and graceful female doctor in front of him, took a deep breath silently, and said: "Just tell your conclusion, Doctor Li."

Dr. Li said: "I think He Cheng has been hypnotized before, and more than once."