Inside carriage number 4, the dining car staff brought the set meals to the seats. The four arguing couples started eating in silence, while the other passengers also started eating their dinners. Yu Xinxin and her family of five went to the dining car next door to order food.
The dining car gradually filled up, clearly indicating that some people were coming from other carriages to eat.
Yu Hanjiang's sleeper car was relatively empty, and since the tour guide had the tour group's list directly with him, he quickly finished checking it. He then went to dining car number 5 and nodded to Xiao Lou.
Xiao Lou met Captain Yu's gaze and turned to walk over.
The two met in the tea room of the dining car.
Yu Hanjiang briefly described the situation in carriage 6: "It's a tour group of 12 people, staying in rooms 1-3. They're traveling from Sun City to Moon City and will be on the train for three days. The tour guide's full name is Qin Shiyue, everyone calls her Xiao Qin. She's a recent college graduate, 24 years old this year, and very cheerful and talkative. She said that these elderly people are all retired workers, the youngest being 60 and the oldest 70. They all worked at the same company before retirement, have a good relationship, and often travel together on tours."
Xiao Lou asked, "What about the other passengers? Are there any unusual circumstances?"
Yu Hanjiang said, "Room 4 is a family of four, the parents took their two children to visit relatives in another city; Rooms 5 and 6 are all individual guests, they don't know each other and don't talk to each other, they just look down at their phones after getting on the bus; the remaining rooms 7 and 8 are a few people who didn't know each other at first, but after chatting, they found out that they were all going to attend an academic conference, and they were all physics teachers from different high schools."
After thinking it over carefully, Xiao Lou said, "It seems unlikely that there will be a murder in the other rooms, as most of them don't know each other. We should focus on this elderly tour group—they used to work at the same company, so there might be some grudges between them."
Yu Hanjiang agreed: "Yes, I've already gotten the full list of the tour group from the tour guide. Next, I'll investigate the backgrounds of each of these elderly people." He paused slightly, then asked, "How's the situation on your end?"
Xiao Lou briefly recounted the results of his ticket check, as well as the couple's argument and Jing Weiguang throwing instant noodles on someone.
Yu Hanjiang frowned slightly: "Two couples and a group of five best friends. The relationships in such groups are prone to problems. They may get along well on the surface, but hatred may have already been buried in their hearts."
Xiao Lou nodded: "I think so too. I'm paying close attention to these people... and Jing Weiguang who arrived late. He doesn't know anyone, but his appearance is so special. Even if he's not the victim or the murderer, he'll definitely be a key figure in driving the plot forward."
Looking at the dining car gradually filling up, Xiao Lou suddenly said, "Right, there's still the dining car. Everyone on the train can come to the dining car to eat. Is it likely that the murderer poisoned the food directly?"
Yu Hanjiang said, "Even if they were to use poison, it wouldn't be now."
Just then, someone happened to pass by, and Yu Hanjiang and Xiao Lou both stepped back to make way.
After the man walked away, Yu Hanjiang continued, "Most murders are not committed on a whim, but are meticulously planned. He might not be familiar with the restaurant yet. If he really wanted to use poison, he would first have to investigate the restaurant's environment. He would be more confident if he did it tomorrow or the day after."
Xiao Lou considered another possibility and asked, "What if it was a train attendant who committed the crime? They should be very familiar with the train environment and have easy access to the dining car. It would be easy for them to poison the food directly in the kitchen, wouldn't it?"
Yu Hanjiang thought for a moment and said, "We can't rule out that possibility either."
For example, in Heart 3, the teacher commits the crime at the end, and in Red Heart 4, who knows, a perverted flight attendant might slaughter the passengers?
As the two were analyzing the situation, they suddenly saw the entire senior citizen tour group coming to the dining car for lunch.
The impressive group of 12 people immediately drew the attention of those around them.
One of the bald old men complained, "Old Li, the food on this food cart is too expensive. Let's go back and eat. My son bought me a bag of snacks before I left, and I haven't eaten them yet..."
The man called "Old Li" was neatly dressed, older than him, but his hair was dyed black, and he looked quite energetic. He smiled and said, "Is this considered expensive? I once spent hundreds of thousands on a seafood meal." He patted the other man on the shoulder generously and said, "Don't worry, this meal is on me!"
The bald old man's eyes immediately lit up: "Old Li is the most straightforward one!"
Someone nearby gossiped, "Old Li, how much money does your son earn in a year?"
Old Li raised his eyebrows and pretended to be very calm, saying, "Not much, just a few billion."
Xiao Lou was shocked when he heard this—several billion yuan, which, converted to RMB at a 100:1 ratio, amounts to tens of millions. This old man was actually the father of a tycoon; who knows what his son does for a living.
Yu Hanjiang immediately leaned close to Xiao Lou's ear and said, " Li Zhemin, 66 years old, is the richest among this group of elderly people. According to the tour guide, he often treats people to meals along the way and often brags to others about how rich and filial his son is."
It's normal for elderly people to get together and talk about their sons and daughters. However, if one of them constantly brags about their child, it will eventually cause resentment among the others.
Especially since they all worked in the same unit back then, had similar income levels, and their children were probably around the same age, it's no wonder that Li Zhemin raised a son with assets exceeding 100 million yuan. This naturally attracted envy—and perhaps also jealousy and hatred.
Xiao Louzi
He carefully observed the complexions of these elderly people.
Several people who were close to Old Li looked on with envy and praised him, saying, "Your son is the most successful one!"
"I remember your son, Xiao Li. He was always a very well-behaved child, consistently ranking first in the entire school. He was even the top science student in the college entrance exam. Sigh, unlike my good-for-nothing son, who can't even afford a house after working for so long and still has to rely on his parents for a down payment..."
An elderly woman with gray hair sighed and said, "At least your son is married and has both a son and a daughter. Wouldn't it be great if you took care of your grandchildren every day? My daughter is already thirty-three, and all she thinks about is work and promotion. She won't even go on blind dates. It's driving me crazy!"
Someone joked, "Old Li's son is also single, why don't you introduce your daughter to him, and you two can become in-laws?"
The old lady said, "You're joking. My daughter is just an ordinary company employee. How could she possibly be worthy of Mr. Li? Mr. Li is so rich and handsome. There are so many girls lining up to pursue him that this whole bus wouldn't be able to hold them all!"
"Haha, he does have a lot of girls pursuing him." Li Zhemin said with a troubled look, "However, my son has very high standards. He must find a smart, virtuous, beautiful and capable wife. The key is that she must be filial to me. There are really not many who meet the requirements."
"Your son is such a good catch, there aren't many girls who are good enough for him. You'd better keep your eyes open and choose a good daughter-in-law."
"Of course," Li Zhemin said with a smile.
"By the way, Lao Li," someone changed the subject, "the location of that apartment complex your son developed is pretty good. I was just thinking of getting a wedding apartment for my son. Could you give me a discount?"
"No problem! Just tell me if you want to buy, and I'll have my son give you an insider price!" Li Zhemin assured him generously.
The three people sitting at the same table with him were obviously the ones he was closest to. During their conversation, they kept praising his son. Some of them wanted something from him, wanting to buy a house at a lower price, while others were just following the trend and flattering him.
The expressions on the faces of the people at the other two tables were not so uniform. Some people sneered when they heard him bragging about his son's annual salary of over 100 million; others looked indifferent, seemingly unmoved by his boasting about his son.
There was even an old lady who whispered to her friend next to her when he talked about his son's criteria for choosing a partner: "Why doesn't his son find a fairy?" "Ha, his son inherited his genes, he's only 1.68 meters tall, not even as tall as my daughter, and he only has a few stinking money."
Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang exchanged a glance.
It seems that this tour group of senior citizens may also run into problems.
Li Zhemin is too high-profile and doesn't understand the principle of "not flaunting wealth." Praising his son like this is likely to cause resentment.
Even Xiao Lou, let alone his former colleague, felt uneasy hearing this. While other elderly people were worrying about their children's poor jobs, inability to afford houses, and difficulty finding partners, Li Zhemin said that his son earned over 100 million yuan a year, developed real estate projects, and had extremely high standards for finding a partner.
This old man talks without considering the occasion, has very low emotional intelligence, and is extremely vain.
Just like those people who flaunt their wealth on social media every day, it's repulsive to look at.
There are actually many people like this in life. When most people encounter someone who loves to show off, they will at most complain a few words in private. They probably wouldn't hate them to the point of killing them, right?
Xiao Lou leaned close to Yu Hanjiang's ear and whispered, "Could there be any connection between the couples in carriage 4 and the elderly group in carriage 6? Or is one of them just deliberately misleading us?"
Yu Hanjiang frowned and pondered for a moment, then said, " In the Red Heart 3 Escape Room, five people died in the entire storyline."
Xiao Lou's spirits lifted: "Yes, the girl who was pushed off the building five years ago, the three murderers killed by the avengers, plus Ying Xiaoya who was innocently implicated in the end... Red Heart 4 is no less difficult than Heart 3, so there are likely to be multiple victims on this train as well?"
Yu Hanjiang decisively said, "With so many people in carriages 4 and 6, I predict the subsequent plot will be more complicated than Heart 3. Let's keep a close eye on their movements, and if we find anything, we'll meet up in the dining car."
Heart 3 has the most obvious clue, " The Count of Monte Cristo, " indicating that the case is related to revenge.
However, for Red Heart 4, no obvious clues have been found so far.
Just as Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang were about to turn back to their carriage, a voice suddenly sounded in their earpieces at the same time: "Attention train attendants, it's dinner time. Please return to carriage number 9 as soon as possible to collect your work meals."
The two exchanged a glance, a sense of unease rising within them simultaneously.
They had to follow the instructions in their headsets, but carriage number 9 was far away, and they couldn't predict what would happen in this carriage once they left.
Yu Hanjiang said, "It's still daytime, so it's unlikely the murderer would kill directly. Let's go eat first."
That was the only way. Xiao Lou turned around and followed Captain Yu, quickly heading to carriage number 9.
All the train attendants had gathered here, each receiving a meal, and sat around the table eating and chatting. Xiao Lou strained his ears but didn't hear anything useful; most people were just gossiping.
He and Yu Hanjiang sat down facing each other and opened their working lunches.
The food in Red Heart 4 is indeed very good. The set meal includes a generous portion of chicken cutlet, a golden fried egg, a small plate of pickled radish, a plate of garlic bok choy, and a bowl of tomato and egg soup.
Having not eaten well for several days, Xiao Lou was deeply moved when she saw this set meal and immediately started eating from the disposable chopsticks.
The two quickly finished their meal and had just picked up tissues to wipe their mouths when they heard the female announcer's voice in their ears.
His voice was filled with obvious anxiety:
An announcement is being made asking if any medical workers are on board. The announcement requests immediate assistance to carriage 6, as a child has had an accident and urgently needs medical help.
The urgent announcement was read twice in a row.
Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang exchanged a glance, quickly packed up their lunch boxes, and rushed towards carriage number 6.
As Yu Hanjiang walked, he said with a stern face, "The only children in my carriage are the children of the young couple in room number 4, twins, both three years old and just started kindergarten."
Xiao Lou was extremely anxious: "The radio suddenly called for a doctor, but we don't know what's wrong with the child."
The carriage was quite chaotic during dinner time. In the middle of the aisle, someone was carrying a bowl of cooked instant noodles and walking back and forth. The two of them squeezed past each other and quickly arrived at carriage number 6.
Yu Hanjiang strode to the door of room number 4.
The young couple looked extremely anxious. The woman was holding her three-year-old son in her arms. The child's face was pale and his body was convulsing violently. Xiao Lou caught up and immediately asked, "What happened?!"
The woman cried as she said, "I was feeding the child just now, and suddenly the child became like this..."
It is asphyxiation-induced spasm caused by a foreign object being inhaled into the trachea.
Xiao Lou, who was also a medical student, immediately understood what had happened when he saw the child's condition. He stepped forward, intending to help, but the next moment, someone rushed over in a hurry: "What's going on? What happened to the child?"
—It turned out to be Jing Weiguang from carriage number 4.
Before Xiao Lou could react, Jing Weiguang pushed past him and Yu Hanjiang, rushed into room number 4 through the gap between them, and said, "Give me the child!"
The woman's eyes were red-rimmed. She turned around and looked at the disheveled young man in front of her, whose hair was messy and clothes were wrinkled. She asked blankly, "Who are you?"
Jing Weiguang said, "I'm a doctor from the Emergency Department, give me the child quickly."
The woman, grasping at a straw, immediately handed the child to him and hurriedly explained what had happened.
After hearing this, Jing Weiguang hugged the 3-year-old boy from behind and lifted the child's clothes. He calmly extended his right hand, made a fist two fingers above the child's navel, wrapped his left hand around his right hand, and quickly thrust it backward and upward.
The child, whose face was covered in bruises, coughed violently after being pushed back five times in a row.
A raisin the size of a fingernail was coughed up, and the child's complexion and breathing gradually returned to normal. He was clearly in great discomfort and burst into tears.
Jing Weiguang handed the child back to the woman and instructed her, "Be careful when feeding the child, especially when the child is crying. Never feed the child when they are crying, as they may inhale the food into their trachea. If you encounter this situation again, you can use the first aid method I just described."
The woman comforted her son while looking at him gratefully, saying, "Thank you, thank you so much!"
Her husband also firmly grasped Jing Weiguang's hand and shook it, saying, "Thank you, doctor! What's your name? Which hospital do you go to? My husband and I will definitely visit you later and present you with a banner!"
Jing Weiguang's face flushed slightly, and he hurriedly waved his hand, "No need, it was nothing. Cough, if there's nothing else, I'll head back now..."
He turned and ran away quickly, leaving Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang looking at each other in bewilderment.
Yu Hanjiang went over to make sure the child was safe before turning around and leaving.
Many passengers gathered around to watch, exclaiming, "There are still so many kind people!" and "The little kid was lucky; there happened to be a doctor on the bus..."
Xiao Lou whispered in Yu Hanjiang's ear, "He's Jing Weiguang, the one who was late. I never expected him to be a doctor."
Just now, Jing Weiguang used the Heimlich maneuver commonly used in emergency rooms. The technique is "rock, paper, scissors." The scissors are two fingers above the navel; the rock is to make a fist with one hand and place it against this position; the paper is to wrap the "rock" with the other hand like a cloth and thrust it quickly backward and upward, 5 times per round, until the child coughs out the foreign object.
The principle behind this first aid method is to increase pressure in the abdominal cavity, causing the diaphragm to rise, which in turn increases pressure in the chest cavity, allowing the foreign object to be expelled from the trachea. Children can accidentally aspirate food into their trachea while eating, and if first aid is not administered promptly, it can be fatal.
Jing Weiguang ran to carriage number 4 and rescued the child, telling the challengers that he was a doctor.
Xiao Lou said thoughtfully, "The couple in row 8, the two girls are also studying medicine. Yue Xiaoquan is studying clinical medicine, and Mo Jiaran is studying nursing. It's no coincidence that there are so many medical majors in the carriage."
Yu Hanjiang said, "Perhaps this means that the murder method in this locked room is quite special. If none of the challengers have a medical background, they won't be able to solve the mystery. That's why there are so many doctors in the locked room. If the challengers don't understand, they can ask Jing Weiguang."
It's unlikely that Jing Weiguang, a doctor acting alone, was either the deceased or the murderer.
In retrospect, Jing Weiguang's existence seems more like that of an NPC who helps players determine medical-related knowledge.