The husband leads, and the wife follows.

With the guidance of the bald old man, Han Bin found clues about the electric tricycle. According to the bald old man, around five o’clock yesterday afternoon, he saw a man named Chen Zhanliang riding an electric tricycle back to the village. The body was blue, the canopy green—almost identical to the suspect vehicle.

Following the old man's directions, Han Bin and his companion found Chen Zhanliang’s house. On the earthen slope at the entrance, they saw tire tracks from an electric tricycle, further confirming the old man’s account.

“Let’s go in and take a look,” Han Bin suggested.

“Hold on, better wait for Team Leader Zeng and the others,” Li Hui cautioned. Having spent much time in the countryside, Li Hui understood the local ways better. When there’s no personal interest involved, a cigarette and a friendly greeting could get villagers talking for hours. But when it came to property—like an electric tricycle—a reasonable villager might assist the police, but an unreasonable one might simply claim the tricycle was theirs and refuse to cooperate. Most villagers were fair and reasonable, but just in case, caution was wise.

Han Bin’s family was also from the countryside, but he’d grown up in the city, so he wasn’t too familiar with village life. He trusted Li Hui’s judgment in this.

Not far from Chen Zhanliang’s house, the two found a shady spot. Li Hui bought two bottles of mineral water; they drank, lit a cigarette each, and enjoyed a brief, pleasant rest.

Twenty minutes later, Tian Li and Zhao Ming arrived with another officer. Han Bin and Li Hui dusted the dirt from their trousers and went to meet them.

“We rushed over here in a hurry, but you two seem pretty relaxed,” Tian Li remarked.

“Sis Tian, we were just waiting for you. Now you’re here, we feel much more confident,” Li Hui replied with a grin.

Zhao Ming patted his chest. “What’s that supposed to mean, I don’t count?”

Han Bin waved his hand. “The more, the better. Hui, let’s go in.”

Li Hui hesitated. “I still think we could wait a bit longer.”

“Come on, Bin, there are five of us now. What are we waiting for? By the time Team Leader Zeng gets here, we’ll have the case wrapped up,” Zhao Ming said cheerfully.

Han Bin flicked away his cigarette and stamped it out. “Let’s go.”

The courtyard gate of Chen Zhanliang’s house was half open, but the five didn’t enter directly. Li Hui stood at the entrance and called out, “Anyone home?”

“Who is it?” came a man’s voice.

A short while later, a man walked to the door, looking curiously at Han Bin and the others.

“We’re from the Criminal Investigation Unit. We’d like to ask you a few questions,” Han Bin said with a professional smile.

“Criminal Investigation Unit?” The man looked puzzled. “What’s going on?”

“And you are?”

“Chen Zhanliang.”

“Let’s talk inside.”

“Are you sure you’re really police? Not some scammers?”

Li Hui produced his badge. “This is my identification.”

Chen Zhanliang examined the badge, then returned it to Li Hui, apparently reassured. “Come in, then.”

As soon as they entered the yard, a dog started barking. Chen Zhanliang scolded it a couple of times. Han Bin looked around. On the right was a doghouse with a dirty yellow dog chained up. On the left stood a blue electric tricycle with a green canopy.

“Old Chen, who’s here?” A woman came out of the house.

“The police.”

The woman looked surprised. “What are the police doing here?”

“And who is this?” Han Bin asked.

“My wife,” Chen Zhanliang replied.

Han Bin walked over to the electric tricycle and examined it closely. It was identical to the one in the surveillance footage—even the crack in the right-side window matched perfectly. There might be other tricycles of the same model, but no two cracked windows would look exactly alike. He was now certain this was the suspect vehicle.

“Where did this electric tricycle come from?” Han Bin asked.

“It’s ours,” Chen Zhanliang’s wife replied.

“Auntie, how should I address you?” Tian Li asked.

“No need to call me auntie, just call me sister,” she answered.

“Are you sure this tricycle is yours? Don’t make a mistake here,” Han Bin advised kindly.

“We’d never mistake our own property,” she said, moving in front of the tricycle protectively.

“How long have you had it?” Han Bin pressed.

Chen Zhanliang hesitated, glanced at his wife, then answered, “We’ve had it for years. Why?”

Han Bin had already asked the bald old man, who said the Chen family never owned an electric tricycle before; yesterday was the first time he’d seen one at their house.

“Who’s been using it lately?” Han Bin continued.

“It’s our tricycle, of course my husband’s been using it,” Chen Zhanliang’s wife said.

“You’re certain you haven’t lent it out?” Han Bin asked.

“No,” Chen Zhanliang replied.

“Where were you around one a.m. on August nineteenth?” Han Bin asked.

“Home,” Chen Zhanliang answered without hesitation.

“Anyone who can verify that?”

“My wife can,” Chen Zhanliang’s wife chimed in.

The two sang in perfect harmony.

“Anyone else who can confirm that?”

“No.”

“I suspect you and your wife are involved in a kidnapping case. Please come to the station to assist our investigation,” Han Bin said sternly.

“What—a kidnapping case? We’re honest farmers! How could we be involved in something like that?” Chen Zhanliang’s face grew panicked.

“Take them,” Han Bin ordered.

All five officers rushed forward and quickly handcuffed the couple.

“Let us go! You’ve got the wrong people! We’re good folks—we haven’t done anything wrong!” Chen Zhanliang’s wife protested.

“We don’t wrong the innocent. Once things are clear at the station, you’ll be released,” Han Bin replied.

“We’re not going! If we go, we’ll never get out!” Chen Zhanliang struggled, trying to break free.

“Behave.”

“Help! Somebody help!” Chen Zhanliang’s wife sat heavily on the ground and shouted at the top of her lungs.

“Shout all you want,” Li Hui said with a snort. “Call the whole village over if you like. Let everyone see you being arrested by the police. See how you’ll show your faces here again.”

“Stop shouting,” Chen Zhanliang’s expression changed, and he snapped at his wife.

She might not care about saving face, but he was a man—he did. “Officers, we really had nothing to do with a kidnapping. You’re making a mistake.”

“We have evidence that the suspect used this electric tricycle to commit a crime at about one a.m. on August nineteenth. You say it’s yours—who else would we arrest?” Han Bin said sternly.

“Officer, we made a mistake—we lied just now,” Chen Zhanliang quickly explained.

“So you admit your involvement in the kidnapping?” Zhao Ming pressed.

“No, I didn’t mean that—I meant the tricycle isn’t ours, we just found it.”

“If you found it, it’s still yours,” Chen Zhanliang’s wife shouted.

Han Bin almost laughed. “Since it’s yours, come with us.”

Chen Zhanliang kicked his wife hard. “You stupid woman, what do you know? Shut up!”

“Ow! Why are you hitting me?” she wailed.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing, showing off in front of us? No hitting!” Tian Li scolded.

“Yes, yes,” Chen Zhanliang hastily agreed. “Once the officers are gone and the door’s closed, then I’ll deal with her.”

Pfft—Zhao Ming couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.