The long, empty street, with just one orange streetlamp, splits the scene into patches of light and dark.
In the light, a man with a dark brown jacket sits slouched on a wooden chair. Above him, a thick canopy of
leaves alternates between yellow and green, shedding and regrowing. Shadows move like swaying water plants,
flowing to cover his slightly lifted face.
He Chuan Zhou couldn't move a step in a trance.
After standing for a long time, she finally took a step forward. As she approached, the man on the chair
asked, "Where are you going?"
He Chuan Zhou slowly sat down beside him, leaning back tiredly, her eyes staring lifelessly into the deep
shadows.
Without waiting for an answer, He Xu advised, "The road ahead is where you need to go."
"I know," He Chuan Zhou replied absentmindedly, "I'm going forward."
It's just that recurring dreams remind her that life is also like this, repeating endlessly, like the hands
of a clock, clearly advancing but always revolving around a central point, unable to change direction.
She didn't know where she had gone wrong.
"Do you still remember what Dad told you?" He Xu's voice was low and gentle, with a hint of amusement and
earnestness, echoing lightly in her ears.
He Chuan Zhou glanced down, glancing at his hand resting on his knee: broad and thin, with protruding bones
and veins, dark yellow skin, wrapped in uneven calluses, and several white scars left behind by healed
wounds.
He Chuan Zhou subconsciously wanted to hold it, leaning towards him, but before she could touch it, a sudden
feeling of weightlessness came from her tilting body, and she woke up amidst the trembling of her muscles.
The computer screen had dimmed, the office had a lingering smell of instant noodles and coffee.
A small window in the corner was left open, and the dripping sound of water seeped in through the gap with
the steam.
He Chuan Zhou was absent-minded for a moment, turning her head to look towards the source of the wind.
Outside the window, the wind and rain were bleak, and the early spring chill lingered in the damp air. The
city's lights reflected through the slender droplets, casting a hazy and brilliant glow.
He Chuan Zhou's throat was dry. She picked up her cup and went to the door to get some water.
People in the office saw her wake up, and the fragmented conversations gradually grew louder.
Shao Zhixin had already tidied up his desk, sitting with his bag slung over his shoulder, glancing out the
window, then bowing his head to continue browsing the daily news on his phone.
He read quickly. Most of them were useless news, messy and unsubstantiated, using words like "heard,"
"rumored," and "possible." He didn't take them seriously.
But there was one account he had been following for a long time, mainly about some old cases in various
places in the province. Some were already solved, and some were temporarily shelved for various reasons.
The editor's writing was excellent, with some artistic embellishments, making ordinary cases read like
novels with ups and downs in rhythm. He often clicked to read through them.
The account hadn't been updated for nearly a month, and this morning, it finally released a new post, about
a case in their city of A.
It said that a police officer from the local police station, abusing his position, harassed and molested a
female high school student.
The person involved was surnamed He, not within their sub-bureau's jurisdiction, but not far away either.
Shao Zhixin counted, and it was exactly ten years ago.
It was just a thousand words, introducing the background, and just mentioning that the police officer He was
reported and then no further information.
Shao Zhixin had just joined the Criminal Investigation Team last year and was still in a highly curious
state about everything. The story ended here, and the feeling of heartache made him unable to help but ask,
"Um... Huang, do you still remember the account I recommended in the group before?"
A female voice in the corner chimed in, "What's up? Did it update?"
Shao Zhixin said, "Yeah. And this time, the protagonist is a police officer from the Ziyang Street Police
Station. He."
Xu Yu exclaimed, "Really? So close? I haven't heard anyone mention it before."
Shao Zhixin didn't notice anything wrong and continued curiously, "Ah?"
The office fell silent for a moment, suddenly without the sound of conversation.
Until there was a harsh "creak" sound, He Chuan Zhou pushed the chair aside and walked out.
Shao Zhixin turned his head to look at her, and quietly sent a private message to Xu Yu.
"Is the atmosphere a bit off tonight? It feels strangely unsettling."
Xu Yu replied, "Don't mention it, even Brother Huang doesn't want to touch this mess. The topic is a bit
sensitive, so let's not talk about it."
Brother Huang asked, "Why are you still here after work? Why not swap shifts with someone?"
Shao Zhixin quickly shook his head, "Nah, I'm just waiting for my girlfriend to pick me up."
Brother Huang turned his head from behind the desk, "Your girlfriend is coming to pick you up?"
Shao Zhixin smiled and said, "I rode a small electric scooter, and it's been raining all day today, so it's
not easy to go. My girlfriend just bought a mini electric car, so she'll come pick me up after work."
Brother Huang opened his mouth to say something, but when he confirmed that He Chuan Zhou had walked away, he said
to Shao Zhixin, "Xiao Xin, there's an unwritten rule in our team that after work, we shouldn't discuss cases
that have no results, especially late at night when it's quiet."
Shao Zhixin pressed the screen of his phone on the table carefully and asked, "Why?"
Brother Huang sighed, "It's more ominous than receiving reports. Every time it's mentioned, nothing good
happens."
Shao Zhixin thought he was joking, "Haha, how is that possible?"
In the bathroom, the lights flickered on, and the person walked in from the doorway, reaching out under the
faucet.
The white stream of water flowed over the fingers with a gushing sound, causing the already cold fingertips
to stiffen. They clumsily flexed before splashing water onto the face.
The drowsiness quickly faded away in the shiver.
He Chuan Zhou stood up straight, wiped away the water stains with a tissue on the side, reached into her
pocket, and took out her phone.
There were two unread messages on the home screen.
The entire chat box was almost like a monologue, and the other person sent her a picture and said, "It's too
cold."
He Chuan Zhou quickly scanned past the white chrysanthemums and cold stone monument, closed the screen, and
looked at the cold and calm face in the mirror, took out a cigarette, and bit it between her lips.
Brother Huang was about to talk to Shao Zhixin about the magical aspects of various teams receiving reports when
his gaze drifted towards the doorway. After a brief pause, he asked in a more serious tone, "Captain He, are
you feeling unwell? The temperature difference has been large lately. Be careful not to catch a cold."
The hallway was dimly lit, while the main light inside was glaringly white. He Chuan Zhou's features were
deepened at the intersection of light and shadow, adding a touch of grimness to her already stern
expression. She still held an unlit cigarette in her mouth.
He Chuan Zhou rarely smoked, only lighting up during major cases or when pulling all-nighters. It indicated
her current state of agitation.
Shao Zhixin felt the temperature drop inexplicably around him.
Due to the cold, He Chuan Zhou's muscles tensed, her nostrils twitched slightly, and she replied in a low
voice, "It's nothing, just didn't sleep well. My left eyelid has been twitching."
"Left eyelid twitching? From a superstitious perspective, I suggest you visit a Taoist temple or a Buddhist
temple. From a scientific standpoint..." Brother Huang said half-seriously, half-jokingly, "You should really get
some rest. Your face shows signs of a lively nightlife."
He Chuan Zhou grunted in acknowledgment and raised her hand, saying, "I'll head off first."
As she descended the stairs, Shao Zhixin's phone also rang. After hanging up, he hurriedly left, but just as
he took a few steps, another notification popped up on his phone from the command centre.
Brother Huang answered the phone, threw on his coat, and locked eyes with Shao Zhixin at the door.
Shao Zhixin looked bewildered, his mouth slightly agape, murmuring, "Could it be so eerie?"
Brother Huang patted his head, signaling him to hurry up.
8:15 PM, Guangyuan Community.
This community was newly delivered two years ago and had a relatively high occupancy rate due to its prime
location.
Under the persuasion of the police officers from the police station, the residents had returned to their
respective rooms, but the noisy discussions could still be heard through the doors.
He Chuan Zhou put on her protective suit and carefully walked around the house. Finally, she stood in front of
the body for a while, waiting for her colleagues from the photography team to finish documenting before
waving her hand, signaling the forensic team to collect evidence.
A police officer explained the situation to them while holding a notebook.
"The deceased was not the homeowner but supposedly the homeowner's husband, named Tao Xianyong, 49 years
old, a native of City A. These are the identification documents found on him. The homeowner has always lived
in the countryside, and this house is usually unoccupied, with Tao Xianyong occasionally staying here for a
couple of days."
"The person who reported it was the cleaning lady. She said that if Tao Xianyong planned to stay
temporarily, he would notify her in advance, and she would come to clean. If there was no notice, she would
come to clean at the end of each month. This time, she called Tao Xianyong several times but got no answer,
so she came to clean as usual. When she entered, she found Tao Xianyong lying in the living room, already
dead for several days."
Shao Zhixin listened quietly and hesitantly asked, "Does the name sound familiar? Have you contacted the
family?"
He Chuan Zhou glanced at him and said, "You just met the family tonight."
Shao Zhixin: "Ah?"
He Chuan Zhou said expressionlessly, "It's the same family from the news you discussed earlier."