Was there a connection between the kidnapping of Hosei Bing by the murderer and the murder of Liu Tianshi? On the surface, there seemed to be no causal link, but was that really the case?
If the kidnapper’s aim wasn’t to extort money, what was it?
This case was like a bottomless pit—the deeper they dug, the more chaotic it became.
Meng Jin felt as if he was drawing a circle. Inside the circle were the details they had uncovered; outside it lay the unknown. The more information they gathered, the larger the circle grew, and the unknowns multiplied.
Zhao Yunzhi was nearly in tears. “Team Meng, can’t you do without me? Can’t you just let me go? This case really has me down.”
Meng Jin was unsympathetic, responding coldly, “Don’t you have a strategist backing you?”
Zhao Yunzhi took a few seconds to reply, “You mean your old classmate Andy, huh? Hehe, I haven’t replied to his messages or answered his video calls for the past few days. He seems to have stopped contacting me these last two days. Is he angry?”
“He often sends you messages and video calls?” Meng Jin was surprised, almost dropping his jaw.
Zhao Yunzhi, not understanding Meng Jin’s astonishment, nodded dumbly, “Yeah. It’s annoying. No, I mean…” Realizing he’d accidentally spoken the truth, he scrambled to find the right words to save face.
“So why don’t you reply to his messages?”
“Just, just…” Unable to find an explanation, he simply blurted out the truth, “It’s annoying. I thought I was quite the chatterbox, but your classmate outdoes me.”
Long De? Chatty? Was this the same high and mighty Long De they knew? Could it be that America had completely transformed his personality? Considering those passionate and crazed characters in American films, Meng Jin thought this was the only reasonable explanation.
Zhao Yunzhi sent several messages on his phone, then exclaimed in frustration, “It’s over, the strategist is ignoring me. He used to reply instantly, but now it’s been three minutes with no response.” He slumped back in his seat, beating his chest in despair.
Suddenly, Zhao Yunzhi’s phone rang. He listlessly looked at the screen, then his eyes widened in shock—it was Andy.
Seeing the messages but having no time to reply via WeChat, he had called directly. It was the first time someone had paid him such attention, and Zhao Yunzhi felt a secret thrill of pride.
He answered the call, then suddenly jumped up, “Bang!” His head hit the car roof, startling Meng Jin.
Zhao Yunzhi ended the call, his lips twitching, “Team Meng, your classmate is here, asking me to pick him up at the airport. Got anything on? If not, come with me.”
“Who’s here?” Meng Jin hadn’t caught on.
“Andy. Your classmate,” Zhao Yunzhi turned the car around, buzzing with excitement. “Is your classmate one of those spontaneous types? He just says he’s coming and comes—not just out of province, but out of country. Does he make a lot of money? Rich people really do whatever they want. I love his style, you know. You might think I’m mild and gentle, a real gentleman, but inside, I’m wild too.”
Zhao Yunzhi continued his monologue, oblivious to whether Meng Jin responded or even noticed that Meng Jin was upset.
Meng Jin felt downcast. They had been classmates for three years, and although they weren’t close, they weren’t enemies either. Long De was back in the country and hadn’t thought to contact him, choosing instead a stranger he had never met.
It was a blatant disregard! What bothered Meng Jin the most was not the disregard itself, but that he couldn’t disregard the person who had disregarded him.
When he came to his senses, they were already speeding towards the airport on the expressway.
Meng Jin suddenly felt nervous, covertly checking his appearance in the rearview mirror—was his hairstyle out-of-date, his attire appropriate, his skin sagging, had he aged?
Not wanting to be scrutinized by an old rival, he couldn’t help feeling competitive, a decade-long fixation he couldn’t let go of.
Standing at the arrival gate, Zhao Yunzhi was relaxed while Meng Jin felt as if he was about to meet an internet friend for the first time. He thought about backing out but couldn’t make his feet move; he wouldn’t allow himself to retreat. If he did, he would never be able to win against Long De.
Suddenly, he was jolted by a heavy slap on his arm. Zhao Yunzhi pointed ahead, “There he is! That’s him, right? I’m not mistaken, am I?”
Meng Jin followed his gaze through the crowd of men and women, struggling to recognize anyone.
Zhao Yunzhi pulled him forward, and only then did Meng Jin lock onto the target.
Long De was dressed in a black suit, white shirt, and black tie—the epitome of a business elite.
Meng Jin’s eyes moved up to Long De’s face, searching for traces of the boy he once knew. Long De’s features were the same but matured; his skin had darkened a bit, which far from detracting, added a more virile appeal.
The present Long De was almost unrecognizable from his high school days—not just in features and dress, but in aura and demeanor as well.
Long De and Zhao Yunzhi exchanged pleasantries with a warmth that made them seem like old classmates who hadn’t seen each other in years.
Meng Jin was left out, feeling so awkward he could have scraped together a living room suite. He regretted coming; it was all Zhao Yunzhi’s fault.
He kicked Zhao Yunzhi’s shoe in frustration. Only then did Zhao Yunzhi remember him. Long De shook hands with Meng Jin politely. Without that “long time no see,” one might have thought they were strangers.
This proud guy has never really seen me! Meng Jin fumed silently, extremely vexed but without an outlet for his frustration, lest he seem deranged.
Throughout the drive, Zhao Yunzhi and Long De chatted enthusiastically. Zhao Yunzhi led the conversation; Long De responded to every question, the host and guest enjoying themselves thoroughly. Meng Jin felt superfluous, unable to join in or even wanting to.
Halfway through, Zhao Yunzhi finally remembered his superior and tried to include Meng Jin in the conversation, even thoughtfully bringing up their high school days. This only led to peak awkwardness; Long De and Meng Jin’s conversation was completely disjointed, as if they had never been classmates.
Eventually, Long De simply stopped talking, and Meng Jin, not one to force himself into conversation, quickly changed the subject.
Belatedly realizing the mood was off, Zhao Yunzhi quickly shifted the topic to the case, sharing all their findings with Long De.
Long De said, “Hmm, I agree with Captain Meng’s analysis. It’s not that Jennie Yang doesn’t care about the child; she cares enough to want to get rid of it. If that child wasn’t Liu Er’s, she wouldn’t have a reason to do so. Therefore, the child must be Liu Er’s, or at least, as long as there’s a chance the child is Liu Er’s, she wants it gone. As for the reason, that’s still unclear.”
Zhao Yunzhi was puzzled, “Does Hosei Bing’s child, or Liu Er’s child, have anything to do with Liu Tianshi’s murder? What’s the connection?”
Long De analyzed without hesitation, assuming there’s an eighty percent chance Hosei Bing was kidnapped by the murderer, the purpose wasn’t for ransom but to hide her away. I think the kidnapper was protecting Hosei Bing. Knowing Jennie Yang wanted to terminate the unborn child, the kidnapper wanted to protect the child. Why not assume the kidnapper killed Liu Tianshi with the same motive—to protect the child?
Was the motive behind killing Liu Tianshi not revenge?
This was a novel idea. Neither Meng Jin nor Zhao Yunzhi had considered it before.
Long De continued, “We’ve been wondering why the murderer would seek revenge after over twenty years. Is it possible that the motive wasn’t revenge but to protect Hosei Bing’s child? Digging deeper, Hosei Bing’s child is Liu Er’s child. The murderer was protecting Liu Er’s child. Liu Er died less than a year ago, and his death triggered a series of reactions, one of which was Liu Tianshi’s murder.”
The connection between Liu Tianshi’s and Liu Er’s deaths offered a fresh perspective.
Zhao Yunzhi couldn’t praise Long De enough, exuding an enthusiasm that made Meng Jin see him smile genuinely for the first time.
Zhao Yunzhi’s admiring gaze was like something straight out of a comic book.
Meng Jin, being rather ordinary, felt a bitter twinge but had to admit that Long De’s analysis opened up new avenues of thought, enlightening him significantly.
“We need to meet that courier, what’s his name? And his sister,” Long De said to Zhao Yunzhi.
Long De’s memory was exceptional, except when it came to names. Some had face blindness; he had name blindness, often mixing them up.
Meng Jin recalled a humorous incident: Long De always called their classmates by the wrong names, which angered the two involved who thought he did it on purpose. After all, Long De was top of the class and had a photographic memory—no one believed he couldn’t remember two names. To get back at him, those classmates deliberately called him “lacking in virtue,” which made the whole class burst into laughter. From then on, Long De gained a nickname. Most people called him Long De to his face but “lacking in virtue” behind his back.
“Team Meng, what are you laughing at?” Zhao Yunzhi blinked his large eyes, his long eyelashes fluttering like crow feathers.
Meng Jin hadn’t realized he’d actually laughed out loud and naturally wouldn’t tell the truth, making up an excuse to brush it off.
Zhao Yunzhi turned back to speak with Long De, discussing their plans to meet Guo Tiandi, seemingly forgetting Meng Jin’s presence.
Long De had booked a hotel, surprisingly the same one under the Fang Zheng Group that Hosei Bing had stayed in.
The receptionist recognized Meng Jin and Zhao Yunzhi and thought they were there to investigate the case again. After some explanations, the misunderstanding was cleared up.
Once settled, the trio dined in the hotel restaurant. Zhao Yunzhi, playing the host, treated Long De like an honored guest, taking care of everything from choosing the restaurant to ordering the dishes.
Long De was easygoing, agreeing with all of Zhao Yunzhi’s suggestions.
Meng Jin was curious why Long De had suddenly returned to the country. Was it for a family visit, or was it business?
“Long De, did you come back to the country for business?” Meng Jin casually asked towards the end of the meal.
Long De glanced up briefly, his eyes resting on Meng Jin’s face for less than a second, “No, I came back specifically for this case.”
Meng Jin was surprised, “Do you have a personal connection to someone involved in the case?”
“Yes,” Long De’s lips curled up.
