After returning home, Shao Cheng saw Bai Yang sitting in the study, reading a book in an upright and attentive posture. His sitting and standing postures were equally straight, and his long legs were neatly placed. When Shao Cheng entered the room, Bai Yang smiled at him, a smile as clean and warm as the winter sun.
“You’re back, boss. When do we start working?” Bai Yang asked.
“Now.” Shao Cheng casually took off his coat, pulled out another chair beside the computer desk, and sat down. He said, “I’ve sent you the manuscript.”
Bai Yang opened his computer. The old computer that Shao Cheng had replaced with a brand-new high-end laptop on the first day he moved in was light, thin, and speedy, saving him a lot of time. Of course, Bai Yang had noted down the price of this laptop in his debt book.
In a short while, Shao Cheng’s document was sent over. Suppressing his inner excitement, Bai Yang clicked “receive.” He might be one of the first people to read these articles. It felt like a privilege to be trusted like this.
“I’m not as skilled as you. I might not be able to spot any issues.” He said before he began reading.
Shao Cheng replied calmly, “Don’t be modest. You receive scholarships every year.”
“How did you know?” Bai Yang was a bit surprised. While the list of scholarship recipients wasn’t a secret, it wasn’t common knowledge either. Even his friend Ji Xiaoqun didn’t know what scholarships he had received.
Shao Cheng didn’t answer that question but said, “Enough talking, start reading.” With that, he went back to his own computer to work on his paper.
Bai Yang scratched his head and had no choice but to focus on the computer screen in front of him. He started reading the initial draft of Shao Cheng’s article.
And he was immediately captivated.
Shao Cheng’s manuscript was indeed a detective novel, and the plot was quite intriguing.
It roughly told the story of a murder case where the protagonist, a police officer, was involved in the investigation. The crime scene evidence pointed clearly to a suspect who had voluntarily confessed to the crime. At this point, it seemed that the case was solved. However, during the subsequent detailed investigation, the police began to discover discrepancies between the facts and what the suspect claimed. Suspicion grew, and things were not as straightforward as they seemed.
After discussions and consultations among the protagonist and other experts, they believed that the suspect confessed to protect the real culprit. The actual murderer was the suspect’s own older brother. As a result, the brother was put on trial, but no matter how much evidence was presented, he maintained that he was framed. The police and judges dismissed his claims as mere arguments, but the protagonist sensed that something was off when he saw the desperate and angry expression on the brother’s face. Throughout the course of the case, it seemed there was an invisible force guiding them to discover clues. All the investigators, including the protagonist, seemed like manipulated puppets, acting according to someone else’s will.
The protagonist pondered and analyzed, repeatedly reviewing all the details. Eventually, he uncovered the source of the unease. He concluded that the actual murderer was, in fact, the suspect who had originally confessed. The suspect had taken risks and then set up a complex illusion to make the police believe it was his brother, leading everyone astray.
Shao Cheng had written up to this point, but the ending was not yet included.
Bai Yang had been reading for about two hours. Shao Cheng’s writing was meticulous, composed, logically structured, and as dangerous as his persona. Coupled with the twists and turns of the plot, it was enough to outshine most of the detective novels he had borrowed from the library.
“You wrote it exceptionally well!” Bai Yang couldn’t help but grab Shao Cheng’s arm after finishing, “I never expected such a twist until the end! But looking back, there were indeed clues earlier. The foreshadowing was brilliantly done!”
Shao Cheng’s lips curled up briefly, then he quickly let go of Bai Yang’s arm and ruffled his hair forcefully.
Bai Yang looked at him with bright eyes, “How are you planning to end it?”
“Logically, the protagonist should capture the real culprit.” Shao Cheng replied.
Bai Yang nodded in agreement. After thinking for a moment, he added, “I have an idea, but please don’t mind if it’s not good. Maybe the ending could be a bit more unexpected. The protagonist could discover the true culprit after the case has been concluded and the trial is over, like several months or even a year or two later. By that time, the brother has already been imprisoned or even sentenced to death for his crime, while the younger brother has escaped legal consequences and settled abroad. The protagonist tries to reopen the case, but most of the evidence and witnesses are gone. They can’t catch the real culprit and can only watch justice slip away. The ending could include a conversation between them, where the real culprit brags in front of the protagonist, who is angry and frustrated but helpless, adding a tragic touch.”
After listening in silence for a few seconds, Shao Cheng said, “You have quite a few ideas.”
Bai Yang smiled somewhat sheepishly, “I was just thinking aloud. If you don’t like this ending, it’s fine.”
Shao Cheng didn’t say anything. After a while, he suddenly asked, “Have you written anything yourself?”
Bai Yang was taken aback. He did enjoy writing, otherwise, he wouldn’t have majored in Chinese literature. But he was different from Shao Cheng. He liked to write casual essays. He had a few articles published in newspapers and magazines during high school, but due to family circumstances, he struggled just to maintain his basic life and education. He didn’t have the time to develop this hobby.
Shao Cheng’s question reminded him that he had more free time now, and he could definitely write articles to earn money.
“I used to write some casual essays, but I lost the original manuscripts.” Bai Yang sighed.
Shao Cheng tapped the keyboard a few times and said, “I know a few editors at publishing houses. If your writing is good, I can show them, and maybe you can get published.”
Bai Yang looked at him in surprise, not knowing what to say.
“What’s wrong? Don’t want to?” Shao Cheng asked.
“Of course I want to! Thank you, really, thank you so much.” Bai Yang finally reacted and smiled, revealing two dimples that added a touch of innocence to his handsome face.
Shao Cheng’s gaze shifted uncomfortably, “Don’t thank me too soon. The precondition is that you write well.”
Bai Yang smiled brightly, “Sure, I’ll do my best.”
