Two hours later, the three went to the local police station and met Teacher Li, who was injured. His head was wrapped in bandages. He had just finished giving his statement and sat in the hallway with a glass of milk. Lin Dongxue stepped up to show him her badge and after introducing herself, Teacher Li said blankly, "Criminal police? Why are you looking for me?"

"Of course, it’s regarding matters related to you. Who attacked you?"

"I have just spoken to the local police, and I’ve described what the assailant looked like."

Chen Shi retrieved a photo on his mobile phone, which was a photo of Ah Zhen's elder brother, Ai Guowei. "Is this him?"

Mr. Li nodded desperately, "Yes, yes, this was the person. He didn't say anything and hit my head with a brick directly. If I hadn’t run away fast enough, I would have lost my life. Sure enough, criminal police are very efficient."

Lin Dongxue asked, "Do you know why he hit you?"

"How could I know?"

"His younger sister is called Ai Lizhen. She graduated from your school's economics and management department after three years and was formerly your student.

Teacher Li didn’t have an impression of her. Liu Qin pointed at himself. "Teacher Li, do you still remember me?"

Teacher Li still shook his head, so Lin Dongxue showed him Ah Zhen’s photo. Teacher Li furrowed his brows and took a while before he could recall, "I seem to have taught her before, but us university lecturers leave directly after class and we don’t have much interaction with the students. Furthermore, there are hundreds of students every year, so it’s impossible to remember them all.”

Chen Shi asked, "Have you ever had a relationship with your students?"

Teacher Li looked nervous. "Why are you asking this?!"

"Just investigating the case. It’s by no means for gossip. We won’t tell anyone either, so I hope that you can cooperate."

After muttering to himself irresolutely, Teacher Li replied, "I did have a relationship with a female student, but I was less than 30 years old at the time, and we only had a five-year age difference. Both parties were adults, so isn’t this legal and reasonable?"

The female student that he had been with wasn't connected with Ah Zhen at all, but the time was exactly four years ago. Chen Shi tried to confirm, "Was she the only one?"

"What are you saying? I'm not that kind of scum. It was just this one."

"What did the person who beat you today say?"

Teacher Li considered for a while, "He said that a debt of blood needs to be paid with blood. I’m totally confused. I don’t even know him. Is he related to XX (the girl that Teacher Li had a relationship with)?"[1]

"He isn’t. I think you were beaten today because of a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?! I almost lost my life. Such a thick brick was smashed onto my head. It wouldn’t be settled by just saying that it was a misunderstanding, right?”

"No, no, don't misunderstand. Although the other party had misunderstood something, he still needs to be legally responsible for causing your injury. We will definitely catch that person."

Teacher Li finally calmed down. "I believe you!"

It could be seen that the origin of the rumors may have been because of Sun Jun’s mistake, or due to ulterior motives.

Lin Dongxue said, "Do you want to arrest Ai Guowei?"

"Arrest him!"

It was getting late, so the day’s work stopped there. Chen Shi still had to go over to accompany Xiaodong. He asked Liu Qin, "You still plan to follow us?"

"What if I go home tonight and get killed?"

"Just lock the door."

Liu Qin shook his head desperately, "I’m afraid of being alone. Let me be with you, please. Please."

Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue exchanged glances with each other and Chen Shi asked Lin Dongxue to bring Liu Qin back to his home. That way, Lin Dongxue could take care of Yueyue. Lin Dongxue said, "Isn't Yueyue afraid of strangers?"

"It doesn't matter as long as you’re there. By the way, Liu Qin, don't use my razor. If you want to shave, go to the small supermarket at the entrance to buy one."

Liu Qin said, "You can rest assured that I’m hygienic and won’t cause you any trouble."

Lin Dongxue was obviously a little reluctant and sent a text message to Chen Shi after leaving. "I need to keep company with a strange man at your house at night?"

Chen Shi replied, "He is GAY. There is nothing to worry about. Oh yes, let him sleep on the sofa."

Lin Dongxue reluctantly returned a "Haii!" in her message.

Chen Shi bought some food and drinks and went to find Xu Xiaodong. He had been staying there for two days. Xu Xiaodong looked a little haggard. There was a layer of stubble around his mouth. He had gone to the old bookstore nearby to buy a large box of manhua[2]. He was reading them while lying on the sofa.

"You’ve worked hard!" Chen Shi said.

Seeing Chen Shi’s arrival, Xu Xiaodong sat up and stretched. "Brother Chen, has there been any progress?"

"What are you being impatient for? How can it be so fast?"

"I'm so bored!"

"Bored my ass!" Chen Shi glanced at the manhua that he had rented. "You have already read up to the Marineford battle in One Piece[3], so you must be in bliss today!"

"The mood is different. I have to constantly be wary about people coming in, so I can't relax at all."

"The most important thing about being a criminal police officer is..."

"Patience?"

"For you, it’s patience."

Xu Xiaodong opened the lunch box and suddenly realized, he said, "Brother Chen, what you said just now means that I have no talents and can only do this kind of work?"

"Haha, you finally reacted."

"You're so bad. I’ll pound your chest with my little fists~ Do I sound like Dongxue?"

"If you do that again, I’ll record it for Dongxue. She’ll come over and kill you immediately."

"One Piece is so good!" Xu Xiaodong shifted the topic "naturally".

As night fell, Lin Dongxue sent messages from time to time to "report" on the situation. "Liu Qin and Yueyue are bathing the cat, and Yueyue doesn't seem to resent him", "Liu Qin showed me a picture of his boyfriend. He’s quite handsome. Why are all the handsome boys gay?", "This youngster is very polite, and he closes the door when he uses the toilet, unlike you!"

Chen Shi replied, "Did he use my razor?"

"He bought one for himself."

"Let him put it in the cupboard when he finishes. He might still have to stay over tomorrow night.”

"You’re not coming back tomorrow night?"

"Xiaodong and I are talking about life and we were just getting to the key points. Don't disturb us!"

"Humph, I don't want you anymore!"

Chen Shi put down the phone. Xu Xiaodong ate potato chips and then said, "I think Luffy has this ability..."

The two chatted until 8:00, when they both suddenly stopped talking. Someone was outside. Chen Shi perked his ears up listening. The man walked to the door without attempting to be discreet.. He banged on the door and shouted, "Sun Jun, you motherfucker, come out!"

Xu Xiaodong was about to get up, when Chen Shi signaled that he should wait and see first.

The man knocked on the door for a long time, and then there was the sound of something being sprayed. Chen Shi opened the door and saw a hefty man and a thin man standing outside the door. The thin man was holding a spray can and was spraying on the wall, "A debtor must repay with money and a murderer must pay with his life.”

"Who are you?" The hefty man looked Chen Shi up and down.

"The same as you guys."

"Fuck, he gave you the house? Where did he disappear to?"

"He’s in the house!"

The hefty man kicked the door open and scolded, "Sun Jun, you..."

Xu Xiaodong, who had been hiding behind the door, pinned him down onto the sofa before he finished his sentence. The hefty man shouted, "What are you doing in broad daylight? You’re even trying to fuck with me?” When the handcuffs clicked into place on his wrists, the hefty man froze.

Chen Shi pulled the thin man in, closed the door, and shouted, "Squat down!"

The hefty man said disdainfully, "What joke is this? Don’t tell me that you guys are the police?”

"You’re right."

"Eh... please spare me!"

1. This is the format the author chose to use instead of giving the girl a random name.

2. Comics. AKA manga in Japan or manhwa in Korea.

3. RIP my heart during this arc.