The three of them finally brought Liang Zuoming's body to Peng Sijue after much struggle. It was almost noon. Lin Dongxue asked Chen Shi to go for lunch, but Chen Shi shook his head. "I have something to do. I’ll come back this afternoon."

"You have to eat even if you have something to do. Let's go out and have a good meal. I’ll treat you! These two days have worked us to our bones and while it’s important to find Tao Yueyue, it doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice your life. You’ve said that it’s important whether someone is happy or not. You haven’t smiled this whole morning. I’m worried about you."

Chen Shi smiled bitterly. "In your opinion, does grilled fish cure all illnesses?"

Lin Dongxue also smiled. "If you want to eat something else, that’s fine too. I’ll treat you!"

"Then let’s eat grilled fish!"

They went to the familiar grilled fish restaurant. Watching the sizzling grilled fish covered with oil and chili being served up, Chen Shi couldn't even remember what he had eaten at noon yesterday. Indeed, Zhou Xiao and Ling Shuang have kept them busy going round in circles over the past two days. Sitting in a bright and clean restaurant while seeing the customers at the other tables talking and laughing felt a bit strange.

"People will only be energetic if they eat and sleep well. When you have energy, you won’t be so sluggish!" Lin Dongxue said while giving Chen Shi a piece of fish.

"I'm thinking that if what the diary says is true, does that mean Tao Yueyue has stopped committing crimes? Can her sentence be reduced?"

"Let's talk about something else..."

"There’s nothing else in my head right now."

"Then evaluate the grilled fish."

Chen Shi took a bite and said, "It's delicious."

Lin Dongxue lowered her head to eat, and said, "The crisp fish skin is fragrant, the fish flesh is tender and fragrant with peppers..." Her voice gradually quietened, and she wiped away her tears.

"Are you thinking about your older brother?"

"It's okay. Let’s continue to eat. I haven't eaten grilled fish for a long time." Lin Dongxue pretended to be cheerful and avoided the topic. Chen Shi understood that her mood was just as somber. Lin Qiupu was now seriously injured and in hospital. The doctor’s diagnosis hinted that he might become a vegetable.

Both of them were crushed by the troubles of reality, but being immersed in grief didn't help at all. The grilled fish that should be eaten still had to be eaten, and when it was necessary to laugh, it was still necessary to laugh.

"I want to drink some beer. Grilled fish paired with draft beer."

"What wishful thinking!"

After a good meal, the mood was a little more relaxed. In the afternoon, the two busied themselves with their own matters. Lin Dongxue and Little Li went to the scene to investigate. They went to meet the traffic police as well as Tao Yueyue's good friend Wei Zengmali.

Tao Yueyue had been missing for three days. Wei Zengmali thought she was ill. Whether she sent text messages, WeChat messages or made phone calls, it was as if she was sending clay oxen into the sea.[1] When she heard the word "missing" from Lin Dongxue's mouth, Wei Zengmali was extremely shocked. "Missing? Why did she go missing? We’re about to take the junior high school examination. No, no, the exam is not important. She’s been out alone for over three days. Isn’t that really dangerous? My dad said that there was a murderer in the city running around the last few days!"

"Little classmate, don't be so agitated. We’re here to investigate this matter."

"Oh. Oh."

"Tao Yueyue hasn’t come to school since May 29th, right?"

Wei Zengmali counted out the days on her fingers. "Yes, since Friday. The form teacher even asked me why she hadn’t come, and I said, ‘Probably because she’s feeling unwell.’ I thought her period had come because she had asked me to accompany her to buy sanitary napkins two days ago.”

"Has the form teacher notified her parents?"

"Uh, you should ask the teacher."

"Did she exhibit any abnormal behavior before she disappeared?"

This question was too general. Wei Zengmali couldn't come up with an answer immediately. Lin Dongxue rephrased her question. "You have a little kitten on the way home from school, right?"

"Wow, you all know this as well? Yeah, yeah, it was a very cute kitten. I don't know which psycho that day..." Wei Zengmali showed a sad expression. "Its head had been chopped off by someone. I was... I almost fainted at the time. I’ll show you pictures of the kitten. What kind of person can do this kind of thing? They must be a psycho. Psycho! Damn psycho! Yueyue told me something about how setting fires, bedwetting, and cruelty to animals are criteria for something?"

"The three childhood characteristics of serial killers?"

"Yes, yes, Yueyue also thinks this person must have an antisocial personality!"

Lin Dongxue interrupted her. "Do you know who did it?"

"If I knew who did it!" Wei Zengmali said dramatically. "I'll... I'll buy a little straw doll to write their birth date on and curse them to be hit by a car when they go out!"

Lin Dongxue had a thought flash through her mind. This "wish" has been realized.

It can be seen that this female classmate’s righteous indignation towards the cat abuse incident was equal to Tao Yueyue’s. People’s feelings for a cat, a dog or a virtual character are difficult to quantify and thus can easily cause value conflicts. To a dog lover, a beloved dog’s suffering is by no means a trivial matter, but outsiders would not be able to understand. "Isn’t it just a dog?"

"When was the kitten's head cut off?"

Wei Zengmali counted out the days on her fingers and replied, "I remember it to be Tuesday."

Lin Dongxue jotted it down in her notebook and asked for some other details. Although Wei Zengmali's statement was slightly different, it was generally consistent with Tao Yueyue's diary.

Tao Yueyue's words were partially confirmed, which made her a little worried.

"A male student in your class died in a traffic accident. Do you know about this?" Lin Dongxue finally asked about it.

Wei Zengmali twirled around suddenly. Lin Dongxue and Little Li looked puzzled. "Classmate, what are you doing?"

"Please allow me to express my joy over this matter through dance."

"The deceased is your classmate though?" Little Li said.

"Liang Zuoming is a scumbag. Scum! Bag! Elder Police Sisters, if you go to our class and ask everyone what they think of Liang Zuoming, I promise you will only receive two answers. One would be, ‘Oh, I don’t know him too well.’ These would be Liang Zuoming’s disreputable friends. The others will answer, ‘He deserved to die.’ These would be the people who have been bullied by Liang Zuoming. He’s a bully, and even the teacher doesn’t want to engage with him. Our class is still discussing whether or not to send a brocade banner to express our thanks and support to the driver who hit Liang Zuoming... By the way, is the righteous driver going to be sentenced?"

Lin Dongxue was amused by this little girl's brilliant performance. "The traffic police said that he did not violate any traffic rules. Liang Zuoming suddenly fell in front of his bus, but..."

Before Lin Dongxue could finish her words, Wei Zengmali suddenly ran away, shouting loudly in the class that was still in session, "The Elder Police Sister said that the driver who killed Liang Zuoming isn’t legally liable!"

There was instantly a burst of enthusiastic cheering in the classroom. Lin Dongxue mustered up a bitter smile. Her meaning had been misinterpreted by the little girl.

Wei Zengmali replied with joy, "Elder Police Sister, did you hear that? These are the cheers of the masses. He really deserved it! No one pities him."

"We're not here to discuss Liang Zuoming’s character. Oh yes, you were on that street at the time, right?"

"Yes."

"Was Tao Yueyue with you?"

"Yes..." Wei Zengmali's expression changed, as if she had realized something. "I know what you’re going to ask. When Liang Zuoming was about to be knocked down, Yueyue suddenly became very tense and weird. She ran over and shouted 'Liang Zuoming, stop quickly!'... No, she started running a few seconds before the accident!"

Lin Dongxue's heart sank. This scene really happened?!

1. Sending things into the abyss.