Tu Ziyun didn't go back to the meeting with Fei Zuohua. He had been trying to contact Pei Cangyu all day without success, receiving only a single text message. Pei Cangyu had asked to meet at eleven-thirty. Although he felt it was too late, he figured life wasn't easy for high schoolers these days; it had been a long time since he was in school, and he wasn't quite sure how late they usually stayed up.
Regardless, Tu Ziyun agreed.
It was only a fifteen-minute drive from his place to Pei Cangyu’s school. Seeing that it looked like rain when he set out, he grabbed an umbrella.
At this hour, there weren't many cars on the street. Tu Ziyun drove onto the northern campus road, but a car ahead kept cutting him off. It was an arrogant sports car with music faintly thumping from within. A pale wrist adorned with gaudy bracelets dangled from the passenger window, clutching a bottle of 1664 beer. From the driver’s side, an elbow poked out, occasionally flicking cigarette ash into the wind.
Tu Ziyun glanced at the license plate but didn't feel like tangling with the late-night racing crowd. He continued to drive law-abidingly, but as he went to turn, the car suddenly surged ahead and blocked the intersection he needed, forcing him to drive past it. Tu Ziyun clicked his tongue in annoyance and had no choice but to keep going. He checked his watch; it was nearly eleven-thirty.
He tried to find another suitable spot to turn into the campus, but after circling around, it seemed there were no other entrances. As he drove, he eventually came to a stop under a bridge overpass.
Technically, it wasn't a place for parking, but Tu Ziyun had no other choice. The moment he stepped out of the car, his foot landed right in a puddle.
...
Stagnant water under the bridge.
Tu Ziyun cursed his rotten luck. He initially thought about getting back in and driving on, but it was already eleven-forty. He had to open his umbrella and head out on foot.
Just as he cleared the overpass, he saw Pei Cangyu.
To his surprise, Bai Shi was there too.
On a night like this, far removed from the day Bai Yinua died, Bai Shi’s demeanor was entirely different. Tu Ziyun instinctively bit back his words, keeping anything important to himself. What puzzled him most was Pei Cangyu’s resistance—a sudden, sharp sense of rejection.
There was no need to guess. Tu Ziyun looked at Bai Shi. The reason Pei Cangyu was pushing him away was standing right next to him.
Tu Ziyun nodded somewhat helplessly and took his leave first.
He returned to his car, trudging through the uneven depths of the puddles. He paused as he reached for the car door, stopping to survey the bridge tunnel. He had been here a few times before but had never paid much attention to this spot, and...
To test a theory, he walked back out. Bai Shi and Pei Cangyu had already left. He stood where Pei Cangyu had just been and looked toward the bridge tunnel. It was pitch black; he couldn't see a thing, let alone his own car. If he had just walked out from there, he must have looked incredibly suspicious... Suddenly, a realization hit him. Standing on the dry ground, he looked down at his ankles. With his pant legs soaked like this, to anyone who had just arrived, wouldn't he look like someone who had been lying in wait for a long time?
Tu Ziyun couldn't bring himself to smile. Could all of this really be a coincidence?
He stood at the entrance for a moment, suddenly remembering the sports car that had been cutting him off for several blocks. He pulled out his phone, called Fei Zuohua, and reported the license plate number.
Just as he hung up, he saw the beam of a flashlight inside the campus.
Tu Ziyun walked toward the school, watching the erratic flashlight beams sweeping the area. He heard a cacophony of shouting and cursing, voices demanding to know which bastard had tripped the circuit breaker.
As the two parties drew closer, Tu Ziyun felt at his waist. He wasn't carrying anything, but he switched on his own flashlight and shouted, "Who's there! Stay where you are! Police!"
The shout was effective. The figures froze visibly for a few moments, and Tu Ziyun even managed to catch a glimpse of one or two faces. Once the shock wore off, they bolted, running with practiced agility in one direction. Tu Ziyun dropped his umbrella and gave chase, but his age caught up with him, and he couldn't keep pace. He watched them vault over the wall. By the time he climbed over, all he saw were the tail ends of several vans disappearing into the distance. He squinted; the vehicles had no license plates.
Drenched in the rain, Tu Ziyun thought for a moment before turning back toward the school. Aside from needing his umbrella, there was another reason: if those people hadn't tripped the breaker—and Pei Cangyu didn't seem like the type to do it—could it have been Bai Shi’s people?
He waited until one in the morning, but when no further movement occurred within the school, Tu Ziyun finally left.
This forced him to seek out Pei Cangyu the following day. School was likely the only place where Pei Cangyu didn't have to be with Bai Shi.
However, that didn't go smoothly either.
After being turned away at the door, Tu Ziyun ran into Pei Cangyu’s homeroom teacher on his way downstairs. The teacher greeted him with a solemn expression. "Are you looking for Pei Cangyu?"
"Yes, but we're finished."
"Is that so? Good. In the future, please try to settle things in one go. He’s still a student, and he’s very busy with exams. It’s not right for the police to keep coming around." The teacher spoke with his hands behind his back, preparing to leave.
Tu Ziyun, being lectured by a junior, didn't know how to react for a moment. This teacher was remarkably blunt. On second thought, Tu Ziyun called out to him, "Could we have a chat?"
They sat in the office. The teacher was so startled that the hot water jar in his hand wobbled.
"Pei Cangyu? Becoming a policeman?"
Tu Ziyun nodded. "I’ve gained a lot of insight from my communications with young Pei. I think he might be suited for this path. What do you think?"
The teacher set the water jar on the desk and picked up his hand warmer. "Actually, I’ve been thinking about this lately too. The career path he put on his application..."
He trailed off, realizing he shouldn't say too much. "It’s a possibility. I’ll speak with him later. But do you have any brochures? Or the contact information for the recruitment office? Give me a way to reach them. I’ll look into the details before I talk to Pei Cangyu. He’s just a kid; he can’t just make a decision like that on a whim."
Looking at the teacher’s earnest face, Tu Ziyun felt a twinge of guilt. This idea had been a sudden impulse, born mostly out of concern for Pei Cangyu’s safety. Since this teacher was willing to stand up to the police for his student, it was only natural that he would act as a shield now.
Tu Ziyun agreed, promising to send detailed materials later. He specifically requested that the teacher not mention his name when speaking to Pei Cangyu.
The teacher looked puzzled. "Why?"
Tu Ziyun gave a practiced answer. "I don't want to put too much pressure on him."
Ultimately, he had to ask Fei Zuohua for help. Fei Zuohua was, after all, the head of the Z-District Police Department and had connections with police academy recruitment.
They agreed to meet at a bar called Taozhongxuan.
Tu Ziyun waited for a long time before Fei Zuohua arrived. With his usual upright posture, looking like a walking pine tree, he approached. He removed his gloves, folded them neatly on the bar counter, and sat down. "You said on the phone you wanted to ask about the police academy. What is it?"
"No rush, no rush. Let's have a drink first. Did you drive?" Tu Ziyun pushed the drink menu toward him.
Fei Zuohua shook his head. "I walked."
The bartender whistled and walked over, looking at Fei Zuohua. "You haven't been here in a while."
Fei Zuohua’s expression softened slightly at the sight of an acquaintance. "I've been busy handing over cases lately."
"Oh." The bartender leaned in and lowered his voice. "Is it that Bai Yinhua case?"
Fei Zuohua looked at him and frowned. "Don't go guessing."
His tone, however, was gentle, nowhere near angry.
Tu Ziyun glanced at the bartender. He was tall with a delicate, handsome face and seemed entirely non-threatening. No wonder the "pine tree" didn't have the heart to prick him. Tu Ziyun didn't come here often, but Fei Zuohua was a regular; the bartender was clearly a friend.
The bartender chuckled. "What are you drinking?"
Fei Zuohua didn't even look at the menu; he pulled out a cigarette. "Jägermeister."
The bartender looked displeased. "You come to my place to drink Jäger? You might as well stay home and drink. "
Fei Zuohua curled his lip. "Then why did you ask? Whatever you want." He tapped his cigarette. "Can I smoke?"
The bartender smiled. "I'll pick the drink. I'll let you smoke today."
Fei Zuohua put the cigarette back in his mouth and pulled out a lighter. As he lit it, he turned to Tu Ziyun. "What's this about the police academy?"
"Who is it for?" Fei Zuohua lit the cigarette and tossed the lighter onto the table.
"Pei Cangyu."
Fei Zuohua’s eyes widened slightly. "What?"
"It's just..."
Tu Ziyun smiled and recounted all his previous interactions with Pei Cangyu.
"..." Fei Zuohua pressed a hand to his forehead. "Why did you lie and tell him you had a nephew?"
Tu Ziyun sighed. "I wanted to bridge the distance. It just came out..."
Fei Zuohua stared at him for a long time before sighing. "How should I put this... is it because you were undercover that your brain works differently? Lies just roll off your tongue."
Tu Ziyun didn't act like an elder at all, letting out a couple of chuckles. "That's why I might need your help."
Fei Zuohua suppressed his annoyance. "How can I help?"
"The police academy thing I mentioned."
Fei Zuohua nodded. "Fine. I'll have a friend send over a brochure. I heard they're adding a lot of schools this year, and Pei Cangyu’s school should be among them. There might even be a more detailed presentation."
"Good."
But Fei Zuohua didn't let it go. He took on the air of a subordinate offering advice to a superior. "I still want to say one more thing."
"Eh?"
"I don't think it's good for you to lie to Pei Cangyu like that." Fei Zuohua furrowed his youthful brow. "He is... quite... quite..."
He didn't finish the sentence, so Tu Ziyun finished it for him. "Gullible?"
"Pure," Fei Zuohua corrected him.
Tu Ziyun said nothing.
Tu Ziyun drank his liquor in silence, not speaking for a long time before finally smiling. "A friend, huh... didn't you say you weren't close?"
Fei Zuohua turned his face away and tapped his glass. The bartender walked over to refill it. "What's wrong? You look pale."
Fei Zuohua glanced at him. "Do you always talk this much?"
"Aren't all bartenders like this?" He spread his hands and gave a mock-solemn sigh, even sticking a small orange paper umbrella into Fei Zuohua’s glass. Fei Zuohua frowned but didn't remove it. The bartender laughed heartily, looking quite pleased.
"Mingyue, hurry up." A woman holding an invoice called out to the bartender from the other side. "Come look at this batch."
The bartender shrugged at them, set the bottle down, and pushed it toward them. He looked down at Fei Zuohua. "It's all yours. My treat."
Fei Zuohua looked up. "So kind all of a sudden?"
"Even a villain wouldn't have the heart to be mean to someone like you."
Fei Zuohua grimaced in disgust, and the bartender left, chuckling.
Tu Ziyun stared at his retreating back and asked Fei Zuohua, "What's his name? I haven't seen him the last few times I was here."
"Lu Mingyue." Fei Zuohua opened the bottle. "He's the owner of Taozhongxuan. He has several branches, so it's normal for him not to be around."
"Have you known him long?"
Fei Zuohua poured the drink. "Hmm... four or five years, I suppose."
Tu Ziyun’s phone buzzed with a text message.
"What is it?" Fei Zuohua asked.
After reading it, Tu Ziyun put his phone down and massaged his temples. "It's from Section Eight. They say I can go see Ding Chuan now."
