Chapter 2, The Returnee

Why did the murderer kill the professor

On the morning of September 12, 2006, the Yunque passenger ship was slowly sailing on the sea, with Yujiang Wharf faintly visible in the distance

What words did the professor leave before passing away

Someone took down the large portrait of Professor Xia Qing and handed it to Xia Xiaoqiang, while another person handed the urn of Professor Xia Qing's ashes to Xia Xiaowei

Disembarking, I hurriedly left the dock and took a taxi straight to Yujiang University

Shen Mo glanced at Cheng Du and then followed Xia Xiaowei. Xia Xiaowei led Shen Mo, walking past the astonished gazes of the crowd, and ascended the stairs. The sound of leather shoes echoed on the wooden stair treads, producing a "thud thud" sound

Xia Xiaoqiang held the portrait in front, while Xia Xiaowei carried the urn behind her. Following them were Tian Ye, Shen Mo, and Wang Xiaocui, all of whom were weeping. They walked out of Building A, No. 3 Yilv Garden, under the guidance of a steward

Shen Mo was surprised; he did not expect Xia Xiaowei's logical reasoning to be so strong: "Please continue."

"Miss Er, Uncle Cheng said that all the guests have arrived, we should head to the cemetery now" Wang Xiaocui urged cautiously

The degree continued to shout: "The auspicious time has arrived, commence the spirit!"

"Brother Shenmo!" Xia Xiaowei called softly

Xiaowei, I am Shenmo, please let the teacher answer the phone

"Brother Shenmo, this should be a topic that you and Dad researched together, right?" Xia Xiaowei did not respond; she gazed at the manuscript on the workbench

You have arrived. Xia Xiaoqiang wore a sorrowful expression, her complexion pale, lips darkened, appearing quite unwell

"Brother Shenmo, where are you now? Are you still in Dalian?" Xia Xiaowei asked, her voice choked with emotion

Someone came forward to take the suitcase from Shen Mo's hands

The whistle sounded as the Lark arrived at the Yujiang Wharf

Feeling somewhat awkward in silence, Wang Xiaocui's appearance just happened to provide an escape for him. Changing the subject, he said to Xia Xiaowei: "Xiaowei, let's go downstairs!"

As the wind blows and the scent of the sea fills the air, my silent thoughts seem to linger in Dalian, at the site of the Asian Historical Studies Conference. Renowned historians, each a name that resonates both domestically and internationally, appear before me—familiar yet distant. For a newly graduated master's student, attending such a high-caliber conference is nothing short of a miracle—a miracle created by Professor Xia Qing. As Professor Zeng Ping remarked: "Silence, your teacher has placed you on their shoulders; you cannot help but stand tall!" For a newly graduated master's student, attending such a high-caliber conference is nothing short of a miracle—a miracle created by Professor Xia Qing. As Professor Zeng Ping remarked: "Silence, your teacher has placed you on their shoulders; you cannot help but stand tall!"

Shen Mo pondered for a moment and said, "Have you seen the professor's recent manuscript on the topic?"

Principal Cheng ... ... '' Silence halted the cries.

Get up! Cheng Du looked at Shen Mo and kindly nodded. Then he turned around and shouted: "Xiao Cui! Xiao Cui..."

The key to the study is in my hand. Brother Shenmo, if you wish to come, you can find me at any time. Until you find a clue, I will not allow anyone to step into the study even a single step. Xia Xiaowei was almost stubborn in her persistence.

A girl of about eighteen or nineteen years old arrived in response—Wang Xiaocui. Wang Xiaocui had a bandage wrapped around her head; that night, had the assailant exerted a bit more force, she might have gone along with Professor Xia Qing. Wang Xiaocui stepped forward to support Xia Wei.

"Do you think Dad is still working on another research project?" asked Xia Xiaowei

Silence had to admit to Xia Xiaowei's sharpness, nodding and saying: "Yes, I think so too. However, we have not found anything at present"

Silence hurriedly ran towards the cabin, only to collide head-on with a person who had just exited the cabin.

Silently smiled and said: "Sir, I apologize. My luggage is still in the cabin!"

"Sit down, please..." Xia Xiaoqiang said weakly

You! You are most likely to be left with what your father has. Because in your father's eyes, you will be the best candidate

Silence nodded slightly

According to the death certificate issued by the forensic expert, Professor Xia Qing's time of death was between 11:30 PM on September 9, 2006, and 12:30 AM the following day. The location was in his own study. The cause of death was gunshot wounds. The professor was shot twice in total, with one bullet striking the third rib on the right side of his chest and the other in the head. The gunshot to the head was fatal, with the bullet entering through the left eye and penetrating the entire skull. The Public Security Bureau has already opened an investigation, but there are no results yet

The professor was murdered

What did the professor put in the safe? Shen Mo asked

Shen Mo was taken aback and urgently asked, "Xiaowei! What happened to the teacher?"

I have returned to Yujiang and just disembarked. Quickly tell me what exactly happened

Silence observed Chengdu sitting on the sofa, while two young men from the president's office of Yujiang University stood opposite him, whispering something inaudibly. Chengdu could be seen nodding. After a moment, the two young men exited. Chengdu stood up and announced loudly: "Dear friends and family! The time for the funeral procession is approaching! The vehicles heading to the cemetery are already parked outside the courtyard, each marked with a number. Vehicles No. 1 and No. 2 are the hearse; please do not board these two vehicles, while others may choose freely. The vehicles heading to the cemetery are already parked outside the courtyard, each marked with a number. Vehicles No. 1 and No. 2 are the hearse; please do not board these two vehicles, while others may choose freely. All deacons, please prepare the wreaths and offerings according to your respective duties! Everyone, please proceed with your preparations."

You will find him, Dad cannot just leave like this. Brother Shenmo, promise me, you must find him and avenge Dad!

Brother Shenmo, I have always had a premonition that Father must have been secretly researching something, and it is precisely this research that brought about his demise. These scraps of paper are part of the project manuscript. It was Father who activated the self-destruct mechanism of the safe before his death, turning the manuscript into scraps. Most of the scraps were taken away by the murderer, and these few pieces must have been left behind. This can only indicate one thing: the murderer came specifically for the items in the safe. Most of the scraps were taken away by the murderer, and these few pieces must have been left behind. This can only indicate one thing: the murderer came specifically for the items in the safe.

Step outside for a moment. Chengdu turned around and left the room

"Principal Cheng, what exactly happened? How could the professor have suddenly passed away?"

Then you should hurry home!" After saying this, Xia Xiaowei hung up the phone

The professor's study is quite unique; apart from the empty spaces where the doors and windows are located, all four walls are lined from floor to ceiling with solid wood bookshelves in an antique bronze color. In the center is a workbench of the same color, spacious and sturdy. Opposite the workbench is a rectangular antique-style coffee table accompanied by a pair of single sofas. This scene is not unfamiliar to Shen Mo. He navigates around the sofas and coffee table to the back side of the workbench. Shen Mo notices a human outline drawn on the floor. That must be where the professor's body lay, he thinks. His eyes scan the workbench, which is already covered with a light layer of dust; if the professor were alive, such a situation would never occur. On the desk are several books, including four volumes of "Draft History of the Qing Dynasty" stacked together, alongside a thin book, which is Tagore's poetry collection "Gitanjali." Additionally, there is a stone-carved pen holder with a few pens casually inserted inside. In a concealed corner to the left of the workbench is a dark red safe. The door of the safe is open, and it is completely empty.

The surging crowd forced Silence to the side. Silence could only watch as the hurried people passed by one after another, jostling against each other as they left the Lark ferry.

The cries of the sisters Xia Xiaoqiang and Xia Xiaowei gradually subsided

Was someone murdered? When did it happen? Who was responsible? Has the murderer been caught?

"Miss Er! Uncle Cheng is calling for you..." Wang Xiaocui shouted at the door of the study.

The door to the living room drew ever closer, until it swallowed the silence. On the front wall, there was a large black-and-white portrait of Professor Xia Qing, his elongated face radiating a smile, with a pair of sharp yet kind eyes behind the lenses of his glasses. Below the portrait was an altar made of pine branches and fresh flowers. At the center of the altar stood a red wooden box—a urn for ashes. On the walls flanking the altar hung a pair of mourning couplets, written in black characters on white cloth: "The grass and trees share the sorrow, an unfortunate giant has fallen in Huaxia; the wind and rain weep together, surely his illustrious name will remain in Hanqing."

Shen Mo suddenly felt that something was amiss; there was something extra in the palm of his hand. When he opened it, he found a small piece of crumpled paper. Flattening it out, there were only four characters: Desert Rose. Shen Mo looked up, and the old man was gone, leaving the deck completely empty.

"Silent Brother! Please, have a seat, have a seat. Look at you, rushing over right after disembarking; how can both Xiaoqiang and I accept this!" Politeness, the kind that keeps others at arm's length. The speaker was a young man descending the stairs, dressed in a beige suit with a black bow tie, exuding an air of confidence. Tian Ye, the husband of Xiaoqiang, is the manager of the Asian Affairs Office of Olof Jewelry Company.

That is the hidden five knife holes, the self-destruct mechanism of the safe. The power supply is at the bottom of the safe, and here is the activation device. Xia Xiaowei stepped forward, pointing to one side of the workbench near the safe, where an oval transparent label was affixed. She reached out to peel off the label, revealing a small round glass piece inside. This is an infrared receiver. The transparent label serves both as a disguise and does not affect its use. The infrared emitter is located...

People are bustling about

Building 3 of Yujang University, located in the northwest corner of the campus at Yilv Garden, is a three-story duplex villa featuring a pointed roof and white walls with red tiles. The entire building is divided into two separate units, A and B.

Xiaowei! I... don't know what to say about the extent of this.

When Shen Mo appeared at Building A, No. 3, Yiluyuan, Yujing University, dragging his suitcase, many people were coming and going, and a row of flower wreaths formed a long line outside the gate. Shen Mo's heart immediately froze as he rushed into the familiar courtyard. In the half-acre courtyard, several clusters of blooming roses were helplessly submerged among the colorful paper flowers. White, yellow, pink, brilliant and enchanting. The door to the living room was open, like a lonely void. In the half-acre courtyard, several clusters of blooming roses were helplessly submerged among the colorful paper flowers. White, yellow, pink, brilliant and enchanting. The door to the living room was open, like a lonely void.

The last character of the couplet is embedded with the two characters "Xia Qing". The signature is: "Cheng Du Qi Wan"

I asked in confusion, "What?"

Xiaowei! What on earth happened? Why don't you say something!

Chengdu shook his head

"Brother Shenmo, let's go down first!" said Xia Xiaowei

The person was unexpectedly bumped and stumbled, shouting: "Ouch! Why are you running so fast?"

Who? The silent gaze met Xia Xiaowei's gaze

Silence soon followed into the courtyard

A convoy consisting of more than twenty vehicles wound its way forward

Silence, you must hold on. The events unfolded too suddenly, and no one could have anticipated that such a thing would happen

Shen Mo stood up in surprise, looking at Xia Xiaowei. Did Xia Xiaowei see through his thoughts? Or did she herself share the same doubts as him? Shen Mo was momentarily at a loss for how to respond

A sense of foreboding washed over him as he silently turned and entered the cabin door, hurriedly retrieved his luggage, and returned to the deck. Taking out his phone, he walked while dialing Professor Xia Qing's home number, and the call was answered by Professor Xia's youngest daughter, Xia Xiaowei

Silence gently parted the hands of the fields, turning to Cheng Du and asking: "Principal Cheng, teach him ... ... "

Xia Xiaowei shook her head

"Uncle Cheng, you can rest assured! I am fine," said Xia Xiaowei. "Brother Shenmo, come with me!" After saying this, Xia Xiaowei turned and entered the living room

I understand. Silence interrupted Xia Xiaowei's introduction. Shen Mo had already discovered the flaw, as one side of the receiver was too close to the workbench to send signals from any other angle. Therefore, there was only one possibility: the transmitter was hidden somewhere on the workbench. Shen Mo noticed that there was a similar round hole on the opposite side of the workbench from the safe, covered by a small piece of round glass. He turned to the front of the workbench and found the launch button on the inner side of the workbench surface. Shen Mo saw that there was a similar round hole on the opposite side of the workbench from the safe, covered by a small piece of round glass. He turned to the front of the workbench and found the launch button on the inner side of the workbench surface. "Here! This is the launch button," Shen Mo said, pointing at the button and turning to look at Xia Xiaowei.

"As brothers, it would be inappropriate to treat each other as outsiders with managers coming and going. Xiaoqiang is three days older than you, so you should call me brother-in-law instead." Tianye walked over and patted Shenmo's shoulder

This ... ... let's wait a bit longer! Is that alright? You see, both Xiaoqiang and Xiaowei are still immersed in their sorrow ... ...

Silence took a look and found that it was the manuscript of the research topic he had been working on with the professor: "The Religion and Dissemination of Monsoon Asia." The manuscript was complete and intact. After placing the professor's manuscript on the workbench, Silence crouched down to examine the safe. The safe had a faint circular mark on each of its five walls: top, bottom, left, right, and directly opposite. Silence reached out and touched each of those circular marks, but he did not feel any significant differences. The safe had a faint circular mark on each of its five walls: top, bottom, left, right, and directly opposite. Silence reached out and touched each of those circular marks, but he did not feel any significant differences.

Shen Mo looked at Xia Xiaoqiang, paused for a moment, and said softly: "You have lost weight"

"Brother Shenmo! Dad..." Xia Xiaowei sobbed on the phone

Silently standing on the deck, with both hands resting on the railing. The white short-sleeved T-shirt and beige casual pants flutter gently in the sea breeze

Xia Xiaowei opened a drawer of the workbench, took out a thick stack of manuscript paper, and asked, "Is this what you are referring to?"

"Brother Shenmo, please come with me!" Xia Xiaowei had come out at some point.

Principal Cheng, may I take a look in the professor's study?

Teacher ... ... '' He fell to his knees in silence, tears streaming down his face, unable to speak due to his sobs

Shen Mo slightly frowned, as if he had just swallowed a fly: "Oh, it's Manager Tian..."

The elder waved his hand towards Shen Mo, indicating that Shen Mo should feel free, and then left on his own.

"Brother Shenmo, I believe that Father must have left something in this study. You must find it!" Xia Xiaowei looked at Shenmo, her eyes filled with anticipation

In the mourning hall, a sudden chorus of cries erupted. Professor Xia Qing's two daughters, Xia Xiaoqiang and Xia Xiaowei, donned heavy mourning attire, kneeling on either side of the altar, prostrating themselves in grief.

The old man said, "It's nothing, fortunately my old bones are still quite sturdy"

Shen Mo and Xia Xiaowei returned to the living room. Xia Xiaoqiang glanced at Xia Xiaowei, her eyes revealing obvious dissatisfaction. Tian Ye inexplicably asked Shen Mo, "What did you find?" Shen Mo pretended not to hear anything and ignored him. At this moment, relatives and friends who came to pay their respects, as well as the attendants handling the funeral arrangements, were bustling about, and the living room was noisy, with no one noticing this very subtle scene

Shen Mo noticed a few scraps of paper on the floor. He carefully picked up one of them and found half of a handwritten character on it, but it was impossible to discern what the character was.

Xia Xiaowei wept in silence

Father cannot have just left like that. Since he had the opportunity to destroy his manuscript, he must have left some clues behind. Tell me, if Father wanted to leave something, who would he most likely leave it to?" Xia Xiaowei's eyes were fixed on Shen Mo.

The public security department is conducting an investigation

"Xiaowei, listen to me..." Shen was silent, contemplating how to respond

"Children, do not cry anymore," said a voice full of magnetism. It was Cheng Du, the president of Yujiang University. He was in his fifties, sporting a rather traditional slicked-back hairstyle, with hair that was jet black and glossy, immaculate. He had a standard square face, a high nose, and a wide mouth, with slightly thick lips. His pair of bright eyes, set beneath thick eyebrows, pierced the heart, exuding an imposing presence without anger. This was a temperament cultivated through many years in the officialdom, as if he remained unperturbed even in the face of a collapsing mountain. As he spoke, Cheng Du bent down to assist Shen Mo.

"Brother Shenmo, please let me speak first. You wouldn't disagree with my inference, would you? I know you wouldn't. The reason you came to Dad's study is that, deep down, you also want to find something here, right? Just answer 'yes' or 'no'" Xia Xiaowei stared intently at Shenmo.

Silence lingered in a daze until the ship docked at the berth, and only then did people hurriedly rush from the cabins onto the deck, realizing that their luggage was still in the cabin

Shen Mo stopped in his tracks, realizing that the person he had bumped into was an elderly man, approximately in his sixties. The man was small in stature, with a face marked by the passage of time, a long face, thick eyebrows, deep-set eyes, and a gaze that was piercing. Shen Mo repeatedly apologized, saying, "I am so sorry, I am so sorry! I was too flustered; I hope I didn't hurt you."

Silence spoke not a word, quietly leaving the study. Xia Xiaowei immediately locked the door to the study.