Chapter 9

After much contemplation, Tao Ran concluded: "If I were a woman, I probably wouldn't have time to deal with you two right now, as I would be preoccupied with how to come out to my mother."

The night was thick with darkness, and the dew was about to fall. Luo Wenzhou turned off the car's air conditioning and opened the window to enjoy the breeze.

"What is there to laugh about? My salary is just enough to pay the mortgage; being poor is an objective fact." Tao Ran casually ruffled his messy hair, "However, being able to scrape together a down payment at least qualifies me for blind dates. I think that's about all there is to it in this life; it doesn't necessarily mean I have to marry a goddess."

Tao Ran completely did not understand what he was so proud of. After thinking for a moment, he was struck by a chill that gave him goosebumps, and he shook his head as he got out of the car

Feidu brought the receiver close to his ear

"All the other men are dead," Luo Wenzhou said, unable to hold back his laughter, "just the two of us."

Luo Wenzhou said: "Oh, studying abroad, going to Italy to learn Chinese"

Luo Wenzhou: "Assumption"

Luo Wenzhou: "There are no cabinets, all the women have perished"

Luo Wenzhou could not help but laugh

The two individuals immediately exited the municipal bureau and headed straight to the traffic police station near the bus stop

Tao Ran was shocked: "How could you... where did you..."

"The surveillance cameras are likely turned off because they are afraid of capturing the embarrassing behavior of a group of drunkards, while those that are on are for the sake of safety," Luo Wenzhou said, resting his hand on the back of his chair. "The cameras in the courtyard should all be installed in places visible to the guests; if they wish, it is easy for them to avoid being recorded. However, outside the club, in order to prevent unidentified individuals from breaking in, sometimes the cameras are installed in hidden locations... Please retrieve the recordings from the cameras that were operating all night."

Tao Ran thought for a moment and replied succinctly yet powerfully: "Poor."

Tao Ran detected a different kind of seriousness in his words and couldn't help but turn his head to look at him

Tao Ran: "More than four hours, so many shots, how can he possibly review them all himself? Perhaps it serves as a reference for us?"

As long as it is not a private domain like the Chengguang Mansion, it is quite convenient for the personnel from the municipal bureau to adjust the surveillance cameras

Wait a moment, this person... seems to resemble someone! Tao Ran scrutinized for a moment, then sighed, "If the cigarette butt were still here, we could compare the DNA to confirm, but unfortunately, there was a heavy rain this afternoon... So for now, it's still—what are you laughing at?"

Before he could finish speaking, Tao Ran had already taken action to adjust it.

Tao Ran: "Then the others ... ... "

Assuming you are a woman, whom would you choose to marry between Fei Du and me... all other men are gone, just the two of us.

Luo Wenzhou bent down, grasped it by the nape of its neck, and lifted Luo Yiguo off the ground by all fours: "Are you tired of living, you little rascal?"

Luo Wenzhou listened attentively and immediately asked: "Has your family been urging you to get married?"

Feidu : `` ... ... ''

Tao Ran was taken aback: "What?"

"Are you teasing me for free?" Tao Ran waved his hand generously, "By the way, it's been a long time since I've seen you go out with anyone. What about the one you played billiards with last time?"

The surveillance at the Chengguang Mansion is entirely outdoors. Our technical personnel have just reviewed the footage from 8 PM to 12 AM on the night of the 20th. The outdoor cameras captured Zhang Donglai clearly on four occasions. Based on his physical characteristics, he was absent from the surveillance area and the interior of the club for a total of approximately 40 minutes. However, this '40 minutes' is a cumulative figure, as each time he left, his absence was relatively brief. There were only two instances where he actively avoided the cameras: once around 10 PM, when he left with a girl for over ten minutes, deliberately looking up to check the camera's position, and another instance close to midnight, after which the surveillance in the mansion's courtyard was turned off, and it is unknown when he returned.

Fei Du seems to still be two months away from reaching the legal marriage age

Oh, wait a moment," Tao Ran said, pulling out a marked map. "This road has only two directions: one side leads to Chengguang Mansion, and the other to the public area. Clearly, this person did not head towards Chengguang Mansion after leaving, but went the other way... After going out, there is a main road with a bus stop.

At this moment, the closing time of a psychological counseling clinic had arrived. The last client stood up, politely bid farewell to the counselor, and took out a beautifully packaged box of chocolates: "Thank you for your hard work, Teacher Bai. I believe you will enjoy this flavor, so I brought it for you to try."

Taoran felt a bit puzzled: "There is indeed one."

Luo Wenzhou paused for a moment and sighed: "I knew you hadn't left yet"

The counselor swallowed their words and smiled, indicating for him to proceed at his convenience

Thank you

Luo Wenzhou stared thoughtfully at the photo for a while, but the cat beside him was not having it.

That person must have come towards the trash can to smoke, without noticing the surveillance camera in the tree

Tao Ran stretched lazily and said: "There's nothing much to do when I go back—why are you here too?"

Several entry and exit points did not capture anyone, and it is also possible that He Zhongyi deliberately avoided the surveillance. Luo Wenzhou stood up and circled behind Tao Ran a few times, saying, "However, if there really was nothing at all, Fei Du would not have gone out of his way to deliver it."

Assuming—I'm saying assuming, you are a woman, "Luo Wenzhou said, "Who do you want to marry, Fei Du or me?"

Luo Wenzhou's eyes slightly lifted at the corners: "Lonely man, if you keep looking at me like that, I might turn into a beast."

There is no urgency either

The surveillance at the bus station failed to capture when the person suspected to be He Zhongyi entered the vicinity of Chengguang Mansion, but it provided them with a great surprise—around 9 o'clock, it recorded that person walking out from a small path and directly heading to the bus stop, where after waiting for a few minutes, he boarded bus number 34

Taoran appeared even more shocked: "Have you two ceased hostilities?"

In the blink of an eye, seven years have passed, and the next opportunity has yet to be found. Luo Wenzhou has transformed from a grumbling carnivore into a diligent and uncomplaining cleaner, while Luo Yiguan has evolved from a reserve of provisions into the head of the household

Tao Ran nodded seriously: "Yes, however, if we can find that girl, she should be able to serve as a witness."

Before he could respond, Luo Wenzhou changed the subject and asked in a manner befitting a virtuous gentleman: "Have you managed to capture He Zhongyi?"

Five minutes later, Luo Wenzhou parked the car. Just as Tao Ran was about to get out, Luo Wenzhou suddenly turned his head and said to him: "I have a rather serious question to ask you."

Luo Wenzhou took out a evidence bag containing cigarette butts from his pocket: "Go ahead and compare."

Luo Yiguo first reached out a paw to pat Luo Wenzhou's leg, then wiggled its bottom to the corner of the wall, squatting down with a look of accusation, showing the empty cat food bowl to the litter box attendant

Then it must be you

"Shh—quietly." Luo Wenzhou raised a finger to his lips and said almost inaudibly, "A rather annoying young man sent this to me."

Tao Ran: "... ..."

The streets are no longer very congested, and Luo, who wishes he could time his commute perfectly every day, has returned to the municipal bureau. Upon entering the office, he noticed someone still rubbing their eyes and repeatedly sifting through the surveillance records, aside from the duty officer.

I enjoy public spaces, " Luo Wenzhou smiled, " I can check anytime, without having to be pretentious with those wealthy people.

Luo Wenzhou squatted on the ground, absentmindedly petting a cat for a while. Suddenly, he remembered something and looked down at the large furry tail of Luo Yigui—this ancestor was bought for Fei Du during a morning market stroll years ago. At first, Fei Du seemed to quite like it, but after a few days of bringing it home, he inexplicably grew tired of it and refused to keep it no matter what.

"Seeing you all alone, working late into the night, is truly pitiful. I am here to bring you some warmth." Luo Wenzhou swayed over to sit beside him, perching on his desk, "Model worker, have you made any discoveries?"

Tao Ran's hometown is in another place. When he first started working, he could not afford to buy a house and had to rent everywhere. He often worried about having to move at any time, which made it inconvenient to keep pets, so he had no choice but to leave his cat in the care of Luo Wenzhou.

Tao Ran counted on his fingers and said: "I can only choose you, Fei Du seems to be two months short of the legal marriage age... What are you doing?"

The surveillance record shows that at exactly 8:00, the still image was completely dark. As they fast-forwarded through the footage, a shadow that was blocking the center of the screen suddenly "jumped" away, revealing that it was a bird.

Choose me, are you sure

Luo Wenzhou glanced at him and said, "I have a preference for niche interests, what is your issue?"

Luo Wenzhou pressed on the back of his head, twisting Tao Ran's head back to its original position: "Are there any other clues nearby?"

Yes, only the areas near the parking lot and a few small roads around the clubhouse are continuously open

Luo Wenzhou flashed his car lights at the traffic sign and realized he was not far from his destination. His gaze calmly rested on the road ahead: "Do you still have a goddess?"

Luo Wenzhou shrugged expressionlessly, one hand resting on the steering wheel and the other on the partially open window: "Where are there so many reliable options? Besides, my dad hasn't retired yet. Although he hasn't said much, it still doesn't reflect well. I'll consider finding a proper job in a year or two when he retires. I'm quite used to being on my own— that old man really has an addiction to work, I just can't understand it. I've wanted to retire for a long time."

Luo Wenzhou rubbed his chin and said, "More than ten minutes?"

Taoran was baffled: "What?"

Luo Yiguo was utterly ignored, filled with rage, he charged forward aggressively, standing on his hind legs, clinging to Luo Wenzhou's calf, and began to tear at his pant leg while howling wildly.

No, this afternoon they picked out more than twenty suspicious shots of He Zhongyi, but none captured his face, and some were taken from quite a distance. I just reviewed them repeatedly and felt that none of them resembled him. Do you think if the murderer killed He Zhongyi at Chengguang Mansion, they would be careless enough to be caught on camera

Luo Wenzhou rolled his eyes, and as he released his grip, the cat deftly broke free from his hands, elegantly rolled in the air, landed on all fours, and soon got its fill of cat food, along with an extra can of cat food.

Luo Wenzhou shook his head. After a while, he suddenly remembered something: "What did you just say? The surveillance cameras in their courtyard were turned off after twelve o'clock?"

The cat's full name is "Luo Yiguo". It is a seven-year-old middle-aged cat, characterized by a round face and large eyes, with a sleek and shiny coat—though it does have a bit of a temper.

The consultant has become accustomed to this guest named Feidu, who is exceptionally charming. He offers sweet words freely, never arrives late or extends his time without reason, and never loses control of his emotions. He often brings exquisite yet reasonably priced small gifts, and even the cleaning staff at the clinic recognize him. Before she could express her gratitude, she noticed the guest's phone vibrate twice.

Luo Wenzhou opened his phone and glanced at the recently received photo: "Is there any camera installed next to a small gravel path by a waterway?"

Luo Wenzhou pondered for a moment while looking at the cat, suddenly stood up, took half a piece of leftover bread from the refrigerator, and turned to leave

Not much, I estimate that in a few days, the sub-bureau will submit a report to apply for the transfer, said Luo Wenzhou. At that time, you should focus on the case of He Zhongyi and not worry about other matters. Until the exact culprit is found, Zhang Donglai can remain a suspect for a few more days; it will be good for him to learn a lesson.

The corners of the surveillance footage are all black, with only a small area in the center showing an image, occasionally obstructed by birds that flit in and out. It is likely a camera hidden in a treehouse. Fast forward to around 8:50, a swaying figure appears near the trash can under the surveillance, and Tao Ran immediately freezes the frame.

Luo Yiguo hung his claws, making a couple of "ao" sounds in a mumbling manner, and proudly stuck out his tongue at him

Luo Wenzhou picked up the package and turned it upside down; there was nothing else inside. At that moment, his phone vibrated, and a photo was sent to him. The photo depicted a secluded gravel path, with water features and greenery, tranquil and narrow, and in the middle stood a solitary trash bin. Below it was a message, without a salutation or signature, just two words: "By the way"

Luo Wenzhou: "Any clues discovered tonight should not be disclosed to the outside, including colleagues in the team"

Tao Ran sighed: "Be content, your family has a very open-minded perspective."

Feidu made an apologetic gesture and noticed that two messages had arrived on his phone

Luo Wenzhou shook his head: "Tsk, that was really fast"

The second message included audio, and the message is: "Courtesy demands reciprocity"

Tao Ran almost choked on his own saliva: "How can this be so unreliable?"

To my surprise, that big fool merely glanced at it, showing no reaction whatsoever

In high school, there was a classmate from the neighboring class who resembled Zhao Yazhi, Tao Ran said, "It has been many years since we last contacted each other, she may have already gotten married, or if she hasn't, it wouldn't be my turn anyway—I'm almost there, let me make a call to greet the guy on duty."

During this time, he looked up and studied the bus stop sign, enough for Luo Wenzhou and Tao Ran to recognize him as He Zhongyi

Luo Wenzhou detests cats, dislikes dogs, and has a strong aversion to minors under the age of sixteen, to the point of being driven mad by it. He has solemnly issued an ultimatum to Tao Ran: if a new home is not found within a month, he will stew this four-legged troublemaker.

... did not see Luo Wenzhou recording this passage in a contemptuous manner

Tao Ran: "... ..."

Luo Yiguo felt a deep sense of satisfaction, realizing that the saying "beneath the stick, filial sons emerge" was indeed true; the waste collector's unwillingness to bite was simply a sign of disobedience.

Luo Wenzhou seemed to have achieved a significant victory, smiling while leaning against the back of his chair

It is indeed evident that the affairs of the world are truly unpredictable

Despite Luo Wenzhou's efforts to hold back, he could not contain himself and revealed a sly grin, as if he had just stolen a chicken: "Choose me, are you sure?"

Over six billion people vanished into thin air with just a few words from Luo Wenzhou, and Tao Ran's lips twitched slightly before he finally said, "Then it must be you."