Recap
Thinking it through, the man’s behavior was strange. Shen Ji demanded: “What are you doing?”
The neighbor smiled, lifting a tray. To Shen Ji, the smile was unbearably false. “I came to bring medicine. I saw that Teacher’s hand was hurt. Is it better today?”
His face paired with that smile seemed harmless. Shen Ji realized he looked unexpectedly young, nothing like a cunning killer.
Yes. Ever since the police left, Shen Ji had begun to suspect him.
Shen Ji’s heart was restless, unable to guess whether the man came to test him or simply to show neighborly goodwill.
If he was the red raincoat, then last night when Shen Ji fled to the third floor, even if the killer hadn’t seen which door he entered, being a neighbor, he would know full well that only Shen Ji and the newcomer lived there.
If he wasn’t, then why had he been lurking outside, listening?
Shen Ji leaned toward the former: the man had come with the intent to find out more.
Afraid his thoughts might be read at a glance, Shen Ji lowered his eyes, rejecting stiffly: “No need. It’s much better.”
“…Why are you afraid of me?” His fear was exposed in a single sentence.
Why? He had avoided eye contact, bowed his head, lowered his gaze. So why was it still seen through?
Shen Ji faltered, instinctively denying: “No, I’m not…”
“Because of those two policemen this morning?”
Shen Ji looked up in shock.
The neighbor’s face was expressionless, eyes half-lowered, as if gazing at an ant. In his gaze lay a cold indifference toward all living things.
Shen Ji found that look strangely familiar.
Before he could recall, the neighbor donned a smiling mask. “To be honest, the landlord who died last night was my father in name. As his heir, suspicion naturally fell on me. I spent the whole day at the station. I cooperated to clear myself. But I believe teacher will soon understand the truth.”
“What did you do?” Shen Ji blurted out.
That detestable face smiled, unruffled by suspicion. “Teacher’s hand is injured. I came bringing medicine.”
It was a blatant warning.
Last night Shen Ji had seen the red raincoat and the red raincoat had seen him return late. Neither had truly uncovered the other’s secret, yet both held leverage, each bound by the other’s grasp.
Helpless, Shen Ji yielded, taking a bottle from the tray.
The neighbor sighed. “So stubborn.”
Shen Ji’s eyelids twitched. He snatched the tray, gritting his teeth. “Satisfied now?”
The neighbor beamed.
Watching him return to the next room, Shen Ji’s face regained its coldness, his mind turning.
Sensing something, Shen Ji suddenly looked right. A small figure crouched at a door was caught spying. Yet the child showed no panic, meeting Shen Ji’s gaze before closing the door.
That door did not belong to any apartment on the third floor. It was part of the stairwell.
As he rarely moved about, the only neighbor he knew was yesterday’s newcomer. Shen Ji had no idea whose child it was.
The landlord lived on the first floor. He had never seen anyone on the second. The third floor held only himself and the neighbor. The child could only be from upstairs.
Wait… no… wrong! The landlord lived on the first floor. If the red raincoat had killed him, why had he came down from the stairs?
A chill crept up Shen Ji’s spine, unless there was a second killer in the building!
Last night, both he and the red raincoat had passed through the first-floor corridor. Could another murderer have overheard, and now set their sights on him?
Shen Ji staggered, nearly losing balance.
To know the truth, the child was the best entry point. He wouldn’t appear there without reason. But Shen Ji couldn’t rush. He had to wait. Wait for the landlord’s autopsy, to confirm whether a second killer existed.
Two days later, Shen Ji saw the report: the landlord’s death was ruled suicide.
The neighbor asked: “Teacher, now do you believe me?”
Shen Ji nearly tore the paper to shreds. Or perhaps what he truly wanted to shred was the neighbor’s face. He restrained himself, not even knowing why he was so furious.
Handing back the report, Shen Ji closed his eyes. “Anything else?”
The neighbor was cleared of suspicion in the landlord’s death. That meant a second killer truly existed. Now Shen Ji only needed to confirm their identity or he would never rest.
“Teacher… is it?”
Shen Ji blinked. “What?”
The neighbor smiled.
Shen Ji frowned. “What did you just say?”
“I said,” the neighbor’s smile deepened, “Teacher is the killer, isn’t he?”
Shen Ji froze.
“If teacher is, don’t worry. I’ll be your accomplice. I’ll help you hide it.”
Was this a threat? Shen Ji could hardly believe what he heard. Accomplice? Hide what?
Thinking of his own secret, Shen Ji instantly understood the implication. He stayed silent.
“Won’t you invite me in, teacher?” The man was impatient.
“I need time,” Shen Ji said.
Whether to share the secret, Shen Ji needed time. Besides, he hadn’t confirmed the second killer’s identity.
“I truly hope that day comes soon.” Folding the paper, the neighbor slipped it into his pocket. Casually, or not, he added: “It’s late. Guess I’ll have to spend the night with the corpse today. What a pity.”
Shen Ji’s heart lurched, nearly betraying his state of mind.
“Don’t misunderstand. I mean I’ll be at the funeral home, handling my father’s affairs. Tonight’s weather will be fine. Teacher, take the chance to think carefully. I look forward to your answer.”
The clumsy explanation seemed to be a nail pierced straight at Shen Ji’s secret, cracking the pristine wall in his mind.
And the one seeking to pry it open had already left, satisfied.
Shen Ji’s limbs turned cold. Every exchange pointed to one conclusion. Did he know? He knew. He must know. He definitely knew!
Mad thoughts surged. Shen Ji almost wanted to kill him outright. But that would make him no different from a murderer. The fear of becoming one made him abandon the violent impulse. He was not a killer. He was not!
The urgent matter was the boy.
Shen Ji fled upstairs.
Whether he could find the boy depended on luck.
The building had seven floors. Perhaps once glorious, but time had abandoned it. A failed development, remote location, outdated facilities, no new tenants, old ones dwindling.
When Shen Ji moved in, the developer had already absconded. The surrounding half-built structures had collapsed. The scenery was pleasant enough if they ignored the fact the site had once been a mass grave. If not for the corpses unearthed during excavation, the property might never have been sold to Shen Ji at such a low price.
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