The four of them ate, drank, and enjoyed themselves all afternoon until dusk began to fall. Dong Yuncheng glanced out the window and said, "Shall we call it a day? Lawyer Shi and I have plans with someone later. Let’s meet up again another time?"
Guan Xia was the first to nod. "Sure, I’ll walk you out."
Pang Le also stood up and tidied the cluttered coffee table.
Dong Yuncheng and Lawyer Shi naturally picked up the trash bags, planning to toss them on their way downstairs.
Guan Xia didn’t stand on ceremony either. Before leaving, she took one last look around to make sure nothing was left behind, then opened the door.
Just as Dong Yuncheng stepped out, he suddenly remembered something and turned back to ask Guan Xia, "Oh, by the way, Guan Xia, can I borrow that art book from your study? I was halfway through one and wanted to finish it. If it’s inconvenient, just send me a link—I’ll buy my own copy."
Guan Xia immediately recalled the open book she had put away before leaving the study at noon. So it was Dong Yuncheng who had been reading it.
"Of course you can borrow it," Guan Xia said with a smile, walking back to the study. She pulled out the book and handed it to Dong Yuncheng in the living room. "Here you go."
Dong Yuncheng set down the trash bag and flipped through a couple of pages. "This is the one. Thanks, Guan Xia. I’ll return it once I’m done."
It was rare to find someone who shared her taste, and Guan Xia couldn’t hide her delight. "No rush. If you like it, there are three more in this series—I can lend you those too."
Dong Yuncheng grinned. "Sounds good."
Pang Le, standing nearby, glanced between Guan Xia and Dong Yuncheng with a skeptical expression.
Lawyer Shi silently observed Dong Yuncheng before bending down to pick up the trash bag. "Let’s go. The elevator’s here."
Once outside the building, Lawyer Shi tossed the two bags of trash into the bin, and the group walked a short distance to where their cars were parked.
Just as they were about to say goodbye, Guan Xia caught sight of a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye while looking at Pang Le. She focused and realized Lawyer Shi had parked near Building 7.
The domestic abuser they had seen before was wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a windbreaker, carrying a fishing rod in one hand and two enormous fish—each over a meter long—in the other, striding cheerfully toward the building.
An elderly man out for a stroll noticed and called out in surprise, "Hey, Old Liang, went fishing again today? Those are huge—did you catch them yourself?"
Old Liang, the abuser, grinned even wider. "If I didn’t catch ’em, did I steal ’em? A buddy tipped me off about a spot with big fish, so I checked it out today. Hit the jackpot! Wanna come along tomorrow?"
The old man seemed tempted but glanced at his glaring wife and shook his head. "Nah, at my age, I can’t trek that far. You go ahead."
"Too bad. I thought I’d have company," Old Liang said, though he didn’t look the least bit disappointed. After boasting a bit more, he breezed into the building.
Guan Xia turned back to see Lawyer Shi and Dong Yuncheng watching Old Liang’s retreating figure with unmistakable longing.
Pang Le chuckled. "Is fishing some universal male obsession once you hit a certain age?"
Dong Yuncheng’s expression turned serious. "Not just at a certain age. Some younger guys love it too—like me and Lawyer Shi. When work stress piles up, we head deep into the wilderness. If we don’t feel like hiking, we fish. Just plop down on a stool, sit there all day, and let your mind wander. Watch the sky, the water, check the rod now and then. As long as you don’t come back empty-handed, it’s a damn good day."
Pang Le rolled her eyes, unimpressed, but Guan Xia sensed the tranquil escape Dong Yuncheng described—a brief respite from life’s chaos.
Noticing her interest, Dong Yuncheng perked up. "Why not join us next time we go?"
Pang Le shot Lawyer Shi a glance and genuinely considered it before shaking her head. "No thanks. I can’t sit still that long. I’d rather go for a run."
Guan Xia’s enthusiasm lasted all of a second before she declined too. "Hard pass. I’ve heard fishing spots are prime dumping grounds for murderers. How many anglers have reeled in corpses instead of fish? What about you two?"
The mention of corpses reminded Guan Xia of the killer she’d seen before. Given her and Pang Le’s luck, they’d probably stumble right into a crime scene.
Lawyer Shi and Dong Yuncheng exchanged a look, their expressions turning odd.
Lawyer Shi said, "We’ve never caught one, but someone in our fishing group once posted photos of a female body they hooked."
Guan Xia and Pang Le weren’t entirely surprised but pressed, "What happened? Suicide or homicide?"
"Suicide," Lawyer Shi replied. "She’d jumped into a river and drifted miles before getting snagged. By then, she was bloated beyond recognition."
Guan Xia shuddered at the mental image. Nope. Never fishing.
Pang Le, already disinterested, was now thoroughly repelled. "I like thrills, but not that kind. You two enjoy your corpse-filled hobby without me."
After a bit more small talk, Lawyer Shi and Dong Yuncheng drove off. Before leaving, Pang Le mimed a phone call, and Guan Xia knew she hadn’t forgotten about the forensic books. She nodded, resigned.
Back home, Guan Xia rearranged the new books she’d hastily shelved earlier, sorting them by series. Just as she was busy with that, Pang Le called.
"That was fast," Guan Xia said, pulling out one book and slotting another into its place. "Lawyer Shi and Dong Yuncheng must’ve been in a real hurry. It’s only been half an hour since you left."
"Don’t change the subject," Pang Le said, her tone stern. "Be honest—what were you thinking when you bought those forensic books? Was it really just for ‘inspiration’?"
Guan Xia pinched the bridge of her nose. The "inspiration" excuse had been for Lawyer Shi and Dong Yuncheng’s benefit. With just Pang Le, she could be upfront.
Setting the book on her desk, Guan Xia sat down and answered calmly, "No, it wasn’t for inspiration. Curiosity was part of it, but mostly… I wanted to build some knowledge."
"Knowledge?" Pang Le’s voice shot up. "For what?"
Probably realizing his tone had been a bit sharp, Pang Le fell silent for a few seconds before speaking earnestly: "Guan Xia, I’m not trying to control you. I deeply respect and support all your choices. I just want to remind you that no matter what you do, your safety should always come first. I know you have some unique talents that can help the police, maybe even save potential victims. I get that. But these killers are ruthless and highly perceptive. Remember that repairman? He observed us for a long time without us noticing, even got close enough to attempt an attack. Guan Xia, I’m not trying to scare you—I just want you to remember that you’re an ordinary person. Your top priority should always be protecting yourself."
Guan Xia had already guessed what Pang Le would say, but hearing it still moved her.
After taking a few deep breaths to steady herself, she spoke slowly, "Pang Le, ever since Xu Nian called me the other day and we accidentally stumbled upon another killer, I’ve been thinking. For some reason—whether it’s you or me—our circumstances seem to have changed. Maybe this will keep happening, or even escalate."
"Most importantly, we can’t just stay indoors forever," Guan Xia continued. "We need to eat, go shopping, travel. I need inspiration for my work, so I have to sketch outdoors. And then there’s your thrill-seeking hobbies. Just imagining that every time we step outside, there might be one or even multiple killers hiding in the crowd terrifies me. We can’t rely on luck forever, hoping that even if we’re targeted, we’ll escape unscathed. I thought that if I learned a bit about criminal investigation, even just the basics, I might have a better chance of spotting danger before it’s too late. What do you think?"
Pang Le stayed silent, as if seriously considering her words. After a long pause, he exhaled heavily. "Like I said, I respect and support all your choices—as long as you’ve thought it through and prioritize your safety, I won’t stop you. Honestly, I’d love to help."
He chuckled helplessly. "But the more I think about it, the more I realize the only thing I can do is stick close and protect you if danger arises. What can I say? I lost my brain as a kid—always relied on brute force over brains. Now, even if I wanted to use it, it’s too rusty. But don’t worry, I’m still confident in my reflexes. If—and I mean if—something happens, I’ll keep you safe until the police arrive."
Guan Xia laughed too. "You make it sound like I’m planning to hunt down killers tomorrow. I’m just preparing for the worst. Who knows if I’ll ever even need it?"
Pang Le hesitated before tentatively suggesting, "How about we test it?"
Guan Xia raised an eyebrow. "How? Go out for a stroll?"
Pang Le explained, "We were planning to visit that temple, right? I’ve done my research—Qu Chun City. Several friends recommended it, said it’s way more effective than the ones here. Let’s use this trip as our test."
Guan Xia understood. "You’re thinking we’ll see if we’ve developed some kind of ‘Conan curse’?"
Pang Le hummed in agreement. "Might as well. If we do run into trouble, I’ll accept it. After that, I’ll have to seriously train again. Ever since I retired, I’ve been slacking off. If it weren’t for natural talent and combat instincts, I’d be useless by now."
Guan Xia pondered for a moment. "Maybe I should train too?"
She quickly devised a plan. "At my age, I can’t start martial arts like you—my old bones won’t cooperate. But I can work on my stamina. At least if something happens, I’ll have the energy to run. Right now, I’d collapse after a kilometer."
Pang Le burst out laughing. "Karma’s a bitch. I’ve always told you you’re too out of shape, that you can’t just stay cooped up at home. Now you finally want to move? But you’d better stick with it—no slacking off after three days."
Guan Xia hadn’t exercised properly since high school. The thought alone was daunting, but imagining potential dangers ahead made daily jogging seem trivial.
"Deal!" She nodded firmly. "It’s just running. I can do it."
Pang Le grinned. "Then good luck. We’re not kids—no need for mutual supervision. Just push yourself."
After a bit more casual talk, the call ended with Pang Le’s resigned sigh.
Guan Xia wasted no time. She quickly organized the remaining books, dug out the workout clothes she’d buried in her closet after moving, and set five consecutive alarms before bed—forcing herself to start the next morning.
Thanks to the alarms, Guan Xia did wake up slightly earlier than usual—though not by much, since she still felt it was too early to be safe.
After splashing water on her face, she glanced down from her balcony. The neighborhood was quiet, most residents already at work, but a few elderly folks were out for groceries or morning exercises. Reassured, she stretched and headed downstairs.
For her first day, she set a modest goal: two laps around the complex.
Her new neighborhood wasn’t large—just over twenty buildings—but its suburban location meant wide spacing between them, with plenty of lawns and a small square filled with exercise equipment.
Turns out, she’d overestimated herself. Even two laps—less than four kilometers—left her gasping for air, lungs burning.
It had been years since she’d felt this exhausted. All she wanted was to collapse, but common sense kept her moving. She forced herself to walk slowly for a while before finally plopping onto the stone steps at the complex entrance.
As she massaged her legs, her gaze wandered—until she spotted two familiar elderly women passing by, grocery bags in hand.
One grumbled, "Little Luo didn’t come today. Must’ve been lured away by another neighborhood’s group. I’m so used to buying groceries right at the entrance—going all the way to the market is such a hassle. And I didn’t even buy much, but my hands are already sore from carrying it back."
"Tell me about it," the other sighed. "And it gets worse. You probably haven’t checked the group chat. Some building’s elevator was making weird noises last night. The property management brought people over this morning—they’re inspecting all the elevators now."
The first woman gasped. "You didn’t say that earlier! Now I’ve got all these groceries, and I’ll be half-dead by the time I climb upstairs!"
Another elderly woman chuckled and said, "I just saw it too. Otherwise, why would I have bought so much groceries? But it’s fine—neither of us has work today. We can just sit downstairs and chat until the repairs are done, then head back home."
The first woman glanced down at the bags in her hands and nodded in agreement. "Sure, my grandson’s at kindergarten, and my son and daughter-in-law have already left for work. The house is empty anyway. Let’s sit for a while longer."
Watching the two women walk into the neighborhood, Guan Xia shifted slightly, settling into a more comfortable position.
Originally, she had planned to rest briefly before heading home. But now, after hearing this unexpected news, she decided to stay a little longer. Though the 9th floor wasn’t too high, she had just finished her run and didn’t feel like moving. She’d wait until the elevator was fixed before going back.
