ONE The Missing High School Girl
In the fall of 2001, in Jiangzhou City, Sannan Province.
Early in the morning, Zhu Lin, the captain of the Criminal Police Brigade, along with two investigators, arrived at the Jiangzhou branch of Guolong Group in Sannan Province and entered the room of the group's heir, Huo Dali. Zhu Lin stood by the bed, observing the still soundly sleeping playboy. He turned to Xia Xiaoyu, who was standing nearby, and said, "Wake him up."
Xia Xiaoyu was the person in charge of the Jiangzhou branch of Guolong Group and was familiar with Zhu Lin, having shared drinks at various gatherings. During those social events, Zhu Lin was always quiet and unassuming. However, when handling a case, this skinny, dark-faced police officer transformed from a docile cat into a tiger, his gaze piercing.
Xia Xiaoyu cautiously explained, "Captain Zhu, Dali drank with friends from the provincial capital after school yesterday and didn't return home until after ten o'clock. He was so drunk that he was unconscious, and after getting home, he received an IV drip and then slept deeply. The doctor and the household staff can confirm this, and there are surveillance cameras outside the door that can be checked at any time."
Zhu Lin remained expressionless and repeated, "Wake him up."
Huo Dali was pushed awake, opening his bleary eyes to find the dark-faced man standing by his bed.
The pampered young man, who had drunk himself into oblivion, bore no resemblance to a high school student. Zhu Lin suppressed his disgust and said, "You, sit up. Tell me everything you did from after school yesterday until now."
Xia Xiaoyu reminded, "Dali, speak up. You have to."
During his time studying in the provincial capital, Huo Dali had fallen in with a group of troublemaking playboys and had been questioned by the police several times because of them. Although he didn't know what had happened, seeing Xia Xiaoyu's serious expression, he realized that something major had occurred. He accepted a cup of strong tea, took a sip, and recounted his actions from after school yesterday as instructed by the dark-faced police officer. He was sure he hadn't been involved in any fights and speculated that one of his drinking buddies might have caused trouble in the middle of the night. He secretly thanked his stars that he had drunk too much and returned home early, avoiding any involvement.
Zhu Lin listened attentively, carefully looking for inconsistencies in the playboy's account and observing his subtle facial expressions and body language. After the young man finished speaking, Zhu Lin calmly said, "Now tell me everything you did from yesterday until now in reverse order."
"Who do you think you are?" Huo Dali, still groggy from his hangover, was growing impatient as his head pounded.
Understanding the seriousness of the situation, Xia Xiaoyu pressed down on Huo Dali's shoulder and gave him a meaningful look, saying, "Dali, don't lose your temper. Just say what you're asked. This is Uncle Zhu from the Criminal Police Brigade."
Xia Xiaoyu had a close relationship with the Huo family and was the only person in Jiangzhou who could control Huo Dali. With Xia Xiaoyu's hint, Huo Dali reluctantly recounted his actions from the previous day in reverse.
He did so without hesitation, his eyes fixed straight ahead, his facial muscles relaxed—clearly recounting his real experiences. If he had been fabricating his story, there would have been flaws when telling it in reverse. Zhu Lin was mostly convinced and shifted his focus to Huo Dali's childhood friend, Yang Fan.
Initially, Huo Dali thought his friends from the provincial capital had gotten into trouble, but as the questioning continued, he felt increasingly uneasy, and a sense of dread began to creep in. He asked, "Why are you asking about Yang Fan? She's a good student and never causes trouble."
"Yang Fan is missing!" Zhu Lin said coldly.
Yang Fan, a freshman at Jiangzhou No. 1 High School, had been missing since yesterday afternoon and had not been seen by this morning. Given Huo Dali's close relationship with Yang Fan, he naturally became a key person of interest in the investigation. Guolong Group was a giant enterprise in Sannan Province, and Huo Dali's father, Huo Guolong, was a renowned entrepreneur with close ties to major provincial and city officials. Because of this, Captain Zhu Lin personally led the investigation, accompanied by two veteran detectives from the major crimes unit, to question Huo Dali.
Upon learning that Yang Fan was missing, Huo Dali reacted like a cat whose tail had been suddenly stepped on, leaping up and then charging straight for the door like a bullet. The detectives next to Zhu Lin reacted quickly, stepping forward to block his way. When Huo Dali tried to force his way through, the two detectives had no choice but to restrain him.
Huo Dali struggled against the two detectives for seven or eight minutes until his strength was exhausted, and his emotions gradually subsided.
Xia Xiaoyu crouched beside him and said, "Yang Fan didn't return home last night. Her bicycle was found near the Shian Bridge, so she likely went missing there. You must stay calm and cooperate fully with the police at this crucial moment. The more information you provide, the greater the chance the police will find Yang Fan."
"Ask your questions quickly. Once you're done, I'm going to the Shian Bridge." A drop of sweat dripped into Huo Dali's eye, causing it to sting.
"Are you calm now?" Xia Xiaoyu asked.
Huo Dali nodded.
Only then did the two detectives release him.
Zhu Lin asked, "Is there anyone at school pursuing Yang Fan? Who are they?"
Huo Dali replied, "Jiang Xiaoyong from Class 3, Li Wulin from my class, Chen Lei from Class 5, and Wang Zhongcheng from Class 2. Those are the ones I know of."
After the police finished questioning him, Xia Xiaoyu escorted Huo Dali to the Shian Bridge.
"Yang Fan had agreed to tutor me yesterday…" Sitting in the car, Huo Dali stared blankly ahead and suddenly mumbled.
"What did you say?" Xia Xiaoyu hadn't heard him clearly and asked again.
Huo Dali shook his head, his expression dazed as his thoughts drifted back to the previous day.
The day before the incident had been the centennial celebration of Jiangzhou No. 1 High School.
The final event of the celebration was a cultural performance, in which Yang Fan was the star. She led both the opening dance and the final act.
Huo Dali found the school's cultural performances outdated and boring, and he kept yawning. If it hadn't been for Yang Fan's two performances, he wouldn't have even bothered to sit in the auditorium. While he was zoning out, he received a text message from a friend in the provincial capital: "Bro, you must be bored out of your mind in Jiangzhou. I, Big Butt, and Rotten Guy are bringing two cute girls from the art school to Jiangzhou this afternoon. You know what's up."
After reading the message, Huo Dali couldn't help but indulge in some daydreams.
Finally, the performance began. Initially, the stage was dark, pitch black. Then a spotlight illuminated the stage, revealing Yang Fan, a freshman from Class 1, standing in the center like a beautiful peacock emerging from the darkness. The auditorium fell silent, with no one uttering a word. The graceful figure on stage was so captivating that it drew everyone's attention like a black hole.
Yang Fan's radiance on stage dispelled all of Huo Dali's mischievous thoughts.
When the dance ended, there was a few seconds of silence before the hall erupted into thunderous applause. Yang Fan took three bows before the applause gradually subsided. The performance was a great success. After the show, an alumnus approached the old principal, expressing interest in recruiting Yang Fan into a dance troupe and having her join the military immediately.
It was the first time Huo Dali had watched Yang Fan perform live, and her stunning presence on stage left him dazed. After the performance, he waited for her in the parking lot. Ten minutes later, Yang Fan appeared. She had been dazzling on stage, and now she sat demurely beside him, her skin as fair as snow, her eyes lively, and her demeanor as pure as a lotus emerging from the water.
Huo Dali was so mesmerized that he was at a loss for words. After a long moment, he finally stammered, "You danced really well."
"Didn't you know? I've always danced well."
Yang Fan had hurried over, and there were still small beads of sweat on her forehead and neck, glistening like crystals in the afternoon sun. She looked around anxiously and said, "Is it safe here? We agreed not to meet alone during school hours."
"Don't worry. With the windows closed, no one can see inside. It's completely safe." Huo Dali finally shifted his gaze away and handed her a small, delicate box.
"What's this?"
"A special cake from Jiangzhou Grand Hotel. Not for sale to the public, exclusively for high-end guests."
"Rich brat!"
"Huh? Isn't it pronounced 'wan kua'?"
"You really are a 'wan kua.'" Yang Fan rolled her eyes at him.
Seeing that Yang Fan was just holding the box and not eating, Huo Dali asked, "Aren't you going to eat it? It's really good."
Yang Fan stared at the cake and swallowed. "I want to, but I'm afraid of gaining weight!"
"It's fine, just try a spoonful."
"Well, one spoonful shouldn't hurt." Yang Fan took a small spoonful and savored it carefully. After just one bite, she put the spoon down and said, "I can't eat any more. I'll definitely gain weight."
"If you can't even enjoy a cake, what's the point of life? Your dad's too strict, strict to the point of being harsh."
"Everyone has their own life plan. I'm going to get into a top university and join the university dance troupe, so I need to maintain a good figure. By the way, what was so urgent that you had to see me?"
"Some friends from the provincial capital are visiting me this afternoon, so I need to hang out with them. I won't be able to take you home after school today." Every day, Huo Dali would walk Yang Fan home, crossing the Shian Bridge together before parting ways to go to their respective homes.
"You shouldn't associate with those types of people. As a student, your main focus should be on studying. If you're in the bottom ten in the final exams, I won't talk to you anymore."
"Oh no! Class 1 is the honors class, and everyone's super smart. It's impossible for me not to be in the bottom eleven."
"I don't care. That's my requirement."
Huo Dali tried to change the subject, pointing to the cake. "Have another bite, just one!"
"You won't distract me with food," Yang Fan said as she pulled out her English textbook from her bag. "We still have time, so let's review the first lesson together. Three years will pass in a flash. Your foundation is weak, so you need to make the most of every day."
In less than half an hour, Huo Dali had managed to memorize the first part of the lesson.
"Not bad at all. Since you can learn, I can tutor you every lunchtime."
"Every lunchtime? Are you serious?"
"Yes, I am!"
"Then it's a deal. I'll be here tomorrow."
"Just don't be inconsistent!"
"Don't worry, it's our agreement!"
Lunchtime was already short, and when they were together, time seemed to fly by even faster. In almost no time, it was time for them to part ways. Yang Fan closed her English book and slowly took out a handmade envelope, handing it to Huo Dali.
"Is this a love letter?"
"Keep dreaming. Read it later."
"Why write a love letter when we see each other every day?"
"Writing a letter is a serious matter, so don't be flippant."
Yang Fan got out of the car, stood by the window, waved, and then turned and left. Huo Dali's gaze remained glued to her retreating figure, unwilling to blink. After Yang Fan disappeared around the corner, he sat in the car and picked up the letter. The paper was pure white, with a few bamboo stalks drawn in the lower left corner, giving it a simple elegance. Yang Fan had practiced calligraphy since childhood, and her handwriting was as graceful and lively as she was.
Brother Dali:
I've wanted to write this letter for a long time, but every time I pick up the pen, I find myself at a loss for words, as if my thoughts are "too tangled to unravel." But after much consideration, I decided I should write this letter to you.
This year, there are three things I didn't expect. The first is that you actually returned to Jiangzhou to study. When we were kids, our houses were across from each other, and we were together every day, just like the lines from Li Bai: "You rode bamboo horses, circling the bed playing with green plums." At that time, I thought of you as an older brother. Whenever I was upset, I would come to you, and whenever I had something delicious or fun, I would share it with you. You even helped me in fights, at least three times. But after your family moved away from Shian Factory, I kept feeling like you were still living across the street and that you would push open our door at any moment to sit across from me at the dinner table. But the truth was, once you left, you completely disappeared from my life.
The second thing I didn't expect is that we became classmates again. Over the years, there have been many stories about Uncle Huo and you circulating in the factory. Many people said you had become a spoiled rich kid, completely ruined, turning into a playboy in the provincial capital, indulging in all sorts of vices. Every time I heard this, I was furious and even argued with many people about it. Of course, I was also mad at you for being so disappointing and turning into a bad guy! But when you returned to Jiangzhou, I found out that the rumors weren't true. You're still the same Brother Dali, not a bad guy, but your grades are terrible. We're still in our first year of high school, so there's plenty of time to improve. I sincerely hope you can shed that playboy attitude, focus on your studies, and get into a top university. That's the Brother Dali I have in my heart.
The third thing I didn't expect is that Brother Dali said "you like me" that day. I'm sorry, I gave you a cold look, but please don't be angry. Since middle school, I've received many love letters. Every time I got one, I was really angry and tore it to shreds before throwing it in the trash. But when you said those words, although I gave you a cold look, I wasn't really angry. We're high school students, and studying is what we should be focusing on right now. If you're just teasing me, please take back those three words because it's disrespectful to me. But if you really meant those words, then please keep them in your heart. After we graduate from high school, I hope you'll seriously reconsider the meaning of those three words and decide if you still want to say them. At that time, I will seriously consider it.
Before I started writing this letter, I had so much to say, but when I started writing, I didn't know what to say, and now I find myself nagging you to study hard. Sigh, have I become a nagging old lady? But, in all seriousness, I hope you grow into a true man. Maybe that's too formal and might put too much pressure on you. But don't worry, I'll always be by your side, watching you become a true man!
That's all for today. I hope you can understand me.
Your neighbor, Xiaofan
This was the first formal letter Huo Dali had ever received in his life. Although Yang Fan had rejected him, the letter revealed her subtle feelings for him. The tender thoughts of a young girl were as sweet as fine wine, leaving him deeply intoxicated.
Under the Shian Bridge, the river surged. The sky was full of dark clouds, pressing down on the distant Bayue Mountain.
Huo Dali got out of the car and walked to the riverbank.
Zhu Lin and the two detectives were already standing on the Shian Bridge. On the way to the scene, Zhu Lin had received several phone calls, confirming that Huo Dali did not have the time to commit any crime.
The other investigation teams had made no progress. The heavy rain last night had almost washed away all traces from the scene. After the rain stopped, a police dog named Dali used clothes worn by Yang Fan as a scent source to search along the river but failed; the investigation team had withdrawn, taking Yang Fan's bicycle for further examination; and the inquiry team continued to follow known leads.
"Why do you think she fell off the Shian Bridge?" Huo Dali's hair was soaked with sweat, making it look as messy as a bird's nest after a rainstorm.
Zhu Lin silently stared at the river.
Detective Chen Yang said, "We found her bicycle on the bridge, so it's most likely she fell into the river."
"She couldn't have fallen," Huo Dali said resolutely.
Hearing his confident tone, Zhu Lin turned and asked, "Why? What's your reason?"
Huo Dali recalled the image of Yang Fan riding her bicycle and walked a few steps forward, squatting by the edge of the curb, pointing to the faint bicycle tracks. He said, "Yang Fan always rode her bike close to the edge of the sidewalk, following a consistent path without deviation. If she had stopped at the Shian Bridge, she would have parked her bike at the bridgehead. It wasn't raining when she was on her way home after school. I can't think of any reason she would have fallen into the river."
Zhu Lin opened his clipboard and found the scene diagram.
From the position of the bicycle, it appeared that it had collided with the stone railing. However, the rainstorm had washed away any evidence, making it difficult to find conclusive clues. The inquiry team hadn't uncovered any useful information either, so it was still unclear what had happened on the bridge. Given Huo Dali's familiarity with Yang Fan's routine, if he could be completely cleared of suspicion, his insights could prove invaluable.
Zhu Lin closed the clipboard and said, "You used the word 'if,' which means there must be a reason that made Yang Fan stop at the Shian Bridge. What was that reason?"
"Yang Fan and I have been neighbors since we were kids, and we're very close. We often stop at the Shian Bridge and sit on the grassy area over there while she helps me with my studies."
"Take us to the grassy area."
Huo Dali led Zhu Lin and the others to the small grassy area where he and Yang Fan used to meet. After the rainstorm, the grass had been completely washed out of shape. While they were examining the area, Zhu Lin received a phone call from another detective. During their inquiry, the detective had inadvertently caught a gang of bike thieves, but they had nothing to do with Yang Fan's disappearance.
"Did you get any news?" Huo Dali asked, his eyes fixed intently on Zhu Lin.
Zhu Lin shook his head. "No."
"From the time she left school until now, there are many possibilities. Why do you think she fell into the river?" Huo Dali stood on the edge of the grassy area. Images of his past meetings with Yang Fan on this small grassy patch replayed vividly in his mind, as if piercing through time and space. He pressed his hand against his forehead, trying to suppress the images in his mind, but they kept rebounding, stubbornly remaining intact.
"Based on the current evidence, falling into the river is the most likely scenario," Zhu Lin said.
Huo Dali's face turned pale as he turned to Xia Xiaoyu. "Get me a boat. I need to search the river."
Xia Xiaoyu said, "Although we found her bike on the bridge, the situation is complicated. She might not have fallen into the river. Let's wait a little longer."
"Yang Fan is just as stubborn as her father. She's extremely meticulous, almost to the point of rigidity, and doesn't change her habits easily. If she didn't come home last night, something major must have happened. The most likely scenario is that she fell into the river. Get me a boat. I'm going to search the river." The image of Yang Fan falling into the river appeared in Huo Dali's mind, and he hugged his arms tightly, trying to ward off the coldness that emanated from deep within.
Xia Xiaoyu glanced at the raging river and smiled bitterly. "There was a heavy rainstorm yesterday, and the river is flooding. It's impossible to navigate. I'll deploy over a hundred people to search along the riverbank. It'll be just as effective."
Since Xia Xiaoyu refused to get a boat, Huo Dali didn't press the issue. He pulled out his phone and called his friends in the provincial capital. The friends he associated with were all rich kids with considerable resources and influence. It wasn't long before one of his friends replied that they could find a boat.
"I'll start searching from under the Shian Bridge. Money is no object; name your price. Ten thousand a day? Fine, ten thousand it is. Hurry up and get here." Huo Dali hung up the phone and stood by the river, waiting for the search boat. A thought kept gnawing at him, "If I hadn't gone drinking with my friends from the provincial capital and had taken Yang Fan home, this wouldn't have happened." This thought grew like a venomous snake, biting its way through his veins to every organ.
Knowing that he couldn't stop the irrational Huo Dali, Xia Xiaoyu contacted Huo Guolong and then quickly arranged for a few life jackets and called a few security guards who could swim to protect the heir of Guolong Group.
An hour later, a small motorboat arrived. Huo Dali jumped on board, throwing the life jackets aside. Two nimble security guards followed him, ensuring his safety.
The river was turbulent, and the motorboat rocked violently. Standing at the bow, Huo Dali shouted to the police on the shore, "If there's any news, let me know."
Zhu Lin hadn't expected Huo Dali to be so determined and tried to persuade him, "The police and Shian Factory have already organized a lot of people to search along the river. There's no need to take a boat. The current is too strong, it's really dangerous."
Huo Dali didn't respond to Zhu Lin. He stood at the bow and yelled, "Start the boat!" The motorboat's engine roared, and it swayed left and right in the turbulent river.
On the shore, Xia Xiaoyu stamped his feet anxiously and instructed his subordinates, "The local villagers know the river best. Find a few dozen of them and offer them daily wages to search along the river. If you can't get the villagers to help, get the production team leader to step in."
Xia Xiaoyu's men found the production team leader, Jiang Changsheng, who organized forty villagers to search the riverbanks with bamboo rakes, ropes, and fishing nets. Jiang Changsheng was a shrewd businessman who often sold vegetables in the city. After some bargaining, he organized about forty villagers from the nearby courtyards, knowing that there was a hefty reward for finding the body, in addition to their daily wages.
With the prospect of a generous reward, the villagers eagerly searched the riverbanks, quickly bypassing the groups already searching the river and heading straight to known eddy pools where they could wait for the body to surface.
About ten kilometers from the Shian Bridge, a group of weary searchers sat on the riverbank. Among them were the deeply grieving Yang Yong and Qin Yu, as well as Li Yongmei, who had rushed to the scene upon hearing the news. Some of Yang Fan's classmates from Jiangzhou No. 1 High School's first year had also organized a search party along the river.
The motorboat chugged by, with Huo Dali standing at the bow. As the boat passed, the sky darkened, lightning flashed, thunder rumbled, and a torrential downpour began. Li Yongmei spotted her son standing at the bow and was overcome with a mix of worry and anger.
Riding the turbulent waters, Huo Dali's mind was flooded with memories of the beautiful moments he had shared with Yang Fan. Tears streamed down his face, mingling with the rain, making them indistinguishable.
For two days, the people on the shore and the boat searched without any success.
The faint hope that Yang Fan's parents, Yang Yong and Qin Yu, had held onto was slowly crushed by the passage of time. Qin Yu, unable to bear the pressure, fell ill and was bedridden. After an hour in bed, she thought of her missing daughter and forced herself to get up, continuing the search with her husband along the riverbank.
On the third day of Yang Fan's disappearance, the motorboat reached a bend in the river about fifty kilometers from the Shian Bridge. In the water, there was a faint trace of red. Yang Fan had been wearing a red jacket on the day she went missing, which closely resembled the red in the water.
After three days on the river, Huo Dali's cheeks had hollowed out, his eye sockets were deeply sunken, his hair was matted, and his beard had suddenly sprouted from his face. His voice was hoarse, unable to speak, as he pointed to the red spot in the water.
The boat owner, who had dared to navigate the river during flood season for the promise of a large reward, was known for his recklessness. As the boat approached, the owner crouched down to take a closer look at the red spot, then quickly turned the boat away, refusing to take a second glance.
Huo Dali's legs went weak, and he collapsed onto the deck. At that moment, the sun was obscured by clouds, and the sky lost all light, becoming extremely dim. His gaze was fixed on the red spot among the river weeds, and his soul seemed to shatter into pieces under the weight of death. In the prime of youth, people enjoy the joys of growing up and rarely contemplate the big questions of life and death. Yang Fan's death forced Huo Dali to confront the reality of a loved one's death for the first time.
The police quickly arrived at the scene. Upon seeing the red spot in the water from a distance, Qin Yu let out a piercing scream and fainted. Yang Yong knelt on the ground, banging his head against the earth.
The police moved Yang Fan's parents beyond the cordon.
The detectives on the shore couldn't reach the body, so they called the boat owner, asking him to bring the red spot to the shore. Although the boat owner was bold, he was also superstitious and refused to approach the body.
Two detectives boarded the boat, and a middle-aged male detective grabbed a bamboo pole, using it to gently push the body toward the shore.
After seeing the red spot in the water, it was as if an invisible barrier had isolated Huo Dali from the outside world. He couldn't hear any sound or see any light. When the male detective pushed the red spot with the bamboo pole, a gap appeared in the barrier, allowing sound, light, and moisture to flood in. Only then did Huo Dali reconnect with the outside world, his hoarse voice suddenly breaking the silence: "Don't push her. It'll hurt."
The detective, accustomed to death, had a strong mental fortitude and replied, "The body doesn't feel pain. We have to get it to shore somehow."
"I told you to stop! She'll be in pain." Huo Dali snatched the bamboo pole and carefully supported the red spot in the water. As the body was being moved, it shifted slightly and then fully flipped over. When Huo Dali saw the face in the water, he immediately vomited and then burst into tears, but he stubbornly continued to support the red spot with the bamboo pole.
After the body was brought to shore, Zhu Lin said, "That's enough. Don't take it out of the water yet. Wait for the forensic team to arrive."
A female leader from the Shian Factory's labor union, her eyes filled with tears, pleaded, "Captain Zhu, please bring her out of the water. Her parents are watching from the shore. It's not right to leave her soaking in the water."
Zhu Lin stared intently at the red spot in the water, then glanced at the crowd on the shore, patiently explaining, "The body decays faster in the air than in the water. To preserve the evidence, we should wait. The forensic team is on their way."
He spoke purely from the perspective of a criminal police captain, being as objective as possible and trying to keep personal emotions out of it. The labor union leader, who had often invited Yang Fan, the little princess of Shian Factory, to perform at the factory, was deeply attached to her. Hearing Zhu Lin's emotionless professional tone, she turned away in anger, muttering under her breath that the police were all heartless.