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“Don’t you think we should look for something more grown-up? An Qing is turning 19, not 9,” Lin Xian commented, feeling out of place amid the childish, colorful gifts.

“What do 19-year-old girls even like?” Ji Lin looked up, his expression serious. “I’ve never given a gift before, so I’m not sure what to pick.”

“How would you handle a gift-giving scene in one of your stories?” Lin Xian asked.

“I’d probably skip the details and keep the birthday gift scene short,” Ji Lin replied.

“You really are something… But I don’t think you need to overthink it,” Lin Xian scratched his head and moved towards the luxury displays. “A birthday gift is just a gesture. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s the thought that counts.”

“You’re right, but…” Ji Lin followed, looking around. “Since it’s my first time going to someone’s birthday party, I want to pick something she’ll actually like.”

“You don’t even know her that well. How can you be sure what she likes?” Lin Xian smiled wryly. “Understanding a woman’s heart is like finding a needle in a haystack. Sometimes figuring out what they like is harder than solving a case.”

“That might not be true,” Ji Lin said, staring at Lin Xian’s back. “Actually, Chu An Qing is quite straightforward.”

March 28.

That day, Ji Lin and Lin Xian had assisted the Donghai City Public Security Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Division in cracking a tough cold case. Despite their usual ease in finding crucial clues, their special unit was struggling, leading to low morale mainly due to a lack of evidence.

“If only we could locate those vehicles involved,” a female team member lamented.

“How can those vehicles just vanish in a city full of cameras?” another member sighed.

“Cameras have blind spots,” a male team member countered. “If the vehicles stuck to main roads, we wouldn’t lose them. The intersection cameras are interconnected, but they always disappear exactly in the blind spots and are never seen again.”

“What do you think?” Ji Lin turned to Lin Xian, who was idly spinning a pen. “How do you think those vehicles disappeared?”

“I don’t believe anything truly vanishes into thin air,” Lin Xian replied. “Those vehicles were either hidden or moved in some extraordinary way.”

“Like what?” Ji Lin asked, intrigued.

“I’m not sure,” Lin Xian admitted, shaking his head. “But you see it in movies. Like in ‘Fast & Furious,’ where they hide cars in plain sight.”

“If they used a method like that, hiding the car under a truck in a blind spot, then hauling it into the truck’s container… our tracking would end there.”

“I checked the footage of the Audi and the taxi. They vanished near the outer city, where container trucks abound. It’s like hiding a tree in a forest—difficult to spot, especially after so much time.”

“So… our best strategy is to intercept those vehicles right away,” Ji Lin concluded, folding his arms. “We should collaborate more closely with the research department. If we can track every scientist researching hibernation in Donghai City, we could set up roadblocks to catch those vehicles.”

“We must ensure the scientists’ safety first. We need to predict which scientist the perpetrator will target next at 00:42. That’s our only chance to advance the case.”

Everyone agreed with the plan.

Lin Xian, too, was waiting for the next 00:42 incident. At that moment, the driver who killed Xu Yun and Tang Xin would reappear, and he was determined to catch him.

Lin Xian twirled his pen, watching Ji Lin organize the papers on the table. Follow the leads, find solid evidence. Zhou Duan Yun, Ji Lin, Ji Xin Shui… None of you will escape!

“Meeting adjourned,” Ji Lin announced, standing up.

That evening.

In the suburbs of Donghai City, near the university town by the lakeside villa complex, Ji Lin’s driver steered the black business car toward Chu An Qing’s villa.

“What a coincidence, I didn’t expect to end up here,” Ji Lin remarked, recognizing the area. “I live here too.”

“You live here too?” Lin Xian lowered his car window, admiring the scenic villas. They must be a nice place to live, albeit a bit far from the city center.

Chu An Qing had explained to Lin Xian in their WeChat conversations that the villa was a coming-of-age gift from Chu Shan He. For safety reasons, she wasn’t allowed to stay there alone. She could host parties or spend time with friends, but had to return to her home or dorm at night due to strict curfew rules set by Chu Shan He.

“I live in that one,” Ji Lin pointed out through the window. “Number 6.”

Lin Xian, seeing two peers younger than him each owning a lakeside villa, could only offer a thumbs-up. Though he could now afford one himself, buying it would drain his finances. He still needed funds to establish a lab for Liu Feng. Better to save. Or, once the current crisis was resolved, he could use some useful tech from his dreams to set up the lab without financial strain. But that was a plan for later. Right now, the game of cat and mouse continued, and he couldn’t afford to let his guard down. Besides, Lin Xian sensed that the real confrontation was just around the corner.

They entered the double redwood doors of Chu An Qing’s villa.

“Welcome! Welcome, senior!”

“Wow, it’s really Ji Lin! Ji Lin is really here!”

Lin Xian and Ji Lin’s arrival was greeted with cheers from the Donghai University girls gathered inside. When Chu An Qing first mentioned that Lin Xian would attend her birthday party, the girls were thrilled to meet the legendary senior. But their excitement soared when they learned that Ji Lin, the famed mystery writer and youngest Oscar-nominated screenwriter, would also be there.

To them, meeting Ji Lin was even more exciting than meeting Lin Xian. He was a rare and admired figure, so they crowded around him, asking for autographs and selfies.

“Hey, Lin Xian, I cooked tonight!” Chu An Qing emerged from the kitchen wearing an apron and wielding a spatula, looking every bit the part. “I learned lots of dishes from my mom. You won’t be disappointed!”

The house wasn’t crowded, just Chu An Qing’s friends from university and high school, all girls, about seven or eight in total. Including Lin Xian and Ji Lin, there were about ten people at the party. The small number made the gathering feel intimate and relaxed.

Soon, food was served, and a large birthday cake with candles was brought out. They dimmed the lights. The party officially started. In the soft glow of the candles, everyone sang the birthday song as Chu An Qing made her wish for her 19th year and blew out all the candles in one go.

“I hope everyone’s lives keep getting better! Long live friendship!” Chu An Qing happily sliced the cake, offering the first piece to Ji Lin.

“Ji Lin, I’m so glad you came! You have to invite me to your birthday party!”

“Of course,” Ji Lin smiled, accepting the cake. “It’s an honor to be here.”

“I want to come too!”

“Can we crash?”

“Ji Lin, let us come too!”

The girls were clearly charmed by Ji Lin. To them, he was an overwhelming presence.

“Sure, you’re all welcome,” Ji Lin, unaccustomed to dealing with girls, nodded and agreed to everything.

Then it was time for gifts. Everyone presented their gifts, and Chu An Qing opened them one by one, delighted with each one. Lin Xian gave her an LV handbag. He really wasn’t sure what to buy for a 19-year-old girl, so he just followed the store clerk’s recommendation. Giving gifts to girls was truly a baffling task, a great mystery to him.

He recalled the night before New Year’s when a Bentley flew over the highway, and Zhao Ying Jun turned 24. He had given her a crumpled bouquet from the wrecked car as a birthday gift. Looking back, it was quite awkward. But it had seemed appropriate at the time, given the circumstances.

“This is my gift,” Ji Lin presented a rectangular frame wrapped in colorful paper. It looked like it contained a painting.

“Huh?” Lin Xian was surprised and whispered to Ji Lin. “I thought you bought a hat…”

Their gifts were both recommended by the store clerk and were not cheap. Lin Xian didn’t expect Ji Lin to switch to a painting instead.

“I think she’ll like this more,” Ji Lin whispered back. “It’s rare to give a birthday gift. Might as well make it something she’ll really enjoy.”

“How can you be so sure she’ll like it?”

“I’m confident about this painting.”

He turned to Chu An Qing. “Happy birthday, An Qing. But don’t open this painting now. Save it for later as a surprise.”

“Okay, Ji Lin. Thank you for the painting!” Chu An Qing was eager to open it but set it aside to continue opening other presents.

The birthday party was joyful and relaxing. Lin Xian and Ji Lin had a great time. Lin Xian was surprised by Ji Lin’s behavior that night. He had thought Ji Lin wasn’t one for lively gatherings, given his solitary and reserved nature. But it seemed everyone sought connection and joy deep down. Ji Lin gradually joined in, playing games with everyone.

Later, the girls chatted about gossip, school, and TV shows, while Lin Xian and Ji Lin moved to the rooftop balcony on the villa’s third floor, lying on lounge chairs under the moonlight.

“I think you and Chu An Qing make a good pair, better than Zhao Ying Jun,” Ji Lin said suddenly.

Lin Xian almost choked on his juice. “What are you talking about?”

Ji Lin lay back, turning to look at Lin Xian. “What’s your relationship with Chu An Qing?”

“Nothing,” Lin Xian answered honestly.

“But Chu An Qing clearly doesn’t think so,” Ji Lin observed with interest. “She really likes you. It’s obvious.”

“Have you ever been in love?”

“No,” Ji Lin shook his head.

“Then how can you be so sure?”

“I’ve read a lot. In stories, the romantic plotlines are like this,” Ji Lin turned his gaze back to the sky. “Honestly, I’m a bit disappointed in you tonight. I expected some big drama.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Lin Xian laughed. “Reality isn’t like stories. What should I be doing, according to your stories?”

“In stories…” Ji Lin blinked and continued. “You’d do something grand and romantic, like setting off fireworks to light up the whole city. You know Chu An Qing would love that, but you didn’t do it.”

“Have you been reading ‘Dragon Clan’?” Lin Xian chuckled. “Your fantasy is a bit small. Why not summon all the heroes in the world to give Chu An Qing treasures and then descend on a giant eagle? Isn’t that more interesting than your story?”

Ji Lin laughed, getting the reference. “‘The Return of the Condor Heroes,’ Yang Guo and Guo Xiang.” He sighed softly. “Spending time with you, I find we get along well. You’re interesting, and I enjoy our talks.”

“All these years, I mostly stayed in my room, solving math problems, reading, writing, watching the news… I rarely went out. The outside world seemed uninteresting to me.”

“But now… attending Chu An Qing’s birthday party and chatting with you is quite nice.” He sat up, moonlight highlighting his pale face. “Can you tell me… what gift you’ll give me for my birthday?”

“No spoilers,” Lin Xian laughed. “You’ll know on your birthday, May 3rd, right? I’ll get you a gift.”

But first… Lin Xian’s smile faded as he gazed at the rising moon. You have to live until then. Though he seemed to get along with Ji Lin, Lin Xian never wavered in his resolve to avenge Xu Yun and Tang Xin.

Ji Lin, if you are the killer… I won’t show mercy.