Chapter 29

Zhen Ai awkwardly withdrew her hand and looked toward the newcomer, who turned out to be her male assistant, Ryan, along with another Caucasian man.

Ryan was casually linking arms with the man as they walked over.

Zhen Ai had known for a while that Ryan was gay; it was quite common in the U.S., so she wasn't surprised. To divert attention from the awkwardness of holding hands with Yan Su, she casually asked, "Who's this?"

Ryan smiled brightly, "This is Allen, my boyfriend."

Zhen Ai nodded slowly, wracking her brain for a response. "Oh, so this is the boyfriend you've mentioned often?"

Unexpectedly, the tall and handsome Allen suddenly laughed, "He often talks about his ex-boyfriend."

Zhen Ai's face froze, thinking how hard it was to initiate a conversation, only to end up… feeling utterly embarrassed.

But within a second, Allen laughed heartily again, "I'm his ex-boyfriend. We broke up and got back together after a while."

Ryan joined in the laughter with his boyfriend.

Zhen Ai gave a dry chuckle.

Yan Su looked down at her, his expression indifferent. "Not funny at all."

…

Such a brat…

As Zhen Ai felt increasingly embarrassed, Allen seemed unfazed and instead stared at Yan Su in surprise, suddenly exclaiming, "S.A.YAN?"

Yan Su didn't fully turn around, glancing at him sideways with no expression, not even a hint of surprise at being recognized.

Zhen Ai speculated that he was probably used to being recognized by strangers.

Ryan looked surprised. "Do you two know each other?"

"I know him. He's a renowned cryptographer, logician, and behavioral analyst in the U.S.," Allen enumerated a long list of titles, adding in admiration, "Mr. Yan Su has deciphered many unique codes, with a long history of achievements. Many crucial decisions depend on him. I've recently started learning cryptography, but it's too difficult. I wish I could seek advice from Mr. Yan."

Zhen Ai's mind raced; so he was a fan of Yan Su.

She glanced at Yan Su, expecting him to respond with some mild pride, but to her surprise,

Yan Su narrowed his eyes slightly and scanned Allen before briefly asking, "Journalist?"

Allen looked taken aback. "You know me?"

Yan Su replied with a blank expression, "I don't."

A flock of crows flew overhead…

Allen paused, visibly stunned but remained easygoing. "Mr. Yan Su is still as sharp as ever, able to glean so much information at a glance."

Yan Su showed no reaction to this polite flattery.

Zhen Ai then realized that Yan Su didn't recognize him but could tell his profession at a glance.

Unable to resist, she sized up Ryan's boyfriend as well. Apart from noticing his well-dressed appearance, suggesting a middle-class background, she couldn't glean much more information.

After a moment, Allen's gaze flickered as he asked, "Since we've met today, I'd like to ask Mr. Yan about the general meaning of a pentagram?"

Yan Su's gaze slightly narrowed. "There are many meanings."

"Considering the symbols and meanings you've solved, you probably don't remember them all," Allen said understandingly, then shifted his tone, casually probing, "Harry Simon Parker—does that name hold any special significance for you, Mr. Yan?"

Zhen Ai and Ryan were baffled.

Yan Su's expression remained calm as he masked the fleeting light in his eyes. "What are you trying to say?"

Allen smiled. "His father, Senator Parker, mentioned his son's wrongful death case during his recent campaign for New York governor. As someone involved in the hasty investigation of the case, what are your thoughts on Senator Parker's sentiments?"

Zhen Ai was stunned; what was he talking about?

Her assistant Ryan looked at her with a smile, seeming proud of his boyfriend. In this country, anyone pursuing the truth and challenging the established reality was likable.

Yan Su remained unfazed, disinterestedly commenting, "Senator Parker is a decent politician."

A flicker of disbelief crossed Allen's face, as if he had never encountered someone as stubborn as Yan Su. Was he mocking Senator Parker for using his son's murder as a stepping stone in politics?

Ryan, not wanting to let things get too awkward, tried to lighten the mood, smiling at Zhen Ai. "I didn't even know you were dating! Since we've run into each other, why don't we arrange a double date?"

Though he said this, there was a hint of helping his boyfriend uncover the truth. After all, two years ago, the mysterious deaths of a congressman's daughter and a senator's son had made headlines.

Zhen Ai knew Ryan had misunderstood, and just as she was about to explain, Allen looked at Yan Su and earnestly said, "A double date? That sounds great! I was hoping to find an opportunity to chat with Mr. Yan!"

He looked like a keen student eager to learn.

"Actually, I and he don't…" Zhen Ai's words were cut off by Yan Su, who interjected, "Sure!"

Zhen Ai was taken aback: We're not in a relationship, so what's with this double date?

But Yan Su suddenly reached out, grasping Zhen Ai's shoulder and pulling her close, securing her beside him, then gently patted her shoulder twice.

Zhen Ai knew he wouldn't engage in trivial matters; she figured he might have some other purpose, so she awkwardly accepted it.

Ryan was thrilled and enthusiastically discussed the time and place for their double date before saying goodbye.

Only then did Yan Su release Zhen Ai's shoulder and calmly walk into the park.

Zhen Ai followed, asking, "How did you figure out he was a journalist?"

Yan Su replied, "Think for yourself." He shot her an exasperated look, almost in complaint. "You always ask me."

Zhen Ai: "…"

They walked a few steps before reaching the performance area on the grass, where the stage was dazzlingly lit and the crowd was bustling.

But Zhen Ai's mind was focused on young Parker. After thinking for a long while, she finally asked, "What happened to young Parker?"

"Dead," Yan Su replied absently, his focus on the stage.

Wasn't that just stating the obvious... 

Zhen Ai, distracted, continued to watch the stage and after a moment asked, "How did they die?"

"Hung."

That method of death was unsettling to hear. "What about the murderer?"

"Everyone involved is underage."

Meaning they can't say anything.

"But old Parker keeps bringing up that case, which means the victim's family hasn't found closure..." Zhen Ai took a deep breath and challenged, "They haven't caught the murderer, right?"

Yan Su's profile stiffened for a moment, a hint of anger clouding his features.

Zhen Ai realized she had misspoken and fell silent.

Yan Su was indeed angry with her.

Today's series of provocations from Allen, the storm from two years ago, and countless inquiries over the past two years had not bothered him in the slightest.

Since making that decision two years ago, he had anticipated a series of potential damages to his reputation, but he had remained indifferent.

Today, he felt the same way.

Yet at this moment, Zhen Ai had questioned him—something he had not foreseen. Even a tiny bit of doubt from her made him extremely uncomfortable.

He momentarily lost control and contradicted his earlier resolution, saying sharply, "Because old Parker lied!"

Zhen Ai pondered for a long time but couldn't deduce any information from the scattered words. "Lied? Why?"

She intended to ask what lie old Parker had told, but Yan Su habitually interpreted it on a deeper level.

He turned to look at her, his eyes momentarily dark yet bright, as if mocking something, but there was no trace of a smile. "Because some people think that if they tell a lie often enough, it will become the truth."

Zhen Ai gazed into his deep eyes, feeling bewitched, completely forgetting her previous question, and uncontrollably asked, "Why do some people think that?"

"Because more people, after hearing enough lies, begin to believe they are true." He suddenly smiled, "Like you, who just thought, is it possible that I made a mistake and harmed someone."

Zhen Ai felt caught out, stunned. She wasn't sure if this thought had angered him; she wanted to confirm but he had already turned his gaze back to the stage.

His eyes were quiet and silent, reflecting the colorful lights from the stage, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.

#

Two years ago,

New York City,

Warton High School,

Squash club locker room.

"Kerry, could you stop smoking? It's suffocating!" Anna frowned, waving her hand in front of her face to disperse the smoke, her heavily mascaraed eyes glaring at him.

Kerry, with his wild red hair, smirked mischievously and blew a puff of smoke in her direction.

Anna, furious, lunged at him but was held back by Qi Mo and Daisy. Qi Mo was too small, and Daisy, being a girl, couldn't match Anna's strength.

The oldest among them, Tony, stood nearby, looking displeased. He habitually scolded, "Can you all stop making noise? The police are investigating now; can't we just be a little nicer, a little more united?"

Kerry took a deep drag, exhaling smoke. "United? Please! When we found Lola's body, I said to dig a hole and bury her; who listened to me? Everyone wanted to call the cops, and look where that got us? The police come and say the murderer is one of us. You want us to unite with the murderer?"

"Don't say that. We were all looking for Lola in the woods when she was hung from the tree!" Qi Mo's face paled, pushing his black-rimmed glasses up his nose. He whispered, "The police suspect us because we didn't mention Lin Xing's incident from back then. Don't panic; you're falling into the avenger's trap."

"You're the most annoying!" Kerry shot him a look, and Qi Mo immediately lowered his head, falling silent.

Kerry exhaled another puff of smoke, saying, "That S.A. guy took the squash club roster yesterday, and Lin Xing's name was on it. I'm telling you all to be careful; if anyone leaks even a hint, they'll be sorry!"

"But," Daisy, who had been quiet, hesitated. "He seems to have talked to Parker already; I saw Parker looking really bad. I'm worried he might have said something."

Kerry sneered, "Impossible!" He took out his phone, mumbling to himself, "But where did Parker go? He called us over and then disappeared. Can't get through... oh, it's on!"

At that moment, a crisp phone ring echoed through the empty locker room.

Everyone jumped, exchanging frightened glances.

After a moment, someone tentatively called out, "Harry? Parker?" but received no response.

The ringing continued.

The students began to feel increasingly uneasy. Just moments ago, they were shouting; now they were all clutching each other's hands tightly, bravely following the sound of the ringing.

Their eyes landed on the shower room.

A row of transparent glass doors, only one of which was steaming.

Anna trembled, "Maybe he's just taking a shower and forgot his phone." But who takes their phone into the shower?

A few of them huddled together, nervously approaching the fogged door.

Qi Mo, the bespectacled one, widened his eyes in shock. "Look at the glass!"

Everyone looked, and on the fogged surface appeared a pentagram and a line of text: You are my drug.

Anna and Daisy's legs turned to jelly, and they dared not approach. Qi Mo squeezed closer to them, desperately making the sign of the cross over his chest. "He's here! The avenger is coming for us!"

Kerry, irritated, cursed, "A bunch of useless idiots." He then yelled into the shower room, "Parker, what the hell are you doing?" and yanked the shower room door open.

Just like Lola, this time Harry Simon Parker was hanging naked from the high showerhead.