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The subsequent events were no longer our concern. Upon arriving at Dongxing City, Rob would naturally face the consequences he deserved, and Gu Chen would no longer need to involve himself in what followed. Regardless of how things turned out, Rob would likely never see his mother again. If only he had thought of her when he made his choices, perhaps everything could have been different.
After stepping back from this matter, Gu Chen immediately began investigating Guan Zengbin's case, hardly taking a moment to rest. It was evident that Gu Chen was doing everything possible to uncover Guan Zengbin's whereabouts. The only lead we had so far was the hotel outside Xingdong Village.
However, Locard's Exchange Principle reminded us that any crime leaves traces, and even if attempts were made to cover them up, remnants of those efforts would still remain. Although a significant amount of time had passed, a thorough investigation should still yield some results.
I called Sister Mao and asked her to help me get a new SIM card. She informed me that after I left, the police had questioned her multiple times. Given our unusual relationship, it was too coincidental for her to be taken hostage just as I escaped.
During my journey, my acting deceived everyone. Surveillance footage showed me with one hand gripping Sister Mao's neck, blood streaming down her throat; it didn’t look staged at all.
Although the police lacked further evidence, Sister Mao remained cautious about the incident afterward. She advised me to be careful and suggested she would leave the card in a specific location for me to pick up later. We agreed on a time three hours later, which seemed best for everyone involved.
I was genuinely touched by Sister Mao's willingness to help me. Until then, our relationship had merely been one of mutual use. Sometimes in this world, we cannot know who will remain by our side until something happens.
Three hours flew by, and today was the day I was to retrieve the card. As I glanced at the date, I suddenly remembered it was also Lu Zhiqiu's death anniversary.
After picking up the card in the afternoon, I found an envelope at the bottom of a trash can. Inside were not only the SIM card but also twenty thousand Renminbi. I shook my head helplessly; Sister Mao’s thoughtfulness was quite remarkable.
Noticing that it was still early and not completely dark yet, I said to Zhao Mingkun, "Let's go visit Lu Zhiqiu. It's still early enough; after seeing Lu Zhiqiu, this matter will be completely settled."
"Okay," Zhao Mingkun nodded.
Zhao Mingkun rode his motorcycle with me toward Lu Zhiqiu's grave. By the time we arrived, darkness had already fallen. A gentle breeze swept through the park, bringing a chill to the air. The area remained deserted under the light of the rising moon; shadows of weeds and branches danced like flowing water around us.
The slope stood quietly before us, and the path leading up to it was eerily silent. Neither Zhao Mingkun nor I spoke as we ascended together. We had only waited here for Jiang Xiaochun before but understood that she intended to end her life. Now we finally stood on this slope together.
The weeds on the slope had been trimmed neatly, and it was clear that maintaining such an appearance required more than just a day or two of work. Standing on this hillside, the first impression one gets is a profound silence. From this vantage point, one can see the street outside the park, where cars passed by in a steady flow.
Moonlight bathed the gravestone, revealing that the mound had become flat from years of wind and rain. The gravestone itself showed signs of wear from sun and rain, its surface marred and weathered. The inscription on the stone was nearly worn smooth.
I carefully deciphered the words etched into the gravestone—"Here lies Lu Zhiqiu." Next to it were the words "Love Your Spring."
Seeing this gravestone filled me with helplessness, and I shook my head. If only we had discovered this sooner; if one of the twenty-two victims had seen this gravestone, we might have known who the true murderer was long ago.
But no one had seen it because they were indifferent to Lu Zhiqiu's death, showing no interest in investigating where her body had been buried or what was inscribed on her gravestone. Perhaps after seven years, only Jiang Xiaochun would come here repeatedly, talking to Lu Zhiqiu time and again.
Zhao Mingkun bent down, and when she stood up again, she held a plant in her hand. I looked closely and realized it was a sunflower.
"Look at this," Zhao Mingkun said as she handed me the sunflower.
After a moment, she added, "Sunflower."
I nodded slowly and replied, "This definitely wasn't brought by Jiang Xiaochun; it must have come from someone else. But who else in this world knows where Lu Zhiqiu's grave is? After thinking it over, perhaps only that person knows."
I placed the sunflower gently on top of the gravestone.
Zhao Mingkun watched my actions and said softly, "You might find it hard to provoke Jiang Xiaochun with just a phone call. A significant part of why Jiang Xiaochun wants to kill is likely tied to nurturing this sunflower. It's almost ironic; if we had found this grave earlier and seen what was written here, maybe Jiang Xiaochun wouldn't have killed so many people."
I shrugged helplessly and said, "But we didn't see it; we never had the chance to see it. For seven years, no one has paid attention to this place. Otherwise, would they still be dead?"
"There is a piece of paper here." Zhao Mingkun nodded and pointed to a sheet of paper next to the tombstone, which was pressed down by a stone. It was clear that someone had intentionally placed this paper here under the stone.
"If we hadn't come here, this paper would have disappeared in the wind and rain," I said slowly.
Zhao Mingkun asked, "Who do you think this is for?"
Suddenly, I recalled Jiang Xiaochun's gaze and the silhouette of Lu Xiangyang leaving.
"For us," I replied firmly.
As I picked up the paper, I realized that the handwriting looked familiar; I had seen it at Liang Mei's house. This was indeed written by Jiang Xiaochun. From the appearance of the paper, it seemed to be a page from a diary. Under the light of my phone, Zhao Mingkun and I read through it.
The paper recorded Jiang Xiaochun's decision to dedicate her life to protecting Lu Zhiqiu.
Ten years ago, Jiang Xiaochun and Lu Zhiqiu were both second-year students. At that time, Lu Zhiqiu had already begun to showcase her abilities, excelling in various aspects. Many people had started to resent her.
Kori Chiu tried desperately to please these friends in every way she could to keep them around. However, Lu Zhiqiu did not understand that friendship should be based on equality, not on servitude. They made Lu Zhiqiu pay for their meals, asked her to do their homework, and expected her to cater to their needs.
Despite being treated like a servant by these people, Lu Zhiqiu always managed to smile, making everyone feel that as long as they asked, she would help them.
Lu Zhiqiu approached the world with kindness emanating from her heart, but in return, she received deep malice from it.
These people believed that Lu Zhiqiu would never cry; they thought she was just like that—a fool or perhaps a schemer—thinking everything she did was for herself. How could Lu Zhiqiu feel sad when she was so happy inside?
She had always been smiling, so how could she care about such things?
Is Kori Chiu really that kind of person?
Jiang Xiaochun had always believed that Lu Zhiqiu must come from a good family, that someone like Lu Zhiqiu must have been raised in a cultured environment. But when she returned home with Lu Zhiqiu, she realized that her assumptions were completely wrong. It turned out that Lu Zhiqiu was just like her; the people at home had never liked her, and they treated her as a burden.
How could Kori Chiu still be smiling? Jiang Xiaochun was deeply drawn to Lu Zhiqiu. She had liked Lu Zhiqiu before, but now she liked her even more. Jiang Xiaochun finally understood what it was about Lu Zhiqiu that attracted her. They came from similar families, and Jiang Xiaochun regretted not being able to live up to the example set by Lu Zhiqiu.
But then everything changed. Jiang Xiaochun would never forget that moment; she would never forget when she went to the restroom and found the person who had always given her strength, the one who had always given her hope, the person she had always wanted to become, crying in a stall.
Jiang Xiaochun had always thought that someone as strong as Lu Zhiqiu, someone who always wore a smile, would never cry.
But in that moment, Jiang Xiaochun finally understood: there has never been a person in this world who only smiles and never cries. They put their smiles in front of others while their tears are kept behind closed doors. At that moment, Lu Zhiqiu was so helpless and so sad. She couldn't even allow herself to cry freely.
Jiang Xiaochun embraced Lu Zhiqiu, and Lu Zhiqiu turned her head.
After a long pause, Lu Zhiqiu cried out, "What do I have to do to make others like me? What do I have to do to make others love me?"
Jiang Xiaochun had no words; she simply stroked Lu Zhiqiu's head gently.
In her heart, she vowed: From now on, I will protect you.
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