At the entrance of Southern Cheng’an Cemetery, Lin Zhizhi had cried on the mountain earlier, and her eyes were slightly red. She looked down at her phone: “It’s too remote here; we’ll have to rely on luck to get a taxi.”
The app was still searching for nearby vehicles, and just as they were about to give up and take the only bus route, a driver finally accepted the order. After getting in the car, the driver asked if they should follow the navigation. Before Lin Zhizhi could speak, Yi Shi took the initiative to suggest a route, which happened to be the quickest way to Lin Heyu’s home.
Now Lin Zhizhi truly believed he had uncovered something extraordinary: “Only Guoning and I know about that place. Did he tell you?”
“No.”
“Then…”
Yi Shi leaned his arm against the car window, gazing out into the distance, seemingly indifferent: “Lin Heyu took me there before.”
“He took you there?” Lin Zhizhi was slightly surprised, then gently nodded. “… Well, that’s not too strange. But you were so young back then; it’s impressive that you still remember the address so clearly after twenty years.”
It had nothing to do with his childhood. After being rescued, he had lived with the Lü family and had never entered Lin Heyu’s social circle. This was all recent, and he didn’t know if Lin Zhizhi could accept everything he wanted to tell her.
The car stopped at the entrance of the neighborhood. Yi Shi walked ahead, leading the way; he was more familiar with the path to Lin Heyu’s home than his own. Lin Zhizhi followed behind and couldn’t help but ask, “Do you come here often?”
“Yeah, I’ve been coming a lot lately.”
“Who gave you the key?”
Yi Shi hesitated for a few seconds. Lin Zhizhi noticed his uncertainty and said, “It must be Guoning, right? Seriously, to keep such a big deal from me, just wait until I get back to have a good talk with him.”
“It’s not him.”
“Who else could it be? Don’t try to cover for your dad; I know what he’s thinking.” Lin Zhizhi sighed. “He must want to wait until everything settles down before telling me, to spare me the joy of anticipation. I understand that.”
“…” Yi Shi remained silent. The reasons were too complicated, and he couldn’t think of a way to explain it. For now, he decided to let her misunderstand.
As they walked along the tree-lined path shaded by the sycamore trees, Lin Zhizhi tugged on Yi Shi’s sleeve and asked him to guess what the scene was like when the houses were handed over. Yi Shi immediately replied, “They were all saplings.”
“Right, towering trees turned into little saplings. Many homeowners went to the developer to demand an explanation.” Lin Zhizhi blinked. “How did you know? Did my brother tell you? Why does he share such trivial matters with you?”
“There were topics to talk about; there was a lot to discuss.” Yi Shi casually kicked a small stone on the ground. “I didn’t expect to become so chatty while being with him.”
“What else did he tell you?”
“A lot; some of it was about his childhood. Making broad bean necklaces for the Dragon Boat Festival, playing with duck eggs, sneaking food from the offering table during the New Year…”
As he recounted his stories along the way, Lin Zhizhi couldn’t hide her surprise. Was this really Yi Shi in front of her? This kid was actually able to talk so freely, and his demeanor was so natural and friendly, as if a glacier had melted into a spring. It was simply unbelievable.
In the end, she still had to thank her brother. If it hadn’t been for their past interactions and the things related to him, Yi Shi might not have been able to undergo such a significant transformation in such a short time.
When they entered the elevator, Yi Shi took a breath. One day, he actually found himself short of breath from talking. Lin Zhizhi wrapped her arm around his, her tone filled with comfort: “It’s great; you’ve changed so much for the better. I finally don’t have to worry anymore.”
After unlocking the security door, Lin Zhizhi stepped inside and immediately noticed signs of someone living there. The arrangement of small items in the cabinets was different from when she had left last time. The shoe rack and room divider were dust-free, and the floor was spotless. It seemed that Yi Shi had indeed been coming here often lately.
She walked around the house and praised Yi Shi for being capable, remarking that his self-sufficiency had improved significantly. Yi Shi felt somewhat helpless; nearly thirty years old and still being praised for such trivial matters. In a mother’s eyes, a child was always a child, with no age boundary.
“I took most of the photos with me; only a few are left on the screen divider,” Lin Zhizhi picked up a photo frame. “This is from the year I graduated from university. Time really is merciless; in the blink of an eye, An An is already in college. It’s a pity my brother didn’t get the chance to meet him; otherwise, he would have been very happy.”
“Sheng Yu’an and Lin Heyu don’t look alike.”
“They don’t resemble each other in features or face shape, but they are similar in height. They’re about the same height.” Lin Zhizhi frowned. “I don’t know why, but every time I hear you call his name, it feels strange, especially since there’s a generational gap…”
Is that something she couldn’t accept? Yi Shi pulled Lin Zhizhi to sit down on the sofa, his dark eyes gazing seriously at her: “I said on the mountain that there’s no generational relationship between me and him because the Lin Heyu I truly know is the one from twenty years ago.”
“Yeah, what’s wrong with that?” Lin Zhizhi replied, confused. “You two indeed knew each other back then.”
“I mean, the Lin Heyu I know now is the one from twenty years ago.”
“… Now?” Lin Zhizhi suddenly realized, her shock leaving her speechless. “You—are you saying… you now, now with my brother…? You’ve seen my brother?! Now, as in right now?!”
She tightly clutched Yi Shi’s sleeve, and Yi Shi held her arm firmly, using the strength to calm her down: “Let me finish. I’ll tell you everything, including why he went missing, why I was injured, and how I met him again.”
This story was long and bizarre. Yi Shi summarized the key parts, omitting the budding affection between him and Lin Heyu, Sheng Guoning’s interference, Lin Zhizhi’s background, and some details he wasn’t entirely sure about himself.
“… How can there be such a strange thing?” Lin Zhizhi’s hands trembled slightly as she buried her face in her palms. “You were actually able to reconnect with my brother across twenty years? This sounds too absurd; how am I supposed to believe you?”
“Our worlds are mirrored and inverted; the verification method is quite simple.” Yi Shi took out the heart-shaped origami made from a hundred-yuan bill from his inner pocket and handed it to Lin Zhizhi. “Open it and take a look.”
Lin Zhizhi quickly unfolded the origami, revealing a perfectly mirrored misprinted bill with patterns and text flipped. She gently tore a small part, exposing the genuine golden thread inside, confirming that this was not a counterfeit bill. She bit her lip: “My brother indeed knows how to fold this, but that doesn’t prove anything unless his fingerprints can be found on it. Otherwise… I can only regard it as a misprinted bill.”
To confirm someone’s identity, the most scientific and direct method is to extract biological evidence for comparison. Lin Heyu’s fingerprints surely existed, but convincing Lin Zhizhi of his existence right now was a dilemma. Yi Shi rested his finger on his chin, realizing he should have had Lin Heyu leave something written behind. A relative’s handwriting would be much more direct. However, the current situation was unexpected, and he never thought he would end up sitting here with Lin Zhizhi one day.
If there were any likely place to find Lin Heyu’s handwriting, it would instead be Changlong Garden. Aside from the details he wrote about the bombing case, there was also a math exercise book in his room containing his handwriting.
However… he didn’t want to expose Sheng Guoning in front of Lin Zhizhi. Knowing her personality, if she found out about her husband’s actions toward her brother, it would probably create rifts in their seemingly harmonious marriage.
Lin Zhizhi fiddled with the hundred-yuan bill, skillfully folding it back to its original shape, her brows furrowed: “…Even without solid evidence, I believe what you said. For years, I’ve been wanting to know my brother’s whereabouts; I just didn’t expect such a bizarre story. Can you tell me why all of this happened?”
“It’s related to the case.”
“So it really is that kidnapping case. Could it be that because my brother saved you, you had to go through such trials?” Lin Zhizhi sighed, resting her chin on her hand. “That’s just unreasonable! My brother is a police officer; saving lives is his responsibility!”
Originally, Yi Shi had attributed the root of the problem to himself and Lin Heyu, but with Sheng Guoning’s recent interference, his line of thought began to change. Though he guessed it was likely related to Lin Zhizhi, she had only been rescued at the end of the kidnapping case and hadn’t participated in the bombing case. How could the two cases be connected? It was indeed puzzling.
Both of them fell into their thoughts when a crisp ringtone broke the silence. Lin Zhizhi picked up her phone, a smile appearing on her lips: “It’s your dad. I already sent him a message, but he still isn’t at ease.”
“Definitely,” Yi Shi added, “Don’t mention me.”
Lin Zhizhi made an “OK” gesture and answered the call, talking with Sheng Guoning.
Yi Shi had no interest in eavesdropping on others’ conversations, especially private talks between a couple. However, since Lin Zhizhi didn’t leave, it seemed she hadn’t planned to avoid him. If he suddenly walked away, it would only create an awkward situation.
Upon learning that Lin Zhizhi was staying in Haijing, Sheng Guoning expressed concern and frustration, but he didn’t dare to raise his voice at his wife and could only complain mildly. Lin Zhizhi replied: “I know there’s a fugitive here; I’ll be heading back tomorrow. I can’t be that unlucky, right? I’m in the city, far from Cheng’an Mountain. The Haijing City Bureau is only two streets away. What could happen?”
Mentioning the city bureau made Sheng Guoning think about calling Yi Shi, but Lin Zhizhi quickly stopped him: “Don’t go looking for trouble. Xiao Yi is handling a case and doesn’t have that much free time! Alright, I should have known better than to pick up your call; you worry too much.”
As night fell, Lin Zhizhi noticed it was getting late and invited Yi Shi to go out for dinner. Yi Shi suggested ordering takeout, and she readily agreed, patting her knee: “Not having to walk is nice; my legs are so sore. In a few more years, I’ll need a cane to go hiking.”
Yi Shi moved closer, lightly tapping her knee with his palm as Lin Zhizhi browsed for takeout. She held her phone up to him: “Anything you want to eat? Many places around here have changed; the sour fish soup I had two months ago has closed down.”
“Anything is fine. It depends on what you like.”
“You’re always so indifferent when it comes to food! Xiao An is completely the opposite; he calls to order food before he even gets home.” Lin Zhizhi pondered for a moment. “How about beef frog? You eat quite a bit when I cook it at home.”
“Sure, whatever.”
After ordering takeout, Lin Zhizhi boiled some water to sanitize the bowls and chopsticks they would use, wiped her hands, and sat beside Yi Shi. She exaggeratedly described how delicious and unforgettable this dry pot beef frog was. However, at some point, her voice gradually lowered, and her expression became odd, ultimately falling silent.
“What’s wrong?” Yi Shi asked.
“I… I’m not quite sure…”
Just as Yi Shi was about to probe further, the doorbell rang. The dry pot beef frog had arrived. He picked up the takeout, but when he turned around, he found Lin Zhizhi had gone to the bedroom, and he could hear the sounds of her rummaging through things.
He walked to the bedroom door and saw Lin Zhizhi kneeling in front of the bedside table, holding a piece of old, yellowed A4 paper.
Her frail shoulders trembled slightly, and when she heard footsteps approaching, she looked up, tears streaming down her face.
“… That day, I was at home preparing handmade gifts for the bridesmaids. My brother, who was supposed to be on a business trip, returned. He said his task was temporarily canceled and that he was back to rest. I was like a fool, without any suspicion, not caring to ask more, only focused on my own business.” Lin Zhizhi handed the A4 paper to Yi Shi. “It turns out that the brother from that day was not the usual him at all. He knew everything and had been through so much. He was so close to me, yet I didn’t cherish the time spent with him…”
The A4 paper, warped from drying out after becoming damp, contained a table. Although some of the handwriting had smudged due to the water, it was still clear to see the neatly arranged dates and times, written in a mirrored format with black and blue ink. The blue handwriting was unmistakably Lin Zhizhi’s familiar penmanship.
That day after the water incident, Lin Heyu had returned and inadvertently left behind this form, which, twenty years later, had become the most direct evidence of his existence.
