Lian Ziho returned to his office after checking the CCTV. He put the file on his desk and sat down, still thinking about the car. His phone vibrated. The security guard had sent him the saved footage. He opened it and watched from the beginning. The black car appeared between the parked vehicles and moved toward him. Lian Ziho watched until the car disappeared from the frame, then played it again. This time, he noticed something he had missed earlier. He moved the footage back a few minutes. The car had already entered the parking lot before he arrived. It stopped near the far side and stayed there, facing the building entrance.
Lian Ziho slowly leaned closer to the screen. "Why were you there?" he said quietly. He watched the car remain in the same place. Then he appeared on the recording. A few seconds later, the car moved. Lian Ziho stopped the footage. His hand stayed on the mouse while he stared at the screen. He replayed that part twice, hoping he had misunderstood it. He hadn't. He opened another camera and searched the road outside. The same car appeared again. It slowed near the gate and stopped for a few seconds before moving on. Lian Ziho paused the recording. The driver's window was dark. He couldn't see the face, but the person inside seemed to turn toward the building.
Lian Ziho sat back and let out a quiet breath. "So you were watching." He tried to zoom in, but the image became blurry. He clicked back once, then stopped. There was no point trying to force a clearer picture from it. His phone rang. He glanced at the screen and saw Zheng Rui's name. "Hello?" "Are you still at the office?" Zheng Rui asked. Lian Ziho looked at the monitor again. "Yes. I'm here." "Can you come out?" Lian Ziho picked up his pen, turned it once between his fingers, then put it down. Something in Zheng Rui's voice made him pause. "What happened?" "Something strange happened earlier."
Lian Ziho waited, but Zheng Rui didn't continue. "What kind of strange?" "I don't want to explain it over the phone." Lian Ziho was quiet for a moment. He reached for his coat. "Where are you?" "I'm nearby. Come meet me." Lian Ziho slipped his coat on. "All right. Give me a few minutes." "Okay." The call ended. Lian Ziho stood beside his desk, but his eyes went back to the monitor. The black car was still frozen on the screen, the dark window hiding the person inside. He looked at it for another moment, then closed the recording and picked up his file.He put his phone into his pocket and walked out of the office.
Meanwhile Shen Mo walked through the busy street, keeping a distance from the man ahead. People often passed between them and blocked his view, but Shen Mo always found him again. Whenever the man slowed down, Shen Mo slowed too. When he stopped near a shop, Shen Mo stepped aside and waited. He avoided looking at him directly and used the reflections in shop windows to keep track of him. A few times, the man looked around. Each time, Shen Mo lowered his eyes and pretended to check his phone. After a few minutes, they reached a busy crosswalk. The light was red, and people gathered along the pavement.
The man stopped with them. Shen Mo stayed several steps behind and watched him through the reflection in a dark shop window. When the light changed, the crowd began crossing, but the man stayed where he was. Shen Mo slowed to a stop. He watched as people passed around the man. After a moment, the man turned his head slightly. Shen Mo quickly looked down at his phone. He waited a few seconds before looking up again. The man was still there. This time, he seemed more interested in the people who had crossed than the traffic. Shen Mo felt a small uneasiness in his chest. He moved closer to the edge of the pavement, pretending to wait for the next light.
The man suddenly took a step forward. Shen Mo froze. But the man didn't cross. He stepped back and looked toward the shops across the street. Shen Mo checked the reflection again. The man's face was only partly visible, but his eyes seemed to move along the row of shops. Shen Mo took a quiet step backward. Then another. The man turned slightly. Shen Mo quickly slipped into a small shop beside him. The bell above the door rang softly. The shopkeeper looked up, but Shen Mo gave him a quick nod and picked up something from the nearest shelf. He kept his back half-turned toward the window and watched through the glass.
The man still hadn't crossed. He stood at the corner for a few seconds, then slowly looked toward the shops. Shen Mo's fingers tightened around the item in his hand. He lowered his head and pretended to read the label. The man remained there. Then the light changed again. This time, he finally crossed the road. Shen Mo waited until he reached the other side and disappeared into the crowd before putting the item back. He stepped toward the door, paused, and checked the reflection one more time. The man was still walking ahead. Shen Mo quietly followed.
A few moments later, Shen Mo left the shop and looked down the street. The man was already several steps ahead. The street had become quieter, with only a few people walking along the pavement. Shen Mo slowed his pace. There were fewer people now, which made it harder to follow without being noticed. He kept his hands in his coat pockets and used the dark windows of the shops to watch the man ahead. The man walked without hurry, his steps steady and relaxed. After a few minutes, he stopped outside a small café. Shen Mo slowed and stopped across the road beside a parked car. He watched through the reflection in its window as the man took out his phone. He glanced at the screen, typed something, then slipped the phone back into his pocket. Shen Mo stayed where he was.
The man suddenly turned slightly.Shen Mo's eyes narrowed.Shen Mo let out a quiet breath and looked away for a second. Cai Lang. What are you hiding now?...He rubbed his thumb against the edge of his phone, already annoyed. I can't believe you're still doing this...He glanced back at Cai Lang. Just what are you up to this time?Cai Lang stood outside the café for another moment, checking his phone. He rested one shoulder against the wall, looking down the street.
After a few seconds,he pushed himself away and straightened his coat. He glanced at his watch, then slipped one hand into his pocket.Shen Mo watched him through the reflection of the parked car. What are you involved in this time?What are you involved in this time? Why does it always lead back to you? I thought I was done chasing your secrets. Apparently, I was wrong. How many things are you still hiding, Cai Lang?...Cai Lang suddenly looked toward the road. Shen Mo lowered his eyes and pretended to check his phone.
After a moment,Cai Lang turned and walked into the café. Shen Mo stayed where he was and waited. A few minutes later, the café door opened again. Cai Lang stepped outside, buttoned his coat with one hand, and glanced back at the café before turning toward the street.Shen Mo waited until he had gone far enough before leaving the parked car. He crossed the road and quietly followed.Cai Lang continued down the street without looking back. After another block, he turned into a narrow street between two old buildings. Shen Mo slowed near the corner. The street was much quieter than the main road.
Only a few dim shop signs were still lit, and most of the shutters were already down. He looked around before following. There was a delivery worker pushing an empty cart farther ahead, and an old man was locking the metal shutter of a small shop. Shen Mo waited until they had moved out of the way, then stepped into the narrow street. His footsteps sounded louder here. He immediately slowed down.
Cai Lang was still ahead.Shen Mo kept close to the wall and used the parked cars as cover. A motorbike suddenly came around the corner behind him. Shen Mo stepped aside quickly as it passed, the rider giving him an annoyed glance. "Watch it," the man muttered. "Sorry," Shen Mo said quietly. He looked ahead again. Cai Lang was still walking. For a second, Shen Mo thought he had lost him, but then he saw him near the end of the street.Cai Lang stopped beside a parked car. He did not turn around.
Shen Mo stopped too and moved behind a large delivery van. He waited. Cai Lang stood beside the car with one hand in his pocket. The street had become almost completely quiet. Somewhere nearby, a metal sign moved in the wind and tapped softly against a wall. Shen Mo watched from behind the van. Why did you stop?...Cai Lang remained there for several seconds. Then he took out his phone and looked at the screen. Shen Mo frowned. Who are you waiting for?...A woman suddenly appeared from a side door carrying a small bag. She glanced at Cai Lang, then quickly walked past him without saying anything. Cai Lang barely moved. Shen Mo stayed behind the van until she disappeared around the corner. When he looked again, Cai Lang put his phone away. He turned his head slightly and looked toward a dark shop window across the street.
Shen Mo immediately ducked back.His shoulder hit something behind him and metal object fell against the wall with a sharp click. Shen Mo froze. Cai Lang turned at once.He stood completely still, listening. Shen Mo didn't move. His back pressed against the side of the van, and he held his breath. He heard Cai Lang take a step. Did he hear that?... Cai Lang looked toward the van. Nothing moved. A stray dog suddenly came out from beneath a parked car and knocked over an empty plastic bottle.The bottle rolled across the pavement. Cai Lang's eyes shifted toward it, but his expression did not change. "Just a dog." he said quietly.
Shen Mo stayed silent. He kept close to the van as Cai Lang started walking again. His footsteps came closer, slow and steady. Shen Mo's heart beat a little faster as he watched the edge of the van. Cai Lang passed the first parked car, then another. Shen Mo stayed still, careful not to make any sound. The footsteps suddenly stopped. He waited, watching the pavement in front of him. For a few seconds, the street was quiet except for the wind. Then Cai Lang's shoes appeared at the edge of the van.
Cai Lang stopped only a few feet from the van. Shen Mo could see his shoes through the small gap beneath it. He stayed still and watched. Cai Lang looked around the street, then glanced toward the van again. Someone was here...So someone followed me...His eyes moved slowly across the street. I'm not in a hurry. If you want to hide, hide. I'll find you soon enough. Interesting. Who thought they could follow me without being noticed? ...His eyes moved over the parked cars and the closed shops. Shen Mo kept one hand against the van and waited.
Cai Lang took another step and looked toward the wall beside the van.His eyes moved over the narrow space between the parked vehicles. Shen Mo slowly shifted his weight and stayed closer to the van.Cai Lang noticed a small metal key ring near the wall. He crouched and picked it up, turning it between his fingers. The metal was cold. His eyes lifted toward the van. Whose is this? He looked at the key ring again. Someone must have dropped it here. Could it belong to the person following me?...
Cai Lang put the key ring into his pocket and stood. He looked down the street, then back at the parked cars. I don't know who you are, but you're making this interesting... Shen Mo watched his shadow move across the ground. He moved his foot away from the loose piece of metal beside the van, making sure it did not make another sound.Cai Lang looked toward the end of the street. But there was nothing. He looked back again. Shen Mo stayed completely still.
For a moment, neither of them moved.Then an engine sounded from the other end of the street. A small delivery vehicle turned into the lane, with two men walking beside it. Cai Lang stepped aside to let them pass. "Careful." the driver called as the vehicle squeezed between the parked cars. "Yeah, yeah!!" one of the men replied, pulling his friend closer to the wall.Shen Mo waited until the delivery vehicle had moved farther away before stepping out from behind the van. He looked back once, but Cai Lang was no longer watching the area.
Shen Mo quickly slipped through the narrow passage between the buildings. It led to another street, much quieter than the main road. Only a few shops were still open, and several cars were parked along the side. Shen Mo stopped near the corner and looked back.A moment later, Cai Lang came out of the passage. He paused beside a parked car and caught his reflection in the dark window. He adjusted his cuff, then glanced at the reflection behind him. For a second, his eyes stopped on the empty passage. "Not bad." he murmured. He put his hands into his coat pockets and continued walking at an easy pace.
After few minutes,Cai Lang crossed the street and stopped in front of the small private building. It was only three floors high, with a narrow entrance and a faded sign beside the door. The windows were covered with blinds, and there was no shop on the ground floor. Shen Mo slowed down and watched from across the street. What is this place?...Cai Lang looked up at the building, then checked his watch. He put it away and walked toward the entrance. A man standing near the door noticed him and straightened. "You're late."
Cai Lang stopped in front of him and looked at him quietly. The man waited for an answer. "I wasn't given a time." Cai Lang said.The man gave a small laugh."I thought you'd know better." Cai Lang's eyes narrowed slightly. "You asked me to come. Don't waste my time." The man's smile faded. He glanced toward the building before looking back at him. "You came about the old records?" Cai Lang studied him for a moment. "Who told you that?" "People talk." Cai Lang stepped closer. The man stopped smiling. "Then tell me what they said."
The man hesitated. "I don't know much." Cai Lang held his gaze for a few seconds. "Then don't pretend you do." The man went quiet. Cai Lang adjusted his sleeve and turned toward the entrance. "Wait." the man said. Cai Lang stopped without looking back. "What now?" The man lowered his voice. "The records aren't all there anymore." Cai Lang looked over his shoulder. "Where are they?" The man hesitated again. "Inside. Ask for the third room." Cai Lang gave a small nod and opened the door. He walked inside without another word. The man remained outside, watching the door close behind him.
Across the street, Shen Mo kept his eyes on the building. Who was that person? What were they talking about? ... He looked at the closed door again. Whatever he is hiding, it still connected to Lu Cheng. After all this time, the same name keep appearing in places it shouldn't. Shen Mo slowly let out a breath. So you're still following this trail. No matter how far you go, you always end up back at the same place. And in the end, you're going to do this again. Hide things. Follow your own path. Leave everyone else to find the truth after you're already gone...
Shen Mo looked at the building again and noticed the number above the entrance. He took out his phone and quickly took a photograph.Just as he lowered the phone, the screen lit up with a new message. Shen Mo frowned. The message was old, but it had only just appeared because the earlier conversation had been restored from an archived thread. He opened it. Lu Cheng's name was still at the top. For a few seconds, Shen Mo stared at the message without moving. His fingers tightened slightly around the phone. Even after all this time, Lu Cheng's name was still pulling them back into the same story...Shen Mo looked toward the building one more time. Maybe the past had never really been left behind. Maybe they had only stopped looking at it...
Cai Lang walked down the narrow hallway and stopped in front of the third room. He knocked twice and waited. After a moment, the door opened. A man in his thirties stood there in a dark shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He looked at Cai Lang, then quickly glanced down the empty hallway. "You're alone?" "For now," Cai Lang replied. The man stepped aside and held the door open. "Come in." Cai Lang entered and closed the door behind him. The room was small and plain. There was table near the window, covered with old files, folders, and loose papers. Another man sat at the table, slowly turning through a thin file. He looked up when Cai Lang entered and closed the file. "You took your time."
Cai Lang pulled out a chair and sat down. He placed one hand on the table and looked at him. "You gave me the wrong address." The man frowned and leaned back. "I gave you the address I was given." Cai Lang reached for one of the loose papers and turned it over. "Then whoever gave it to you wanted me to waste time." The man watched him for a moment before reaching for a brown folder. He pushed it across the table. "This is what you asked for." Cai Lang pulled the folder closer and opened it. He went through the first few pages without saying anything. When he saw lu Cheng 's name his fingers stopped.His eyes stayed on the page for a moment before he turned it. "Where did you get this?" he asked.
The man rubbed his thumb along the edge of the table. "An old storage room. Most of the files were damaged." Cai Lang turned another page. "And this one?" "Someone kept it separately." He looked at the folder again. "Someone wanted it to survive." The man gave a slow nod. "That's what I thought." Cai Lang closed the folder halfway but kept one hand on it. "Who else has seen it?" "I don't know." Cai Lang looked up. He didn't raise his voice. "Try again." The man shifted in his chair and looked toward the window. "One other person asked about these records a few days ago." Cai Lang waited. "Who?" "I don't know his name."
Cai Lang leaned back slightly. "What did he look like?" The man thought for a moment. "Mid-thirties. Dark coat. He asked about Lu Cheng and the old classroom building." Cai Lang's fingers tapped once against the folder. "So I'm not the first person looking." "No." The man paused, then added, "And you may not be the second." Cai Lang stopped tapping the folder. He looked directly at him. "What do you mean?" Before the man could answer, Cai Lang's phone vibrated on the table. He picked it up and glanced at the screen. His eyes settled on the photograph showing Shen Mo standing near the corner outside. He looked at it for a few seconds, then turned the phone slightly so the man could see. "So that's who it is."
The man leaned closer. "You know him?" Cai Lang locked the screen and put the phone into his pocket and stood."He followed me here." The man got up as well. "Should we stop him?" Cai Lang shook his head and picked up the brown folder. "No." "Why not?" Cai Lang tucked the folder under his arm and walked toward the door. "Because he wants answers." He stopped with his hand on the handle. "Let him look." The man frowned. "You're not worried?" Cai Lang glanced back at him. "If he finds something, he'll lead us to whoever left it there."
The man was quiet for a moment. Cai Lang opened the door, then looked back. "Keep the other files hidden." "And if someone comes asking?" Cai Lang held his gaze. "Don't lie. Just don't tell them everything." He stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind him. For a moment, the man remained inside, staring at the closed door. Then he looked down at the remaining files and slowly pulled them closer.
Meanwhile, Shen Mo sat in his car a few streets away. He rested his phone against the steering wheel and opened the photograph he had taken of the building. He zoomed in on the entrance first. The number above the door was clear. He moved the image slowly, checking the windows and the area around the entrance. Nothing seemed unusual. "Come on," he muttered. "There has to be something." He zoomed in again and moved the picture toward the side of the building. Then his finger stopped.
Shen Mo frowned and enlarged the image. There was a person standing near Cai Lang's car, partly hidden behind another vehicle. He leaned closer to the screen. "Who is watching him?" he whispered. He zoomed in again, but the person's face was still unclear. "Who are you?" Shen Mo stared at the figure for a few seconds. "And what do you want from Cai Lang?" He looked at the photograph again, then glanced through the car window toward the street outside. "So I wasn't the only one following him." He looked back at the screen.Shen Mo slowly lowered the phone. "How many people are looking for the same thing?" he said quietly. He thought about Cai Lang, the old records, and Lu Cheng's name appearing again. Too many people were moving around the same secret, and none of them seemed willing to show their hand.He looked at the photograph one more time. "Whatever you're hiding, Cai Lang... it's bigger than I thought." His thumb moved over the screen, stopping on the figure near the car. "And whoever that is, they were watching you before I was."